More of those jobs

[Darren Henry]

---that make you want to scream!!!

I didn't want to jack Kody's thread---but I've had a run of "issues" like that this week that I have to resolve. Of course they all came up at once and we are nuts this week with Country Fest *, so I keep getting hauled out of my cave to show campers, sign out rentals, help on parts desk etc..., and generally "deal with this s$%^t" . It doesn't help that I had to take this morning off to attend a licensing bureau ordered impaired driver's workshop to get my license back or a work permit to shut my diaper up.

CASE 1) Guy brings in the four screen panels from his gazebo to replace the chinzy no-see-um screen with heavy mesh. He wants the mesh sewn inside the two ply of "border" with what had to be kevlar thread at 20 STI. I got cocky and did it without making him bring me frame dimensions [yes---I know better, got cocky!]. He has a cow that it took over 8 hours for the attendance employee and I to rip it all apart and sew the screen panels up then sew them in etc... He gets it home and by the time he gets to the corner 4 he is 3" shy of getting it zipped up. Repair is on my time.

CASE 2) Couple bring their motor home in to have one of the awnings I make installed on some used hardware 'cause they want it cheap. The aft 4 feet of track is pooched---to keep it cheap we swap out only that section and fight with two piece awning track. Said attendance co-worker is jerking the awning into the track as I I am trying to get the new guy (day 5/ awning one ) to lift his end. I assume that that is how the awning got ripped at the upper welt cord. They are demanding a new awning track, new awning, and they want the bottom edge of the awning track caulked like the old one. I guess they like a yellow streak (in a couple of years) down their motor home and a chance for any water that gets past the putty tape under the rail to seep into the screw holes and rot out their top plate. I get to punch off the clock and deal with their "drama" tomorrow morning. Can't freakin' wait!

CASE 3) Guy buys an awning from us last year and it leaked at the seam [8 ft awning/ 60" fabric = 1 seam the length of the awning]. Turns out he is a neighbour to one of the people I have to pay to drive me around for work. First the seam leaked so I gave my guy a bottle of my own seam sealer (problem was it was installed upside down---rain ran into the seam instead of over_). Last week the owner brings his unit to the shop---awning is 6" to wide, add-a-room won't fit. Wants warranty  work,blah blah. Set everything up and add-a-room/ awning as per check list---home made spring rods for the end panel 6" + too short. I added to the rods and set it up---bingo. I got a text last night at home from my driver that the awning was still too wide and the poles were now too long. The owner of the rig was supposed to pick me up tonight to go look at it but dropped by the shop just I was locking up instead. Turns out that he has been taking the legs off the side of the  5 th wheel and standing them straight up and down on the ground and staking them in when he deploys his add a room. No pay--no apology--but he admitted he was wrong and thanked me for clearing it up. As Stan Rodgers sings--" there is a victory in every quarter mile". It was nice to resolve it in front of my diaper.

Sorry for the rant folks. I needed to vent -- and I'm sure some of you have something to share on this. Thanks.

[kodydog]

When you need to vent this is the place to do it. We've all been there. Makes me feel just a little better about my problem. Weeks like that make you thing about packing it in and head on down the road. Could be why there are so many traveling upholsterers.

[SteveA]

Darren
With customers like that I can understand the Impaired Driver issue.  My fun yesterday today when I took in a chair the customer said that the stain was not looking good.
I started removing the color and found all this old repair work - screws, epoxy fill - poor repairs.  I only quoted to fix the color but now see a structural mess - Change Order won't be welcomed - nothing I can work around without addressing the damaged woodwork



SA

[Mojo]

Darren:

And people think the RV Industry is easy money. :) I spend all week long answering phone calls from bus owners or technicians who have problems with their awnings. Just when I think I have seen them all, a new problem arises.

This is why I have said anyone can sew an awning or topper but it takes a great deal of education to know inner workings, parts and problems of each Carefree, Dometic, Brustor, Girard or Zip Dee model.
Working the RV market you have probably seen your share of headaches with all of these assemblies.

