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Back in 1929 Cole Porter wrote a song called “What Is This Thing Called Love” for the Broadway musical Wake Up and Dream. Many people have recorded it, including Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald, and Wynton Marsalis.

Making a giant leap from consideration of the sublime to the eminently practical, let’s ask, “What is this thing called seamless gutter?” and see if it could be a stepping-stone to the realization of your dream of independence and self-employment with a company of your own.

Rain gutters have been a part of building design for centuries. They are positioned below the eaves of the roof. For this reason they are sometimes called eave troughs. When rain runs down your roof it will fall to the ground, possibly dripping on the exterior walls, perhaps splattering mud, maybe leaking into your basement, and very likely eroding your yard.

All of this can be fixed with a rain gutter or eave trough. It collects the water as it runs off the roof, directs it down through a downspout, and dumps it onto splash blocks on the ground that direct the water away from your house.

Virtually every home needs rain gutters. They were originally made of wood. Later they were constructed of galvanized steel or copper, usually in a half-round or U-style gutter. For some time now the most popular material has been aluminum and the most popular shape the K-Style gutter.

If you have experience in the construction business, or if you have good manual skills, you can probably learn how to make and install residential gutter systems.

Sections of gutter and downspouts were once made from sheet metal and assembled as a gutter system to a house. The ends of sections were joined together with snap-in-place connectors. However, every such seam was potentially a leak point.

About 100 years ago a technology called roll forming was developed. It allowed thin sheets of metal to be formed into complex shapes. Almost 60 years ago people began applying roll forming to the manufacture of rain gutters. After the development of the seamless gutter machine it was possible to make a section of gutter of whatever length was needed, thereby eliminating the seams or joints between the ends of sections. The seamless rain gutter was born.

Gutter material is sold in coils. For example, aluminum stock is available in various thicknesses from 0.019 inch to 0.032 inch and is painted on one side. A coil will typically weigh in the range of 300 to 400 pounds or more. It is mounted on the portable gutter machine, which is 8- to 10-feet long and is normally installed inside a truck, van, or trailer and brought to the worksite.

The drive system of the gutter machine pulls the flat material through a series of stages. At each stage rollers and guides inside the machine shape, bend, and fold the material. Out the end comes a fully formed gutter at about 30 feet per minute. At that speed you can produce the seamless gutter you need for an average job in 4 minutes.

Although the material is fairly thin, the finished gutter is quite strong because of its shape. Think about what happens to paper when you turn it into a straw. Many parents have helped their school-age children build model bridges out of paper soda straws.

There are several markets that a seamless gutter contractor can serve-one is new construction, another is remodeling. Established contractors in the remodeling business average about 2.5 gutter jobs per day. With one crew, working 48 weeks per year (no weekends) that’s as many as 600 jobs per year.

Now, a contractor can buy his gutter, downspouts, and elbows from somebody else, and just do the installation, or he/she can buy their own seamless gutter machine and make his/her own seamless gutter. The cost per foot to make seamless gutter with your own machine is significantly less than the cost of buying equivalent material from a supplier.

Industry data indicates that the average American house requires about 120 feet of rain gutter. The trend is toward larger homes which require even more. In an article authored by Mark Ward, Sr., he quotes a financial projection done by a sales specialist for one of the gutter machine companies. He concludes that the savings in your material cost for “make-your-own” vs. “buy from a supplier” gutter would pay for the cost of a new $6,800 machine in 30 to 37 working days.

As a contractor you can probably sell galvanized seamless gutter to your customers for about $3 to $5 per linear foot. Aluminum gutter will probably sell for between $5 and $9 per linear foot. At a median value for aluminum gutter of $7/foot x 120 feet/job x 2.5 jobs per day-that equals $2,100 per day potential gross income for one crew.

Starting any business is a complicated process and involves many factors. You have to sell your product, deliver a quality product on time, and successfully hire and supervise other people. Also, the construction business involves both seasonal and cyclic variation-you aren’t going to be able to have your crew fully occupied 5 days a week, 52 weeks a year. But if you learn the trade, work hard at selling your product, and deliver a quality product, this is a business in which you can develop and prosper. You can truly “roll metal into money” with your own seamless gutter business. Give it some consideration in your search for your tomorrow.

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Does the County have GIS jobs available?
Our Human Resources website has full listings of all currently open positions at Contra Costa County. When you turn on the unit you see four icons, among which are “Surveying” and “Mobile Mapping”. These are two field software applications, one dedicated to survey jobs, the other to GIS/mapping jobs. Surveying” lets you survey points with an accuracy of 1 centimeter.

