Scott Stone

I don't have a problem helping local people on techniques and methods. I figure I am probably traiing 40 potential competitors at a time, anyways. I would rather they be informed on proper techniques then go make a mess of something, and causing problems for everyone that follows them. I have enough competition like that. I do draw the line on pricing. I know how much I want to make, and I know what is required to perform the work to my satisfaction. I don't know what others need to make, and will not give pricing information out to anyone. Call it a personal bias.

I think that the only time I won't teach someone technical things is when I have been specifically told I could not bid on a contract, and the winning bidder is told to call me so that I can teach them how to complete the contract. Yes, it has happened. It did not turn out well for the winning bidders, nor for the contracting entity. The reason they would not allow me to bid the contract was because in the scope they had a very specialized license that was really unnecessary, but did manage to keep someone else from bidding that they had problems with before, multiple times.

There are a couple of different ways to get an invite. First, you can develop an industry reputation, in the industry, so that the people that make the decisions are comfortable with your knowledge. You can also keep your ear to the ground and request an invitation. Whenever there is a conference on a subject, they will often send out open requests for presentations, and ask for a synopsis of what you plan on presenting. You can also send out an open invitation to any industry organization and tell them you have a presentation. There are also some industries that will let you pay to present. Incidentally, the importance of your presentation to the industry and the gravitas it has in their situation is obvious by your location on the calendar. There are some really dead zones that are not even worth the effort to make the presentation. For instance, if you are sharing part of a presentation with someone that you are not related to, that is a filler spot, where they expect your presentation to have minimal value. If you are scheduled early in the morning after bar night, it is a lousy spot, or directly after lunch. Also, if you are just before the bar night, and there is a short time line between the end of your presentation and the departure, you are not going to have a lot of activity. You can also tell if you are scheduled in the same hour with something that can produce revenue. It doesn't matter whether or not it is government, they are always interested in revenue streams. As for me, I always check when they want me to speak. I learned that lesson the hard way. It sucks to spend hours on a presentation, make the effort to travel, and have three people in the presentation, and none of them are interested in the service or subject that you are presenting about. Sometimes you do get a cool gift for making a presentation.

Lots of people were invited that chose not to attend.

Have you tried a gear puller? As for the pump, it is a relabelled TS2021, so 5.5 at 3000psi. It should be on a 13 hp motor.

Way to go. It is always nice when you can get that type of gig. As small as Massachusetts is, you might be able to expand out to Rhode Island, and other nearby states. Make no mistake, the regulators talk, and tell each other who they have had good experience with.

I can answer that. The vinyl can come off over time. It also can be peeled off by a pressure washer, if it is washed improperly, before it is fully cured on the paint of the vehicle. A wrap is a solid piece of vinyl. It can come off, and it can also fade, over time. Different areas of the country can have different results in the life expectancy of the vinyl. Depending on how it is cared for, a wrap can actually last longer then just plain vinyl, because there are not so many edges that can get caught, so that it can be peeled off. For what it is worth, my parents owned a sign shop, with my worthless, oldest brother, for a while, and I picked up a little bit from what I saw in their business

Please note, I have made two posts in this thread. The first was about signage on my trucks. I have 25 of them, and they all have signage on them. The second was to address Jim's accusation of Tony causing drama. Since I have been directly threatened and berated by Jim on multiple occasions simply because I disagreed with him. There are screen shots available where Jim stated that he was working with local authorities in such a way that it could damage my business. If that is not a direct threat, and if that does not show what the goals of Jim are, then I would be shocked. Additionally, I have other posts that have shown how Jim has pried into proprietary information on my business, including researching meetings that have been held, and then tried to promote to others that my business is on a failure mode. I find that offensive. I am sorry if I get my panties in a bunch about it, but really, I have never attacked anyone, or made efforts to work against ANY contractor in this industry. In fact, I would say I have even gone out of my way to help people to clean things properly and legally. So, if Jim is worried about drama, then so be it. I feel he has attempted to damage my business, and my families livelihood in a very direct, and obvious way. That he is so insecure that he feels someone is attacking him based on disagreeing with methods, I would suggest counselling. I might even have a few bucks to chip in to help defray the costs. Be it known, that I am sick and tired of Jim doing illegal background checks, probing into anything that has to do with my customers, and even researching, poorly by the way, the financing arrangements I have on my equipment. Jim, I know you are going to read every word of this. I am tired of you meddling in my business. Stay out of my life, stay out of my business. Go and build your own business on your own abilities. If you feel threatened by me, I have done nothing but run a rock solid, very profitable business for the last 23 years. All of my customers are happy, my bills are paid, and I am going to continue to be very profitable for the foreseeable future. Just for your information, my banker said that my business has the absolute cleanest books he has ever seen. That includes paying the IRS and not spending money to hide money.

