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Spaulding Smails

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Everything posted by Spaulding Smails

  1. Thanks for the advice. A good friend owns a truck accessory shop, so I'll make sure to mention this to him. Literally taking the truck straight from the dealership there to get a few bells and whistles added.
  2. Do you even valet, bro? If I'm traveling for a long weekend or really anything less than 4 days, I valet. Drop your car. Hand them the keys and walk across the street to to security check-in. Call them when you land, and your car is pulled up and running. You can put this in the "trivial things that please you" category for me. Worth the extra $10/day or whatever it is.
  3. Carpentry (mostly fine carpentry and millwork), specialty / custom doors & windows, welding & fabrication and paint. We also have a demolition division, but wage increases haven't been as noticeable there. It's primarily evident in the more skilled trades. We're in Austin. We focus on high-end, architecturally driven work which limits our pool of applicants from both a skill standpoint as well as a professional standpoint. I'm often sending guys into occupied $5M+ residences, so we admittedly pay a premium for talented, respectable employees. I think those wages are happening in Texas. And maybe we're paying a premium, but I think that skilled MEP trades are seeing spikes as well. It may not be as high of an increase from a percentage standpoint because those trades historically had higher starting pay rates than carpentry or paint, for example. But, I do know that lead HVAC techs are easily making $35/hr in Austin right now. I'd assume journeyman plumbers and electricians are $30+/hr as well. This is exactly right. My neighbor just finished a landscaping project with lots of big stacked limestone. He got an estimate that was double what he was expecting and decided he would do it himself. It wasn't rocket science, but it was hard work. I saw him working a full weekend on it, then two days later a crew showed up to do the work. I asked him what happened and he said it was just too damn hard and he would pay them to do it. If you're willing to do the work that others can't do / don't want to do, you can make good money. Doesn't matter if you're hanging from a swing stage or moving 200 lb stones.
  4. It is a crapshoot. And, I also realize that as a trade-based company, we're in the cat bird seat right now. At some point, that will be reversed. But, we're striking while the iron is hot. We've shifted to more and more time and materials work, fixed bids valid for no more than 30 days and allowances for materials that gets reassessed at the time the scope commences. We do high-end residential work, so most of it is over-and-done in six months. But, we do have architecturally driven work that will bid and go through redesign for months on end. And then the owner / architect flips out about wages increasing. I have no idea how these commercial guys are doing in on projects that span 3-4 years.
  5. I'm in the trade / construction business. Demolition, carpentry, paint, welding. Earlier this year, I did a wage comparison for my W2 employees. 2014 vs 2018. In four years, my average hourly wage has gone up 35%. Add in the fact that we've added benefits and 401k over that timeframe, and my loaded wage rate has jumped by 50+%. My lead carpenters that were making $18/hr are now making $30/hr. My lead painters that were making $16/hr are now making $25/hr. We've adjusted our pricing to reflect those wages. And, we haven't missed a beat from a revenue or profit standpoint. We've actually grown over that timeframe. Those guys were grossly underpaid, and the wages have caught up. Simple supply and demand. It's nearing a breaking point, IMO, though. I've had guys leave that I was paying $23/hr and got offers for $35/hr for mid-level carpentry work. I could get on my soapbox about wages, but that would take more than a couple of posts.
  6. Gorgeous truck, @Lat22. I finally pulled the trigger on a new truck. Ordered a 2019 F350 two weeks ago. Similar color scheme. Should be here in November or December. Already looking into the leveling kit and larger BFG-ATs. I'm torn on the retractable bed cover. I use the bed of my truck enough for large things that I think it would just get in the way or get damaged. I haul lumber, steel, stone, feed. I'm afraid it would be more of a hinderance. Plus, I went with the 8' bed and I'll probably put a headache rack and tool box on it. Anyone have any input on yes or no on that front? I've driven the wheels off my 2004 F150. Bought it used in 2007 with 35K miles. I put 30K miles on it between 2007-2013. I had a company truck, so this was my weekend truck to run to the coast, hunting trips, etc. Started my own business in 2013, and since then, I've put 165K miles on it. 235K miles total now. Just rebuilt the transmission and put new shoes on her. AC freezes up after an hour or so, but otherwise, she runs like a top. Retiring her to the ranch this winter, and she'll officially become a ranch truck.
  7. That's friggin glorious. In my household, that is referred to as "super happy fun day". The closest I've come to that is during the winter dove season about 15 years ago. We managed to kill a limit of dove on a Sunday morning at my buddy's ranch in George West over a big tilled under milo field. We ate breakfast and headed over to the other side of the ranch and busted a limit of quail by mid afternoon. We cleaned birds and everyone drove back home. My deer lease was about 30 miles south of there, and I was chasing an old 8-pt buck that I'd seen driving around the weekend before, so I stayed late and drove down thereto sit in the windmill blind on the far western edge of our lease. That old buck walked out just before dusk and I whacked him. Field dressed him in the dark and drove back home. Long day, but so much fun.
