Good jobs gone bad

Date 12-05-2008 20:10

We have been so busy in out little fab shop in the last few months. As we work really hard to push jobs out and get ready for the next one, it seems our haste has made some waste.

We are scheduled to deliver a 20k pound job on Monday with 15 components. All of the parts have machining, and because of one machine shop not getting the job done I pulled 2 parts from there and took them to another shop. Now this shop put them up and found 2 plates missing from each part. Now I just sent a truck to pick them up and we have to weld in the missing plates and deliver them back for machine by 11pm tonight. I did have guys scheduled tomorrow to paint everything and load the trailer late Sunday. Now with these two parts being behind I'm going to miss the Monday delivery and have to make a second delivery. Of course these additional truck runs were not in the budget for this job nor was being late on some parts. Good thing we do all of our own trucking so it won't hurt too bad.

Now I just received a call from another customer that a machine base paint job was not good and we need to go in tomorrow and touch up the areas that are shadowed. I personally paint everything we build, but this week I had one of the other guys do it since I was on the road with new customers trying to keep the shop full. I even went over the paint requirements with him, and it still was not enough.

It's really hard to be a one man show running a small fab shop, but it seems that nobody works harder for your own company than the guy that signs the checks.

I'm not looking forward to this weekend :(

By hogan

Date 12-05-2008 20:53

That doesn't sound like any fun. There is definitely a difference in doing a job for a check and doing a job to assure your shop stays in business.

By sbcmweb (****)

Date 12-05-2008 21:02

Man, I feel the pain. Being self employed sucks sometimes. I've been there with jobs that won't go away too. Only, you have quite a bit more riding on it than I did. It happens to everyone once in awhile. Of course, some aren't as candidly willing to admit it though.

Good luck Mark. If you need anything I have to offer, let me know. I'll buy the beer the next time we hook up. :-)

S.W.

By MDG Custom Weld (***)

Date 12-05-2008 21:17

Steve, I could really use that beer or 10.

I'm not like some, I'll admit when something goes wrong. We've all done it, but not all will admit it.

It's not like I'm out a lot of money, but I did loose yet another weekend to the fab shop. Oh and I can't call in on Monday :(

Every year usually one of the machine builders calls me in mid December and has something super hot that has to get done before Christmans. And like a greedy fool I say "sure we can make that delivery time" then we push right up to the 24th without a day off. I have not received that call yet this year, but I'm sure it's coming.

I just hope it's all resloved by Christman eve, then I can get some shopping done.

By sbcmweb (****)

Date 12-05-2008 21:23

Keep yer chin up man! I know you'll get it taken care of. That crap happens at the worst times too.

You're a stand up guy, Mark. I know you run a straight business & that stuff just happens once in awhile.

Like I said, when we get together again, I'll buy. :-)

Take care. Steve.

By MDG Custom Weld (***)

Date 12-05-2008 21:31

Thanks Steve. I know coming from you that you've been there.
I still need a new (new to me) horizontal band saw 9x16 min if you come across one. I plan to get one in Jan, right after I get that mill of yours.

By sbcmweb (****)

Date 12-05-2008 21:52

I'll keep my eyes open for a saw. That mill's not going anywhere. As far as I'm concerned, come & get it & pay me when you get thru the holidays & this nightmare. Hang in there!! S.W.

By gshuma

Date 12-06-2008 00:45

Boy have I been there and done that!
Weekends and nights welding and painting and Monday driving the truck.

By Metarinka (****)

Date 12-09-2008 05:04

How many hours a week do you have invested in your shop?

By MDG Custom Weld (***)

Date 12-09-2008 12:20

I work about 55 at my real job and then at the small home shop I would average 25-30 depending on the work load. The two other guys are 40-60.

We delivered half of these parts yesterday, and the other half will be through prime by lunch and finish paint by 9 tonight.

These should be delivered Wednesday, and then we will be clear for a few weeks and spend some good time with the fam.

By chris2698 (****)

Date 12-06-2008 01:20

I'll drink a little rum and egg nog for ya :)

By Smooth Operator (***)

Date 12-06-2008 04:55

MDG I feel your pain, every year I had a customer who had a job thats hot. Even if you ask them about a schedule they will act like it's no big deal ,after you commit to the job it becomes imperitive that your done by christmas or new years. Finally after too many years of missed holidays with my family ,I had to take a stand and say ENOUGH!!!!!!!! Lost a good customer but was able to replace him with another EXCELLENT customer in the end. Also gotta work this weekend, finished iron by friday afternoon thought I was home free, WRONG Customer calls says Hobo painter he hired can only put top coat on steel to meet deadline and now we have to prep & prime iron at our shop and deliver to ill equiped painter by monday. CAN'T DISPUTE, over a million plus a year customer, also liquidated damage clause in contract & $5000 a day erection crew needing iron to continue on schedule. Sometimes you just have to pick the battles you can WIN. PS. GO STEELERS AND PENS. ( Hopefully done by gametime Sunday so I can watch Steelers CRUSH Cowgirls)

By Partagas (*)

Date 12-09-2008 02:38

Smooth, Hope you got to see the game. I do not know about you, but I could have twisted that Iron for you while watching the game.

I bleed Black and Gold.........

By TozziWelding (**)

Date 12-10-2008 00:00

I feel all the pain, fab shop busted all the full pen moment welds. Long story short I am do 10-12 hr days on the repairs, but I like $$$$$ and OT is a good thing.

By Tommyjoking (****)

Date 12-10-2008 16:06

I will never EVER forget the image of the silhouette of one of my most important welding mentors cast thru the windows of the shop whilst he finished the paint on some guards and handrails at 2:30 am....I was out running round chasing skirts and drinking and happen to have drove by. He paid himself less then he paid me......but he was there on a friday night working over eight hours after I had called it quits............changed my work ethic for the rest of my life. Mistakes happen and unfortunately a lot of the time all the correction falls upon mister bottom line....not those who created the problem.

MDG your chi/work ethic/moxy/whatever you want to call it......will most certainly reward you on the other side of your troubles....it sux...but some move things along...some watch...some just get in the way: Two kinds wonder why they have little.....the other knows every freaking step the gave them what they have. I am pretty damm sure which you are. Cheers
Tommy

By MDG Custom Weld (***)

Date 12-10-2008 18:44

Thanks Tommy. The job is pretty much done, and the customers are happy, so I'm happy. Now I'm looking forward to some time enjoying the downtime.