Detail Shop

Started by giant_mtb, December 16, 2017, 12:48:17 AM

Payman

I would tell him "let's see... my business plan forecasts a weekly revenue of $1000. So that's $4000 a month. You want to take up half my space, so that's $2000 a month, for 6 months. Will that $12,000 be cash or cheque?"

Submariner

Quote from: giant_mtb on January 06, 2018, 12:46:46 PM
Got a 4-camera security system from my old boss at the bar.  He was going through some stuff and found it...never used, never opened.  Four wireless cameras (just have to run power), remote viewable with an app, and a 1TB hub for recording.  Dunno what he paid for it, but probably more than the $125 I gave him.  A similar system of the same brand is $190 on Amazon.

Nice that they transmit wirelessly...I can hide the brain box just about anywhere.

A cop friend of mine told me that any resolution lower than 1080p is fairly worthless for evidence purposes.  Wireless cameras also suffer from radio interference, frequent loss of picture, etc.  POE (power over ethernet) cameras are far more reliable.

I'm working on a project now with a 1440p security camera setup.  1440p cameras and the requisite storage have come down quite a bit in price in just the past year, and can actually provide detail down to eye color at 50+/- feet, etc.

You can get a decent DVR setup, with eight 1080p cameras, for $299.  You'd want to throw in a 8TB drive for another $250 or so, which would allow for 7 days of 1920x1080 recording @ 16FPS.  Look for a setup with a highly rated app, which will allow for remote viewing, motion detection and cloud backup.
2010 G-550  //  2019 GLS-550

Rupert

^ Security system fetishist

:lol:
Novarolla-Miata-Trooper-Jeep-Volvo-Trooper-Ranger-MGB-Explorer-944-Fiat-Alfa-XTerra

13 cars, 60 cylinders, 52 manual forward gears and 9 automatic, 2 FWD, 42 doors, 1988 average year of manufacture, 3 convertibles, 22 average mpg, and no wheel covers.
PRO TENACIA NULLA VIA EST INVIA

Soup DeVille

Yeah. I foolishly allowed my in-laws to store their shit in my garage when they sold their house.

3 years later, they agreed to let me sell their shit to pay for the storage thereof. Meanwhile, my garage is still fucked.
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

giant_mtb

Quote from: Submariner on January 09, 2018, 05:53:29 PM
A cop friend of mine told me that any resolution lower than 1080p is fairly worthless for evidence purposes.  Wireless cameras also suffer from radio interference, frequent loss of picture, etc.  POE (power over ethernet) cameras are far more reliable.

I'm working on a project now with a 1440p security camera setup.  1440p cameras and the requisite storage have come down quite a bit in price in just the past year, and can actually provide detail down to eye color at 50+/- feet, etc.

You can get a decent DVR setup, with eight 1080p cameras, for $299.  You'd want to throw in a 8TB drive for another $250 or so, which would allow for 7 days of 1920x1080 recording @ 16FPS.  Look for a setup with a highly rated app, which will allow for remote viewing, motion detection and cloud backup.


lol I love when you tell somebody "I just bought this" and they're like "no, spend several times that on this instead."

It's really more for "dashcam" style reasons than catching the face of thieves.

giant_mtb

Quote from: Rockraven on January 09, 2018, 05:15:25 PM
And so it begins. No, fuck that. I have son's friend's motorcycle in my garage and I can't access my bench now. You're now the guy with awesome great winter storage space, with 11' doors. They want to take up half your revenue space, because you're a swell guy? A hard fuck no.

Yeah, a 24' van RV would essentially turn my beautiful 2-stall garage into a barely workable 1-stall.  Noooo thank you.

I did, however, tell him he'll have to bring it by some time just so I can see how something of that size feels in the shop.  For detailing purposes.

giant_mtb

#96
Might be able to finish the insulation today save for a few spots where electrical needs to be done. 

Went around with the infrared thermometer. Difference is certainly notable. When it was ~20F outside, the inside of the bare walls were ~36 while the insulation was sitting at 50-55 depending on location (warmest where the furnace blows on it). :rockon:

The furnace hasn't been kicking on as much, but it's also been in the low 30s the last two days, so... :lol:  Back to single digits this weekend, the real test.

I like the idea of those radiant tube heaters. Do want.  Getting tired of the furnace fan. Granted, this one is pretty old and loud, but still, it's an echo chamber in there.

Also, some ceiling fans would really help. I can tell it's much warmer up top when I'm on the ladder, and as soon as the furnace fan turns off, it instantly feels colder in there.  Gonna get a cheap box fan for now and stick it in a corner until I get a fan(s) up on the ceiling.

giant_mtb

Hammer drill was the key to drilling into the masonry. $12 base rental plus $1 per hour from Menards.  So much faster.  Have about 75% done.  Need to remove the lights from the remaining wall.  Big ol' fuckers.  8' lights, magnetic ballasts.  Should be fun.

giant_mtb

Was thinking I'd like to do white painted corrugated metal for the walls, but the more I think about it, the less I want that.  Will be a relative PITA to install and although it's not impossible to attach stuff (hose/cord reel, etc) to it, it'll be more difficult/annoying.  I'm thinking some basic, matte white paneling like you see in bathrooms and stuff might be the ticket.  Easy to install, replace, and attach stuff to, waterproof. 


giant_mtb

Plumber finally had a chance to stop by...they've been swamped with pipe freezes and out furnaces with all the cold.  Looks like I'll need to get the city to shut off my water main completely so the plumber can replace the main inlet valve, which is where the leak is.

He also cleaned/tuned the furnace.  There was a lot of dust in there (whole shop reeks of dust now) as there was no air filter on the intake before.  I put one in shortly after getting the place.  Cleaned the flame sensor and noticed a small crack in the heat exchanger.

