Russ, I do believe you miss understand me, as well as my intentions. My job to me as I see it, is "not" to bring down mechanics, but to build up the knowledge in potential customers of mechanics. I know I can't work with "all" the mechanics out here today, but someone has to do something to head off the hacks to some extent, as a way of protecting the customer from a hack that's just looking to make a few bucks, paving the way or stalling the work waiting to be done, for more experienced mechanics which have earned the right to have a good reputation, and therefore should get the work.
Calling out a mechanic for doing something wrong as far as I'm concerned is not saying the "mechanic" is a hack, what it is doing though is bringing attention to "something" that is not right, and I'll do that with anyone if I feel something is wrong, because I feel the customer at least has the right to "know" first, before changes are made that can and will effect something with their pool table(s).
I don't know if I'm the "best" or not, I don't know, I might be, but I can tell you this, it comes with burden I can assure you of that. I have about 170 requests to rebuild rails, tighten pockets on tables all around the country, in which I can't get to, and know I can't get to. What bothers me is that in all the locations the requests come from, there is a mechanic already there that is being pushed aside for what ever reason.
Donny, aka "SDBilliards" spent about a total of 2 weeks working off and on with me over the last 6-8 months or so, and learned quit a bit from me, he's a great student
He worked with me at no pay, to learn what I had to show him.
I say he worked at no pay, but in reality, he's been paid
I turned over Dave & Busters in Orange, CA to him, of which he's used that location to pick up other Dave & Busters in his area.
I turned over "Mr. Lucky's" to him as well, because he's earned the right to be able to do the work needed in order to compete for them kind of locations.
He now drives to Las Vegas and picks up Diamond table from the BCA warehouse for delivery to southern California, something that I would be doing, but have no time for, so he gets the pay for that, not me.
Any rail rebuilding I get requests for in his area, go to him, as well as "ANY" other work I get requests for.
Donny is a "Great" mechanic, and has what it takes to continue to do so, it's called "Pride" in his work, enough pride to want to learn from someone else
When I can get the time, he still has more to learn as I still have more to teach him, but he's well on his way.
And for you Russ, for what it's worth, I'm the slowest mechanic there is, I'm hardly ever on time for "ANY" job as most can tell you
BUT...I've never had a complaint about my work, as I don't care how long it takes to do a job right, it's the only way I know how to do the job at hand
Do you know of ANY other mechanics that run around the country with table-saws, planners, routers, skill-saws, door-planners, jigsaws, tap & die sets, and work benches, a 24 ft box truck pulling an 18 ft trailer, which stays parked at the location until the job is done right, who is also willing to work countless hours with "ANY" mechanic willing to learn something new in order to improve their skills
?
Glen
PS. If it sounds like I'm patting myself on the back, it's because I am, as I've earned that right, over the last 25 years
with "ALL" my accomplishments, of which I don't feel I need to list
Who knows, I might just be the "best"...not that it really matters any, I still have to pay for a cup of coffee no different than anyone else
Its physics, not magic!
I look at the guy, and just go back to working.
I can get the two out from just about anyone in using the computer.
