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Have you ever witnessed a Powerpoint Presentation? A Powerpoint Presentation is a creative means to present knowledge to an person or a group of people. A Powerpoint Presentation is a good audio and visual means to get your point across during a conference. A Powerpoint Presentation is a huge aid in the learning procedure. A lot of educators use Powerpoint slides to demonstrate the things they plan the class to complete for the semester or whole year.

A few rules for an successful Powerpoint Presentation are as follows:

The use of graphics and special effects on your slides for the duration of your Powerpoint Presentation grasps your audiences attention. Clip Art is a huge and enjoyable way to enlarge on any topic. Clip Art is a fantastic illustrations for groups to get a image of what you are talking about. Using clipart is also a very good tool to add some significance to your Powerpoint Presentation.

Make the Powerpoint Presentations simple and to the point. Sometimes when you are trying to make an impact, less is more. If you make your slides difficult, the information can get misplaced in all the graphics and special effects.

Using the same fonts and constant colors throughout your Powerpoint slides is vital. This will allow your audience focus more on the content of the presentation instead of getting sidetracked by different size wording and pictures. Consistency and creativity are important in creating an successful and powerful Powerpoint Presentation. Another very significant element of a Powerpoint Presentation is practicing before you actually provide the presentation. This way you can time your presentation so you recognize if can present the whole presentation in the allotted time that you have. Practicing your Powerpoint presentation will give you the opportunity to make sure there are no mistakes in your slide show presentation. This will also allow you reorganize areas that may not flow smoothly throughout your Powerpoint Presentation.

A very easy thing to do to help if you have to do a lot of Powerpoint presentations is creating a pattern. This way you have already established the fonts, colors and layouts ahead so you can just put the data that you have into the accurate places.

If you don’t have the moment to put a Powerpoint presentation together for you, there are a number of websites that propose their services in either creating coming up with a Powerpoint presentation for you or giving templates to plug your information into. These services are a great benefit for those groups that just don’t have the time or simply want to give a great presentation but don’t know how to go about handling it.

Whether you generate your own Powerpoint Presentations or you have somebody else produce them for you, be creative. Creativity is a great way to sell your position to your spectators.

Who else is affected by the credit crunch? The local used car salesman. Given that people are having trouble obtaining loans from banks, even those with good credit, car sales are at a record low. Who can think of buying a new car in the current crisis, right?

The good news for the used cars salesman is that people will be seeking cars that they know they can afford and that they can pay cash for. Amazingly enough people are opting for less expensive used cars to pay cash for because they are fearful of banks. They donat want to get a loan.

Inexpensive cars will heighten the sales for used car salesman and decrease the sales of new cars. There is one problem with this whole scenario. The problem is that people do not like to purchase used cars because of the stigma they have.

Honesty is the best approach to get skeptical people buy a used car. Tell the potential buyer the facts about the car and do not lie. This will only hurt your chances of the potential buyer finding out that you were lying and not going through with the sale.

Before people go to the used car lot they typically search the internet for answers to their questions. They look for car details and prices then compare them to what the car salesman says. If the car salesman is parallel to what the customer found on the internet then the customer will be more trusting to the sales man. This could result in a sale.

The relationship between the used car salesman and the potential buyer has to flow. They need to treat each other with respect. A lot of the relationship success depends on the ability of the car salesman to make the potential buyer feel comfortable.

Learning to read the buyer and figure what they are thinking is a trick that all salesmen try to master. Sometimes a customer seems to be objecting, but really they are simply asking a question. It is hard to tell the difference sometimes.

Now is a great time to begin selling those used cars. Some of the prices are the lowest they have been in many years so people are beginning to go out and purchase items such as cars. If you are having difficulties then look into training. Books and other materials are available to help you make that sale.

MAINTENANCE

Proper operation of a seamless gutter machine-and a long machine life-is highly dependent on regular maintenance and care given to the machine. All the machine manufacturers will tell you a machine can last 20, 25, or 30 years, perhaps even more. A few older firms will say a few of their machines have operated for more than 40 years. But you will also hear that the life of a machine is more dependent on the owner and operators and they way they treat a machine than on what the manufacturer did in designing, building, and testing the machine

In the opinion of at least one machine manufacturer, the most successful gutter companies use an enclosed trailer, van, or truck to transport their gutter machines. Why does this make such a difference? Because it keeps your machine clean and dry. Dirt, debris, and the direct effects of weather can prematurely age your machine and turn a valuable asset into a sad piece of junk. So, how successful do you want to be?

