I often used auto body putty for repairs to almost everything. In some cases I would mix sawdust with the body putty, and use an absorbent paint so it would take stain. I got pretty good at matching wood finishes when I was doing that kind of work.
After a large apartment complex got estimates for repairing proprietary wood trim around the complex, one of their tenants called me to fix his door and two window frames, because he felt the complex would not get around to it fast enough.
The complex manager got wind of it, and came to inspect what I did, and I was already long finished with the work, just waiting for the primer to dry to apply two coats of paint.
My bill for doing two windows and the door frame was less than 1/3 their quote for a single door frame. The manager asked me to come by his office the next day when the owner was there.
He wanted an estimate to do the whole complex, and I told him I don't do estimates, unless he wants a bill five time higher than it should be. But I did tell him, I already know you have estimates, and I can guarantee my work will be better, and come in at less than half of your lowest estimate, and without the destruction of doing it their way.
The owner said, OK, I'll stick my neck out and let you to the south facing doors and windows on building 17, then we'll talk again.
He thought it would take me a week or longer to do the work, and that would be after I got the necessary materials.
I started work the next day, on Tuesday, and was finished by Wednesday afternoon. Called the manager to come and inspect all the work before he went home. He almost fainted when I handed him the bill. He expected it to be over two grand, and here I was presenting a bill under 500 bucks, which was actually higher than I normally charged for this type of work.
The manager stuck his neck out and told me to do another building, because the owner would not be back again until Monday, and I should be there to meet him again.
The owner inspected all of my work with a fine tooth comb, and told me to wait thirty days and come back again on the Monday he set aside to meet with me again.
I learned after the fact that he wanted to make sure the tenants were not put out by the odor from my materials before they dried. He got no complaints and even after he banged around on the places I fixed, nothing came apart or loose.
What he liked best was my type of repair was impervious to what caused the damage in the first place. So he gave me a contract to do the entire complex, and at a slightly higher rate than my already increased rate. They also called me back several times to do more work around the complex that other contractors were way over what he though it should cost.
I made an attempt to become one of the managers of the complex, but was turned down because I didn't have a degree, hi hi...
Juno reached Jupiter!
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
Yes, I remember when you once spoke briefly about this subject before Gary. Shame you didn't get to manage the complex. I think you'd have been both approachable and helpful - surely better qualities than having a degree under your belt but not knowing how to get things done cheaply and decently.
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
It was probably for the better Icey. I picked up several real estate company accounts without asking for them, and many agents hired me to do work in their own homes, because they knew they would be happy, and not have to call others to finish the job.
One agent told me they called a plumber because of a leaking pipe under their wet bar. The plumber came, cut into the wall, fixed the leak, gave them the bill and left, leaving all the debris behind and the wall standing open. Said call a drywall guy to fix the hole lady. She cleaned up the mess herself, and called the drywall folks who complained about how the plumber overcut the hole, and then had to call a painter.
The next time she had a leak, this time behind the washing machine, she called me.
I found where the leak was, made the necessary repair, cleaned up my mess, dried out the wetness, installed new wallboard, jointed and taped the seams, and used the dryer to dry the seams so I could apply the second coat, dry, sand, prime, and paint two coats, which matched the existing paint. Her husband got home in time to inspect my work and help me push the washing machine back in place and make sure it was leveled properly.
I gave her the bill, and her husband gave me a one-hundred dollar tip, because my bill to do it all was less than the plumber charged to just tear up a wall, fix a leak, and leave a mess behind.
Now you know why I am NOT a Union worker. If I was, I would have been prohibited from doing the job properly and completely.
I know I've said this before, but Unions are totally AGAINST their members getting ahead, or performing full-service work for their customers. If you belong to the Electricians Union, you are not allowed to belong to the Plumbers Union, and vice versa.
So, if you want to advance in All Trades, the Unions are dead set against you doing so. They also control the government to the extent, if you are non-union, you have harder and more expensive tests to obtain your licensing.
One agent told me they called a plumber because of a leaking pipe under their wet bar. The plumber came, cut into the wall, fixed the leak, gave them the bill and left, leaving all the debris behind and the wall standing open. Said call a drywall guy to fix the hole lady. She cleaned up the mess herself, and called the drywall folks who complained about how the plumber overcut the hole, and then had to call a painter.
The next time she had a leak, this time behind the washing machine, she called me.
I found where the leak was, made the necessary repair, cleaned up my mess, dried out the wetness, installed new wallboard, jointed and taped the seams, and used the dryer to dry the seams so I could apply the second coat, dry, sand, prime, and paint two coats, which matched the existing paint. Her husband got home in time to inspect my work and help me push the washing machine back in place and make sure it was leveled properly.
I gave her the bill, and her husband gave me a one-hundred dollar tip, because my bill to do it all was less than the plumber charged to just tear up a wall, fix a leak, and leave a mess behind.
