The adjustment budget on my old Rolleiflex doubled in 6 months

I used to set aside $40 for a CLA and that covered parts and bench time, but last month the quote came back at $85 and that was just for the shutter. The main culprit is the price of replacement light seals and lubricants, which jumped twice since January here in Portland. Has anyone else seen shop rates climb this fast, or am I just dealing with a supplier that inflated their catalog?

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mason7981mo ago

I used to joke that CLA stands for "cash leaving account" and always figured the prices would stay flat for years. Seeing that jump in six months changed my mind completely, because that is not a slow creep you can plan around, that is a hard reset on what the work is worth. The light seals and lubes are a real sticking point too, since shops cannot just eat those costs forever and they pass every increase straight to us. My local guy in Portland said his supplier raised foam prices twice this year alone and he had to adjust his rate card just to break even. So I get the frustration, but I now think we are looking at the new normal for this hobby, not a one time spike.

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