MAINTENANCE PLAN

In order to protect your investment and assure proper and timely operation of your machine at the jobsite, you should develop a plan for maintenance, inspection, and cleaning of the gutter machine. Implementation of this plan will require the involvement and participation of the machine operators as well as the individual tasked with lubrication, inspection, and cleaning of the machine.

Each day, before operating the machine, the operator should inspect the electrical components and wiring. Look for loose wires or components, discoloration that might indicate overheating, or any other signs of damage. While performing this inspection also look for any dust, dirt, or debris inside the machine. If any is detected, it should be removed before commencing operations.

LUBRICATION

Lubricate the shear blade daily with the recommended lubricant. Often this will be one that contains Teflon or silicone. Avoid overspray on parts where it doesn’t belong. Lubricate the other parts of the shear mechanism WEEKLY with oil (sometimes SAE-90 non-detergent oil is recommended, other manufacturers recommend chain oil).

Lubricate the drive chain MONTHLY with a recommended lubricant (maybe motorcycle, farm, or industrial chain oil). Check the tension of the chain. Adjust it if necessary.

Most machine manufacturers object to the use of WD-40 as a lubricant. It is intended more as a penetrant, and has the effect of removing oil or grease from the parts. Check your operating manual and follow the recommendations of the machine’s manufacturer.

CLEANING

A thorough cleaning of the machine should be done regularly. Be sure the machine is turned off and disconnected from the electric power source while you are performing the cleaning. A monthly cleaning is considered optimum by some machine manufacturers. Remove any dust, dirt, or debris from inside the machine. This can be done with compressed air or a vacuum hose. If compressed air is used, avoid blowing dirt or debris onto moving parts or the motor.

Some manufacturers suggest using a pressure washer. If this technique is used care must be taken to avoid spraying the pressure wash on or in electrical boxes or components.

Empty the shear chip bin. Be careful not to spill any chips or debris inside the machine. Look for any sign of burrs, chips, or buildup on the guides and rollers. If buildup is present, clean the parts using the recommended solvent on a soft, clean rag. The solvent should be one that will not leave any residue on the parts. Acetone, paint thinner, or lacquer thinner are often recommended-check your operating manual.

REMOVING RESIDUE BUILDUP

If cleaning with solvent and a rag does not remove any marks, burrs or buildup, try to remove them by lightly sanding the part with fine Emery cloth. Polish out any remaining marks with a Scotch Brite pad.

Keep covers and safety panels closed except when working on the machine. Never have the panels open when running gutter.

ABOVE ALL, PROTECT THE MACHINE FROM DIRT, DUST, WORK SITE DEBRIS AND FOREIGN OBJECTS OF EVERY KIND.

In just a few seconds a nail or screw can be pulled through your machine, inflicting $1,000 of damage or more. How many jobs do you have to complete to earn $1,000 of profit to pay for the repairs?

STORING YOUR MACHINE

If you will not be using the gutter machine for 30 days or more, store it in a well-protected area (preferably indoors). Make a plan to run it for a few minutes every week, just to keep the lubricants on the bearings and chains smoothly distributed. This gives better protection against any rust or corrosion.

MACHINE ADJUSTMENTS AND REPAIRS

Incorrect alignment of the material in the machine is cited as the most common cause of incorrectly formed gutter. The machine was carefully aligned at the factory. Technicians from the factory or from a regional dealer are available to make alignments and corrections when required. Because this is something they do regularly, they are skilled in making such adjustments.

Although the proper adjustment technique is complicated and involves many steps, some manufacturers recommend that someone in the company be trained to make these adjustments. This may merely serve as an emergency backup to outside service personnel, or the owner may elect to undertake the alignments when they are needed. It is generally recommended that, after learning to make such adjustments, you will be better off to alter the adjustments as infrequently as possible. The tendency to tinker with the adjustments often creates more problems than it solves.

