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.