What are the applications available with ProMark3?
When you turn on the unit you see four icons, among which are “Surveying” and “Mobile Mapping”. These are two field software applications, one dedicated to survey jobs, the other to GIS/mapping jobs. Surveying” lets you survey points with an accuracy of 1 centimeter. Surveying offers an application similar to ProMark2 in that it includes navigation features and data recording for post-processing in static, stop-and-go and kinematic modes.The best overall solutions for Mac networks or mixed Mac/ PC environments are the Designjet 800PS for Line drawings / Images in low productivity, or the Designjet 1055CM for High productivity line drawing / GIS or the Designjet 5500 for high productivity GIS / Fine art.

What are the applications available with ProMark3?
When you turn on the unit you see four icons, among which are “Surveying” and “Mobile Mapping”. These are two field software applications, one dedicated to survey jobs, the other to GIS/mapping jobs. Surveying” lets you survey points with an accuracy of 1 centimeter. Surveying offers an application similar to ProMark2 in that it includes navigation features and data recording for post-processing in static, stop-and-go and kinematic modes.ProMark3 retains the Magellan philosophy of offering a fully operational system without additional, difficult to understand options or accessories. All the required hardware and software needed to perform all survey (static, stop-and-go, kinematic) and GIS/mapping jobs are available and ready to go right from the shipping box. The included software comes with all the features operational.

What is included with a ProMark3?
ProMark3 retains the Magellan philosophy of offering a fully operational system without additional, difficult to understand options or accessories. All the required hardware and software needed to perform all survey (static, stop-and-go, kinematic) and GIS/mapping jobs are available and ready to go right from the shipping box. The included software comes with all the features operational.Most of us were recruited from college campuses. Requirements were for young women, minimum age of 21, single, with a college degree. In my case, my Mom worked for the Red Cross and told me about the jobs opening up in Vietnam (this was 1966). I flew to San Francisco and interviewed for the job ? and was offered the job on the spot.

How much money can I make?
Good money. Probably the best way to find out how much, for where you live and what you’re interested in doing, is to type in the appropriate key words into one of the many job search engines, like those on our Career Paths resources page. Then see what salary is offered for each job. Here is a GIS keyword job search example.When you turn on the unit you see four icons, among which are “Surveying” and “Mobile Mapping”. These are two field software applications, one dedicated to survey jobs, the other to GIS/mapping jobs. Surveying” lets you survey points with an accuracy of 1 centimeter.

What are the applications available with ProMark3?
When you turn on the unit you see four icons, among which are “Surveying” and “Mobile Mapping”. These are two field software applications, one dedicated to survey jobs, the other to GIS/mapping jobs. Surveying” lets you survey points with an accuracy of 1 centimeter. Surveying offers an application similar to ProMark2 in that it includes navigation features and data recording for post-processing in static, stop-and-go and kinematic modes.The most obvious difference is the form factor. ProMark3 is a rugged platform designed for the tough conditions of survey jobs. But the platform is not just rugged; it offers a large VGA high-quality color touch-screen and is packed with the latest technology: USB connectivity, Bluetooth wireless technology, SD card expandability, and more.

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In order to offer complete gutter systems and do it all in-house you need some additional equipment to supplement your seamless gutter machine. With appropriate equipment you can make both downspout pipe and elbows.

Portable Downspout Machine

If you want a portable downspout machine that you can take to the job site, you are rather limited in your choice: Liberty Seamless is the only U.S. company which makes such a machine. Their portable downspout machine is comparable in size to a seamless gutter machine. It can produce 2×3 or 3×4 downspouts from aluminum, steel, or copper stock. For 4×5 or round downspouts no ‘portable’ machines are produced in the U.S. If you want to make those kinds of downspouts you will have to buy an industrial-grade machine designed to work in your shop, rather than at the job site.

Industrial Downspout Machines

Several U.S. companies produce industrial-grade machines for roll forming downspouts. These include Artos, Jobsite, and Knudson. These machines are larger, heavier, and more expensive than portable roll forming machines. They are also capable of significantly higher production rates.

Artos produces standard pipe machines which can produce round pipe in sizes from 2-inch to 6-inch diameters, corrugated round pipe in 3-inch or 4-inch sizes, square corrugated pipe in 3-, 4-, or 5-inch sizes and 2×3 or 3×4 plain square pipe. They can handle mild steel, aluminum, or copper material and produce pipe at speeds up to 165 feet per minute. (Your seamless gutter machine probably produces about 30 feet per minute.)

Jobsite’s CTMe Series machines can produce 2×3, 3×3, 3×4, or 4×5 profile downspouts, as well as elbows. They can produce downspout at about 115 feet per minute. Production rates are up to 600 10-foot sections per hour. Changeover from pipe mode to elbow mode takes only a few minutes. Production rates for elbows are 837 per hour. Jobsite also produces the RTMe Series machines, which can produce round downspouts and elbows in 3- or 4-inch sizes. Production rates are comparable to the CTMe Series rates.

