Scale and Thunder Boat Graphics

[Mike McKnight]

Ok so a couple of days actually turned out to be more like a week but the new printer was delivered yesterday. Getting this big beast into the office was a challenge for sure but it's in. Today I have the company rep coming to finish the install and train me on the machine. The office configuration has changed a little since this new printer and the cutter/plotter are on a brand new computer system rather than an upgrade. The older thermal printer is still on the older computer since, as many of you that have gone to Win 7 64 know, there are no 64 bit drivers available for the thermal for the new OS. So the older XP machine has a single task and that is the thermal until I upgrade the thermal next year.

I am extending my deadline of completing orders placed before 6/15 to the end of next week since this delivery and upgrade took longer than planned. Which means I will also be extending my break until the first week of August. Which as just as well since I have to move in to the new office on 8/1.

 

[Mike McKnight]

Hi guys hope the summer is good to you so far. I know some guys are still reeling from triple digits. We had a week of it here in CA last week and It'll be back this weekend. Since I've had a couple of messages of late asking if the new equipment is here and it is and it works fantastic. I have already sent out a number of sets using it. I am currrently taking a bit of a vacation break taking the kids to Six Flags and Disneyland plus getting ready to head up to Tri Cities next Thursday with my son. Hoping for good times with the guys up there and the Kiwis that are stateside already. Plus I'm taking a load of graphics up for the Kiwis to take home with them. Thanks guys! Hopefully my son and I will make a good showing. I still have 2 boats of the 4 we are taking left to test. I'll be back on 7/30 but I'll be moving locations that week so I probably won't be back up and running until the second week of August. If you still need to place an order you can just know it will be at least 4-5 weeks for delivery.

By the way something new on my site is I have added a section for video clips. I always get requests for clips of various boats since I have a huge video library of old TV footage. Mainly ESPN and some local Seattle stations and some home video. I'll be uploading and rotating out some clips from time to time. If there's a specific boat or race you want ot see let me know and I'll try to work it in.

See ya in a few weeks!

 

[Kevin Lloyd]

Mike,

Have a great trip. I won't be racing in Tri-Cities, but we'll be there watching the big boats and will stop by and hang out with my club and meet you in person. I have a confession to make. I thought I was under the gun for graphics(turned out I wasn't) and ordered from Wesley's Custom Graphics. I apologize for not giving my business to you and let's just say I learned my lesson. In a word, the graphics are a "joke". Left with little choice but to use them, now its a complete wet sand removal of clear coat and graphics in order to lay the ones I will purchase from you this fall for a winter project I wasn't interested in, oh well. We will talk to you soon in Tri-Cities.

Kevin

 

[Mike McKnight]

Kevin it was great talking hydros with you at the hotel in TC. In fact is was good to talk to a lot of guys and finally put some faces with the names. Like Mike from ML Boatworks and the Olsons. Plus Merv and the boys from New Zealand were a blast to hang with as well. Big thanks to Bob Brackett for opening his home for a little post race BBQ. Even though my son and I didn't fare very well in racing action we learned a few tricks so that we'll be better prepared next time. I don't think I'll ever get used to the crawling starts. We kinda scared a few people I think with our flying starts...we just couldn't finish. We'll definitely be back though.

I was busy all this last week getting stuff for the Kiwis to take home with them. Since Merv sold his Qatar and some of the others had damage from a vehicle accident leaving the UNW Gold Cup I think they are going home with plenty to do. Mike Luszcz donated a new frame kit to Chris that lost his LLumar as it was completely destroyed. Awesome! Get ready for some cool new boats to be built in NZ.

As far as my move is concerned it is in kind of limbo at the moment. I hit a snag with the property manager over some additional charges that came up in the lease agreement that were not disclosed up front so it may or may not happen next week. I will keep you up to date as to when it will actually happen. In the mean time a have a few orders that I'm going to get out before it does actually happen.

 

[Greg Hahn]

Mike,

do you have anything for the new Qatar? you are showing it on your site would like to order if available, i'm just in the process of painting.

thanks

Greg Hahn

 

[Mike McKnight]

Greg I have it done I just haven't posted the screenshot yet. email me at [email protected]

 

[Mike McKnight]

Back at it doing some drawing today and tomorrow. I have about half of my office in boxes ready to move as soon as the lease gets hammered out. In the mean time I have uploaded some screenshots of the '11 Oberto and the '12 Red Dot as well as some pics in the gallery. More of the 2011 and 2012 screeshots will go up as they become available. The Qatar and Oberto will be next with the Degree from 2011. The 2012 Degree hopefully coming soon. I am still waiting on some artwork on that boat. As soon as I am moved I will be unveiling some sets for offshore, gas and tunnels soon as well.

