Everything is Bigger in Texas

Home of the Big Texan Ranch Steak House in Amarillo, TX

From the deserts of New Mexico, to the big state of Texas, and back to the sunflower state of Kansas. I’m back in Kansas now, but I thought that I would share with you a few of our stops that we made on our way back.

Southeast New Mexico is covered with mesquite, cactus, and sand. 

When I mention to people that I used to live in New Mexico, most people think about the beautiful mountains of Taos, Angel Fire, Ruidoso, or some of the other mountain areas of New Mexico. However, I lived in the dry and hot desert southeast corner of New Mexico. If you have ever visited the Carlsbad Caverns, you were close to where I lived in Artesia.

My dad and boys killing some time in the sand hills.

I’m sure that you’ve heard the saying “everything is bigger in Texas.” Well, the stops that we made in Texas proved that statement. In Amarillo we stopped by the Big Texan Steak Ranch. If you’re ever real hungry, you can eat their 72 oz. steak for free. The only catch is that you must eat the entire steak in 60 minutes or less. Are you up for a challenge...? I wasn’t...I just ate a burger.

The front view of the Big Texan 

My boys sitting in the big chair at the Big Texan

From there we stopped by a 190’ cross located in Groom, Texas. Standing next to this cross will make you feel small. I recommend stopping by to see the cross if you’re ever in the area.

My boys standing at the bottom of the 190' cross.

Then we crossed through Oklahoma and back to the sunflower state of Kansas. Whew, I was glad to be back home. I felt like the road was stretching and we were never going to get home.

All right, back to business. I am going to the US Hot Rod Thunder National event at the

Kansas Coliseum. I will be there on Saturday, January 10, 2009. I’ll try to snap a few pics and share them with you.

The Butler Collision Repair and Auto Tech programs are going to set up a booth at the 52nd Darryl Starbird’s car show. This will be held at the Century 2 Convention Center in Wichita, KS. Show dates will be January 16, 17 & 18. Try to make it to the show. Be sure to stop by our booth and visit us. This would be a great time to ask us any question that you may have about the programs.

A lot of cool thinks coming up. Check back for additional information.

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Collision Repair Tip

Use a welding blanket to cover nearby glass when grinding, cutting, or welding. This will prevent pitted glass.

Quote

"What is it that you like doing? If you don’t like it, get out of it, because you’ll be lousy at it. You don’t have to stay with a job for the rest of your life, because if you don’t like it you’ll never be successful in it."

~Lee lacocca

Fact

Butler is now the second largest community college in Kansas.

Question

What is the purpose of weld-through primer?  If you know, leave us a comment with the answer.

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The Perfect Trip

During my winter break this year I traveled to Fort Worth, Texas to spend time with my mom. From there, I traveled southwest to my hometown, Artesia, New Mexico to visit my dad and my wife’s folks. I am having a great time, but is there any such think as a perfect trip?

First, in Fort Worth we planned on taking my boys to the mall in Arlington, Texas to ice skate. However, the ice rink was closed. We had also planned to climb the 48’ rock wall at Dick’s Sporting Goods. They were open, but they said that the employee in charge of the rock wall did not show up for work. (I think that he needs to hear some of my work ethics lectures.) Well, we did not get to do what we had intended, but we had a great time with my mom. My sister and her family met us there. It was good to see everyone.

Things were going great in Artesia--until my son locked the keys inside the car. Of course, this was on Christmas Eve in small Artesia with no one around. So one does what one can, which resulted in sticks and coat hangers to get into my car. I have unlocked cars many times for other people, but I was not having any luck with my own car. Finally, after an hour of trying to get in, someone was kind enough to pull over and help me out. He was having trouble too, but was able to get in. Yahoo! Getting your car open is a good feeling when you’ve been locked out, especially out-of town.

In-spite of these minor incidents, we’re having a great time. We got to visit with family and friends, which is always fun. However, it’s about time to head back to Kansas and start planning for the new year.

Maybe there is no such thing as a perfect trip, but I think we came close to it. I expect the 2009 school year to be close to perfect as well.