Rain gutters are a feature that virtually all houses share. Care, some basic knowledge, and a good contractor will help you make selections as to the type and size of rain gutters most appropriate for your house and locality. And locality matters. Arizona averages just over 7 inches of rain per year while Mobile, Alabama, averages 67 inches. Water, water everywhere.

What Gutters Do

Rain gutters are open-topped troughs that are installed just below the eaves of your roof to collect and carry off rainwater. Normally they are constructed of metal. Downspouts are connected to the gutters and carry the water down to ground level. The water is then discharged on splash pads on the ground to direct the water away from the foundation. Occasionally the system discharges into a cistern or reservoir to collect the rainwater for subsequent use.

Gutters are shaped to form a specified profile, often a U-Shape (half-round), or a modified rectangular trough which is referred to as K-Shape. They need to be sized for your “worst-case” downpour. Sizes vary from 4 inches to 7 inches in width. Your gutter contractor will be able to recommend the size best suited to your local conditions.

Gutter Materials

The metal stock from which the gutter is formed can be aluminum, galvanized steel, copper, or one of these metals with a metal coating. Specialized materials include copper penny aluminum, Copper Plus (copper plated stainless steel), Galvalume (steel stock with a coating of aluminum and zinc), and lead-coated copper. Often the exterior face is painted, with a wide variety of colors available from which the customer may choose. Seamless gutters made of aluminum are the most common today.

The overall design of a gutter system has a number of different parts. These include the gutter, end caps, corner pieces, drop fittings, downspouts, elbows, and various kinds of hangers and support systems. Metal gutters were originally assembled from sections that were joined together with snap-in-place connectors.

Why Seamless Gutters?

Seams are always possible leak points in a gutter system. These joints may allow water to leak out of the gutter and drip down, possibly damaging the siding, splashing dirt onto the house, or eroding your yard. Seamless gutters virtually eliminate this leakage problem.

Seamless gutters have been available for more than 40 years and are the most common items selected by homeowners today. Seamless gutters are not totally seamless, but there are fewer seams that can create such leak points.

Seamless Gutter Machines

Seamless gutters are formed, at your home, using a special seamless gutter machine. The gutter is shaped from a coil of aluminum, steel, or copper stock that has a baked or painted finish. A wide variety of colors are available to match the paint, siding, brick, or stone color of your house. Each horizontal run of gutter is formed and cut to the exact length required for your installation, thereby minimizing the number of seams or joints. The stock materials from which the gutters are made vary in thickness from 0.019 inch to 0.032 inch. This is a place where attempting to save money is usually a mistake. Buy the heaviest material you can afford-it will last longer and resist damage better.

Advantages and Disadvantages

If you want to undertake constructing the gutter system yourself, your only choice is sectional-type materials. You still have a variety of materials and finish colors from which to select, but you are on your own. You are the designer and installer. If you have the skills required, and the time required, you can save some money over having a contractor install a system.

Most people will probably choose to use a contractor, and with seamless gutters you have a lot less hassle. In addition to the metal gutter materials discussed above, vinyl gutters are available. Vinyl material is the least expensive, but vinyl becomes brittle in very cold weather and is much more likely to crack. Galvanized steel is strong and will usually last 30 years or more. However, sooner or later it will rust. You can protect against this by periodically painting the inside of the gutter, but this adds to your load of home maintenance chores. Aluminum does not rust or crack, and is therefore a popular choice. However, be sure that the gutter material is made from primary aluminum and not secondary aluminum, which is a recycled product and has a history of inconsistent thickness (and therefore strength).

Gutter System Cost

How much are we talking? Vinyl gutters can be installed by a contractor for about $3 to $5 per linear foot. For galvanized steel gutters this goes up to between $4 and $8 per foot. Aluminum gutters will be in the range of $5 to $9 per foot. Copper gutters are most often used for top-of-the-line construction and restoration work. You can expect to pay $15 to $20 per foot for a copper gutter system. The good news is that copper never rusts and does not require paint.

