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Winter Warning

Along with the rain, but you're also brings us very cold weather. This is another reminder of how to store your machine. Make sure after cleaning, you do not leave any water in the machine, hose or gun. It is always best to pump the machine dry and disconnect the hose. Machines, wet or dry, should always be stored inside. Even when stored inside, if you're in a building that is not he did. Do not leave material or water in the machine overnight.
The good news about December is this: this year has been much better than previous years. Although we still aren't even close to the rush of the early 2000, we are no longer lying flat prone, business wise. Construction starts are up and real estate sales are starting up again. This looks real good for 2013. Most of our customers are reporting an increase in business the last quarter of this year. This is unusual for an election year.
so, from us at Airless spray Center, have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

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Winter weather

With winter weather setting in, we need to look at storing machines again. Remember to clean out the machines using soap and water and then cool clear water. If you have it use pump saver as your last wash running through the machine. Do not leave the machines under pressure. It is best to disconnect all hoses and guns and store them separately. All machines should be stored under cover, preferrably in a garage or a locked insulated room.

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Out of Storage

Remember to try any and all of your machines before taking them out on the job to work.  This will save time and frustration.

There are quite a few machines that are being sold that have been stored for years.  Buyer Beware of these.  Many will need work before they can be used successfully.  You cannot just see if they will prime.  You must see if they will build up pressure.

Remember the old adage: “If it seems to be too good to be true, if probably is”.

BAK

Summer 2012 was a real roller coaster.  We had weeks of frenzied activity and then days of zero activity.  It made it difficult to manage inventory.

Our business seemed to reflect our customer’s business.  Most of our customers reported that they roller coasted also with the total business count much better than last year.  I hope that this winter will continue to show slow growth.

I saw a large number of dead electric motors this year.  I think that it is because contractors are running their equipment longer and harder than before.  It is cheaper to fix an old machine than purchase a new one.

I’m seeing more pumps come in with dried paint chunks and strips of paint skins in the fluid section, clogging the fluid section and prime valve.  This is due to the paints required by CARB and California dry and skin up faster than ever.  If you have a lowboy or stand unit with a siphon hose (usually black hose), this is a real problem.  With the summer heat, paint skins up inside the siphon hose really fast.  If you don’t get the siphon hose cleaned out completely, it will skin up even faster.

There is a simple solution for this.  Use Dawn dish washing detergent in your wash water.  Fist 2 gallons of water push the paint out of the machine.  The second 2-3 gallons should have 3 or 4 tablespoons of dish washing detergent in it to break loose any and all paint in the siphon hose, pump, airless line and gun.  This is also used to clean the siphon screen, manifold filter and gun filter.  Then flush all of the soapy water out with pump saver and water.  Remove the hose/gun and run just long enough to pump the last of the water out.

Winter is finally here

Here it is, almost February and winter is just arriving.  Sure, we have had a few cold days, but no rain to speak of.  Now it is starting.  So now the question comes up, Will we have a late winter (that goes into the spring)? or will we have a short winter?  Now that work is picking back up, planning becomes more important.

No question that the painting trade has changed.  New construction, notably housing, went from “full Throttle” to “dead in the water”.  Repaint and maintenance went from “really busy” to “hardly any”.  This fall has shown both to start reviving.  New projects won’t get close to the 2006 pace for a long time, if ever.  Repaint and maintenance is now on it’s knees; from flat on it’s face. I am seeing projects that needed to be done 4 years ago, starting up.  Because of this stall, the maintenance work has degenerated from maintenance to repair.  So, the extra cost of waiting to be done, will slow some of it’s recovery.  Ironic, isn’t it? But deferring maintenance has always cost more.

Thinking of deferring costing more….  This applies to airless rigs as well.  If your pump is leaking at the piston, not repairing it right away jeopardizes the piston.  This can easily double the cost of repair.  So as soon as you notice leakage, schedule the machine to be repaired.  This will allow you to repair the machine at a known time, rather than causing a panic when it completely fails during the middle of a project.

Additional Recipes

In opening this today, I realized that I have neglected to post the additional flavors that we have.  So here is that post

11/26/2010

We spent The holidays in Arizona.  We had a ShapeWay tasting and came away with 2 new flavors.  These were acquired by the tried and true “hit and miss” method…

17'.  the “Kat”  8: 8 oz Non-Fat Milk, 1 scoop S/W, 1 tablespoon unsweetened chocolate, 1 tablespoon peanut butter, 1.5oz ZILLA.

18. the “Larry” 8: 8 oz NF Milk, 1 scoop S/W, 1/2 banana, 1 tablespoon unsweetened chocolate, 1.5 oz ZILLA.