Snips articles from April 2002

Snips archives from April 2002

Shops combine new machinery: With customer - friendly eye appeal. (Sheet Metal Machinery).
April 1, 2002... Answer fabs most hvac needs in-house FREELAND, Mich. -- It seems that wherever you look in Answer Heating and Cooling's quiet, impressive new hvac shop you see logos, ads and marketing gimmicks at work. That's precisely the effect on new...

Back from the brink: SM shop struggles to return to prosperity.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... SPOKANE, Wash. -- Not unlike many sheet metal shops, Allied Heating Inc. was down on its luck last year. This normally robust company with $1 million plus in sales was greatly affected by the national economic downturn, along with other factors...

Engineers say: Installing coil line was like building a ship in a battle. (Sheet Metal Machinery).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... How do you get a five-foot coil line inside an already pretty packed sheet metal shop? No, that's not the start of a joke. It was the situation facing the Iowa Precision engineers last year assigned to install a complete 60-in. Iowa...

Carrier enters: Duct sealing business.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Driving down the street, you drive over a nail and your tire goes flat. If you're lucky, you've got a can of aerosol leak sealer in your trunk. You fill the tire from the can, the leak is sealed, and you're on your way. It's a simple analogy...

NRCA convenes in San Antonio: Lone Star state welcomes Roofers.(National Roofing Contractors Association)(Texas)
April 1, 2002... SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- There is one five letter word beginning with "M" that has a lot to do with why many roofing contractors are smiling these days. And the word isn't Money. It's Metal. By most accounts, with the national economy still in...

Idea homes: Feature metal roofing.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Metal roofing is featured prominently in three new idea homes under construction. One of them, in Atlanta, served as a showcase for products during the 2002 International Builders' Show, which took place there in February. This...

Towards safer workers: Passport Safety Program.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Fingers crushed or lost to the merciless blades of a shearing machine, sliced flesh from the razor-like edge of a sheet of metal, scorched retinas from welding flashes and shattered necks and backs due to falling from dizzying heights. These...

12 Ways to find bad furnace heat exchangers. (Tech Tips).(Column)
April 1, 2002... If you are like me, you are a contractor that likes to find bad heat exchangers. You take pride in protecting your customers and also like to be rewarded for protecting them. My focus in this article is to share with you twelve ways to discover...

GM's Hummer plant in Indiana hums with nifty insulated duct. (Applications).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- General Motors' new Hummer H2 sport utility vehicle is going to be noticed on the roads this spring. It's a vehicle that's hard to miss. It's described as a less expensive and more refined version of the tanklike Hummer H1...

MCAA awards safety winners. (Association News).(Mechanical Contractors Association of America)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Mechanical Contractors Association of America (MCAA) at its 113th annual convention in Boca Raton, Fla. recently awarded the following companies first place honors for their excellent safety records: More than 50,000 work hours:...

ISH NA to boast 'international flavor'. (Association News).(International Sanitation and Heating North America)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Plans continue for the first ISH (International Sanitation and Heating) North America show scheduled for October 31-November 2 in Toronto, Ont., now with more than 150 exhibitors not counting the international pavilions. The first wave of...

ASHRAE awards Hvac students. (Association News).(heating ventillation and air conditioning)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... ASHRAE Student Design Project Competition winners have been announced. In the Hvac System Design Category: first place -- Michael Hahn, Michael Laws, Joseph Laws, James Mallory and Nathaniel Mielke of Ferris State University in Big Rapids,...

Dectron awards manufacturer's rep. (Supplier News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Dectron Internationale, Rosell, Ga., issued awards to its top selling manufacturer's rep. firms for 2001 at the International Air Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigerating Expo in January in Atlantic City, N.J. Pictured here are Dectron ceo Ness...

Venture Tape expands. (Supplier News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Venture Tape Corp., Rockland, Mass., has installed a new custom-built coating line and fully automated slitting equipment for the pressure sensitive tape market. The new equipment will allow the company to double its production, along with its...

TradePower establishes new business units. (Supplier News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... TradePower has established three new business units that will serve the needs of the distribution and contractor markets. These new units were established to provide better communication with customers, according to the company, to expand the...

Field Controls is 75. (Supplier News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Field Controls, Kinston, N.C., celebrates its 75th year in drafting, venting, and combustion air technology. The company was founded by Ted Field in 1927 in Evanston, Ill.. Today its products are available from more than 4,000 wholesalers...

