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Hello Stripe Guy 2
…Yep.
Here’s how I went about it…
Be careful…but I allowed my pump to run a little dry. Don’t allow that for days on end. Just enough to force the small amount of water, still inside the system, to pump out. Then, I just started sucking Oil Based Paint. The paint came through…I was good to go. It can be that easy. I’m glad you’re asking…continue to be someone who wants to know if there’s something he’s missing or if there’s some way to accomplish something more easily…but…here?…you’re good to go too.
Another example is this; I sent my machine into the shop. I got it back…and they ran Kerosene through it. I either forgot or didn’t think about it…I just stuck my siphon tube into the water based paint and it began pushing the RED…!… Kerosene into my other water bucket. Oh well. My point here is this…you don’t really have to “evacuate” to the state of “vacuum” the inside of your machine before introducing Oil based…from Latex…or vice versa. I’m fine. My machine is fine…I did have to dispose of the Kerosene differently than disposing to good ol’ water. But…it’s all good.
Last…keep an eye out for the Thinner when you’re switching. You ‘ll see it. Let go of the trigger…or quickly switch to spraying into a different bucket…keeping the water and Thinner separate. That way…disposal may be easier…and you might be able to re-use the Thinner sometime.
How’s that?
I hope I helped.
Dan
P.S. If this is the first you and I have spoken…go to my site…take 10% off any stencil. Keep in touch.
DanENNIS PAINT…!…that’s the name I couldn’t come up with…
Thanks, Greg.
And…yes…I’ve used the 4″ Yellow Thermo Tape, ( heat applied, using a torch ) for a short amount of Yellow Centerline that was needed ( and also for an entire Ring Road ). We had applied about 1600 lbs. of White…and I couldn’t justify all the set up for just 20′ of Yellow that was out in front of a concrete island. …again, though, all of it was “off road”…= I don’t know if it’s accepted by City applications. I’ve never asked though. ( Here’s a note…it’s ALL still there…heavy traffic. )
That said…I’ve used it for simple Turning Arrows, Stop Bars, Legends…etc. And…if that experience is what it would take to catapult you into a new service…so be it. ( Here’s another note…the only place it “failed” was on the concrete…several chunks are missing. Maybe there’s a “Primer” to help adhesion for that type of application. )
Thanks, Greg.
See ya, SchaefHello Schaef
Here you go…Yes, and…There are others, and…um…I’m not sure yet.
So…Yes…there are others that MGF Thermoplastic applicators…or commonly called…a “walk-behind”, or a “hand-liner”.
I’ll tell you those in a minute.
Next…the big deal though is how can you supply that walk behind unit with hot, melted Thermoplastic = “Thermo”?
Think of it like this…how fast can you run out of paint in your striper and how fast can you then “re-load” it?
SO…the “Kettles” are your next exploration point…which are commonly called “Pre-Melters”.
Next…Paint…some of the big MFGs are SW…PPG = Pittsburgh Paint and Glass and Glidden. There are other smaller chains but…they’re regional and I may not know of them. Visit them all. I do. So does my competition. ( And…we worked together, yesterday! ) Next…in some towns SW is high. In other towns PPG is high. That said…be kinda careful which actual location you visit. In other words…every SW store is autonomous. So, they’ll sell you that paint…but it’s after they buy it from the other SW store, 8 miles away. Find the store that actually buys a truck load from their supplier.
Now…back to the beginning…do an online search for “Featherlite Hand Liners” = ASE Thermo Mark 2 Feather Lite. Next…do an online search for “Apollo Hand Liner”. AND…a company called PPP = Professional Pavement Products, may carry some too.
Next…the actual Thermo. I haven’t purchased any for a while…I’ll get back to you. It was out of Atlanta. But they then sold it…I think…to Lafarge. ( OR…the other way around… ) I’d start there.
Next…get your city’s specs. It may call for a Hydrocarbon type or an Alkyd type…= think of it as Water Based vs. Oil Based. They may even say…use block form not beads. That’s it though…it’s no too demanding…and…the Thermo MFG will know all this too…blah…blah…
Last…all that said…I “Thermo’d” for 5 years. ALL my work was “Off Road” = Hospital ring roads, Shopping Mall Entrances, College Campus private roads…and I was busy enough. That said…you don’t need to drop 60,000.00 just to see if it’s a cool idea. You can move in slowly, if you want. Buy a kettle. Thermo a Mall entrance = 2 directional arrows, a stop bar, a channelizing lane…then paint the remaining 17,000′ of striping in the parking lot. As you get familiar…move up or sell it. Oh…search for M-B Companies too. THey have a smaller “Pre-melter Trailer”. Again…keep your options open ended.
