First off….I wish I had pictures and this story took place last year!
I just think it is so cool when I (we) get to see pictures regardless of the project. Anything from machinery to tractors has always fascinated me. Including all facets and stages from 'rattle can' to custom high dollar spray equipment. It's all good.
What made me think of this topic most was my neighbor, who has often said he would like to paint his first project by himself...He has, on many occasions, come over to my shop, asked questions, made mental notes, and asked what I thought of rattle can paint jobs? I answered (the standard answer) "Prep is Everything".
Not very often do I allow people to come by and observe. Even customers that stop by, and would like updates…forces me to stop and field their questions. If you have a one track mind (like I do) it’s easily disturbed and one loses his rhythm. This jolly fellow, I never seemed to mind though.
So he went for it on his old MTD.
Walt (6’6”, 265lbs) came into my shop and asked if I could shake his 2, 6-packs of spray paint? Sure I said as my shaker will accommodate a box of paint sideways…and so we shook it vigorously for a few minutes…talked about masking tape, paper, more preparation, grades of abrasive paper and Scotch-Brite.
He finished it that night and invited me over for my "Critique". I walked over and saw that he had a 9’ X 12’ plastic tarp spread out and anchored in the corners with square bales of hay. I’m very careful to never criticize a persons first attempts on any project…and seldom offer any tips, tricks or techniques after the fact…unless asked.
As we approached, and from about 25’ away, I noticed he used kitchen trash bags to mask off the wheels, steering wheel, a few for over and around the seat and maybe a few more under the hood. And copious amounts of duct tape to secure the bags and some cardboard for the grilled and head lamps. (Did I mention it was windy?)
OK, so now were only 5’ away and I noticed at one point of his painting process, a corner of the tarp had lifted, blown over and attached to the right side of the mower. Which he must have removed and re-secured with a few cinder blocks. There were also indications that he ’wiped off’ that area with a shop rag. Finally, both of us standing over his machine, he asked in his most serious and booming baritone voice; “So, What Do You Think?” I was speechless. I looked at this ’thing’ for a solid minute, walked around searching for one, single redeeming quality but found nothing. It had runs everywhere. Not little ones either…big, long 18” lace curtains, with straw, dirt, bugs and other unidentifiable debris. There were even winged critters still flapping and spiraling in to their final death dance. The mower looked victimized by vandals….and tarred a feathered for extra measure……Did I mention it was Windy? It was, without a doubt, the worst attempt at painting anything that I've ever encountered.
When I finally looked away from this awful, horrible and offensive to the eye paint job, AND while I was trying very hard to think of something encouraging to say, I looked at him and he burst out laughing and actually had tears in his eyes. Now there are two howling men in his yard...laughing through the tears and gulping for air. Every time the laughter subsided I would attempt to say something....and one look at his mower and it would start all over again. He finally admitted that every time he had a problem, he just added more paint and by the time he was up to his ninth can of Krylon...he figured it wasn't fixing the problem.
I told him I MUST go get my camera. He threw his garden rake at me and said he would shoot me if I came back with a camera. I'm glad he was still giggling.....and that the rake was plastic!
I saw him last washing everything down with some high dollar solvent (gasoline) and getting ready to retry next weekend. It has been many years since I laughed that hard, and thank god he has such a good sense of humor.
Walt moved away about 6 months ago, and gave me his little mower....but not until he removed all traces of the evidence! . I think about the guy every time I see his mower in my back 40...and when I look over in his yard, where the crime took place. I kinda miss him too as he was one of the very few people that was always jolly and could laugh with you and at himself at the same time.
Mark
I just think it is so cool when I (we) get to see pictures regardless of the project. Anything from machinery to tractors has always fascinated me. Including all facets and stages from 'rattle can' to custom high dollar spray equipment. It's all good.
What made me think of this topic most was my neighbor, who has often said he would like to paint his first project by himself...He has, on many occasions, come over to my shop, asked questions, made mental notes, and asked what I thought of rattle can paint jobs? I answered (the standard answer) "Prep is Everything".
Not very often do I allow people to come by and observe. Even customers that stop by, and would like updates…forces me to stop and field their questions. If you have a one track mind (like I do) it’s easily disturbed and one loses his rhythm. This jolly fellow, I never seemed to mind though.
So he went for it on his old MTD.
Walt (6’6”, 265lbs) came into my shop and asked if I could shake his 2, 6-packs of spray paint? Sure I said as my shaker will accommodate a box of paint sideways…and so we shook it vigorously for a few minutes…talked about masking tape, paper, more preparation, grades of abrasive paper and Scotch-Brite.
He finished it that night and invited me over for my "Critique". I walked over and saw that he had a 9’ X 12’ plastic tarp spread out and anchored in the corners with square bales of hay. I’m very careful to never criticize a persons first attempts on any project…and seldom offer any tips, tricks or techniques after the fact…unless asked.
As we approached, and from about 25’ away, I noticed he used kitchen trash bags to mask off the wheels, steering wheel, a few for over and around the seat and maybe a few more under the hood. And copious amounts of duct tape to secure the bags and some cardboard for the grilled and head lamps. (Did I mention it was windy?)
OK, so now were only 5’ away and I noticed at one point of his painting process, a corner of the tarp had lifted, blown over and attached to the right side of the mower. Which he must have removed and re-secured with a few cinder blocks. There were also indications that he ’wiped off’ that area with a shop rag. Finally, both of us standing over his machine, he asked in his most serious and booming baritone voice; “So, What Do You Think?” I was speechless. I looked at this ’thing’ for a solid minute, walked around searching for one, single redeeming quality but found nothing. It had runs everywhere. Not little ones either…big, long 18” lace curtains, with straw, dirt, bugs and other unidentifiable debris. There were even winged critters still flapping and spiraling in to their final death dance. The mower looked victimized by vandals….and tarred a feathered for extra measure……Did I mention it was Windy? It was, without a doubt, the worst attempt at painting anything that I've ever encountered.
When I finally looked away from this awful, horrible and offensive to the eye paint job, AND while I was trying very hard to think of something encouraging to say, I looked at him and he burst out laughing and actually had tears in his eyes. Now there are two howling men in his yard...laughing through the tears and gulping for air. Every time the laughter subsided I would attempt to say something....and one look at his mower and it would start all over again. He finally admitted that every time he had a problem, he just added more paint and by the time he was up to his ninth can of Krylon...he figured it wasn't fixing the problem.
I told him I MUST go get my camera. He threw his garden rake at me and said he would shoot me if I came back with a camera. I'm glad he was still giggling.....and that the rake was plastic!
I saw him last washing everything down with some high dollar solvent (gasoline) and getting ready to retry next weekend. It has been many years since I laughed that hard, and thank god he has such a good sense of humor.
Walt moved away about 6 months ago, and gave me his little mower....but not until he removed all traces of the evidence! . I think about the guy every time I see his mower in my back 40...and when I look over in his yard, where the crime took place. I kinda miss him too as he was one of the very few people that was always jolly and could laugh with you and at himself at the same time.
Mark