To kick the year off, we will have a booth at the Darryl Starbird car show in Wichita coming up in January 2009. We will be posting additional information about this event, so check back often.

Leave us a comment telling us about your trip, break, or locked-out story.  
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Collision Repair Tip
Use spray can clear coat when making let-down-panels to save time and clean-up.

Fact
Elvis owned over 200 cadillacs in his lifetime.
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Quote
" Cars is like women....If ya aint married to em dont touch em ! "
~Ed "Big Daddy" Roth 

Question
What did technicians use to fill imperfections before plastic body filler (bondo.)
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Students Working in the Collision Industry While Attending College

I held an interview with Zan Fine, a Butler Community College Collision Repair student, about his experience at Butler. In addition to attending college, Zan works part time for a body shop. I encourage students to work in the collision industry while in college. This is an excellent way to get experience and help the students apply what they've learned and help them excel in school and on the job. After a few weeks of school Zan spoke with Arlie at Arlie's Paint Body & Glass in Marion, Kansas. Arlie was kind enough to welcome Zan and offer him a part time job, and now works on Friday's and Saturday's for him.

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Donnie - How did you get interested in collision repair?

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Zan - The first thing that sparked an interest was through a shadowing assignment that I did in high school, in my English class. I had the opportunity to spend a day at a body shop and I found that to be exciting and interesting. Later, I visited both programs at Butler (Auto Tech and Collision Repair) and decided that there were too much computer and electrical technology involved with auto tech. So I decided that collision repair was a better fit for me. I like the hands-on.

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Donnie - Now that you've been in the collision repair program for about a semester, what area of the industry do you favor?

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Zan - I think that I enjoy working with metal the best. I like to straighten metal and repair dents. However, I'm interested to get into the painting side of this.

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Donnie - Tell me why you decided to choose Butler Community College?

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Zan - I looked at some other programs and felt that therir class size were too big. Butler appeared to have a better atmosphere and everyone was easy to get along with. Dealing with bad attitudes is something I don't want to deal with at this time.

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Donnie - What do you feel Collision repair has to offer you?

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Zan - I think this training offers a great deal of opportunities. I like learning and doing new things. I hate routine. This industry is constantly changing, which will keep it interesting. I also believe that I will always be able to find a job. Accidents are going to happen, which will require someone to repair them. However, you must be willing to work hard in this industry.

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Donnie - What advice would you give someone considering collision repair as a career?

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Zan - I think that if you like it--go for it. If you decide that you don't want to be a technician later, there are many other careers to choose from. Shop estimator, insurance appraiser, or shop manager. I was not sure if I was going to like collision repair, but I've learned that I love this type of work. Again, this career is for the doers and shakers. If you're not willing to work hard, it may not be for you.

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Donnie - I know that you've been working at Arlie's part time. Can you tell us a little about that?

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Zan - It's a great place to work and they have treated me excellent. It is a very clean shop, which make it nice. It has benefited me to work there because what I learn at school helps me apply it at work. The things that I learn at work give me a head start at school.

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Zan is definitely focused on his career and I believe that he will be among the best of the collision repair industry.

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Collision Repair Tip

Using a new razor blade to carefully scrape a run in paint will reduce sanding time.

Fact

Butler Community College was founded in 1927.

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Quote

"Whatever you have, you must either use or lose."

~Henry Ford

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Question

What are crush zones designed to do when in an accident?
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Here is a video that Zan was asked to produced.

A Students Responce to Plastic Repair

We ended the semester this year with plastic repair. I asked one of my students’s to write a short paper with his opinions of plastic repair and of the plastic repair course for this blog. Below is the student’s response.
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Plastics Repair
By Jon Abrahamsen

Although plastics repair seemed like one of are shorter classes I still feel that I have learned a lot in the class. I would not say plastic repair is my favorite subject so far, because I really enjoyed working with metal and repairing dents. I was actually really surprised by how well the adhesive repairs work; they can effectively repair some very major gouges and tears. The patch repair is a really cool thing that makes plastic repairs a lot more useful and can save many bumper covers from being replaced. In my opinion plastic repairs may not be the best choice, but I believe a shop can be very profitable in the field by repairing instead of replacing plastic parts.