  8. That is bad ass. Would love to see the solar kiln and sled router set up when you have some time.
  9. I try to have some top shelf stuff for sipping and some well stuff for mixing. Most have posted good suggestions above. I'll add a few. But, you may want to grab some of the standard fare for cocktails. Nothing worse than having a guest pour a $100/bottle bourbon for a double whiskey and coke when Jim Beam would have totally sufficed. Tequila: Tequila Ocho Anejo (hard to find, but incredibly smooth) Herradura Reposado Rum: Santa Teresa Gran Reserva
  10. Side topic... How long until TPWD implements tags for oversized trout? Florida has slots for not only Redfish, but also Black Drum and Specks among others. 15"-20" slot for trout and 14"-24" for black drum. All others are catch and release. I had a tough decision last year when my son hauled in a 26" Speck. We ended up keeping her, but I regretted it as soon as she was in the box. Should have thrown her back. Do you think TPWD will try to slot Specks and Black Drum anytime soon?
  11. I'm admittedly torn. First off, I would shit my britches if I was face to face with that fish while spearfishing. Second, I'm not sure I could do it. I love hunting and fishing, and I think that if it's not against the law, then more power to them. But, like you, I don't think I could or would personally take something like that purely for sport.
  12. https://www.wideopenspaces.com/texan-bags-alligator-gar-that-could-be-new-world-record/ Cross-post with Kayak thread. Back-to-back monster gars for the fellas at Amistad Expeditions out of Del Rio. Good bunch of guys. I'm sure they were stoked.
  13. https://www.wideopenspaces.com/texan-bags-alligator-gar-that-could-be-new-world-record/ If you know Darren or DW, check out this article.
  14. You're exactly right. They are a great bunch. Very professional. And those vehicles take an absolute ass whipping. I can't imagine the tires, suspensions, etc they go through. And, you have to remember they are doing it twice. Once to drop you off and another to get the hell out of there.
  15. Same as above. My son and I are going to meet my dad at the ranch in Kimble Co Saturday after the Horns game to try to catch an evening hunt. Our cisterns are under construction, and we don't have anything really to draw them in, but we've seen some decent flights in the past few weeks around evening time. Hoping to see a few birds. But, it will be fun regardless. Bringing the new skeet thrower, some .22 targets for the boy and a big box of .45 shells for me and the old man. We'll stay busy even if the birds don't fly. Can't wait. Just wish the cabin was done so we had some A/C so we could stay overnight. Too damn hot to camp out there right now.
  16. See if you can find three more to join you. They can take six, and I think the increase in shuttle cost is nominal with more people. You'll pay for extra permits and kayak rentals, but the increased shuttle cost won't be much. I think we were $120/man the last time we went. That was permit, shuttle and tip for six guys. We all had our own kayaks, though.
  17. What was the all-in cost? The permits are cheap, but the outfitter to drop you off and pick you up can add up, especially if you have a smaller group. Plus, kayak rental can add up. I did the math on it, though, and those outfitters still aren't necessarily cutting a fat hog. Those guys are in the truck for 4+ hours just to drop you off or pick you up. If you're re-scheduling, May is a great time (especially if there's some spring rain). May and October are peak times.
  18. It's pretty amazing how you can identify specific antler traits and almost develop a lineage within a herd. I hunted on the same low-fence 1400 acres lease for 7 years in South Texas between 99-06. The majority of the deer had G3s longer than G2s. That was an almost universal trait throughout the herd. But, we noticed two basic sub-lineages throughout the herd. We had a ton of deer with forked right G3s. Another group had split left brow tines. It was pretty predictable, and you could almost discern the genealogical history of each buck based on the antler development.
  19. I agree with all of the above. 10-12' rope tied to the front. Get a soft, nylon rope about 1/2" in diameter. I actually throw one on the back as well and tuck it under my gear. As @PatrickMcHorn mentioned, you may want to ease the boat ahead and hang onto it from behind. Don't bring a cooler. Water is going to be super low. Box wine (with the box removed aka "space bag") or whiskey in a flask is the correct answer. When you set up camp, drop wine into the river and let it cool.
  20. Any reason we're overlooking the license plate. "Thicc AF"? Awesome.
  21. Other key components are as follows: -Pictures of featured food items on the menu -Receipt given to you by the waitress, but you pay at the register -Chicle at the register -Horchata fountain behind the register My recommendations. Most are south-ish. Taqueria #3 La Escondida (Ben White just east of Manchaca. I drop my truck off at Discount Tire to get tires rotated and balanced and enjoy a nice huevos rancheros breakfast with nopalitos). Taqueria Arandas (multiple locations around town) Casa Linda Taqueria (way South First) Taqueria Peloncitos (Stassney near Kizer GC) El Chanclas Taqueria (183 S @ 812)
  22. Same. My mom fell for it about five years ago. Once she found out that it was a scam, she was so freaked out and paranoid that they were going to be able to get back in she ditched the computer and bought a new one. To make matters worse, my grandmother (85 y.o.) relies on my mom as tech support. My mom went to her house earlier this year to set up her printer. She was there for six hours and still didn't get it to function properly.
  23. I agree and applaud your method, and it certainly works. Another alternative is to consume said chili cheese Fritos with a nice accompaniment of ice cold Big Red. The Big Red tends to balance out the saltiness and provides a refreshing palate cleanse between each fist full of chili cheese Fritos.
  24. UR Cooks I can remember traveling from our hometown of Corpus Christi to Houston to visit some family friends. They took us to UR Cooks. At about 8 years old, I thought that was the coolest fucking restaurant idea I'd ever seen.
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