Haven't tried it. But will definitely check it out -- thank you!

Looks like the photos were taken at the 2008 Lowrider Supershow in Las Vegas.

Thanks Justin! We're looking into them too. Could be something cool there.

Also, thanks for the feedback on categories. We currently have 6 -- and people don't always use them. Not sure if adding more will help that. But we'll certainly consider it.

Ever since Bosch discontinued the 1575A Foam Rubber Cutter, I haven't really found one that I liked :cry:

With this health pandemic going on, they might be short staffed. I know a lot of manufacturers and suppliers have cut back on employee hours -- which, of course, hurts their response time to customer inquiries.

Hi Jeffery. Are you talking about our '69 Charger?

It's still in the works, coming along slowly, but surely.

For now, we're focusing on the mechanics, trying to get it running smooth as new. But with running our shop and The Hog Ring, we only get to work on it on odd weekends. You know how that goes. :cry:

Yeah, good question -- "rugged" as in aesthetic or practicality? Do you want it to look "rugged" or actually be "rugged," all-weather, etc?

If it's the latter, you might consider textiles created for outdoor furniture. They're designed to withstand most anything.

HAHAHAHAHA :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol:

Those signs are great. The first one -- trimmers rates -- is by far my fave! Where'd you get it?

@Steve Ingram That's good. I would've been extremely surprised if they did anything.

@Eric Gordon That's funny. He can't sue a privately owned business for refusing a job :lol:

Generally, if I suspect a customer is going to be a pain in the ass, I'll tell him: "Sorry, I can't do your project. I'm booked solid through the end of the year."

This way I avoid a possible confrontation, he doesn't waste my time with frivolous legal action or complaints, and it doesn't spur him to go out and write a million negative reviews about my shop under fake names.

These difficult people can be spiteful.

@Steve Ingram, did the BBB actually take the complaint? It seems odd that they would, considering you're a private enterprise.

This is a good list of policies. Here are some other ones we follow...

• We charge sales tax (It's odd how many customers think this can be waved)
• We have business insurance. But customers should have their own auto insurance too.
• Materials and parts fall under warranty of manufacturer. We warranty our labor for 1 year.
• We generally don't install materials/parts that customers supply themselves. In the rare case that we do, we don't guarantee they'll actually fit or last.
• Deposits are forfeited if a job is cancelled.
• No-shows are charged an inconvenience fee (because time is money).
• You have to arrange your own transportation.

This seems relevant: "Some clients are a pain in the ass. Here's how to spot them."

:lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl: :lol: :rofl:

I generally love everything digital. But I can't get behind online reviews...

If they're all positive, they can bring in A LOT of business. But they seldom are. No matter how good your shop is, there are going to be loud, vindictive complainers.

Assume the average job is $200. And assume 100 people read that one negative review and decide against giving you their business. Well, that's $20,000 lost all because of one jerk.

These people have all the leverage and they know it.

Only thing we can do is what @Peter Pittel did, and respond with a kindly worded, common-sense explanation -- and hope potential customers read it.

If we ignore it, their version becomes truth. And if we respond angrily, we come across as having bad customer service.

It's a lose-lose. #IhateYelp

Have you considered a hybrid? For example, pay a slightly reduced rate by the hour -- but also offer a commission for projects employees bring in. This way they can actually make more than they previously were.

Every car guy has a network of car guys. If you incentivize bringing in work, you could encourage them to sell jobs on their off time (and also not to do work on the side). It would raise sales for you and increase their pay.

We're a small shop -- so no non-family employees. Maybe someone with a bigger staff can chime in.

Veteran trimmer Marc Fisher once wrote an article for us about this exact topic: "Paying Staff Hourly, Salary or Commission?"

He experimented with a 100% commission model, but ultimately ran into some trouble with it. He eventually scrapped it and went back to hourly pay.

Give it a read.

That's a good idea @Phillip Aldridge.

I think that'll be our NYE resolution, to do as @Cody Lunning and make a top-down deep cleaning/organizing a regular part of the routine. Perhaps once a quarter.

Hey Don. Reach out to Mal Maher at NC Carpet Binding & Equipment. He sells nice, high-quality skiing machines. We played with one at SEMA and were very impressed.

Hey Rich. Thanks for following up.

This is an interesting case. You may want to flag your findings to your dermatologists again. While it seems you found a short-term solution (which is great), long-term exposure may still be a problem.

Think of the health risks 10 - 20 years down the line.

FWIW, we rarely ever steam leather seat covers at our shop. We've heard too many horror stories.

We asked Aaron of Hydes Leather about steaming leather, here's what he told us: Is it Safe to Steam Leather Seat Covers?

You should at least cover the spools so they don't get dusty and crusty -- which could impact how it looks, unravels and works its way through your machine. This is especially true of spools that sit for a LONG time before seeing any use.

@Princess Dion Has this happened again to you since?

One way to check if it was your steamer or the hides is to try it again on a scrap piece of leather purchased from another supplier. If it happens again, its likely your steamer.

If not, it might have something to do with the dye / treatment of that particular hide.

That brown/orange bucket is so '70s. Love it!

If we're making the window, we sew it with paper -- and then rip off the paper when we're done.

If we're just installing, we tape paper on both sides, and then just remove after installation.

No scratches. No problems.

@Lindbert Guerra Are you building a new shop and designing the layout from scratch? Or do you have an existing shop, which your looking to remodel / rearrange?

Not sure how I missed this! Beautiful work @Jamason Gossow. Especially love that console!