Plastic welding is kind of an iffy type of repair. I actually did not really mind doing it. But, it is rather time consuming. One of the most time consuming aspects of plastic welding is identifying the type of plastic. On our bumper cover we even had the code for the plastic but the rod that was suggested was not the rod that stuck to are bumper cover the best. It took us about an hour of testing rods to determine which one worked the best. The welding only took about 45 minutes to an hour to complete, but it probably took us that long because we had such a large gash in our bumper cover. If someone had a lot of experience in plastics repair and could identify the plastics by experience and can cut down the repair time quite a bit, plastic welding could actually be very profitable.

Adhesives, in my opinion are the preferred method for plastic repair. Not only is it cost effective and a rather simple technique, many different repairs can be done at the same time, unlike plastic welding. Plastic welding requires the tech to focus all of their attention on the one thing they are repairing. The tech can start one repair with an adhesive; while they are waiting for that to dry they can start another repair. Also I feel that adhesive is a stronger repair then welding and will hold better under punishment.

I personally prefer adhesive repair over plastic welding. Although, I do not think that plastic welding is as bad as it is made out to be. The world is going to plastic. I believe that in 10 years we will have almost entirely plastic vehicles. So all repair methods should be explored. Skills in plastic repair may end up being more crucial then we might expect with all of the plastic parts being made.

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I would like commend Jon for taking the time to share his experience of plastic repair with us.

Collision Repair Tip
A heat inductor works great for removing seam sealers and body side moldings.
~Donnie Smith

Fact
A woman named Mary Anderson patented the windshield wiper in 1905.

Quote
Life is ten percent what happens to you and ninety percent how you respond to it.
~Lou Holtz

Question
What year was the first driver’s side air bag installed to a vehicle?

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We did not have the time to produce a plastic repair video. However, here is a student-led video of Jon discussing Hammer and Dolly

It's A Time For...

The end of the year is here and it is time for many things. Let’s slow down, take a breath, and reflect on the great times we had this year

It’s A Time for Thanks

1. Collision Repair had a new semi-downdraft prep station installed.
2. Collision Repair now has AllData Collision Connect. This allows us to retrieve the correct repair procedures for vehicles. This increases the quality of repairs we do. It also contributes to a safer working environment by taking guess work out.
3. Collision Repair purchased a Red Devil Paint Shaker, which is a must for the high pearl colors of today.
4. Collision Repair received a lower line of PPG paint called Shopline. This will be used to perform test panels and practice spraying techniques. This will be a small savings on materials. However, we will continue to use PPG for live work. Thanks to Danny Hutchins at Car Color.
5. Upgraded our existing Shark computerized measuring system.
6. Collision Repair received outside training classes and tour of collision repair facilities. Thanks to Danny Hutchins at Car Color, Bob Rech at 3M, AutoCraft of Wichita, and Extreme Motorsports Collision Center of El Dorado.
7. Materials and Parts Donations. Thanks to Danny at Car Color and Scholfield Honda in Wichita.
8. For all of our soldiers willing to put their life on the line to keep us safe.
9. We all have different beliefs, but I’m personally thankful for a certain someone born about 2000 years ago.

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I’m sure there are things to be thankful for in other programs or businesses. I can barely keep up with the Collision Repair program, but I encourage you to comment on your thanks in our comments section.

A Time for Memorial

1. The Butler Collision Repair Team lost one of their own this year. Ted Powe, a former BCC Collision student will be on our minds and our hearts will be with his family this holiday season.
2. For soldiers who lost their lives, while defending our country.
3. The one that lost his life for us, so that we can have life.

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If you would like to add someone to remember this year, please add him or her to the comment section of this blog.