Liberty Seamless manufactures two different kinds of pipe machines that have a more modest production capability. Their Stationary machine can produce round pipe in 3- or 4-inch sizes. This machine uses a 1hp motor configured for 110 or 220 volts. It can run aluminum, steel, or copper. Production rates are about 30 feet per minute. The Industrial machine is available to produce round or industrial round pipe in 3- or 4-inch sizes, or 2×3, 3×4, or 4×5 downspout. The unit has a 4hp main motor plus a 7.5hp motor for hydraulics. It produces downspout at 25 to 33 feet per minute. This is definitely not a portable unit.

Elbow Machines

There are also few U.S. manufacturers producing elbow machines. Available U.S. manufacturers include Jobsite, Knudson, and Liberty.

Jobsite’s two industrial machine models, which were discussed above, include elbow-forming functions: the CTMe Series for rectangular pipe and the RTMe Series for round pipe. Jobsite also produces a portable elbow-forming machine, the ELF, which can produce 2×3 or 3×4 elbows. It is powered by a 1-1/2hp, 110V motor. The unit weighs 575 pounds.

Knudson markets a manually operated elbow machine, the EL-2002. It can produce 2×3 or 3×4 standard elbows, 3×4 small, 2.625- square, 3- square or custom elbows. Production rate is 1 elbow per minute or better. Tool changeover takes about 10 minutes. The unit fits inside a 27- cube and weighs 90 pounds including 4 sets of tools.

Liberty makes several different models of round elbow machines. The EL series comes in 3 inch, 4 inch, or ‘combo’ models. The unit is relatively small, standing only 24 inches high and weighing 575 pounds. It is powered by a 1.5hp, 110V motor. The ELI series is a larger, heavier machine. It stands 5′ 6″ high, weighs 1,000 pounds, and is powered by a 3hp motor.

There are also foreign manufacturers that produce equipment of these types. As with any item produced outside the U.S., there are the issues of accessibility to service, parts, and support. A reliable, experienced U.S. dealer can do much to assure timely support for equipment from foreign sources.

In planning your business you must consider the options of buying material from a supplier vs. making items with your own equipment. In the area of downspouts and elbows, you need to scope the volume of the business you are doing and evaluate the payback you might get from investing in your own equipment rather than buying your parts from a supplier. In particular, the investment required for an industrial-grade downspout machine is substantial and needs to be carefully evaluated.

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In purchasing a new seamless gutter machine you have probably invested somewhere in the range of $6,000 to $15,000, depending on the type selected. If you have listened to what the dealers have probably told you, you understand that the machine in capable of lasting for at least 20 years, and maybe for 30 years or more, in active use. You may also have heard service personnel tell horror stories about machines that had to be replaced in 10 years because of severe abuse by the operators. What is the key difference? Tender loving care.

In an article published by Construction Management on their web site, Fritz Batz, service manager of Knudson Manufacturing, is quoted as saying, “The most successful gutter companies transport their gutter machines in an enclosed trailer, truck, or van.” The reason for that success is keeping the machine CLEAN and DRY. Every other gutter machine manufacturer also stresses the importance of keeping the interior of their machines clean.

Foreign Object Damage

The nemesis is foreign objects-any kind of foreign objects. Did you ever see anyone knock over a cup of coffee or pop on a desk? Think of that coffee or sugar rich soda running through the electric motor or controls of your $15,000 combination gutter machine. What about a wrench or pair of cutters that was on the machine and got bumped and fell into it? Is there ever any construction site debris and waste around? Things like nails, screws, bits of concrete, etc.? Even paint chips that have flaked off a gutter because of severe maladjustment of the machine can damage a roller. That decking screw making a quick trip through your gutter machine can do $1,000 to $2,000 worth of damage in seconds. BEWARE!

AN ENCLOSED VEHICLE

What do you need to do, and what do you get? Installing your gutter machine in an enclosed truck, van, or trailer achieves two things. You can keep all road and jobsite dirt and debris off and out of the machine. Of course, this will only work if the floor of the vehicle is free of cracks and openings, so be sure the floor is tight. This kind of vehicle will also keep your machine out of rain, snow, sleet, and wind. The floor of the vehicle must also be flat to avoid distorting the frame of the machine when you bolt it down.

A less desirable choice would be an open trailer or open truck bed. If you decide to go this route you are risking more rapid wear on the machine, but perhaps your current finances will not support an enclosed vehicle. In that case be sure the bed is tight to prevent road dust from rising up through the bed and into the machine. Also, purchase and use a good tarp to cover the machine during transport and when not in use.

TRAINED PERSONNEL

Train all the people who will operate the machine and be sure they understand and follow the recommended procedures. Convince everyone that dirt and debris are very damaging to the machine and must be avoided. Make it a rule that all covers always be kept closed except when working inside the machine.

Get them to listen to the machine when it is running, learn what it sounds like, and be alert to any unusual sounds or noises when running gutter. Strange noises usually signal a problem that requires immediate attention.

