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Just another day in paradise

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,898
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
It definitely would have burned flat on him. There are no fire extinguishers around. My hand is a little tender today but the big challenge is going to be keeping it clean
 

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,898
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
I’ve been wearing nitrile gloves today which I hate. The hand is staying clean but sweating and I don’t think that’s helping any. Back at the machine now trying to Mickey Mouse the already Mickey Moused wiring. The worst part is that it got the wires going to the pumps and I’m sure that wiring diagrams are going to be tough to get. Samsung SE210LC-2. Serial number FBY1305. Can anyone help?
 

treemuncher

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Messages
733
Location
West TN
Occupation
eatin' trees, poopin' chips
Get some Colloidal Silver (CS - usually found at health food store or made at home with a CS generator) and keep that hand moistened with it to speed the healing. Pharmacies also have a Silver Sulfadiazine Cream USP for burns but you might need a script to get ahold of that stuff. I've had really good luck using CS for speeding up the healing process on cuts and burns. It also works well burning the head fog off that comes with Lyme Disease. I've had bad cuts and skin removals that should take 6 weeks to heal be sealed & healed within 3 weeks. My ex, whom had studies to be an MD, was fascinated at the speed of healing when I used that stuff. I would be glad to drop some off to you but we won't be headed to Downeast until later June if I get up there this year.

"Another day in Paradise"......yep, black fly season coming your way real soon once you get through with mud season! I've been through that part of "Paradise" way too many times. I do NOT miss those little b**tards. At least they don't stay around as long as the mosquitos do up there.
 

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,898
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
Haha! The black flies are awake today! I’ve got some silver sulfadiazine cream to put on it but I left it home this morning. What part of Downeast do you go?
 

treemuncher

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 31, 2006
Messages
733
Location
West TN
Occupation
eatin' trees, poopin' chips
Joy, joy. I've lost a lot of blood to those things when I lived in MA. They were miserable to deal with. Thankfully, we don't have them in my part of TN. Even the mosquitos are not as bad down here.

My second wife is from Harrington. We usually stay at the family camp on the coast when we go up there. I usually spend most of my time doing homeowner projects to make the place better while we visit and try to eat as much fish as I can. Her home made pizza and beer is pretty good too!

Maine pizza.jpg
 

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,898
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
I may have drank some beer in the greater Harrington area and have worked over there several times. I’ve got a piece of ground a couple hours north of there in forest city. It’s where we go to fish, drink, and hide from civilization.
 

dust eater

Well-Known Member
Joined
Sep 18, 2010
Messages
70
Location
illinios
try to stay vigilant with the sulfadiazine had a second degree burn on my foot after rolling away from a paver. Changed it twice a day and you see could new growth every time I changed the dressing
 

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,898
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
So I’ve had an opportunity presented to me and maybe you guys can help. From 2103-2015 I worked in south Texas as a field mechanic for a construction company. We built roads and pads in the oil field. We ended up going home due to some family stuff but always said we’d like to move back. We went to Texas in February and looked around some and I was in contact with my old employer but we didn’t have any real plans to move back yet. He called me a couple weeks ago and offered me a job. We talked some and I explained that I had just bought another service truck, etc. “no problem. I’ll hire you and your truck” so the talks have continued. My wife and I are very interested. We’ve gotten to the money part of the negotiations. He is willing to put me on salary like I was before and give me a monthly check for my truck. I know how much I want for a salary but I’m not sure how to price the truck. I’ll have health insurance through him and won’t need to carry liability insurance plus he’ll pay for fuel. I need to figure out how much I need to cover my truck payment, insurance, maintenance, repairs, and enough to be able to replace the truck in a few years, plus I’m sure there are things I’m forgetting. How do I figure these numbers? Am I missing anything? We are trying to close a deal in the next month and my goal is to be there for September. I’ve got to liquidate a bunch of stuff, sell a house, etc, etc.
 

DMiller

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 21, 2010
Messages
16,430
Location
Hermann, Missouri
Occupation
Cheap "old" Geezer
Costs of fuel & liability insurance already covered so down to full coverage insurance for thefts lost work time and damage then own maintenance and replacement funds.