A Time for Champions

1. The Butler Grizzlies won National Championship two times back-to-back in football. This makes their 6^th NJCAA Championship victory. Read More
2. The Butler Livestock Judging Team took some National Championships this year. They have 23 national contest victories this decade. Read More.
3. Dr. Vietti, Butler’s president, was nationally recognized as the recipient of the 2008 Western Regional Chief Executive Officer award for the national Association of Community College Trustees. Read More
4. Dr. Ellis, Butler’s vice president, was recognition as a South Plains College Distinguished Alumni. Read More
5. Patrick Sampoll, Fernando Galindo, and Jose Valenzuela, BCC Collision Repair students, produced a auto collision welding video, which was in a major national collision repair magazine called Auto Body Collision News (ABRN) Read More
6. Jennifer Engelbrecht, a BCC Collision Repair student won a $2500.00 scholarship through the I-CAR Education Foundation, in conjunction with AkzoNobel Coatings, Inc. and the Most Influential Women of the Collision Repair Industry. This scholarship was announced at NACE 2008 in Las Vegas, NV. Read More
7. Jennifer was also interviewed by Scene Exchange about the collision industry. Read More
8. This blog and our videos were mentioned on Parts & People. Read More
9. Again, the people that put their lives on the line for us are Champions.
   

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This is where you all are really going to have to help me. I know that there a more Champions and Victories out there, but I’m in here swinging hammers beating on cars all day. I’m not leaving any champions out; I just don’t get out a lot. However, I would love to hear more Butler and/or other Success stories. Please share in our comments section.

A Time for Hope
Everyone completes each year hoping that the next year will be even better. Here are a few of the things I hope for in the future.

1. Better economy
2. More jobs
3. New football stadium for the Grizzlies
4. High enrollment
   

A Time for Giving

As we reflect though this year and look into next year, you have the opportunity to put hope in the lives of others. Community Colleges depend on the help of others to produce the champions of the future. There are many scholarships available for you to contribute to at our Foundation office. You can also give online to the Butler Foundation. If you feel compelled to donate to help future collision repair technicians, there is a scholarship set up in memory of Ted Powe. Read more about the Ted Powe Scholarship.

I WISH EVERYONE A HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON

Here is a video explaining our Butler Foundation office.

'Tis The Season

We all know the holiday seasons are here, but there may be more seasons around us than we’re aware of.

I want to tell you a strange story that happened to me yesterday morning. I had just dropped my kids of at school and was on my way to Butler. A commercial on the radio caught my attention because it was talking about auto accidents. They were talking about it being deer hunting season, but it is also deer collision season. At that exact time a deer shot across the road, I slammed on my brakes and I knocked the deer off balance. Fortunately, I was not traveling too fast, the deer jumped up and ran off and there is no damage to my vehicle. So, maybe I owe Auto Craft a thank you for helping me be deer collision conscientious at that time.

After getting to work it started to snow, which led to more accidents throughout the day. I was watching the news this morning and I believe it said that there had been over 400 accidents called in, in Sedgwick County. That is a lot of work for the body shops, but please, drive careful and respect bad weather conditions.

Here are some tips to help you drive on the ice and snow, so that you can spend your holiday season safely at home with your family. Driving Tips

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Collision Repair Tip
Use a small butane torch to remove small dents from a body panel.
~Sam Moser - BCC Student

Fact
The Butler livestock judging team has 23 national contest victories this decade. Read More

Quote
"Quality means doing it right when no one is looking."
~Henry Ford

Question
What is the first step before starting any collision repair?

The BCC Collision Repair must be on the “Good List” this season.

Scholfield Honda in Wichita, KS donated an enormous amount of parts to the Butler Community College Collision Repair program to be used for educational purposes. We received fenders, hoods, doors, bumper covers, and much more. We even received gaskets, wire hardness, computer modules, etc.

Both programs (Collision Repair and Auto Tech) will be able to use these parts to teach the technicians of tomorrow. We plan to use the parts to demonstrate dent repair, plastic repair, welding, painting, blending, and much more. Some of the parts will be made into props which will benefit students for years to come.

The Butler Collision Repair Team would like to give a special holiday thanks to Larry and the rest of the crew at Scholfield Honda for their generosity and support.