I don't do decks, but if it was me, I would find a hotel nearby that they could stay in until the deck was completed. This spells all sorts of disaster on it.

Tony, Your brother is making the assumption that everyone, at heart, is a thief. What that tells me is that he cannot be trusted. If there are so many people dying in poverty, it perfectly contradicts his assessment.

I don't mind helping others out. I give a significant percentage of my income to help others. I feel it is my duty as a human being to do that, however, I firmly believe that government organizations are a huge fail when it comes to helping those in need. That is the main reason I don't feel government is the proper method of charitable giving.

I don't. But I have been told that I do.

I may wear a skirt, but, wanna compare 1040's?

i always have found it interesting that the guys that always start the drama, are the people accusing others of drama. For instance, I have had my business directly threatened, in public, by Jim, yet, if I retaliate and respond, I am accused of starting drama. I have also been accused of causing drama, with simple, substantiated posts of why I disagree with Jim. That is okay though, he also says that I light up the phone lines trying to get people to attack him. I freely, and openly, ask anyone that I have called about Jim and asked them to attack him, or even discussed him at length, post it here. Shoot, I would be willing to bet the people that I call, even on an infrequent basis, could all fit comfortably in a car for a trip to Denny's.

Train, train, train, and train again. We don't have videos. We do have constant training happening. Everyone has a trainer on a ride along every other week. It helps maintain quality, and it helps discover efficiencies that others use to make their jobs easier, and share them with all of the other employees.

My trucks are lettered. I didn't letter them in the past, but I have contracts that require lettering. In all honesty, I am surprised at how many calls that we receive off the signage.

I have never done Residential or Decks, with exception of a couple of paint prep jobs for friends and neighbors.

seals, valves, air leaks. those are the three main culprits of gun vibrations. Make sure that there is noe air getting in the line. check the valces and the oring seats to make sure that there is no debris in them, and the the orings are not damaged, and finally, pull the head off and check the packings to make sure they are in good shape. Odds are, it is one of the three, but my money is on the packings.

Make sure you oil is at the proper level. Also, you might want to open up all the doors to get cool air in.

Any Bed liner place can do it. I just had two more trucks done, and it cost me about $525 for a 12 foot flat bed. Mine is a little more custom made, and thicker, because I am using a local shop that is not part of a franchise. Seems to be holding up well on all of my trucks, so far.

The oldest rig we currently have is from 1999 I think. The electrical stuff went out on it, so we just replaced the pump and motor to take it to new again. The frame is the same, though... It is on the oldest truck (and only chevy) in our fleet, and the guys hate it, until they use it, because it runs so well.

Look at the swinging watch... There is no money to be made in this business... We are all hobbyists...You will believe me...

We went with a uniform service. Costs me $30 per employee per month, and they are cleaned. There are advantages and disadvantages to it, but if i don't like what I am getting I am not under contract, and I get no penalties. That is what my service does, though.

Well, I could be snarky, and say that it is being someone, or doing something that others are envious enough of that they make up lies and spread rumors about you. In reality, I think Ron is spot on. Sure, money will come with it, but in reality, if i am successful, with my wife, raising children, that will fill me with joy, but I will not necessarily see financial rewards from it.

At least it was close to home. Imagine if it had been at a customers house, a long, cold ride home would have been the deal of the day.