You should also carefully examine the contractor’s warranty for the gutter system. A new shingle roof typically has a warranted life of 20 to 30 years. Your new gutter system should have a warranted life of 20 years or more.

As with most things, you have to decide what your goals are and what you can afford to invest. A moped and a Maserati will both get you from point A to point B, but there is a great difference in the style and grace involved. A careful review of your needs and goals-and some consultation with and quotations from several different contractors-should help you develop a plan that will fulfill your needs and provide a gutter system that will last many years.

You have invested a lot of money in your seamless gutter machine. It is the very cornerstone of your gutter business. So long as it is working well you can have a successful operation producing good, quality gutters that will satisfy your customers and bring in those sales dollars. If the gutter machine isn’t working right, you find you have bad gutters, dissatisfied customers, and missed deadlines that can affect your business reputation. How you maintain and store your gutter machine can make the difference between smooth operations and constant frustration.

The manufacturer and/or dealer want you to be happy and productive. They want your machine to have a long and trouble-free life. They will have provided you with an operating manual that includes information on what to do to keep your machine clean, properly lubricated, and correctly adjusted. The principles are simple and straightforward:

Keep the machine clean Perform regular inspections Regular lubrication with recommended lubricants Timely service and repair Proper storage practices

Cleanliness

Few things are as important in keeping your gutter machine happy and healthy as keeping it clean. Any kind of material loose in the machine can be carried through the rollers with the metal stock. Such material can act as an abrasive and accelerate wear (that’s how the Colorado River made the Grand Canyon). It can damage rollers and guides. It can damage the gutter you are trying to make.

Important Cleaning Issues Your efforts to assure the cleanliness of the machine should have started before you installed the machine in a truck or trailer. The floor under the machine should have been made tight so dust and dirt from roads or construction sites cannot come through cracks and holes and up into the bottom of the machine. If you did not provide such protection, go back and fix it before too much damage is done. Regularly clean the machine and the rollers. This should be done with a solvent that will not damage the machine and will not leave a residue on the parts. Any residue of the solvent can catch and hold new dirt, which is exactly what you don’t want. Acetone and paint thinner are generally recommended, but check the operating manual for your machine and follow the directions. If there are any signs of paint flakes from the gutter inside the machine, shut down immediately, correct the problem, and clean the machine before proceeding. Paint flakes in the machine may cause damage to both the rollers and the gutter. Whenever loading a coil onto the machine, make sure the loading area is clean and free of any debris. The shear chip bin should be regularly emptied.

Inspections

Carefully inspect sections of gutter from the machine and note any irregularities or defects. If there are any signs of surface damage to the gutter or flaking or chafing of paint from the gutter, shut down the machine to immediately correct the problem.

Regularly inspect the machine in accordance with the operating manual. Check the machine for general cleanliness. Perform cleaning if required. Inspect the entrance guide system, in particular checking for any burr deposits that might have developed. Check guide bars and rollers for damage, markings, burrs, or any buildup of materials which might mark or damage the gutter. Inspect the rollers for damage or foreign material. If you find any, get it fixed immediately. Machines that are adjustable can also experience parts vibrating loose. When they loosen the critical adjustments that produce good gutter, instead of scrap, are lost. Regularly check to make sure all the bolts and nuts remain tight.

Lubrication

The operating manual will identify lubrication points, lubricants, and frequency. These may include: Chains should be lubricated with the recommended chain lube monthly. The guillotine or shear parts should be lubricated daily. The shear blade should be lubricated daily The adjustment screws should be lubricated monthly so they will afford easy adjustment, if required. Other items as specified in the operating manual.

Service and Repair

Some manufacturers claim that if you properly maintain your gutter machine, you may not require a factory service call for as long as five years. Some say their design goal is a machine life of 35 years or more. In any case, prompt service and repair will keep your machine on line and earning money for you.

Storage

The manufacturers generally recommend you store your machine indoors if possible. This will protect it from blowing dirt and dust and precipitation in the form of rain, snow, sleet, etc. Whether stored outdoors or indoors, it is a good practice to cover the machine with a tarp when not in use. You also want to protect the machine from condensation due to humidity and temperature cycles. Also, before storing a machine, be sure to apply fresh lubricant to all the areas requiring lubrication to give them an extra margin of protection.