How’s that to get you started?
And…here’s some shameless promo…I give all this in my book with…how I priced it.
Let’s keep in touch.
DanHello again, pdboyfloyd
I’ve already answered your similar question in the Striping Forum. Same goes for here.
How much for a pound of Crack Seal?…in your area? Will you blow out the cracks? Will you Heat Lance it? I did.
Is there anyone else offering the work? ( Sometimes that makes a difference. )
How long will you be there? Big job…little job…crack fill including striping?…is it close to your shop?…do you have another job already near by?…etc.
Again…figure your own overhead. Add how much you think is fair…not every dollar you can get…but what do you think is fair? I’m sure you’ll get jobs. I know you’ll do a good job. And…like me…you probably won’t get every job. ( Thank God! )
Keep in touch.
DanHello pdboyfloyd
Here’s what I’ve written before…
Pricing is always tricky. Here’s why. Overhead and competition. First things first…
Overhead.
If you pay $10.00 per gallon and get 350’ per gallon…that alone costs 3 cents per foot.
Let’s say it’s a “Re-stripe†of an 80 car parking lot = 1500’. You’ll need 5 gallons of paint = $50.00. Now…I’m going to stop right here and dangerously say…most people think that’s your overhead = paint! But…you and I know better…I did not include one cup of gas for the striping machine…3 gallons of gas for your truck…your cell phone bill…yellow pages…business insurance…1 million dollars worth of insurance isn’t that expensive…buy it.
So…if it’s JUST YOU working and you’re spraying a parking lot that has 80 cars…figure 3 lines per minute. You can stripe the entire job easily in less than 2 hours. 30 minutes for prep and clean up…30 minutes for striping…the rest for travel. By the way…that’s in a perfect world…supposing we’re pretty good at our job. AND…I know in other parts of my country…paint costs $16.00 per gallon…aaahhhggg! …that’s high!
So how much do you want? After all is said and done?…$200.00? $300.00? That means $250.00 – $350.00…plus whatever additional “overhead†you decide. That means it’s 17 – 23 cents per foot. AND…that’s for a Re-stripe…not an “Over seal let alone a “Layoutâ€. pdboyfloyd…I cannot get that price in my town. BUT…my paint is lower in cost.
Competition.
I’ve helped stripers price from all over. Some live in towns where they’re the only striper within 400 miles. AND…the closest paint store is 45 miles away. I live in a large, well known metropolis. If 30 cents for a Re-stripe is the going rate for your neck of the woods…so be it. BUT…be careful…it may not mean that you’ll be making more than someone else pricing at 17 – 23 cents…in a different “market  = a different neck of the woods…like mine.
Here’s what you do…check your overhead…look at the job…put a price on it. Your price. How much does a gallon of paint cost in your area? How much is your immediate overhead? How much do you want beyond that? Bid it. Walk away. If you’re the lowest person in town…so what? At least you’re covered and you’ll learn.
Next…I remember the first time I “upped†my prices. It was because I was swamped…swamped…swamped. My overhead didn’t change. Did I mentioned swamped? I deduced 2 things…1) my prices may be too low…OR…OR…!…2) I was in demand. I’d like to think that I was doing a good job.
Now…I know you can do the work. And I know you’ll do a good job. So…what I would like to encourage you to do is this…price the job as you see it. Grow and build a reputable business. Keep in mind all things…best you can…including your “secondary†overhead = your home life. You’ll do fine. You’ll figure it out…for your area.
I hoped I helped.
Your friend.
DanArcee
That sounds great. The LDP is perfect. Good deal.
Next…I only have used Anti Freeze. I don’t have any use for Kerosene. So…I buy Anti Freeze. If I have any extra…at least I can use it in my car or truck.
And…I’ve used straight Anti Freeze…and also 50 / 50 mix of AF and water.
If it doesn’t allow the car to freeze up…my machines are fine. Plus…it lubes too…doesn’t it?
It’s that simple.
Next…I think you’re right about the “Peddlers” license. 200.00 makes it too high…and probably gets many to NOT go house to house.