Sorry it has been a rough week for you. Things will get better so hang tough Sgt Major. :)

Chris

[Darren Henry]

Thanks gang for the support. It nice to know someone's in my corner after listening to my diaper chirping all day about how long it took the attendance worker and I to redo that awning  today.

it takes a great deal of education to know inner workings, parts and problems of each Carefree, Dometic, Brustor, Girard or Zip Dee model.
Working the RV market you have probably seen your share of headaches with all of these assemblies

About all we see around here are Dometic and Care Free and I'm still trying to educate myself on them. Up until this spring I was just "cut and sew" and help guide it into the track once the techs had everything ready. They all left at Christmas and the "senior" tech started in Feb. I've been getting called over to the big shop a lot this year. The new sales / take care of the rentals man quit last week and all 8 units are booked for the big country music festival this weekend. I don't guess I'll be sewing much until after my regular shift. Oh well---I wasn't going cruising tomorrow night anyway LOL.

[Virgs Sew n Sew]

Sorry to hear it's been one of those weeks.  I've had my nose to the grindstone as I want to get my last boat finished by the 4th.  This is the Husker boat and is just loads of fun (seriously).  One of the best projects I've ever had.  Enough high-jacking.

From the sounds of it, I'm glad I'm not into the RV scene.  I enjoy my boat cushions and small chair projects.  Am trying to keep it to those areas.

You know that things will look better once this conference is over.  As for the Impaired Driving goes.  It is by the grace of something or somebody that I never got one of those in my younger days,  Too many meds these days to even think of drinking other than a glass or two of wine Christmas or New Year's.   Just please take care of yourself!

Virginia/

[Mojo]

Darren:

Out of all the assemblies, the Carefree's are the most problematic. They also happen to be one of the very worst companies to deal with on a support basis which is why my phone rings constantly for assistance. They have so many different models that trying to keep them straight can be a challenge.

The Dometic's are pretty much problem free and the others are very specialized. Brustor, Girard and Zip Dee are all used on the big buses and they are typically all automated. Master technicians hate working on them and I know of a few techs who will take the day off or call in sick if they know they have a Girard or Brustor job the next day.

I do not know what it is like in Canada but RV dealers down here are having a helluva time finding good tech's. They are also having to do what your boss is doing and using employees across different job titles. I am going to assume that if you left your boss would be in a world of hurt.

Hang in there my friend.

Chris

[Darren Henry]

I'm probably just whiny  because of the heat this week. 29 *C this afternoon or around 84*F and the sun just a blazin' as I was out hooking up campers. That was the "gong show" I was expecting but I got some help that I didn't. The techs "had all the units ready to go"...RIGHT. Batteries not connected/anode rods not installed in water heaters/hitches the wrong height/ Something on every one. The best was the two young ladies who were already there when I rolled in a 7:30 for my 8:00 shift in a mini-van with no brake controller to take a 1982, 29 foot bumper hitch through Riding MOUNTAIN national park. We made them rent the 1 ton dually that was already hooked to the unit for the ladies from Ontario who showed up at coffee time in the pm. That caused some jiggling and the unit had issues.

All in all it was a good day. I finished those gazebo screen adjustments, got enough of the repairs caught up to leave at 4:30 and the diaper cut me a very wide berth---even showed some respect ALL day. Pay day tomorrow, shade is falling on my stoop, life is good. I've had way worse weeks than this by a long shot---just hot and cranky I guess when I started this.

As far as the impaired, now that we're talking about it --- that was an isolated moment of stupid. At my size if I know I'm likely going to have a cocktail  and a glass of wine with supper out---I make arrangements to not drive.

Coles notes; It was a one of the worst Christmases I have ever had . It was the first one for Winnie without her side kick sister who died of the same cancer as killed my Dad the year before so not a whole lot of joy in my step son's house/ issues with the tenant & state of the house /First Christmas for me without a very dear friend/blah blah. I went ice fishing on the 27 th with a buddy I worked with at Bathfitter way back then. Van (with crap tires) slid of the ramp coming up from the ice road got stuck in the snow bank so I start walking back to Roddy's shack to spend the night. It's legit 40 below, so i take a few heavy pulls from the crock of rye, I had in the trunk to share with my friends when I went visiting, to feel warm. I keep looking back at the van (which just came out of the body shop because some guy with his meds mal-adjusted had side swiped it parked on a busy street) and decided to go back and try to get it moved down to the landing 30 feet away for safe keeping. The first "good Samaritans" to stop found it better to contact the Ontario Provincial police and have me treated like a piece of dung.

I'll always be fine! What was Clint Eastwood's line in "heartbreak ridge " ? "Adapt, a???, over come !"