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Collision Repair Tip
To prevent damaging or scratching adjacent body panels when repairing, replacing or sanding, mask the adjacent panel edges with masking tape.
~Patrick Sampoll - BCC Student

Quote

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.
~Chinese Proverb

Fact
Standard equipment on the original Model T Ford included three oil lamps. Headlights, windshield, top, horn and a speedometer were all extras.

Question
What is the difference between fiberglass and (SMC) sheet molded compound?

Butler--The College of Champions

More proof that Butler Community College is the College of Champions.  

We claim that the collision program at Butler produces Champions of the Collision Industry, but there are a lot more victories going on.  The Butler Grizzlies just won a football game against Snow College in Utah, which resulted in Butler's 6th National JuCo Championship Title.  That is a huge accomplishment.  Way to go Grizzlies!

To hear what Dr. Leann Ellis  and others are saying visit KAKA 10 News.

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Collision Repair Tip

To determine if an aftermarket part has high quality primer, use a rag with lacquer thinner on it to wipe an area.  If the primer transfers to the rag, it is low quality primer.  If no primer rubs off, the primer is high quality.

Quote

"Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire."

~William Butler Yeats

Fact

The Butler Grizzlies now hold six NJCAA Championship Titles in Football.

Question

What do the letters CAPA stand for when discussing aftermarket parts?

BCC Collision Goes High Tech

With the addition of a couple of new gadgets, the Butler Auto Body classroom is looking snazzy and keeping up with the latest technology.

A new smart board looks like the old white boards and even comes with “markers” and an “eraser”. One picks up the fake markers to activate the touch sensitive surface. This allows Mr. Smith to show us his mad doodle skills in the explanation of related concepts.

The new lamp looking thingy is a digital eye and a lamp that allows him to magnify and display on the smart board, any object he places under its digital lens which saves paper by preventing numerous copies to be made and passed around. Now everyone can see the magnified version on the smart board, and its large enough print for Mr. Smith to read.

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Collision Repair Tip 

"When painting aprons and rails use aluminum foil for masking wire hardnesses etc.

~LikeFactory - AutoBodyOnline

Quote

"Live as you will die tomorrow, but learn as if you will live forever."

~Mahatma Ghandi

Bob Rech, 3M Rep, Teaches a Plastic Repair Class at Butler

Bob Rech,our 3M rep, came to Butler Community College and lead a plastic repair class. Bob discussed three main topics with the students.

First, Bob discussed how to properly repair tabs. Sometimes in an accident the tab, or attaching point, which secures the part may become damaged or completely broke. One of two things must be done at this point. You can replace the bumper cover, or repair it. With the prices of some of these plastic parts, it can be worthwhile to repair it. 3M has a fast drying two-part urethane that is excellent for this type of repair. This product quickly forms another tab. Bob explained step-by-step, how to perform this repair. Then he had the students repair a tab on a bumper cover.

Second, Bob explained how to properly perform a bumper repair. This could be a cut or gouge in a plastic part. He showed us some different adhesives and repair methods. The latest product uses a patch that is placed on the back of the part to reinforce the repaired area. This method is quick and works well. However, it is crucial that the area is clean and an adhesion promoter applied. If not, the patch may not hold correctly. After explaining this, Bob left some adhesives for the students to work with.

Lastly, Bob mentioned the expatiation of the collision industry. He spends a lot of time at different body shops in the state and talks to many owners and managers. He conveyed to the students that the industry is looking for employees with a good attitude and willingness to learn. He suggested to never enter the workforce as a know-it-all. Employers have a lot to teach, the employees that are willing to learn. He said that if you can get this part down, the skills and high paying jobs will follow.

We appreciate Bob and others who are willing to give their time and wisdom to share with us. This is the kind of activity that helps make Butler the “Learning College of Choice.”

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Collsion Repair Tip

Use 0000 Fine steel wool to remove overspray from glass.

~Zan Fine, BCC Student

Quote

You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do.

~Henry Ford