Weather Quick Change

It seems that the weather has decided to change quite rapidly this fall. Within 2 weeks, it went from 80+ degrees to barely getting up to 65. This brings me to reminding everyone to winterize your pumps now. If you wait until it freezes, you will be too late. From this time on, you should clean your rigs completely and store them with pump saver, antifreeze or make sure that they are completely dry with no hoses or guns attached. Prime valves should be left open also. Make sure that the siphon tube or hose is clean and empty. All machinery should be stored inside. The back of your truck, even in a camper shell, does not constitute indoors.

Remember that temperature also affects how your material dries, cures and adheres. Or Not. Even indoors, if the temperature isn’t regulated, your material can and will fail. Flat is more forgiving than enamel, but will still fail to adhere. Humidity will also cause problems. Take all of this into consideration before starting the days work and schedule your workmen accordingly.

Problems this Winter

Again, this winter we are seeing a few machines that have frozen.  And we are seeing many machines that are having electrical problems.  Protect your machines by storing them inside, always.  Also, on the same note, never leave material outside in a unheated truck, trailer or job site.  When the material gets too cold, it does odd thins, none of which are good.  Some materials coagulate and become difficult or impossible to spray.  This leads to machine complications and premature breakdowns.  When we take the machine apart, it looks like you have run incompatible products.  This is similar to trying to clean latex with paint thinner.  The pump valves and ports are clogged.  This also increases the cost of repairs.  Very few water soluble products will survive being stored at temperatures under 50 degrees for any length of time.

Prepare for the Job

We are having quite a few customers come in with machines that haven’t been plugged in for a year or more.  One came in that hadn't been used for 12 years!  After sitting for ANY amount of time, I.e. a month or more, start out by plugging it in and making sure that the motor runs!.  Then prime with water first to make sure that it will prime and then build pressure.  And do this BEFORE you go out on the job.

If you wait and take for granted that everything will work, you are gambling with your time and energy.  If you just put it in paint and it doesn’t prime or pressurize, you then have a wet machine to manually clean before repairs can be made.  If you are on the job, this is a mess and you have to spend time going back to the shop and starting over.

Think of it like you would a car or truck.  If you hadn't started the vehicle for a year or two or twelve, and are planning on a cross country trip, would you load up all of your luggage and family and then see if it will start?

Rain and more rain

We have finally shifted back to our “normal” winter weather.  It seems that we are getting flooded this year, but we are really getting the same amount of rain as when we first opened the shop here in Sacramento in the year 2001.  We have had serious rain storms here every winter until the “draught”.  So after 5 years of no winter, we are actually back on track.  Construction will once again have to be scheduled according to weather conditions as in our pre draught years.

Remember to shelter your rigs during this weather,  Neither gas nor electric rigs should be wet.  Water will get into your fuel tanks and gas cans.  Water will get into the electric motors and electronic control boxes.  This can be catastrophic.  Control boards for both gas and electric run from $250 to $800 for the parts alone.  Even if you have the rig chained with a logging chain in the back of your truck, cover it up with a tarp!

Also, remember that even if the paint seems dry to the touch, in this weather, it takes many more hours for it to cure hard enough to shed water without damage.  Interior painting will take many hours to cure if the area isn’t heated.  Don’t take unnecessary chances.  Every valid contract has weather related delays built into it.  Make sure that every contract you sign has this in it.  And don’t be afraid to enforce said clauses.  If the owner/builder insists on you continuing, make them sign an acceptance of your objection and for them to accept the responsibility of said work.  The law allows for this and you should insist on it.

Be extra careful on ladders and scaffolding (as well as on roofs) as this rain will cause everything to be slick and many ladders and scaffolding to sink unevenly into the ground.

New equipment companies

Beware new companies that are trying to get into the construction equipment market.  A few months ago, I wrote about a company named TriTech that is getting into the airless market.  After trying for months to get information about the company, other than their own P.R., I have hit a blank.  Evidently they aren’t interested in the service centers that will eventually see their products.  They haven’t returned inquiries or phone calls.  To a service business that has been servicing the airless market as a general repair and warranty center for all brands since 1986, this usually means one of a few things:  1.That the company is fading out of the market due to poor sales or performance.  2. They are so undercapitalized that they have no parts other than what they can afford to assemble for complete machines (to sell).  3. They don’t want anyone to take the machines apart for repair and see the poor design or lack of quality,   4. They have no marketing and/or business experience or don’t have the financial backing to proceed in expanding into existing markets.

In the last 30 years, I have seen the airless market expand and contract.  A few good companies have been purchased by others in the same market.  Examples of these are Amspray, Airlessco and Speeflo.  Wagner merged Amspray into their (then) new piston pump line as SprayTech.  Airlessco is still sold as Airlessco (by Graco) as a premium line.  Speeflo is the gas/hydraulic line of Titan.  A few have died, such as Binks and HERO.  4 or 5 have just disappeared leaving their customers without any parts or service support, such as Allimite, Karldom, HERO (closed by Graco) and Simpson.

So beware of purchasing any equipment by a new company.  Make sure that it can be serviced by all factory certified service centers.   And then make sure that you are getting a better value per dollar than with a known and well established brand.  Quality and repair support will last long after an impulse buy from a persuasive sales person or advertisement.  Despite any claims to the contrary, all equipment that is used for any length of time will need service and repairs.

Freeze Warnings !!

Once again, we are at the time of year where they are posting freeze warnings.  Last night was the first of this year, although it only dropped to 35 degrees in Sacramento.  Outlying areas such as Grass Valley and in many other places, it dropped below freezing.

DO NOT LEAVE ANY MATERIAL IN YOUR PUMP OVERNIGHT.  It doesn’t matter if it is in a camper shell or a trailer or a (unheated) garage or storage building.  Your pump WILL freeze and serious damage can occur.  If you are in doubt, come into the shop, I have 2 really graphic examples of what it can do.  A split cylinder can run from $150 to $600.  Just for the part.  Then you have packings, etc.  Run Pump Gaurd through your machine, remove the airless hose and gun and then run it for about 10 seconds to run it dry.  A clean, dry pump without hose and gun cannot freeze.

If you have any pumps that you haven’t been using, go get them out and check them too.

Fall is Here

The fall rains have begun.  Remember to protect your spraying equipment from the rain.  If wet, electric motors can short out.  Electrical circuits can short out if just damp.  Keep them dry.  Gas engines will form moisture inside the fuel tanks and ruin the carburetor.  Gas machines that have clutches, non-hydraulic pumps, also have electrical circuits.  Wet and damp can short them out.  Some of the newest hydraulic machines have circuit boards also.  Keep them all dry.

Remember, of course, all exterior paints should have a minimum of 24 hours to dry before any moisture (rain) touches them.  Even if the rain doesn’t slide the material off the wall and onto the sidewalk/driveway/ground, it will change the surface tension and change the appearance of the wall.  You may be able to see the difference between the areas that got wet and the areas that didn’t.  The owners might complain and then you would have to repaint the areas that got wet.  It isn’t worth the chance.  Also,  almost all contracts have included in them a change of the project finish date for “acts of God”, which includes rain.  So for each day of rain or wet weather or temperature too low to paint, the finish date will extend 1 weekday.  Weekends are not usually included for delay or for a finish date.  Just make sure to let the person in charge of the property know of the delay as it happens.