Now you know why I am NOT a Union worker. If I was, I would have been prohibited from doing the job properly and completely.
I know I've said this before, but Unions are totally AGAINST their members getting ahead, or performing full-service work for their customers. If you belong to the Electricians Union, you are not allowed to belong to the Plumbers Union, and vice versa.
So, if you want to advance in All Trades, the Unions are dead set against you doing so. They also control the government to the extent, if you are non-union, you have harder and more expensive tests to obtain your licensing.
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
Our unions don't quite work in the same way as over there, but by the sound of things, you did OK by NOT being a union worker, and I'm happy to hear that you got a $100 tip, because it sounds as though you more than deserved it.
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
St. Louis is a Union Controlled city, and trying to get anything done there on a timely basis using Union labor is next to impossible.
I was a non-union general contractor, so nearly every major job we did, we had pickets trying to block our workers from entering, and sometimes doing damage to their vehicles, or worse.
Even back when I did hire all Union workers, work almost always came to a dead standstill for months.
One Union will not cross another Unions picket lines. So if the Plumbers are on strike, the Electricians won't come to work, nor the Sheet metal workers to get the duct work installed.
The only way to meet deadlines, and get the work done, was to go totally non-union, which creates a whole other set of problems in a Union Controlled city. You can't get materials or concrete delivered, because most of the drivers are Teamsters. So, much of our supplies and materials we had to order from out-state suppliers with non-union drivers.
Almost everyone in St. Louis, from checkout girls at the grocery store, and most of the employees in the store from baggers on up are Union. The barbers who cut your hair and I don't doubt the shoeshine boy are all Union.
This doubles the price for almost anything you need done, if you can get it done. Eg. At the time I moved south, Barbers were 12 bucks in St. Louis, 7 bucks down here. Perhaps this is why there are so few Union shops down here? Folks don't want to pay double for things they want done NOW without the hassles of dealing with Unions.
I was a non-union general contractor, so nearly every major job we did, we had pickets trying to block our workers from entering, and sometimes doing damage to their vehicles, or worse.
Even back when I did hire all Union workers, work almost always came to a dead standstill for months.
One Union will not cross another Unions picket lines. So if the Plumbers are on strike, the Electricians won't come to work, nor the Sheet metal workers to get the duct work installed.
The only way to meet deadlines, and get the work done, was to go totally non-union, which creates a whole other set of problems in a Union Controlled city. You can't get materials or concrete delivered, because most of the drivers are Teamsters. So, much of our supplies and materials we had to order from out-state suppliers with non-union drivers.
Almost everyone in St. Louis, from checkout girls at the grocery store, and most of the employees in the store from baggers on up are Union. The barbers who cut your hair and I don't doubt the shoeshine boy are all Union.
This doubles the price for almost anything you need done, if you can get it done. Eg. At the time I moved south, Barbers were 12 bucks in St. Louis, 7 bucks down here. Perhaps this is why there are so few Union shops down here? Folks don't want to pay double for things they want done NOW without the hassles of dealing with Unions.
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
There was quite a difference in prices wasn't there? I still don't understand how it all works with your unions, but I'm surprised that folk didn't boycott the expensive places - unless there was nothing else for miles around.
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
As far as I know, we had no non-union services, except in the contracting field.
I knew of no barber shop which was non-union, nor any grocery stores which were non-union.
If there were, we would all know about it because of the pickets.
Even union businesses would be picketed for one reason or another, especially if it was a major project and they wanted to bleed the business for much more than their agreed contracts.
Bids and contracts are often meaningless where unions are involved. They always run over and strike to get the contract price raised. They also rarely if ever meet agreed upon deadlines to get the work done.
Especially if it is a contract with some government agency, like building a bridge or a road.
What should take about 3 or 4 months, always takes about 3 or 4 years.
I knew of no barber shop which was non-union, nor any grocery stores which were non-union.
If there were, we would all know about it because of the pickets.
Even union businesses would be picketed for one reason or another, especially if it was a major project and they wanted to bleed the business for much more than their agreed contracts.
Bids and contracts are often meaningless where unions are involved. They always run over and strike to get the contract price raised. They also rarely if ever meet agreed upon deadlines to get the work done.
Especially if it is a contract with some government agency, like building a bridge or a road.
What should take about 3 or 4 months, always takes about 3 or 4 years.
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
That doesn't paint a very good picture does it, but over here, the Trade Union does its best to protect members from inequality at work, and many other issues.
