Pointless Projects

2008-09-03T15:55:00.000-07:00

Here is the end result of the flake job.

2008-06-04T19:42:00.000-07:00

These are some pics of the T-Birds body work before paint. We had to cut out a section of the front fender where the rust was to bad to bondo.
We welded it up and body filled it. After it was painted, you'd never know we fixed it!

2008-06-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

This is the before and after of a metal flake paint job that Clay and I tried on his T-Bird. Its the first time we've ever tried it and it turned out great!!

James V. Shepard Co.

2008-02-14T10:53:00.000-08:00

This is an article about a local lumber yard, and the
construction company which I work for.

Top Stories

Hayward Lumber forced to close its doors
Posted: Tuesday, Feb 12th, 2008
BY: Josh Petray 2-12-08

A slow down in the construction market has forced Hayward Lumber in Paso Robles to close its doors come March.

The family-owned business, located at 944 Pine St., has been in operation for more than five decades in Paso Robles. The store’s sellers will remain in place, and the business will remain committed to the Paso Robles area, said spokeswoman Suzanne Scattini, but the store will close its doors.

“We’re in a recession in the construction market, and we had to downsize,” she said.

She emphasized that Hayward Lumber will still service customers in the North County.

“We’re still going to be selling and taking care of our customers in the Paso Robles market,” she said. “The commitment is still there to the customers; the commitment is still there to Paso Robles.”

The last day of operation is slated for Saturday, March 1.

Meanwhile, Hayward Lumber is trying to move as much product and employees as it can to other facilities under the same name across the county. In an effort to liquidate, the store is currently advertising sales including 20 percent of hand tools, 30 percent of garden hoses and sprinklers and more, she said.

Hayward Lumber also operates at 236 Higuera St. in San Luis Obispo and 800 W. Bettaravia Road in Santa Maria, among numerous others statewide.

The business has a variety of stores in the Central Market and recently expanded into Bakersfield and Ventura.

According to its Web site, www.haywardlumber.com, is has been supplying products, services, and solutions to the construction market since 1919. The fourth-generation family-owned operation, Monterey-based Hayward Corporation has grown to now include seven lumberyards as well as seven Hayward Design Centers.

Scattini, who regularly visits the Paso Robles area including awards dinners at the Paso Robles Inn and a recent photo shoot at Downtown City Park, said the move was necessary to ensure the success of Hayward so that it can be there for the customers in Paso Robles.

“Hayward hasn’t gone anywhere,” she said. “The same sellers are going to be on the street serving people fromPaso Robles. We’re just in a different location. We have valued customers in Paso Robles.”

Long-term trends

While the trickle down effects of the recent downturn in the housing market is perhaps yet to be determined fully, other lumber and hardware suppliers across Paso Robles are starting to see its effects.

According to Ken Wallop, manager at Big Creek Lumber, 745 Riverside Ave. in Paso Robles, business has adjusted accordingly. For Wallop, who has worked at the yard for more than 20 years, it’s nothing new.

“Our sales are down like most companies that are in the building materials business,” he said. “We’ve been through these cycles before, so we know how to react with the experience that we have.”

Diversification across the market calls for construction, remodeling, decks, fences and a lot more, and is key when it comes to survival for Big Creek Lumber, Wallop said. The situation locally for building materials suppliers isn’t quite as bad as in places like the Central Valley and Sacramento, where construction has ground to a near halt, he said.

“We’re cautiously optimistic,” he said.

Jeff Martin, a salesperson at Weyrick Supply, 626 North Main St. in Templeton, said both customers and contractors “have real concerns,” and the store has seen a relative slowdown in customers.

“It’s definitely affected everybody who is in the construction business and the lumber supply business,” he said. “That’s no surprise to anybody. There’s a concern on everybody’s part. Looking into the crystal ball, nobody knows how long it’s going to be.”

Weyrick Lumber Company, meanwhile, has plans to expand its business and recently acquired Gang-Nail Truss Co., Inc. based out of Visalia–described as a pioneer in the component industry.

“We’re a solid company, we’re going to be here for longevity,” Martin said.

Jim Shepard, owner of James V. Shepard Company, a Paso Robles-based contracting business specializing in custom homes and remodels, patronizes numerous local suppliers including Hayward Lumber.

“It’s disappointing when you see someone in the area that long close,” he said.

According to Shepard, his company just finished the best year it’s had in terms of gross sales. However, “the forward outlook is not as good,” he said.

One way James V. Shepard Company diversified its portfolio was with the addition of remodels to its line about seven years ago, he said. It’s proven positive for the business.

“We’ve been growing in our remodel business,” Shepard said. “It’s a significant portion of our business.”

Shepard pointed to a trend perhaps catching on with local contractors as an overall effort to boost competitiveness.

“We maintain that competitiveness by computerizing our purchasing,” he said. “We watch the quotes come in, and if they vary from job to job, than we might get a second or third [bid].”

Having gone through three recessions in the market, Shepard said one way to endure is to adapt — and that means thinking creatively about diversification.

