Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
Can't hurt to ask but don't be surprised if he declines. Folks like you describe are often loners who really don't want anyone hanging around while they work. He may also be the type who can't or won't show you how to do anything useful even if he himself can do it. I also sort of question the 2 weeks per year issue. If you want to do this you might want to find out if he might let you come in one day per week for a longer time or something similar. Good luck with it. Randy -Original Message- From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com]on Behalf Of Wonko the Sane Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 10:38 PM To: Mercedes Discussion List Subject: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me) We have two body shops in Jefferson who specialize in collision repairs.Always very busy. And another one, out in the country (if you can be more country than Jefferson) owned by an older guy (in his late 60s) who makes his living fixing up vintage cars for collectors. He works sort of slow but is rumored to be a bit of a perfectionist. Now, I have 120 hours of vacation available. I have had 120 hours of vacation available for at least the last five years, since 120 hours is the max we can carry and we get vacation time added on every paycheck. In other words, I rarely take any vacation and just lose whatever is added on every two weeks. Here's what popped into my head while watching some basketball in the kitchen. I am a fairly intelligent individual, spent eight years in universities, spent six years in the Coast Guard as a skilled technician (both avionics and mechanics). I am good with my hands and know my way around tools. And I am a bit anal when it comes to doing a task. What if I presented myself to the old guy who fixes up vintage cars (I've seen his work -- he is damn'd good -- worked on my brother-in-law's Edsel) and offered him a deal: I work free for him for two weeks, doing whatever he wants me to do to help him out (such as wet sanding primer or sweeping) IF he will teach me a few tricks: (1) basic welding, (2) basic body filler sanding, and (3) how to mix paint to match faded Benz colors, and then spray it correctly. I will lose no income, since I have the vacation time available. He will get someone to do the dirty work for two weeks, and, if he is the craftsman that I think him to be, he will be happy to pass on a few secrets of the trade to someone younger (by maybe a decade) who will carry on the tradition of keeping old cars looking good. It isn't like I am going to take any business away from him, because he already has more than he can handle. I am pretty sure this guy isn't doing this for the money, but for the love of old cars. And maybe he will let me train on my own cars! -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090320/f0db6cea/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
I've always thought that the greatest thing in life would be to be able to enjoy your job. Congratulations. Wilton - Original Message - From: Wonko the Sane don.b...@gmail.com To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Sent: Saturday, March 21, 2009 11:44 PM Subject: Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me) I really enjoy my job. I might be in the minority here, but I seldom wake up and say, Good God, I have to go to the damn'd office. I am required to be at work by 8:00 AM, but by 8:00 most workdays, I've already arrived, brewed a cup of tea, fed the fish in my office aquarium, checked my emails (work and home accounts), read the Washington Post and Des Moines Register front pages (online), and tuned WinAmp to SmoothJazz.com or NPR streaming audio. I try to be at work by 7:30 AM, 7:45 AM at the latest. My timesheet says I arrived at 8:00 AM. I guess I get enough vacation on Saturday and Sunday. By Monday, I am ready to go back to the office. I did take a week off a couple of years ago when my son got married in Virginia. But I don't think I've done that since. Only vacation time in recent memory was the day I took off to watch the election returns (meaning, I stayed up late and didn't go into the office the next day, but in fact did go in at noon). Rick Knoble rickkno...@hotmail.com wrote: Btw, why don't you use your vacation time every year? Rick Knoble '85 300 CD '87 190 DT -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090321/04 e0b438/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 1:27 AM, Wonko the Sane don.b...@gmail.com wrote: Nope. I am his serf for two weeks. The bring in your 240D would have to be his suggestion. I am more thinking that I will be doing wet sanding for 80 hours. I simply want to apprentice for two weeks then return to my day job, but pick up the equivalent of what the local community college used to offer as Body Repair. I certainly won't be doing this for a living ... or I don't plan to (unless the bug bites me bad). I see this more as a temporary training under a self-taught master, and you can't normally buy that. I agree with Craig. You only lose out on this by *not* asking. If you ask and he says no, you asked, if you ask and he says come on in, you get good usable skills. Then the rest of us can pick your brain and you can pass them on to us too :) EdB -- I'm a Night Elf Mohawk! - Mr. T. -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090321/2d922526/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