Yes, they do advocate strikes if there's been some unfairness by private or government concerns, but the members're kept up to date on what's happening. One of the biggest and most well known appears to be the Steelworkers' Union, which campaigned against the closure of an industry which was one of the backbones of the UK. There was a lot of anger, because bankers were bailed out, but no one was coming up with a plan to save the steel industry. It was considered that the bankers created their own mess. The Scunthorpe Steelworks managed to save thousands of jobs when they managed to sell the company, and that was thanks to union intervention.
https://www.ucu.org.uk/media/4834/Facts ... unions.pdf
Yes, they do advocate strikes if there's been some unfairness by private or government concerns, but the members're kept up to date on what's happening. One of the biggest and most well known appears to be the Steelworkers' Union, which campaigned against the closure of an industry which was one of the backbones of the UK. There was a lot of anger, because bankers were bailed out, but no one was coming up with a plan to save the steel industry. It was considered that the bankers created their own mess. The Scunthorpe Steelworks managed to save thousands of jobs when they managed to sell the company, and that was thanks to union intervention.
https://www.ucu.org.uk/media/4834/Facts ... unions.pdf
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
I'll start out by saying that a century ago Unions were necessary to bring safety and uniformity into the workplace.
They were a good thing which was sorely needed at the time.
They accomplished the purpose for which were formed over fifty years ago. Laws were enacted to protect the workforce in many needed areas. Health, Working Conditions, etc. Back then they were united for the workers.
With all the laws in place and carefully controlled by the government, the Unions have outlived their usefulness, and are now more like thorn in the side of all industry and services. They are no longer for the workforce, but for themselves. In fact, they now hinder the workers more than help them. The big union bosses only get richer at the hands of the poor workers they have trapped in their clutches.
The same government laws apply to all businesses and all workers whether they belong to a union or not.
Albeit, the big unions do have many poly-TICK-ians on their payroll to keep non-union workers at bay.
There were a couple of times when we had union officials try to organize a union for workers in our business.
Our employees were a little smarter than they gave them credit for. Had they joined the union, they would have a lower take-home pay than they currently enjoyed, and may not always be the person sent to do the work due to seniority.
Our employees turned them down flat both times.
Some other businesses in our same industry allowed the unions to control their drivers. Sad, because all of them lost their jobs. Those businesses outsourced their deliveries and maintained no delivery fleet of their own. Who they outsourced to may or may not have been union. The point is, when the union came in, those businesses closed down the jobs they provided.
They were a good thing which was sorely needed at the time.
They accomplished the purpose for which were formed over fifty years ago. Laws were enacted to protect the workforce in many needed areas. Health, Working Conditions, etc. Back then they were united for the workers.
With all the laws in place and carefully controlled by the government, the Unions have outlived their usefulness, and are now more like thorn in the side of all industry and services. They are no longer for the workforce, but for themselves. In fact, they now hinder the workers more than help them. The big union bosses only get richer at the hands of the poor workers they have trapped in their clutches.
The same government laws apply to all businesses and all workers whether they belong to a union or not.
Albeit, the big unions do have many poly-TICK-ians on their payroll to keep non-union workers at bay.
There were a couple of times when we had union officials try to organize a union for workers in our business.
Our employees were a little smarter than they gave them credit for. Had they joined the union, they would have a lower take-home pay than they currently enjoyed, and may not always be the person sent to do the work due to seniority.
Our employees turned them down flat both times.
Some other businesses in our same industry allowed the unions to control their drivers. Sad, because all of them lost their jobs. Those businesses outsourced their deliveries and maintained no delivery fleet of their own. Who they outsourced to may or may not have been union. The point is, when the union came in, those businesses closed down the jobs they provided.
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
Well, my father's totally opposed top unions, but then, he's never had to ask one for help. I know folk who have, and two weren't even union members when they approached ACAS about some very unfair work treatment. Both were paid out of court and offered their jobs back. Both said no!
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
I hear ya!
Getting back on topic - NASA still has not released any more images of Jupiter as promised. Makes me wonder what they may have found and are hiding from us. What they did release is no different than we could already see from the Hubbell Telescope.
They were supposed to look through the gas to the solid core if one exists, but we've heard nothing in a month now.
Getting back on topic - NASA still has not released any more images of Jupiter as promised. Makes me wonder what they may have found and are hiding from us. What they did release is no different than we could already see from the Hubbell Telescope.
They were supposed to look through the gas to the solid core if one exists, but we've heard nothing in a month now.
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
Yes, I was about to bring up the same thing. I wondered if their pics were of poor quality, but now I think not. I found this latest stuff from NASA, and in June, Juno'd reached the furthest point of its orbit away from the planet, ready to be drawn back for another one. We're forgetting that these things take time, and that Jupiter's a large planet. I think, if we're patient, we'll get some good pics eventually.
http://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s- ... orbit-view
http://www.nasa.gov/feature/jpl/nasa-s- ... orbit-view
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
Yes, I've been following that page also, and as you see, the last update was 23 days ago, and is nothing we didn't already know.
They did the same thing back when the probe orbited Mars. A couple of years later they finally published a few selected photos.
