After 12 years of fishing,,Im back in a body/paint shop

A place for professionals to network and discuss the business and technology inside the shop.

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 5:31 pm
Yep,,,Im back in a shop working 6:00am-2:00pm.
The fishing charters slowed down to almost nothing, and we have also had 16 straight days of rain here in Charleston. That doesn't help either......Just like you,,I have bills to pay!

Any way, Im working at a trucking company that has a spray booth thats 65' long, 16' wide and 18' tall. Largest in the state.
We are touching up brand new 20' and 40' containers that have been scratched during shipping for Caterpillar. These units will have giant generators in them when completed. I worked 16 hours on Tuesday. Thats hard on the old man,,,Ha-Ha-Ha.

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"The number of parasites in the USA has now eclipsed the number of productive members of society"


Capt Rick Hiott.
www.reelfishhead.com

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PostPosted: Thu Jul 04, 2013 8:11 pm
I would pick fishing myself. Good luck on the transition. Thankfully, you have skills to pay the bills. Hopefully its a temporary thing. I know a few guides at Lake Texhoma and they are in the same errr boat. Wish I knew what you do about painting. I am so paranoid to just put on primer that is just scares the HELL out of me to be at the stage to add another coat of something. Let alone the finish coat. Maybe I should grab the old fishing pole. Problem is, its 1 pound crappie in the local creek! Good luck!

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 3:19 am
Thanks Deve!
"The number of parasites in the USA has now eclipsed the number of productive members of society"


Capt Rick Hiott.
www.reelfishhead.com

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 7:15 am
Best luck to you Rick, I'm sure they appreciate your experience and work ethic. Those look like they will be some big generators, wow.



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PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 8:30 am
good on ya, but sorry to hear the charter thing went flat. prayin it'll pick back up soon for ya.

this rather impresses me with cat. touching up the shipping containers???that's a company that,IMO, shows how important quality is.


can we get some info on what types of paint ya'll are using, like ss or,bc/cc?

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PostPosted: Fri Jul 05, 2013 5:03 pm
Thanks guys!

The paint is a Valspar single stage. (3-1 mix ratio Polyurethane Enamel ) It sprays just like Imron and has a great shine after you sand off the factory orange peel with 180! No kidding! Looks like they painted it with a roller it has so much peel in it. The Valspar S/S covers in one coat and you can spray right over 180 grit with it. I like it.

Im going to meet up with the Valspar rep next week and pick his brain and see how fast I can make this stuff go......

We will be getting in a few hundred of these units and I want to turn them around as fast as possible. We have 10 units in the lot right now, and more on the way......
"The number of parasites in the USA has now eclipsed the number of productive members of society"


Capt Rick Hiott.
www.reelfishhead.com



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PostPosted: Thu Dec 12, 2013 6:57 pm
holy masking tape and paper man. I get aggro when i have to do a yukon haha, i would go nuts doing that and i was out of the trade for ten months been back in for 3 months have had my worst week yet, i hate auto body sometimes

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PostPosted: Fri Dec 13, 2013 5:44 pm
I have hated auto/body for YEARS!!!!

But it pays the bills.

Ive had a tail gate off of a 2013 Toyota truck in my shop here at the house for over a month. I pulled the dent out, wiped some mud on it,,,and its been sitting there. The guy call me today wondering when I'll have it done, I told him by the end of next week......
"The number of parasites in the USA has now eclipsed the number of productive members of society"


Capt Rick Hiott.
www.reelfishhead.com



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PostPosted: Fri Jan 03, 2014 8:18 pm
Ya know that sucks to have to give up fishing for working in the body shop. Those are some cool looking trailers to redo. I had 20 years in the trucking business, driving and managing then opened my shop. what a roller coaster I've been on, but all and all I like it, and I'm making money. Good luck on your work, hope you can get back to fishing soon.
CHEAP work is never QUALITY, and QUALITY work is never CHEAP!!!

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PostPosted: Sat Jan 04, 2014 4:21 pm
The phone will start ringing in May,,,but I'm staying where I'm at full time. Its a GREAT company and they treat me good.

Sure,,,Ill do a trip on the weekend and sub the rest out to a couple of other captains that I have talked to, and make money off of that. There is a LOT of drama and B/S when it comes to working with most of the other young charter captains. (LOTS of ego's) There a couple of older captains that are mature and don't play childish games when it comes to working together. We do a lot of corporate trips with large groups during the season.

Im also trying to send my guys to PPG Fleet class when they have one that comes up in Atlanta. Should be this summer.
"The number of parasites in the USA has now eclipsed the number of productive members of society"


Capt Rick Hiott.
www.reelfishhead.com

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