I would try the State of SD. I have a Vendor’s license. It’s 25.00 per year. I also have a Trade Name Registration. I think it’s 60.00?…per year?
I cannot believe that any company would pay 200.00 per month just to do business in your city.
I’m thinking you’re right…the ATTY misunderstood.
Call Pierre State Offices…or something like that.
Keep me posted.
DanArcee
1) That’s what the mechanic shop, that I went to, did as a practice.
2) I put Anti Freeze in mine.
And…if you buy the Eco Friendly kind…the disposal isn’t a problem.
Besides…I know I could find a Kerosene Fuel Pump…but finding Anti Freeze is easier!
How’s that?
Dan
P.S. Congratulations.
( wait one day…then visit my site…I just added Stencil KITS…if you need one! )Lady Asphalt
…I thought I’d offer an opinion…
I wrote an article / post on “Bidding”.
It has to do with Over Head and Competition…that’s it.
Case in point…?…I have a client in Canada. She’s the only striper within 400 miles. AND…the only paint store is 45 miles away.
She can ask for a little bit more…without gouging.
I also have a client in the outskirts of a large Texas town. He owns a restaurant. He understood that those stripers couldn’t easily drive 45 minutes to stripe his medium sized restaurant. So…he learned to stripe. THEN…he locked up the entire suburb. He was calling me giggling. He was thrilled.
However, in my large metropolis…EVERYBODY is a striper. I cannot secure those prices.
BUT…here’s the difference…in the other (2) cases…paint costs are much more. Mine aren’t. Again…I’m in a large city with 90 paint stores…! SO…?…my overhead is lower.
Again…it has to do with overhead and competition.
That said…how much for (1) gallon of Seal? How much for (1) hour of work? Then…look at the job. How much product will you need? How long will THAT particular job take. THEN…how much profit do you think is FAIR…to you? Bid it and walk away.
If you get all jobs…and you’re doing “OK”…then maybe you can raise your prices. If you’re not getting any jobs…maybe your “Overhead” is too high. Here’s the part of the equation that’s hard for me to answer. You know the your area better than I. You’ll figure it out. AND…who cares if you leave $500.00 on the table? You’re just starting out and at least your costs are covered. Press on.
Last…bidding is also part “art”. You’ll know…after a while…when to add for extra labor. You’ll also bid a little lower because two jobs are close to your shop and close to each other…etc… Bidding is also part art.
I hope this helps.
AND…make sure you’re a FBE. Being a woman contractor may get you a few extra jobs per year.
Danpcrd940
I’m sorry I’m late.
(2) things…
1) …on my Conventional, I have to change the “Line Striping” Gun when I go from Latex to Solvent based. In other words…one “Line Striping Gun…the complete Gun…is used for Latex…the other is used for Solvent base paint which is commonly called “Oil” based paint.
2) I do not need to change the “Stencil” gun though. It will spray either type paint.
Again…there’s no need for me to change the needle, fluid nozzle or the air nozzle…which are sometimes sold as a set.
…just swap out the entire gun.
Next…that said…I’m not sure about the 160. You may not need to do anything.
I think the next step is to contact the M-B company. It’s that link (2) posts up.
And…tell me what they say. Or have them email me. I’d like to know more.
Does that help?
DanI might try a reply here…
…It doesn’t last. It’s not meant to.
It would be the equivalent of painting a Freeway…or even a street. Again…it wouldn’t last.
AND…some part of the decision making is to “make it look like new again…or at least better”…
Here’s the snag…it would only wear off in the tire tracks. THAT is not “making it look better”.
Here’s an analogy…when I stripe parking lots…we use paint. When I stripe streets…I use melted plastic….125″ thick = Thermo Plastic. Why? Because paint wouldn’t last.
Next…I have a client that performs “Slurry Seal”…”Chip Seal”…”Micro Seal”…
I’ll “Layout and Stripe” behind his crew…because when this 1/4″ “stuff” goes all over the ROAD, CITY BUS COMPOUND or (4) Lane BRIDGE…I cannot see the old striping through it. Again…it’s much thicker = will last under extreme or stressful circumstances. ( This is also used on Bridges because some bridges weren’t designed to hold the additional weight of an “Over Lay”…so…?…”micro seal”…or…”micro pave”…? )
That’s the answer = it won’t last.
