Painting in Mexico

[Gregory OConnor]

Mike gives good advice for job completion details. I find craftsmen
in Mexico trustful and honest but slow. I would motivate completion
by scheduling pay draws ie prep, undercoat, colorcoat, clearcoat,
reassembly. This way you control the progress. I like to stay
removed from any deviation of the contract by acting as a
representative of the owner. Owners complain and bitch, whereas
a 'rep of the owner' respectfuly demands.
Greg O'Connor
--- In WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com, "Mike Hohnstein"
<MHOHNSTEIN@w...> wrote:
>
> I have some responses for your particular questions:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: tom240842@a...
> To: WanderlodgeForum@yahoogroups.com
> Sent: Monday, December 12, 2005 6:42 AM
> Subject: [WanderlodgeForum] Painting in Mexico
>
>
> Here is hoping with only 13 shopping days left until Christmas
that y'all
> are keeping your stress levels manageable. Peggy and I are
taking life easy
> here in Charleston, heading down to Savannah on the 15th to spend
a few days,
> tour houses, eat with Paula Dean and then back up here for
Christmas.
>
> After seeing several coaches that have been painted in Algodones
Mexico, and
> talking with one of the owners, we are going to take the coach
over to Yuma
> the end of March, they will come look at the coach in Yuma,
assess what it
> will take and what we will have done, then we will drive the
coach across the
> border and have it painted. I am of the mind that I will rent a
storage shed
> in Yuma, and store everything out of my bays and storage pods.
As I
> understand from George Lowry we will be in a enclosed compound,
but at the border I
> don't want to have to unload all "our stuff" at the whim of some
border guard.
>
> There are a couple of things I would like some opinions on:
>
> 1) the left rear compartment door. I have a 33 footer so the
docking light
> is in the door. I got too close to a concrete post and flatten
the rub rail
> on the bottom of the compartment door. Not only did I flatten
the rub rail
> but warped the door. Those of you that know how these are
constructed, would
> it be easier just to get a new(er) door than have the rub rail
replaced if
> possible and the door straightened?
>
> >I vote for a new door, repair as a last resort.
>
>
> 2) when Blue Bird constructed my 'goat rail' on top, they used
steel rivets
> through the aluminum railing. Over the years these have all
rusted. I would
> like the railing left original (I have seen painted ones and
would rather
> clean up the rail) When I put the railing back together, would
it be better to
> use stainless steel screws or put the same rivets in? And will
it make any
> difference if I do this, if I use aluminum rivets?
>
> >Use stainless for all fasteners. Go to a good hardware store
and buy your own, don't expect a body shop to find
> quality parts for you. Cheaper to BYO too.
>
> 3) the front covers for my radiator, and both headlight housing
sides have
> the hex nut screws. These were originally painted. If I have
them paint
> these, they are going to have to do them individually, then
screw them back in.
> How can I prevent the paint from getting knocked off them
again? Somewhere,
> maybe JC Whitney, I think I saw a wrench set with nylon inserts
for
> protecting painted fasteners. Would that work with these?
>
> >I bought a box of replacement cadium plated bolts from Fastenal
and use rubberized washers underneath.
> Thread size is 1/4 20.
>
> 4) I do not have any leaks up on top from the many screws that
hold my
> "diamond deck plating" to the roof. Is it going to be worth the
time and trouble
> of having them remove the A/C units, the roof vents, the deck
plating, just
> to paint underneath it.
>
> >I did and I'm glad, but it cost about 20 hours extra. I
installed new vents and new AC gaskets. It was a task.
> Frankly it might be a little hard to justify in your situation,
but you don't want stuff getting under the plate during
> the painting prep process.
>
> I don't have but a couple of dents to have pulled and the rust
is minimal,
> however because some repainted the front and rear caps before I
got the
> coaches, rivets in those areas are starting to rust. The rain
rail will have to be
> taken off, cleaned up, straightened and I would assume that they
would
> remove the all the awnings rather than mask and paint around
them, I would want
> them removed anyhow, as I would the marker lights and all the
chrome.
>
> >Assume nothing. One thing to consider would be a contract with
a end game clause. A starting point would the shops
> time estimate, be willing to give a nice "tip" for good
productivity and quality. Suggest the shop be willing to endure a
> penalty if the job drags on too long. My job took 7 months, I
wanted to hurt the guy sometimes, but the job came out
> pretty well. I have received many compliments.
> Mike Hohnstein
>
> Any other suggests would be welcome.
>
> Tom Meservey, USN (Ret)
> '81FC33' brrrrrrrrr in Charleston at 37 degrees
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
> SPONSORED LINKS Recreational vehicles Wanderlodge Automotive
maintenance
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Automotive radiators
>
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