Looks like a great idea! Thanks, Tom Hargrave www.kegkits.com 256-656-1924 -Original Message- From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of Wonko the Sane Sent: Friday, March 20, 2009 11:38 PM To: Mercedes Discussion List Subject: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me) We have two body shops in Jefferson who specialize in collision repairs.Always very busy. And another one, out in the country (if you can be more country than Jefferson) owned by an older guy (in his late 60s) who makes his living fixing up vintage cars for collectors. He works sort of slow but is rumored to be a bit of a perfectionist. Now, I have 120 hours of vacation available. I have had 120 hours of vacation available for at least the last five years, since 120 hours is the max we can carry and we get vacation time added on every paycheck. In other words, I rarely take any vacation and just lose whatever is added on every two weeks. Here's what popped into my head while watching some basketball in the kitchen. I am a fairly intelligent individual, spent eight years in universities, spent six years in the Coast Guard as a skilled technician (both avionics and mechanics). I am good with my hands and know my way around tools. And I am a bit anal when it comes to doing a task. What if I presented myself to the old guy who fixes up vintage cars (I've seen his work -- he is damn'd good -- worked on my brother-in-law's Edsel) and offered him a deal: I work free for him for two weeks, doing whatever he wants me to do to help him out (such as wet sanding primer or sweeping) IF he will teach me a few tricks: (1) basic welding, (2) basic body filler sanding, and (3) how to mix paint to match faded Benz colors, and then spray it correctly. I will lose no income, since I have the vacation time available. He will get someone to do the dirty work for two weeks, and, if he is the craftsman that I think him to be, he will be happy to pass on a few secrets of the trade to someone younger (by maybe a decade) who will carry on the tradition of keeping old cars looking good. It isn't like I am going to take any business away from him, because he already has more than he can handle. I am pretty sure this guy isn't doing this for the money, but for the love of old cars. And maybe he will let me train on my own cars! -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090320/f0 db6cea/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.557 / Virus Database: 270.11.20/2013 - Release Date: 3/19/2009 7:03 PM No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG. Version: 7.5.557 / Virus Database: 270.11.22/2015 - Release Date: 3/20/2009 7:01 PM ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
his suggestion. I am more thinking that I will be doing wet sanding for 80 hours. I simply want to apprentice for two weeks then return to my day job, Wax on, wax off! -- Jim ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
why dont you just take a night class or something at a vo-tech? Wonko the Sane wrote: Nope. I am his serf for two weeks. The bring in your 240D would have to be his suggestion. I am more thinking that I will be doing wet sanding for 80 hours. I simply want to apprentice for two weeks then return to my day job, but pick up the equivalent of what the local community college used to offer as Body Repair. I certainly won't be doing this for a living ... or I don't plan to (unless the bug bites me bad). I see this more as a temporary training under a self-taught master, and you can't normally buy that. -- Kaleb C. Striplin/Claremore, OK 95 E300, 92 300SD, 92 300E 4Matic, 91 300D, 91 300E, 89 560SEL, 89 300E, 87 300SDL x2, 85 380SE 5.0 Euro, 85 190D, 84 190D x2, 84 300D euro manny, 81 240D, 80 240D, 76 240D, 76 300D, http://www.okiebenz.com ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
I was watching A Car is Reborn last night and thinking about the wonder of a really good body man. The paint job on the car in the series is amazing but when you consider the body work took 8 weeks and the paint 6 more then it dammed well better... Was thinking that when I inevitably get laid off from this gig (5 and a half years and counting but black humor seems to keep me working) maybe I could get the state to pay me to take an auto body course. Seems like there will always be work. -Curt Date: Sat, 21 Mar 2009 00:27:00 -0500 From: Wonko the Sane don.b...@gmail.com Subject: Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me) To: Mercedes Discussion List mercedes@okiebenz.com Message-ID: 61dfb08b0903202227m40dc6381qd712c0a48ec67...@mail.gmail.com Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Nope. I am his serf for two weeks. The bring in your 240D would have to be his suggestion. I am more thinking that I will be doing wet sanding for 80 hours. I simply want to apprentice for two weeks then return to my day job, but pick up the equivalent of what the local community college used to offer as Body Repair. I certainly won't be doing this for a living ... or I don't plan to (unless the bug bites me bad). I see this more as a temporary training under a self-taught master, and you can't normally buy that. -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090321/d489df86/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
They used to teach one at the high school a few years back, but it got axed due to budget constraints. Not sure where the nearest one would be -- perhaps in Boone (30 miles away). I know there is one in Ankeny but that is an hour drive each way. On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 8:14 AM, Kaleb C. Striplin ka...@striplin.netwrote: why dont you just take a night class or something at a vo-tech? -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090321/fe311301/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
I work free for him for two weeks, doing whatever he wants me to do to help him out (such as wet sanding primer or sweeping) IF he will teach me a few tricks: (1) basic welding, (2) basic body filler sanding, and (3) how to mix paint to match faded Benz colors, and then spray it correctly. Great idea, however you will not be able to pack four years of tutelage into two weeks. You may learn to sand to the point he won't have to stay over after you have left to follow behind you. Let us know how it works out. Btw, why don't you use your vacation time every year? Rick Knoble '85 300 CD '87 190 DT ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
Wonko wrote: I see this more as a temporary training under a self-taught master, and you can't normally buy that. My son did something similar a couple years ago with a fella that rebuilds airhead transmissions. There are a handful of guys that do this work in this country - one of them in the ShiTownArea. I don't know if he learned anything, but he saw how the master does the work. mao ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
Wonko the Sane wrote: I am more thinking that I will be doing wet sanding for 80 hours. I simply want to apprentice for two weeks then return to my day job, but pick up the equivalent of what the local community college used to offer as Body Repair. I certainly won't be doing this for a living ... or I don't plan to (unless the bug bites me bad). I see this more as a temporary training under a self-taught master, and you can't normally buy that. Kaleb C. Striplin wrote: why dont you just take a night class or something at a vo-tech? Why would you want to go to _any_ classroom situation when you have a change to learn one-on-one from a master? -- Philip ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
