The Milwaukee Paint Shop

I have avoided flat rates since day number one as I always thought they were a ripoff.  Sometimes to me.  More often to you the customer.  The issue is I billed by time which varies from project to project and makes it hard to quote prices up front.

By popular demand, here are my brand new flat rates which will allow you to figure out up front and quite easily what a project will cost.

  These are quite simple and intended to be just that .  Some of what I do does not fit a flat rate category so if you think what you want may fall outside the flat rates tables, feel free to contact me and ask.  It is safe to say 90% of what most people will want will in fact fit one of the two main categories.

       Fixed rate tables

 BASIC PAINT JOBS ON YOUR ENGINE.  $170.00

  This includes just about any paint job with as many colors as needed to do the job.  You may request one add on detail in this category without moving into the full detail rate range.  For example if your engine needs cab sunshades, you may have them in this category.  That or any other single off the shelf add on detail part.

FULL DETAIL PACK ON YOUR ENGINE. $210.00

   This category includes the above paint service and as many details as you wish to ask for.  Go ahead and maximize the additional cost.  Ask for it all.

 All means any commercially available detail which fits on your project.  The list is way to long in most cases but the most basic things just about everyone wants in this category will include wire grab irons to replace the cast in place details.  If your project is an EMD locomotive it will also include lifting rings and if you want them, and they are available for the model, photo etched fans.  I say EMD here because the details do not exist for GE or other make locomotive models in N scale.  You would also get windshield wipers.   Air line hoses if your model does not already have them.  Photo etched cut levers if they are available for your model and are not already present.  Some Atlas engines and all the FVM GEvo engines already  have  separately applied coupler cut lever details.

THIS FLAT RATE DEAL SHALL NOT INCLUDE ALL THE DETAILS ON THE TRAINWORKS SD70ACe SD70M-2 CONVERSION KIT.  YOU MAY HAVE THE FANS ONLY BUT ALL THE OTHER PARTS IMMEDIATELY FALL INTO A $35 UP CHARGE TO COVER THE COST OF THE PARTS AND THE EXTRA TIME INVOLVED IN THIS COMPLICATED PROCESS.

  This is just a list of possible add ons.  Each engine and project is unique here.  The only limitation to this upgrade deal is it has to be an off the shelf detail part ready to be installed on a model.

  There may be exceptions to this rule but none I am thinking of right now.

       SPECIAL PROJECTS

        SAMPLE OF A SPECIAL PROJECT

   This is a broad category but really applies to maybe only 20% of everything I do.  If all you want is paint and tack on details, this is not where you need to be thinking price wise.

  This covers any and all transformation projects.  If you need a headlight moved, it will fall in this category.  That being the low end of this type of work.  It moves up pretty fast all the way to things like transforming one model into something else either by kit-bash methods or full blown conversion kits.  If you are unsure what you want fits this category, just ask but chances are if all you want is paint and add on details, it will not.

  These projects vary widely and will all be billed at $20 per hour for the entire project from start to completion. I can only quote a guesstimate on these and the actual price will be what it is based upon time and materials used.  Warning, they are not cheap, but they can be very cool!

  There are more examples of such projects on my WORK SAMPLES page.

  N scale is not HO scale and there are some practical limits as to what can be done, but are probably fewer than you might guess.  Ask to see if what you want is possible.  I am fearless when it comes to this sort of work and will try doing most anything at least once.

EXCEPTIONS AND INCLUSIONS

A SPECIAL PAINT RULE SURCHARGE WILL APPLY TO CERTAIN VERY HARD PAINT JOBS.  THIS WILL BE AN EXTRA $20 AND APPLIES ONLY TO THE FLAT RATE DEALS AS THE "SPECIAL PROJECTS" IS ALREADY BILLED BY THE HOUR, ACTUAL TIME USED.