Quoted me about $2k for a hot water heater installed.  But a tank one.  I asked about tankless, and he said I'd have to put in a water softener system as well since our city water is really hard.  Would be fine with me, as I'd rather have tankless anyways. 

Morris Minor

I was thinking back to a buddy of mine who worked for a mom & pop independent car repair place before he quit to start his own shop. The poor physical working conditions were a factor in his decision to leave. So I think your upgrades will be good for you personally and anyone you might hire down the road.
(His main gripe though was the shitty way the mom & pop managed the place)
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

giant_mtb

I'm excited to be able to open the doors up and air the place out. hah

giant_mtb

Quote from: Morris Minor on January 20, 2018, 03:49:24 PM
I was thinking back to a buddy of mine who worked for a mom & pop independent car repair place before he quit to start his own shop. The poor physical working conditions were a factor in his decision to leave. So I think your upgrades will be good for you personally and anyone you might hire down the road.
(His main gripe though was the shitty way the mom & pop managed the place)

Better air quality when I can get rid of the ol' furnace will be nice.  I wouldn't mind a small gas fireplace to heat the office area. 

giant_mtb

Got my tax assessment from the city in the mail.  Taxable value went up by 65%. lol.  Reading the fine print, it looks like they just take the market value (ie, what I paid) and cut it in half.


Morris Minor

Quote from: giant_mtb on January 20, 2018, 04:51:25 PM
Better air quality when I can get rid of the ol' furnace will be nice.  I wouldn't mind a small gas fireplace to heat the office area. 
Are you on utility gas or propane?
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

giant_mtb

It's in town, so utility. SEMCO.

giant_mtb

#106
Had to have my water line thawed out again today 'cause it froze over the weekend.  Got put on a let-run to prevent future freezes until spring actually arrives, so another month or so.

(posted this pic in chat thread, but am putting it here as well for archival purposes)

Old (left) light fixture using ~260W vs the new (right) LED light fixture using ~94W.  Bought five more yesterday.  ~$600 in lights...woof!  But they're very bright, way brighter than the old fluorescents.  Gonna need scaffolding to get at the center fixtures...could reach them with the ladder, but I'd feel a lot safer with scaffolding, and it will make installing the new ones a LOT easier/safer.


giant_mtb

Got this outdoor hot tub panel box for the water heater. I'm thinking I'll just delete the old school 240V switchbox and put this in its place, then it'll be on a breaker and be switchable in one box...no need for the old switch and fuses. Right? :lol:




CaminoRacer

There's an old gas station in my town that I really want to buy. The pumps are gone, but the concrete bases are still there. It's just begging for old school pumps to be installed and some cool hot rods to be parked in the garage. Idk what else I'd do with it other than maybe start a cars & coffee thing.

https://goo.gl/maps/uNoTo6cy44U2
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Soup DeVille

Quote from: CaminoRacer on May 22, 2018, 01:07:09 PM
There's an old gas station in my town that I really want to buy. The pumps are gone, but the concrete bases are still there. It's just begging for old school pumps to be installed and some cool hot rods to be parked in the garage. Idk what else I'd do with it other than maybe start a cars & coffee thing.

https://goo.gl/maps/uNoTo6cy44U2

Unless it has a current environmental impact survey done and no issues were found, don't touch it with a 10 foot pole.
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

giant_mtb

Yeah, if it hasn't been torn up, that means the tanks are still down there. Large headaches and $$$$.

If you can buy it cash, you can get by. But a bank won't touch it without enviro testing and remediation.

93JC

Yeah, no, your ten-foot pole shouldn't even touch it with a ten-foot pole. Gas station = underground storage tanks = probable contamination = years and years of remediation, potentially.

CaminoRacer

Debbie downers.

It's not even for sale, which is the first thing stopping me. :lol:
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

giant_mtb

Quote from: CaminoRacer on May 22, 2018, 03:33:04 PM
Debbie downers.

It's not even for sale, which is the first thing stopping me. :lol:

:lol:

When I was buying my shop (which I did confirm is environmentally clear, no tanks), my realtor was telling me about a shop in the next town over that they basically haven't been able to give away because of the underground tanks.

Soup DeVille

Quote from: CaminoRacer on May 22, 2018, 03:33:04 PM
Debbie downers.

It's not even for sale, which is the first thing stopping me. :lol:

Don't get me wrong. I love seeing old architecture repurposed, but there are sometimes insurmountable obstacles.

IMO, things like old gas tanks are dangerous no matter who owns he property, so there should be a fund for remediating smaller things like that, and not requiring superfund levels of funding.
Maybe we need to start off small. I mean, they don't let you fuck the glumpers at Glumpees without a level 4 FuckPass, do they?

1975 Honda CB750, 1986 Rebel Rascal (sailing dinghy), 2015 Mini Cooper, 2020 Winnebago 31H (E450), 2021 Toyota 4Runner, 2022 Lincoln Aviator

CaminoRacer

I didn't mention part of what makes it cool - my dad bought his second '68 Chevelle from that lot for $50 back in ~1980.
2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

Morris Minor

Can't they just pump the old tanks out then fill them up with concrete or something?
⏤  '10 G37 | '21 CX-5 GT Reserve  ⏤

93JC

It's the pollution from a leaky tank that's the problem. If it leaches into groundwater... yikes.

CaminoRacer

Kinda looks like the tank has been removed. Not sure.

2020 BMW 330i, 1969 El Camino, 2017 Bolt EV

giant_mtb

There should be records available through the city/county indicating where all underground tanks are in your area.