explain your background to him. talk up the military as old geezers from iowa like that kind of stuff. make it ABUNDANTLY CLEAR that you have no plans to ever go into the body business professionally and that this is just for your personal edification. then just feel it out. he might be scared to work with someone new, but may be able to be turned. he might just love the idea. he might just flat be anti social and threaten to get the shotgun. only one way to find out On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 12:37 AM, Wonko the Sane don.b...@gmail.com wrote: We have two body shops in Jefferson who specialize in collision repairs.Always very busy. And another one, out in the country (if you can be more country than Jefferson) owned by an older guy (in his late 60s) who makes his living fixing up vintage cars for collectors. He works sort of slow but is rumored to be a bit of a perfectionist. Now, I have 120 hours of vacation available. I have had 120 hours of vacation available for at least the last five years, since 120 hours is the max we can carry and we get vacation time added on every paycheck. In other words, I rarely take any vacation and just lose whatever is added on every two weeks. Here's what popped into my head while watching some basketball in the kitchen. I am a fairly intelligent individual, spent eight years in universities, spent six years in the Coast Guard as a skilled technician (both avionics and mechanics). I am good with my hands and know my way around tools. And I am a bit anal when it comes to doing a task. What if I presented myself to the old guy who fixes up vintage cars (I've seen his work -- he is damn'd good -- worked on my brother-in-law's Edsel) and offered him a deal: I work free for him for two weeks, doing whatever he wants me to do to help him out (such as wet sanding primer or sweeping) IF he will teach me a few tricks: (1) basic welding, (2) basic body filler sanding, and (3) how to mix paint to match faded Benz colors, and then spray it correctly. I will lose no income, since I have the vacation time available. He will get someone to do the dirty work for two weeks, and, if he is the craftsman that I think him to be, he will be happy to pass on a few secrets of the trade to someone younger (by maybe a decade) who will carry on the tradition of keeping old cars looking good. It isn't like I am going to take any business away from him, because he already has more than he can handle. I am pretty sure this guy isn't doing this for the money, but for the love of old cars. And maybe he will let me train on my own cars! -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090320/f0db6cea/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090321/40b042e5/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
I really enjoy my job. I might be in the minority here, but I seldom wake up and say, Good God, I have to go to the damn'd office. I am required to be at work by 8:00 AM, but by 8:00 most workdays, I've already arrived, brewed a cup of tea, fed the fish in my office aquarium, checked my emails (work and home accounts), read the Washington Post and Des Moines Register front pages (online), and tuned WinAmp to SmoothJazz.com or NPR streaming audio. I try to be at work by 7:30 AM, 7:45 AM at the latest. My timesheet says I arrived at 8:00 AM. I guess I get enough vacation on Saturday and Sunday. By Monday, I am ready to go back to the office. I did take a week off a couple of years ago when my son got married in Virginia. But I don't think I've done that since. Only vacation time in recent memory was the day I took off to watch the election returns (meaning, I stayed up late and didn't go into the office the next day, but in fact did go in at noon). Rick Knoble rickkno...@hotmail.com wrote: Btw, why don't you use your vacation time every year? Rick Knoble '85 300 CD '87 190 DT -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090321/04e0b438/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
On Fri, 20 Mar 2009 23:37:34 -0500 Wonko the Sane don.b...@gmail.com wrote: What if I presented myself to the old guy ... and offered him a deal: I work free for him for two weeks, doing whatever he wants me to do to help him out IF he will teach me a few tricks: (1) basic welding, (2) basic body filler sanding, and (3) how to mix paint to match faded Benz colors, and then spray it correctly. Now that sounds like a stroke of genius! You can only lose by not asking. And maybe he will let me train on my own cars! That should make the deal more palatable; if you mess up, it's not on something he needs to be concerned about. If you're helping him, though, he will want you to work on something he is concerned about, so don't just present it as, show me how to work on my own cars. Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
Re: [MBZ] an idea -- and perhaps a stupid one (me being me)
Nope. I am his serf for two weeks. The bring in your 240D would have to be his suggestion. I am more thinking that I will be doing wet sanding for 80 hours. I simply want to apprentice for two weeks then return to my day job, but pick up the equivalent of what the local community college used to offer as Body Repair. I certainly won't be doing this for a living ... or I don't plan to (unless the bug bites me bad). I see this more as a temporary training under a self-taught master, and you can't normally buy that. On Sat, Mar 21, 2009 at 12:18 AM, Craig McCluskey diese...@cnsp.com wrote: That should make the deal more palatable; if you mess up, it's not on something he needs to be concerned about. If you're helping him, though, he will want you to work on something he is concerned about, so don't just present it as, show me how to work on my own cars. Craig ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com -- next part -- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://okiebenz.com/pipermail/mercedes_okiebenz.com/attachments/20090321/9ed65a96/attachment.html ___ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