Now you can get a lot of them on Google.
They did the same thing back when the probe orbited Mars. A couple of years later they finally published a few selected photos.
Now you can get a lot of them on Google.
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
Yes, I have to say that many of the Mars photos were, I think, held back. Goodness knows why, in this day and age. People're interested, and they should all be made available asap.
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
One of my Farcebook friends is a subscriber to released NASA data, so does get some things he shares with me from time to time. On the stuff that is publicly released, he scours those images with a fine tooth comb to see what is in them. Sometimes he goes on a fishing trip, and sees things which are not there, or makes up something about a rock and shadow, hi hi...
But all the HYPE about what Juno would be able to see was either bogus, or they don't want us to know what they found.
I know my Farcebook friend goes way overboard on what he thinks he sees. But a lot of times, you are seeing exactly the same thing he is seeing, and it does make you wonder. Is it really a statue? That face sure looks like it was carved, not something that may have happened naturally. Or thing that look like the remnants of former space probes, yet we have no record of a probe going to Mars, much less one that looks like it would leave the kind of debris found. And those are only on the images NASA did decide were safe enough to release to the public, or to subscribers.
But all the HYPE about what Juno would be able to see was either bogus, or they don't want us to know what they found.
I know my Farcebook friend goes way overboard on what he thinks he sees. But a lot of times, you are seeing exactly the same thing he is seeing, and it does make you wonder. Is it really a statue? That face sure looks like it was carved, not something that may have happened naturally. Or thing that look like the remnants of former space probes, yet we have no record of a probe going to Mars, much less one that looks like it would leave the kind of debris found. And those are only on the images NASA did decide were safe enough to release to the public, or to subscribers.
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
I totally agree. There're dozens of pics (that we've managed to see) that look like petrified people and animals, statues, fossils, machine parts and more. I think NASA's keeping a mine of information from the general public, and I'm sure that Mars was once inhabited. There could even be living beings there now, but we'll find out eventually.
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
Us pink skinned people may have moved from Mars to Earth, and then all the technology was lost and we reverted back to being cave men, hi hi...
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
Indeed. That IS one theory. I don't discount anything really. Until we're sure of our facts, no one can say how anything happens, or DID happen. We can only surmise, and use what bits of scientific evidence we have atm - which may prove completely wrong - or correct, as the case may be.
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
Because of a book I'm writing, going back 63 million years ago, but mostly about 3 million years ago, I've been checking out and trying to decipher fact from fiction and how much is really myth.
I've never trusted carbon dating, although they claim it is accurate enough for most purposes.
But what I find intriguing are some of the artifacts which have been uncovered.
Theorists add some mighty interesting twists to some of the things which have been found, and possibly claim they were used for something other than how they were really used. But it does make one wonder that's for sure.
What I have been studying more closely was if certain forms of electricity really were in use in ancient India, and some of the electrical devices which are claimed to date back to 2 million and 250 million years ago.
The artifacts from 2 million years ago show a high probability.
But those things found and claimed to be 250 million years ago, need a stretch of the imagination, and appearances can be deceiving.
Some electrical devices could merely be how something was constructed for preservation of the wood, not to create an electrical device. It having the ability to store and release energy could be an unwanted side affect so they quit doing it that way.
I've never trusted carbon dating, although they claim it is accurate enough for most purposes.
But what I find intriguing are some of the artifacts which have been uncovered.
Theorists add some mighty interesting twists to some of the things which have been found, and possibly claim they were used for something other than how they were really used. But it does make one wonder that's for sure.
What I have been studying more closely was if certain forms of electricity really were in use in ancient India, and some of the electrical devices which are claimed to date back to 2 million and 250 million years ago.
The artifacts from 2 million years ago show a high probability.
But those things found and claimed to be 250 million years ago, need a stretch of the imagination, and appearances can be deceiving.
Some electrical devices could merely be how something was constructed for preservation of the wood, not to create an electrical device. It having the ability to store and release energy could be an unwanted side affect so they quit doing it that way.
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Icey
Re: Juno reached Jupiter!
I know exactly what you're saying Gary, and although I think many theorists're wrong, they could, in fact, be right. We'll never know, because if any records were kept from the earliest of days, they've either been lost or we can no longer decipher or understand what might be staring us in the face - if much's left at all.
I agree with you about radio carbon dating. It's been known to be very inaccurate at times, but I think this one area where science'll improve over time and give better results.
I know we've all seen these wall drawings over and over, but considering they're in the region of 2600 years old .... along with batteries which've been found buried in rock .... something had to've happened back then .....
I agree with you about radio carbon dating. It's been known to be very inaccurate at times, but I think this one area where science'll improve over time and give better results.
I know we've all seen these wall drawings over and over, but considering they're in the region of 2600 years old .... along with batteries which've been found buried in rock .... something had to've happened back then .....