Scott Stone

A recession and Arizona has record employment, even with the construction downturn. we are running at 3.2% unemployment last month.

Now Dan, You know that is way overkill for what you are doing. You should have just gotten a hose and a spray gun. It would have worked, just taken a bit longer.

How about draping a tarp under the deck? You could also do this with the stripper, and then pump it out to a holding tank. You could tie it to inner tubes and string them all the way the deck, and then tie the ends of the tarp to the tubes,. Then you can pump that out, too. Just me being off the wall. (you like our Babybacks???)_

Can't you corn cob blast it? A little more expensive, but in my unknowing eyes, it would end up beautiful.

Sounds like shades of Jon's trailer, except his wasn't a deck over. I am getting ready to redo my trailer, but I think that I am going to have to retire teh 12 ft. trailer and go to my 16. I need to get more equipment on it and the 12 is full. I really like the shorter trailer, especially in parking garages that are in use.

I always have a newer truck. It drives some people crazy. My current ride is an '06 with 60k on it. I run the heck out of them.

My wife says that I am too stupid to know what I cannot do. I don't know what she means, I though I could do anything. There are a few thigns that I will not tackle. I have not rebuilt an automatic transmission, yet...

The torsion system in semis with airbags is far different than the torsion system they use with smaller trailers. I hav elooked at the torsion axles, and remained with the springs. I also get my trailers built at 10k lbs, because it is just a lot longer between when springs break, and they will break. My current main trailer is 7 years old now and is still great. I have replaced teh fenders on it and springs on the back axles on both sides. I also have done the spirng hangers. Fix it and keep it moving.

Alan, Back in the day, Prochem and Steel eagle developped the recovery system together. This must be really old, because they used to make it public knowledge. Of course, this was at least 10 years ago.

I buy mine under invoice from an authorized dealer.

:lgangel:Hmm, I almost made a comment that could be easily misconstrued, but I thought better of it. It was VERY funny though.

Dang, it has ben a really long time since I was called a newbie. First things first Don,. I think it is more important to me not to miss a days work than it is to DHL because I am more small time than they are, and they can afford to have multiple trucks for back ups, and that is what they do. Plain painter, I have been in business 18 years, and do very well, thank you very much. It does not make any sense to have a back up if your vehicle breaks down. It is far more likely that an older vehicle will break down than a new one. It is obvious our business models are different. I will continue to buy new vehicles, and get premium accounts due to professional appearance and being able to charge professional prices. I do not like taking the risk on used vehicles. I can afford to not have to take that risk by buying new. Every used vehicle I have ever bought has ended up costing far more in lost work and repairs than if I had bought a new one. I have run the numbers, and I have made a decision to have my company have a professional appearance. I even paint my trailers every couple of years and have them custom built because I prefer that image. I do a constant analysis, and my profit margin is enough to make my accountant mad that he has a masters degree. It works for me. I guess it all depends on where you want to be, and the image you want to convey.

You guys crack me up. I always look at what profitable companies do when they are doing something, because if it works for them, it just might work for me. They always buy new vehicles. Part of the reason is that they can't have someone looking for used vehicles all the time. But another huge reason is reliability and warranty. You can quickly go through a lot of time and money waiting on repairs. The way I figure it is that if I get shut down because of a breakdown that costs me a day every three months, that is about $1000 in revenue, plus the average ticket of $300, at a minimum. So a breakdown costs around $1300. I would rather have a new truck, take the risk of a breakdown, which most everyone will agree that it is far less likely in a newer truck, and then also have a reliable schedule. It is probably jsut a different philosophy of doing business, but it works for me. Another advantage is that many people, especially your typical target market, consider it a mark of professionalism to have a newer vehicle, instead of some clapped out early '90s pickup.

He said he wanted a truck. ;) If 25k is all you have budgeted, you will need to go used to get a 3/4 ton, and I would not even consider a 1/2 ton. That is just me. With a diesel, I would not even start to get worried about the mileage until you were north of 100k. I would stay away from the 03 and 04 fords with the 6.0 , but then, there are a lot of people that have had zero problems with them. Just have someone check it out, unless you know what you are doing.

Boy that is quite a sstep up from the 78 pinto. Now it is time to get wheels, a chip, exhaust, etc for it and see what you can do to it. ;) Me, I am still putttering along in my old beater ;) By the way, I know EXACTLY how long it took for my crew to put a dent in a dentless truck, 25 hours. Backed into a chain link fence along the door. And they do not understand how come they don't ever get to drive my truck.

Check the inlet filter.

That price is WAY below costs for just materials. I wonder what he does to get the add ons that make it worthwhile. If he was my competition, it would be worth 100 bucks to find out.

First, there are uninformed americans that believe the world is flat, too. There is nothing wrong with that, except that it leads to uninformed decisions. As for Iraq, I am war weary. I see the good that is coming there, have spoken to multiple people that have served there, and to a man, they all feel it is worth the effort. I do not think that it is the mainstream Iraqi's that have the IED's that are injuring our military. There are other factions that are coming to Iraq to war with the US. That is where the real problem is. They need to put an airtight seal on the borders to keep out those that are not citizens of the country, and to protect the people that actually reside there. Gee, it almost sounds like I am talking about our own illegal immigration problem.

300+ feet of 3/4 inch hose, and I use all of it all the time.

Dang, I wanted to vote for Scott, too.:D

I had a really good friend that was doing a church service project. They were oiling the benches. At the end of the day, someone, probably one of the kids he was working with, left a rag in the chapel. Mind you it was airconditioned, etc, but about 3 am it went poof, and the 30,000 sq ft church was a total loss. It was pretty incredible.

I am going to California if anyone cares. Annual Carlsbad trip. My wife says I have to come home after three days, but she will let me come pick her up and bring her home on the weekend.

Home despot has them with the clip, too. I have had mine for a few years, I think that I paid about $37 for it.

That manager should be fired for lying and for not taking care of the buildings equipment. Why did they even have a pressure washer, if they were not ogin to use to clean the garage floors, too. Good grief, cars are going to create at least as much CO as a small pressure washer. The first thing that should have been done was to check the repair logs to see when the last inspection of the ventilation system was. I would put my bets on it having been longer than a month. What a poor way to try and deflect blame and criticism.

My accountant on average has saved me well over $10k a year, and costs me about $800. Every time she calls I answer the phone telling her how beautiful she is. (I Love called ID and she is also a personal friend.) Even if something happened that she decided to give up accounting, I would still have one, though I may not tell him or her that he or she is beautiful.