LUBRICATION, CLEANING, AND PREVENTIVE MAINTENENACE

Train your personnel to perform inspections and lubrication of the machine at specified intervals. It is recommended that the electrical components be inspected for looseness, discoloration, and possible damage daily. Lubricate the shear blade daily with the recommended lubricant. For all lubrication tasks use those lubricants specifically recommended by the machine manufacturer.

Every week you should lubricate the chains with the recommended lubricant. Check the chains for proper tension and adjust them if required. While you have the covers open, look around for anything that is out of place (like dust, dirt, or that jackknife you have been missing).

The inside of your machine should be regularly cleaned. Monthly cleaning is recommended by some manufacturers. Vacuum or blow out any foreign matter. Inspect and clean the guides and rollers. Look for any burrs or buildups of material. Clean away any such buildups with an appropriate solvent.

AVOID HAULING OLD GUTTER

Frequently the customer wants you to remove his old gutter from the site. Accomplish this in some other way than setting the old gutter pieces next to your gutter machine inside the truck, van, or trailer. The old gutters are often coated with dirt and debris which can vibrate off during transport, migrate onto your machine, and accelerate wear.

IN-HOUSE EXPERT

At least one person should be your in-house expert on the machine. Some manufacturers recommend someone (probably the owner) learn from the manufacturer or the dealer how to adjust the machine. However, once you know, resist the temptation to constantly fiddle with the adjustments.

FACTORY/DEALER SUPPORT

When something goes wrong, get an expert who really knows what to do and get your machine fixed promptly. This is most likely to be support personnel from a regional dealer. Prompt repair or adjustment will keep your machine in top condition and keep your crews working on the job with a minimum of interruptions and delays.

Occasionally you hear about a machine that was manufactured in the 1960s and is still making gutter. While you might not get 40+ years out of your machine, with good maintenance and careful use your machine will remain in excellent condition, with a good resale value for many years.

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Youth is a time of high motivation for self-improvement and the obtaining of a satisfactory self image. Conversely it can also be a time of much self-doubt and despair. For many, early life can be sheer agony. Stick insect thin or obese conditions when young send many teenagers into almost suicidal despondency, so each and every straw is grasped in an attempt to become within the acceptable norm physically; always under peer pressure. Cures for pimples and spots are sought, only to be constantly defeated by adolescent hormones working overtime.

The youth of today find themselves attracted to image being a result of an extremely dedicated media society. But image is an important issue as it provides security and self esteem. The promise of a great physique in a short time space is what entices Teenagers into the world of Bodybuilding. But despair is just round the corner as there is no quick route to Rapid result and an average of seven out of ten quit within the first three months just as adults do with dieting.

These resulting failures can only be put down to poor training or perhaps we should say OVER TRAINING. Teenagers need to follow a concrete and well paced out program and this is where I hope to be of some assistance so that a larger number of teenagers can reach their goal of self-image. There isnt really a right or wrong age to begin with weights but it goes without saying that exercise should be encouraged from an early age.

Especially in the formative years, youngsters should be encouraged to participate in all types of sports and occupations with the object of obtaining and aiding full normal development and the learning of skills. All young people should be trained as soon as possible to obtain the basic fitness to literally save their own lives. Running, jumping and swimming are definite musts! Most children with positive encouragement can learn to swim within a week. The running and athletic exercises ensure healthy lungs and cardiovascular systems, without which heavier exercises are useless or indeed even harmful.

It is imperative that encouragement be given to keen youngsters who desire to train, and that coaching begins on a one to one level. Youngsters between the ages of ten and fourteen must train with the lightest of weights and at low resistance, but always under the supervision of a professional.

The importance of Controlled Low Weight training is essential for the development of the youngest. A full range of basic exercises with about twelve repetitions averaging 30 minutes should be carried out no more than three times a week. The presence of a professional coach is required to check the weights in use and ensure that a collar is worn when both barbell and dumbbell exercises are carried out. The coach must also ensure that all security measures are in place and insist on warming up and tapering off.

Avoid exercises such as dead lifts, good morning exercises or heavy squats or bouncing squats. On no account should young trainers use heavy weights or exercises which compress the spine. Serious bodybuilding can commence as early as the teens. Providing all safety precautions are taken, good continued progress can take place. The high energies of youth can be channeled positively into fine muscle building potential. We repeat it is unwise to practice heavy power lifts until the trainee has finished his or her natural growth potential and bones, joints and tendons stabilize.

Schedules can become longer ranging from one to two hours, three times a week. It is not necessary, or wise to spend more time than this on what after all is an introverted occupation, nor should too much narcissism be the object, instead encourage the young trainer to obtain a useful development. Gymnastics agility exercises or martial arts are just two examples of muscle put to a purpose.

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