I got a call today to re letter one of my old boat jobs. The hailing port was down around the level of the dock. I know I laid on my belly or side in the past when I did it. I think if I tried this today it might be a disappointing appearance and several trips to the chiropractor. I don't know how to only work in my shop, and I sure don't want to put vinyl on a hand made boat. There are some parts to getting older that aren't fun.
Posted by Curt Stenz (Member # 82) on :
Rick, I totally understand. Any boat can be plucked out of the water to do the job right, if the owner does not agree to that... leave the job to some young buck and take a nap!
Posted by Dan Sawatzky (Member # 88) on :
Back in my late teens I lettered my first fishing boats. I climbed crazy scaffolds, bobbed in the waves in a dingy while doing my best to paint straight lines and laid on a few docks while working upside down- all in the name of painting a name.
I think as we get older we get a whole lot smarter. The jobs turn out a whole lot better if we are comfortable.
-grampa dan
Posted by stein Saether (Member # 430) on :
The worst part of painting laying down is not being able to get up again.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
This boat belongs to a forty year friend. He built the boat, and it's way too large to just take out of the water for a minor process. The boats that I do are not little trailer boats. I'm just finding aging catching me, not by surprise, but nevertheless disappointing.
Posted by Gerald Barlow (Member # 3477) on :
Off topic, but relevant...I injured myself a few days ago. I was returning the mower around back and it attacked me. The catcher lept out of its catches and grabbed my feet and I fell backwards on to the cement. Its ok, guys. I caught myself with the back of my hand and when I got the bleeding cleaned up I was only a little injured. Just some scrapes and joint jambs. I'll remember that for a few years. Now I have to call a guy and tell him I can't stripe those flames on his motorcycle.
Posted by Chuck Peterson (Member # 70) on :
I exercise and keep in pretty good shape, for being in my 60s, but I dug a posthole recently in very rocky soil using a digging bar. Too small of a job to bring along a helper, I thought. Man, it wrecked me for 4 days. And a year or so back I drilled 72 holes in a block wall using a hammer drill. Easy drilling, but they were about 24" above ground level so I had to bend over. I was pretty tired that night, but the next day I seriously thought I was crippled for life. From now on I will hire installers. It's too easy to overdo it now.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Yesterday I lettered a little trailer boat in the shop. It was a friends boat named after his wife. She wanted her signature reproduced on both sides. I had fun with that and single stroking the registration numbers was delightful. So nice to get away from the electronic assistance and do what I was made for. I did it sitting on a small box and today there are no aches or pains. Jer, I hope that you recover quickly.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
Like an idiot, I lettering 4 82" by 182" curtain trailer curtains on the floor. Laid them all out. Put down the mask, roll out the vinyl inks and then removal of the mask. It was like that game "Twister". In my socks, I tipped toed around trying to not step on the tacky ink. I step on it, got tiny splashes from the roller and a few blow-outs. Got 2 more to do. Those ones I'm gonna hang from my shop door.
Posted by Alicia B. Jennings (Member # 1272) on :
I hear ya Rick, I still can't walk right. I walk like around steer riding cowboy after he gets thrown off for the 5th time.
Posted by Kevin W. Betz (Member # 4133) on :
But it is fun being in the Sign Business
Posted by Don Hulsey (Member # 128) on :
I was following my older brother up a stairway one day. About half way I asked him, "Remember when we could sneak up and down the steps at home without making a sound?" If we were not moanin or groanin, we were creakin or poppin.
Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :
Don, I used to hit every third step going up. Never touched the handrails coming down. At least we can remember how it was. Someday even that might be gone.
In the meantime, lets make beautiful letters and put them together into signs and see if we can make commerce happen again and our communities a bit more decorated.
Posted by David Harding (Member # 108) on :
A few years ago, I took two grandsons to help me install building ID signs on the third floor of some apartment complex. As we were handling a 32' extension ladder, climbing up and down, drilling holes and installing the signs, I recall the thought crossing my mind, "I used to think this was FUN?!?"
Posted by Dave Sherby (Member # 698) on :
Well if my new retirement shop had been finished when I hoped instead of being delayed by Covid, concrete contractors too busy, having to jump through hoops to get building permit, engineered drainage plan, and a host of other delays, my weeding bench would be in my shop instead of in storage in my garage. If it would have been in my new shop, the corner of that bench that I attach my Weber transfer tape applicator wouldn't have been lined up perfectly with my head as I tripped on the concrete lip on the garage floor. Then that "trip" would have resulted in a sore knee instead of a reasonably large chunk of scalp being peeled back resulting in 32 staples to tack it back in place. The cat scan proved that there was no brain damage but also confirmed to my wife that I am indeed, hard headed.
Posted by Checkers (Member # 63) on :
Hey gang, long time no see. Unless someone has a secret that they're not sharing, I don't think any of us are getting any younger Like a couple of others mentioned or implied, there comes a time to turn (at least, some of) the reins over to the younger generation. And, let them do the dirty work. I realize it's easier said than done. But, it benefits everyone, cuts down on our aches and pains, and helps preserve the craft too. A couple of significant health issues in recent years forced me to scale back operations. And, this COVID stuff, essentially, was the last nail in to coffin - no pun intended. I really do miss this "fun" stuff.
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