Last…this is also why some “Chain Stores” don’t seal. They receive higher traffic and seal coat wears unevenly…then it looks bad…then they Re-seal for aesthetics only. Case in point…?…Wendy’s Seal Coat every year. It wears off in the Drive Lane…due to heavy, turning traffic. McDonald’s does not. Unless a Franchisee wants to spend the money.
I milled off 2000′ of striping, at a local shopping center, to Lay it out differently…because they have a “No Seal” Policy.
Anyhow…I hope some of this gives background and helps…some.
P.S. ( Please don’t quiz me on the molecular differences between “Slurry”, “Chip and “Micro”. I’m a striper! )
…oh…most Fire Departments won’t seal either…get it?…big, heavy trucks…blah…blah…
See ya.
Danpcrd940…it’s me again…
I just heard back from M-B. ( That was quick. )
YES…they carry parts.
The gentleman’s name is Dave.
He’s the parts Manager.
His phone is 800.233.8461 ext. 522
His email is dklinger@m-b.com
The site address is http://www.m-bco.com
I hope that helps.
Keep in touch.
DanHello pcrd940
I just emailed M-B Products…maybe you’ve tried them…asking if they carry parts.
I’ll let you know when I hear back.
Next…I’d be surprised if anything “different” had to be done prior to spraying Latex = Water Based Paint.
I’ve had a Conventional for 17 years, a buddy has 6! Other than change the gun…nope…all is the same.
That said…I’m assuming you read something like…”don’t let it rust”?…or lubricate it, somehow?
When I have long Latex jobs…I put a little Anti Freeze in the “Cleaner Can”…but that’s it.
Last…I cannot seem to find a picture of these either.
M-B used to be Linear Dynamics…and…there was a Paint Company called that too. It’s now owned by La Farge…I believe.
Anyhow, I’m looking around.
Next…Pricing.
I talked to a guy yesterday. He said he’s getting $8.00 per stripe!
In my town…everyone is a striper! So, we get half that.
In Canada, you might be the only striper within 400 miles and the nearest paint store is the ONLY paint store…and it’s 45 minutes away!
Here’s my point…in my book, I give my prices. And, I also give my paint costs. Then, I wrote an article, here…on this site explaining “how” to bid. It just has to do with your…again…your…Overhead and Competition.
Take a look at that article. I’m sure it’ll make you feel more comfortable.
Next…here’s a small popular test…
Bid it like you see it. Keep in mind how much it actually costs you. Ask yourself “how long will I be here?” Ask yourself “How much profit is fair to me?”
Then…if you’re getting all the jobs you bid…cool! But, you may be either EXTREMELY good at striping…or the lowest guy in town.
That’s it. That’s all there is to it. Well…, and my article.
Keep in touch. I’ll do the same.
When I hear back from M-B, I’ll re-post separately, so you get notified.
I hope this helps.
DanHey Arcee
How are you?
Here’s my first few thoughts…
The “half price” seems fair. And…my machines sat in cold storage too. Not a problem.
Next…every time I got my machine back from the local Airless Pump Repair Guys…they put Kerosene in it. Here’s my point…just because I don’t understand the Diesel Fuel thing…it might be great. Maybe someone else can advise on that. I always just use Anti-Freeze. Again…I can’t say one way or the other.
Last…I cannot stop thinking about a used car. I would still need to drive it. Unless it was the “Corvette in Grandma’s Garage”.
( I may or may not sell my Conventional. But, I’m expecting to fire it up and spray. )
Is there any way to see it in action?I apologize for not updating this earlier. Maybe you’ll get a note via email that I added to this post.
Here’s what I’d like to add;
“AND…I bought my Graco in early Spring, 2009. And…I do like all three machines.”
Thanks.
DanArcee
Yes…it’s in Nashville TN.
That said…you could pass. I hate to say that but…if money is tight and you’re thinking of spending more…?
Also…if you go…you’d look at the machines and maybe take a small class.
1) The machine shopping seems to be done.
2) I’ll help you.
3) I may very well throw my hat into the ring and attend and or speak at the same show in Las Vegas.
The Las Vegas show is smaller…and it’s in November or early December. It’s over for 2010. It’ll be back in 2011.
Next…go to a small Airless Repair Shop. Try the Yellow Pages fore your city. They may carry a Binks 2001.
And…let me know if you’d like another price on the Titan. No worries.
Dan