As to maintenance as costs are expanding rapidly how can one determine a value target that is now moving? Expense per mile or hours of use figures need to be visited, has to include a percentage figure to cover replacement in say a four year plan, look to current machine costs against four years ago as a base figure of % rise in that expense. May want to buffer with a figure to add specialized tooling as changes occur as seems diagnostics electronics are an annual to biannual expense now.

May well be worth a trip to a accountant that deals with similar clientele
 

CM1995

Administrator
Joined
Jan 21, 2007
Messages
13,248
Location
Alabama
Occupation
Running what I brung and taking what I win
Mike first gather all the expenses you have for your truck:

Payment
Insurance
Fuel
Taxes, fees, yearly inspection, etc
Tags
Maintenance
Tires
Etc.

Once you get that monthly number add at least 20-30% for your overhead and profit on the truck. There is no reason to run your truck for cost, you need to make money on it as well.

What kind of agreement will you have? Will it exclude you working for other clients on your off time? If your truck needs another trans who pays for it?

What you describe sounds interesting for both you and the company. Interested to see how it works out. Good Luck!
 
Last edited:

crane operator

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 27, 2009
Messages
8,274
Location
sw missouri
Sounds like a good way to get back to texas, if that's where you really want to be. Locked in job, and he adds in for your truck, makes a lot of the other things easier.

I'd want enough from him for the truck, so that the truck is paid for in two years, plus your operating expenses. Whatever # that works out as. That or he just pays you for what you're into the truck for right now, plus 10%.

Personally, I've been to texas a few times, and I haven't left anything there that I would need to go back for, but I'd be all in for Maine!!

I hope it works out for you.
 

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,898
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
He has an F-550 service truck but I can’t get all my stuff in it and still be legal weight. He is actually expanding and will have a west Texas division and a south Texas division. I’d be in charge of the south Texas division. He is looking for a lube tech to run the 550 and will put a lube skid in it. The lube tech will handle pm’s, hydraulic hoses, etc. I’d handle a/c, some welding, major component failures, etc. I think the thing I like about having my own truck is that I keep a sense of independence. I told him how much I was charging an hour here in maine and he didn’t seem too concerned about that number. I like the idea that we can show up and I can go to work. It takes some pressure off. CM, those are the figures I need to calculate. He wouldn’t care if I did side work but I’m looking for a salary large enough so I don’t need to work nights or weekends. I’m assuming if I needed another transmission it would be my responsibility. Maybe to some point I will sell him the truck or he’ll just buy me a truck and I’ll just be an employee but since I just bought this truck, this seems to be our starting point. I’ll be running a ton of miles so I’m guessing in 2 years I’ll be looking to upgrade. Last time I worked for him I was running 60k+ miles a year.
Crane operator, maine is a great place to visit but it’s hard to make a living. Taxes vs wages put us in near poverty levels and to be honest I’m sick of the winter’s here. I’ve got a piece of property near the Canadian border that I will keep and the plan is to build a place there eventually. My plan is to retire at 60 and spend summers there and winters in Texas.
 

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,898
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
Looking much better without the ridiculous riser under the crane. Put a reman transmission in it yesterday. Seems to go good but still dealing with slight clutch slippage when I’m in high gear and step hard on the throttle.A1C5F5A7-D29C-4C29-AC66-E82A9DE612BF.jpeg
 

skyking1

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 3, 2020
Messages
7,465
Location
washington
That's not a good thing. Hard to believe that is the right set of clutch parts.
As to the job: I think that owning the truck and tools is KISS. My truck, my tools, make a proper deal for the use of them. I have a company truck and a mix of my personal tools and company tools on it. Being in your position would be more comfortable IMO. I would keep it that way personally.
The fuel thing is a convenience. Getting under his liability umbrella is a must.
 

Mike L

Senior Member
Joined
Dec 1, 2010
Messages
1,898
Location
Texas
Occupation
Self employed field mechanic
When I took out the flywheel it had some bad looking spots on it. I’m thinking that they turned it down far enough that maybe my clutch bolts are just a touch too long and I’m not clamping the clutch tight enough to the flywheel. I don’t remember the bolt holes going all the way through. It’s funny. My road is a pretty good uphill pull out to the main drag and it won’t slip there. It’s only in 5th and 6th gear and only if I floor it. If I drive it normal it won’t do it.
 
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