Whahey... I'm in the mood for some celebration.

[gphood]

Fingers crossed, I think I've finally found a bodyshop within easy reach who can take care of all my clearcoating and fiddly prep jobs for me. I've been doing my own for the last 6 months because I'm in a fairly rural area and everyone I tried either couldn't turn it round quickly enough for me, couldn't produce the quality required or was just too far away to make it viable. I've been able to achieve good results but it's not been easy and it's been taking so long to eventually get a job out of the door that money's been getting tight and customers have been kept waiting - not ideal.

These guys have the use of a huge bodyshop with truck-sized booths if required. I've seen the quality of their work and whilst the artwork side of what they do is fairly rudimentary, the finish is spot on and certainly better than I've been producing. They don't seem to want to charge a large amount for their services either - they're able to swallow up a lot of the bike painting costs with the large volume of van and car jobs that also go through the paint shops. The amount I was quoted to clearcoat and polish a petrol tank means it wouldn't be worth doing myself, even if I can turn out a top quality finish with the minimum of messing about. To top it all, they're a 15 minute drive away from my workshop!! A no-brainer really and I'm taking my first job in for them on Monday.

If this works out I'll really be able to concentrate on my artwork and put all the energy into that instead of worrying where the next bit of cash is coming from.

I believe they want to return the favour in my direction as well - the airbrush artist they're trying out at the moment unfortunately isn't that great. It would be a shame to sideline him but that's a decision they need to make for themselves.

It's a great feeling when it looks like this whole thing might just work out after all :)

Just thought I'd share that with you all - nice to finish the day with a smile on my face :)

[Whit]

:clapping2: Good Luck on it !!!:partyalone:

[jason prouty]

that sounds great grant, i firmly believe in letting the professionals do their job so i can do mine, you will definatley make more when your time is spent on artwork and not prep/clear/polish, the only bummer is transporting parts but it sounds like your guys are close,

i currently use 5 different custom shops for clear, depending on who is feeding me i usually return the favor

[seadog]

sounds very good. hope it works out well :)

did you ask Norman Ellis? i guess you probably did cos there isn't much choice round here. does he do that or was he far too expensive?
I am mates with him and if i got good enough were i was happy to spay my helmet or even bike i was going to ask him. but Bev Tulloc said he was a rip off and i should get you to do it. lol

[blinddog 99]

cool Grant! Nice to have such an arrangement. I am working on one myself, hope it pans out.....

[gphood]

sounds very good. hope it works out well :)

did you ask Norman Ellis? i guess you probably did cos there isn't much choice round here. does he do that or was he far too expensive?
I am mates with him and if i got good enough were i was happy to spay my helmet or even bike i was going to ask him. but Bev Tulloc said he was a rip off and i should get you to do it. lol

Hi Seadog

I asked Norman just after I'd moved to Driffield and he can't fit in jobs like mine amongst the cars he has booked in - they'd just get in the way. Is Bev Tulloch Rob Tulloch's mum by the way? He helped me out a few times when I needed help polishing. Dave who was working round at Norman's is round by me at KP Motorsport now and does bits of work for me here and there when I need it.

These guys I'm hoping to work with are up at Carnaby and share premises with a large auto paint shop which processes around 100 vehicles a week. They gave me a tour round today and it's pretty impressive. Fingers and other extending parts of my body are all crossed at the moment as this could really make my little operation really viable :)

[seadog]

she's Rob's sister, at least i'm fairly sure that's what she said. She did suggest i ask at KP Motorsport. but i'm months of even thinking about letting my airbrush near my £300 helmet, so i've not bothered asking anyone yet. :)

[tomcat]

Good news, I'm very happy for you. I deal with crash repair centres all day everyday and I'd thought about asking them myself, but to be honest most of the ones I deal with are way too busy to get involved with artwork.

[Dream Weaver]

congratulations grant .As Jason has said , and I am firm believer in , is let the pros do what they are good at and you do what you are good at................ART. I was fotunate to have found my guys early on . I wish you all the best , it's worth it.

[gphood]

she's Rob's sister, at least i'm fairly sure that's what she said. She did suggest i ask at KP Motorsport. but i'm months of even thinking about letting my airbrush near my £300 helmet, so i've not bothered asking anyone yet. :)

Hi Seadog

Why don't you start planning out your helmet job on here? If you're ok with that, post up the ideas that you have on a new thread, get some opinions and then we can build up a step-by-step of how to tackle a helmet job, including stripping, prep and then applying the actual paintwork.

I've not much time to spare at the moment, but if it works out with this new paint shop I'm working with, I should be able to offer some help so you're not risking trashing your helmet. We could also take photos as we go along to accompany the step-by-step and you'd also have a record of how it was all done.

Also, when the work is done, fingers crossed I should be able to get the clearcoating sorted out for you so that's a major job you don't have to worry about.

[gphood]

Thanks all for your messages. I can't wait to see if this is all going to work out and I have my first projects going in to them on Monday.

You know that old office cartoon saying, "I thought it was a light at the end of the tunnel but it was just some bastard with a torch bringing me more work" - well, I think that sums up what my situation has been up to this point. Now though, it looks like I'm going to be able to start getting it all done in a reasonable amount of time and I don't have to dread more work coming in any more :)

[seadog]

Hi Seadog

Why don't you start planning out your helmet job on here? If you're ok with that, post up the ideas that you have on a new thread, get some opinions and then we can build up a step-by-step of how to tackle a helmet job, including stripping, prep and then applying the actual paintwork.

I've not much time to spare at the moment, but if it works out with this new paint shop I'm working with, I should be able to offer some help so you're not risking trashing your helmet. We could also take photos as we go along to accompany the step-by-step and you'd also have a record of how it was all done.

Also, when the work is done, fingers crossed I should be able to get the clearcoating sorted out for you so that's a major job you don't have to worry about.
cool thanks a lot, sounds like a good idea. i'll have a think. :)