 

[Samuel Hagan JR]

The Graham Trucking Boat is absolutely awesome. Is that your graphics. That's the boat I plan on making for Dist 14.

 

[Mike McKnight]

Yes it is. The only boats that were in that Speed and Feed shot that were not mine were the Pak rigger and the Formula. Even though I do have those sets, those were not mine. That Graham was paint and not a wrap. Bob did a great job painting that.

 

[Samuel Hagan JR]

Yes it is. The only boats that were in that Speed and Feed shot that were not mine were the Pak rigger and the Formula. Even though I do have those sets, those were not mine. That Graham was paint and not a wrap. Bob did a great job painting that.

Do you know how to get in touch with bob?

 

[Mike McKnight]

Sure just email me at the address a couple posts up and I'l put you in touch with him.

 

[Mike McKnight]

Moving day is coming this week and I may have some hiccups in communication for a bit. They are going to be transferring my phone and internet sometime in the next couple of days and I am being told that the transfer time is not instantaneous. Could be as much as 48 hours. I'll still be able to reply a little on my smart phone but no big file transfers for a bit. Power and alarms will be on tomorrow so hopefully I can start on Thursday and not have to use up much weekend to get it done. A couple of orders will go out tomorrow and then it'll be next week before I can get back to cranking stuff out. I know winter builds and rebuilds are coming so I should be in good shape. September is always a busy month for me in my A/V business so there are a few days in the month I have to be out of the office so doing any custom drawing is going to be at a minimum for a bit. I have several projects I want to get drawn out but they are going to be back burner for a while.

Things are going to get interesting this winter as this is going to be turning into more than just a part time business. With the purchase of another piece of new equipment you'll be seeing more of my work in other classes of racing on land and water.

 

[Mike McKnight]

I'm currently kind of stuck in the middle of this move and I have been without internet and phone except on my iPhone and trying to reply to all the emails I get has been a hassle. The problem lies in the fact that my phones and internet have been shut down in the old office and and not set up in the new office yet. The reason it's not up in the new office yet is the communcations terminal in this building is an absolute mess. It is ancient and has been ripped up and rewired about a million times and that has ben causing connection problem with the new space. Plus it has not been labelled correctly. All of my graphics equipment has been in the new office since Monday but I have not been able to move my Audio Visual studios yet since I have a limited arrangement with a neighboring suite to use a temporary connection until this is resolved. The issue is that I can only use their connection after their business hours so as not to bog them down with all my big traffic. My connection had much bigger capacity than they have. So if you have been trying to call or email and had no response yet just know I will get back to you as soon as I can. Thanks

 

[Mike McKnight]

Finally starting to see the end of this never ending move. Phone and internet got moved on Thursday and the alarm guy finally came yesterday to get that all moved. A couple of pieces of office furniture didn't survice the move so much of yesterday was spent getting that delivered and assembled and computers set back up. One workstation is left to go and I should have that done by the end of this week. Lots of work in my A/V business this week or I would finish it today. Next week the dust should settle and everything will be back to normal.

 

[Mike McKnight]

So the move is finally over!! I finally got the last of everything in and put back together. Just a little more organizing and straightening up to do and I'll be 100% again. Other than my run to San Diego last Sunday I haven't had a day off in over three weeks so this weekend I'm gonna spend a little time with my family and then I'll be back at it on Monday. Here's a quick shot of the graphics area of the office. Cool thing is that all the I can put all the posters and pictures of Unlimiteds I have I can finally put up. The wife won't let me do it at home..

 

[Hydro Junkie]

I like it, and better still, now you can print three or four sets of graphics at one time on the big machine? That would be a big time bonus if that's possible

 

[Mike McKnight]

Just a quick update to let everyone know I am still here and didn't drop off the face of the earth. I have been putting in 12-15 hour days six and sometimes seven days a week for the past two months. There have been a number of things keeping me busy like the move for one. Still have a few things in boxes that I just haven't had time to get put away. I have been swamped with work, which is a good problem to have these days. Several projects that were not even on my radar at all back in July/August hit right about the first of Sept and they have been dominating my time. I have managed to eeek out an order here and there. Drawing any custom jobs has been almost impossible. But things will start getting back to normal late next week. I have one project that is done on the 8th of November. Another shortly after that. So I should be able to dedicate more time to graphics very soon. If you have been waiting I apologize. Like I said I had no idea these jobs were coming. I will have a couple of orders out this week and I will be ready for new orders by the 9th of Nov. Thanks for your patience.

 

[Duck899]

Thanks Mike, looking forward to seeing the Miss Rock decals......and posting pics.

 

[John Seybold]

Thanks for the update Mike, I hope that ribbon finally came in.

Talk with you soon,

John

 

[Hydro Junkie]

Nice to hear you're able to pay the bills, and then some. Could you send me a PM updating your best guestimate on the sets we talked about? Thanks