When the market slows the best thing Shepard said he’s found is to “refocus the business and do new things.”

“One of the things that we have learned in the last three recessions that we were in is that the last thing you want to do is stand still,” he said. “Everyone who is in construction in this area has taken a hard look at how they can save their business.”

In that regard, Shepard recently landed the San Luis Obispo County dealership for Capital Steel Industries. The steel building industry is slated to grow 10 percent in 2008, he said.

The company will immediately begin to offer steel buildings for the wine industry and equestrian uses, Shepard said. Because of its unique relationship with Capital Steel, the company will be able to offer buildings supplied by the largest company in the industry at preferred prices and with a 50-year warranty, he said.

The company will concurrently offer design and general contracting services as is currently done on custom homes, he said. Aside from custom homes, Shepard highlighted what he described as the “worst hit,” the recent housing crunch — spec builders. Most everybody in the spec building market is experiencing a drastic downturn, he said.

Having built a number of successful subdivisions in the Paso Robles area, Shepard said the “unintended consequences” of lending “without that kind of check and balance” that’s created a “drastically overbuilt market.”

For Shepard and others grappling the effects of the recent housing downturn, there is hope for the future.

“Economics dictates what you do in the business,” he said. “This is going to be a deep downturn in business, but the guys who are coming out of it will be the ones who are controlling their overhead the best.”

T-bird

2008-02-12T09:24:00.000-08:00

Clays T-Bird sanded and ready for body work. He's thinking of painting it purple with silver panels. I don't have an eye for colors so I'll have to wait and see if I like it....This will be the second time Clay's painted a car on his own. The first time turned out pretty nice.. This time he's going to spend a little more time on the body work....should look good.

The Racetrack

2008-02-06T08:49:00.000-08:00

Theses are a few pictures of Clay, Eneko and I at the Racetrack in Death Valley. This place is amazing. We spent the day exploring the surrounding areas, but the racetrack is the star. These rocks move across the lake bed leaving a trail behind. Rain and high winds are to blame for the movement, but the seemingly same conditions occur in lots of other places, but the rocks stay put... I dont know!!! Truly one of the coolest places to visit.

SLOco Builders

2008-02-05T11:24:00.000-08:00

A new project which a good friend and I are working on. Its a website for our local area suited towards the construction trades. There's still a lot of work to be done, but its starting to look very nice. Soon we'll have Job listings and a gallery for locals to post interesting construction projects on.

Check it out

www.slocobuilders.com

Cool Machines

2008-02-05T10:54:00.000-08:00

I love to see creativity.

The Shop

2008-01-01T14:18:00.001-08:00

Frankinkart

2008-01-01T13:46:00.000-08:00

This was an attempt at converting a free riding lawn mower into a go-kart. My friend Eneko and I cut the perfectly good mover into pieces, lengthening it and adding new steering and rear axle. The wheel were off of my cousins Suburban. We took the muffler off and welded straight pipes. It sounded and looked fun, but the transmission couldnt handle the size of the wheels and fried. Top speed: 0 to 12 mph in 1 min. for 1 min!

Water Wheel

2008-01-01T13:03:00.001-08:00

This is a water wheel made mostly out of scrap material as are most of my projects. The steel center portion of the wheel is made from a used electrical spool cut down from about 3' to 1' in width. Then with a whole lot of scrap wood laying around, I built the wheel and the water trough. The ponds are made from an old 500 gallon fuel tank cut in half and sunk into the ground. A small pond pump which my neighbor gave me, pumps around two gallons a minute which is plenty to get this thing moving. I added a brake later as the wheel get moving pretty fast. It's always a conversation piece at any gathering.

The Last Stand

2008-01-01T12:47:00.000-08:00

This years tree stand with remote watering station. I made this out of a piece of 1/4"x 6" gas pipe and 1-1/2" x 1/2" steel tubing. There is a 1"x3/8" piece of dowel in the bottom of the bowl as a support pin. The tree is adjusted by the legs instead of the trunk. So much easier. The ammo box was my uncles idea, as we searched for a water tight steel container. A magnet on the inside of the ammo box marks the proper water level. Just drill a 1/2" hole in the bottom of the tree trunk and slip into the stand, tighten up the trunk bolts snugly and adjust the leg levelers. Add water about every three or four days.

Ultimate Potato Cannon

2008-01-01T12:01:00.001-08:00

Ultimate potato cannon: An old propane tank with a 2 inch ball valve and 8 feet of schedule 40 steel pipe. I fill the tank with 120 psi (the most my compressor will handle) and use a pin to hold the valve closed. When the tank is finished filling, a sharp tug on the rope releases the spring loaded valve and away it goes..... what ever you've place in the barrel.

Wind Pump

2007-12-23T18:13:00.001-08:00

This is a windmill I built out of sheet metal and hardware store supplies. It actually pumps at a 3 to 1 ratio with belts and pulleys. The blade is is made from 24 gauge sheet metal and spot welding. The tail is spring loaded for an anti-flailing effect and works well.

Wind Pump

2007-12-23T18:07:00.000-08:00