You have invested a lot of hard-earned money in your gutter machine. With some careful maintenance and handling it can be with you for many years.

Selecting the machinery in which you will invest for your new seamless gutter business is a major step and will be the foundation on which your future success will be based. It deserves your attention, care, research, and careful decision making.

There are about a dozen machine manufacturers in the U.S. Some machine manufacturers have been in the business for more than 40 years, others for perhaps 10. In addition to a seamless gutter machine, you will probably need equipment to make downspouts and elbows.

What style of rain gutters?

First you must decide what kind of metal rain gutters you are going to market. Rain gutters can be produced in various different shapes and sizes. Do you want to sell K-style, box, half-round, fascia, or OGEE-style gutters? Your choice will probably be dictated by the demands of your customers. The most common residential gutters are the K-style, but local markets can vary with differences in styles as well as different widths to accommodate different rainfall amounts. There are also special market niches that can be profitable. It is important to know the market in which you intend to compete.

Seamless Gutter Machines

A seamless gutter machine is a type of roll forming machine that shapes flat metal stock to form a rain gutter. Roll forming metal is a technology that dates back about 100 years, although it was not applied to the gutter field until around 1960. A gutter machine makes sections of variable length, as required by the specific installation. Each machine is designed to create a very specific shape. A machine designed to make a K-style gutter can produce only K-style gutters.

The exact design of the gutter formed by different machines also varies. The most critical issue is the width of the gutter to be produced. Machines are available that can produce 5-, 6-, or 7-inch-wide K-style gutters. Wider gutters can carry more water, but use more material and are therefore more expensive. Which size do you want to market? What size is in most demand in your market? Is there a particular market niche that you want to try to fill?

It is possible to buy a seamless gutter machine that can make two different sizes of gutters, for instance both 5-inch and 7-inch K-style gutters? These machine are more complicated (and more expensive) than a single-size machine, but if both sizes are in demand in your market it could be a good investment.

Other Design Features

Some models are trailer mounted, others are not. To make gutter of different colors you will need different rolls of stock material. The gutter machine should be able to hold more than one spool of material. Also, the stock can be aluminum, galvanized steel or copper, and of different gauge/thickness. What does your customer require? Does the machine run all three materials and all gauges? What kind of adjustments of the machine, if any, are required if you change the kind of material or gauge? How hard and time consuming is the adjustment process? How much material is normally consumed in the adjustment process?

Some machines require that material be loaded in the machine when the machine is transported to prevent damage to the drive rollers. Polyurethane drive rollers eliminate this need. This can be an advantage. Do you want hard chrome steel rollers or stainless steel rollers? What about power requirements - 110V or 220V AC, 60Hz or 50Hz? New equipment or used? There is a lot to think about, many choices to be made.

Buy from Factory, Dealer or Current Owner

About a dozen companies in the U.S. make equipment for making gutter system parts. Will you try to buy from the factory or from a nearby dealer? If the dealer is nearby he may be able to provide both service and parts in a timely fashion. Does the manufacturer have a reputation for good service and support? What about the dealer?

There are also foreign manufacturers. Can a foreign company provide comparable support to you in the U.S.? Will foreign exchange rates adversely effect parts and service costs?

Service, Support, and Warranty

Who will service your machine when repairs and adjustments are required? If it will be a local dealer, by whom were they trained? What is their availability? The factory service department is probably more skilled, but what is their availability? How will waiting for service impact your job completion? What about parts? For how long is the equipment warranted? What warranty applies for service and replacement parts? All these things can have an effect on your bottom line

Competition and Market Prices

There is very strong price competition between manufacturers in this market, resulting in a relatively small spread of prices for comparable machines. Also, there is a relatively small difference between the prices for new and used equipment. As new machines have the most current technologies, and will include warranty coverage, this may weigh heavily in your selection

Many factors are involved in selecting your seamless gutter machine, the secondary machinery for downspouts and elbows, and the source from which you decide to purchase. But with good maintenance, service, and care this equipment will provide the foundation for profitable business operations for 20 or more years. Weigh your options carefully.