  This is a vague exception and I really can only point out a few examples up front what fits here.  I am a master painter and things which look hard may in fact not be all that hard for me at all.  Some things may look simple but in fact require multiple overlapping layers of custom cut masks. I pretty much can tell you if you ask up front if your project will be a harder job or not.  It will probably surprise you what earns this extra charge.  More important you may be surprised to find out most schemes will NOT earn this extra charge

IN BOTH THE FLAT RATE CATEGORIES YOU MAY INCLUDE CUSTOM MADE DECALS AS PART OF THE DEAL.  I use ready made decals when available but should not be considered a limit to what I offer.  I can and will make any sort of decal to match a prototype or even fantasy designed to your wishes.

  FLAT RATES ARE JUST THAT

 I have avoided these for years but am placing them on the table by popular demand.  My flat rates are based on an average which has been established over time and hundreds, possibly thousands of projects completed.  This is not a side job for me.  It is my only income and the calculation to arrive at these rates is based on these must pay my wage.  I do not have a side job.  THIS is NOT my side job.  It is all I do.  You are paying for professional services here at the highest level.  Do not expect my rates to compare to other painters who do this as a pocket change sort of activity.  You will in fact get way more from me than most other guys you will deal with and not just in terms of product.

  I am a very communicative person who thinks service is a priority, not an extra.  There is entirely to much to say about how i operate so i suggest if you have not already, give me a try and see for yourself.  I am pretty sure you will not only be happy with the product I make for you, you will actually enjoy the experience too.

              PAYMENT

  I do not request deposits to reserve a spot.  All you need to do is ask for one.  Things happen where you change your mind and I do not want to be refunding money.  Payment for the entire project is expected soon after completion.  I try my best to schedule work so it is not at a bad time for you.  I want to get paid and doing a project when it is a bad time for you serves no one.

  There is a lone exception to this rule. If you request I locate and provide a model to paint, payment in full for the model is expected as soon as I locate it.  In most cases that will be only days after you ask me to do a search.  I have an excellent source for engines and cars at a deep discount.  I charge what I pay for them as my money is made off my service, not marking up goods.

  Models to paint are not included in the above rates.

         MY DEAL!

    SPEND AND SAVE

  That is right.  I value my repeat customers and to say thanks I will give you one on the house.

FORMERLY KNOWN AS BUY 10 GET ONE FREE.

  This is just refining what was a new offer.  I found the bugs and have run them out so it works better for you!

The initial idea was buy 10 and get one free.  What i ran into was to many people mixing and matching and then having to calculate how much was spent to hand out punches.

  The punches are gone!

  This is far more simple and accounts for every penny you spend easily.

You MUST spend at least $1700.00 which is the value of 10 base projects so see the buy 10 get one free is still there.

  All projects are NOT equal so instead of punches I will now just keep a running tally of money spent and when you reach $1700.00 you may cash it in.

  If you are on the path of buying complex projects and want a free engine just keep letting the dollars pile up until you can earn a free engine of higher value.

Simple math here is the redeemable value of the card is 10 percent of what you have spent.

  This is an incentive to do more business with me so anything less than $1700.00 spent is not an amount you can redeem for a simple discount on a project.

    SHIPPING

I use USPS Priority mail insured for all domestic shipments.

  Shipping costs are generally included in my prices up to a point.

I will pay  for any and all shipments postage up to $20.00   This by the way covers most everything I ship.  Exceptions will come into play where excess amounts of insurance are involved.

I use USPS International Express exclusively for International Shipments.

  These all exceed $20.00 so i will pick up the first $20 of the shipping and you pay the rest.

  This is a superior service for the cost.  I have gotten boxes to Japan in under 3 days.  To Australia in under 6 days.  For roughly one third the cost of comparable UPS or FedEx charges.

  I strongly suggest you allow me to use this service.  If you insist on any service other than  USPS International Express you assume any additional costs, or liability from the inability to fully track and insure a shipment. ( USPS International mail, or USPS International Priority for example ).

I accept PayPal for any and all payments owed.

  Simply direct a payment using my email address located at the bottom of each page and the send money option at

https://www.paypal.com/

I will send an invoice if this helps you.

I do not ask for additional money to use this service with ONE EXCEPTION.

  I provide a service.  For this no additional fee is required to use PayPal

If you ask me to buy merchandise for you there will be a small additional charge to cover the PayPal fee.  Reason for this is I am buying goods for you and must have the full amount owed to pay for these goods.