Met-Coil Vice President John Toben.
April 1, 2002... Caption: Met-Coil Vice President John Toben sent Snips the accompanying photos of an interesting ductwork installation he saw firsthand in France, care of sheet metal fabricator Lhullier. Toben said, "I have never seen such complex ductwork,"...

Comfort Systems USA to sell 19 of its union subsidiaries. (Contractor News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Comfort Systems USA, one of the largest specialty contractors in the country, and largest national hvac contractor with nearly 11,000 employees, has agreed to sell 19 of its subsidiaries to EMCOR, its closest competitor. This was after the...

Quicker pay on way for contractors. (Contractor News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... In what is being hailed as a victory for contractors, a recently enacted New Mexico Retainage Act limits retainage to 5% of the contract value. Also, if retainage is required, the owner must put the funds into an interest-bearing escrow...

The Top 10 ways to prevent major screwups on the jobsite. (Meetings & Conventions).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... (Architectural sheet metal contractors know well the pressures faced on today's job sites. Avoiding some of the major hazards was the subject of a forum at SMACNA's October convention in Boca Raton, Fla. Moderators included Richard Hayes and...

Timothy Kelly. (People).(National Roofing Contractors Association award winner)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Timothy Kelly, Tuckahoe Metal & Roofing Inc., a GeneralRoofing Co., Yonkers, N.Y., is the 2001 Charlie Raymond award winner for the National Roofing Contractors Association (NRCA) for recruiting nine new members during the year.

Robert Fitzgerald. (People).(Mechanical Contractors Association of America, president)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Robert Fitzgerald became president of the Mechanical Contractors of America during its 113th annual convention in Boca Raton, Fla. He is ceo of FitzGerald Contractors Inc., Shreveport, La. Thomas Williams was named president-elect. He is with...

Steven Emmons. (People).(Lindab Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Lindab Inc., Stamford, Conn., announced the appointment of Steven Emmons as its new CADvent manager for North American operations. His responsibilities include developing and executing a CADvent software training program, investigating new...

Bill Tritsis and Sunil Nanjundaram. (People).(Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute staff)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Bill Tritsis and Sunil Nanjundaram are new additions to the Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute's (ARI) engineering staff.

Jim Hussey. (People).(Air Conditioning Contractors of America chairman)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Jim Hussey, president of Marina Mechanical and Bay Point Control, San Leandro, Calif., is the new chairman of the Air Conditioning Contractors of America (ACCA).

Kirk Thorne. (People).(Lennox International Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Lennox International Inc. announced the appointment of Kirk Thorne as vice president and general manager of Lennox Hearth Products-Canada. Thorne will be responsible for the operations of Lennox hearth products in Canada and Security Chimneys...

Todd Oberg. (People).(RPS Products Inc.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... RPS Products Inc., manufacturer of humidification and air filtration products, has appointed Todd Oberg to director of industrial sales. Phone him at 847-683-3400 or e-mail todd@rpsproducts.com.

Carrier's Residential and Light Commercial Systems (RLCS). (People).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Duncan Gillis has joined Carrier's Residential and Light Commercial Systems (RLCS) in Indianapolis as vice president, marketing. Herman Kling has been appointed vice president, sales for Carrier RLCS.

Steve Jaczun. (People).(York International Corp.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... York International Corp.'s Unitary Products Group announced the appointment of Steve Jaczun to the position of regional national account sales manager -- residential new construction. Jaczun will support UPG's growing residential new...

American Auto-Matrix. (People).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Robert Lofgren is now vice president of sales and technical services at American Auto-Matrix, Export, Pa. Anthony Icenhour assumes the role of vice president of marketing and business development.

David White. (People).(W.A. Whitney Co.)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... W.A. Whitney Co., Rockford, Ill., has appointed David White to tooling sales and marketing manager.

Craig Butler. (People).(R.W. Beckett Corp. sales engineer)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Craig Butler has joined Elyria, Ohio-based burner manufacturer R.W. Beckett Corp. as a sales engineer.

Obituaries.(A.O. Reed and Co., Sweet's Heating and Air Conditioning)(Obituary)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Ed Andrade, chairman of the board of San Diego-based A.O. Reed and Co., in November. He entered UA Local 230 Plumber Apprenticeship program in 1956 and began his career doing service work with Clarence Leafdale Plumbing in San Diego. He went...

Successful selling: It's a matter of trust.(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Prospects want to buy from an honest salesperson that they trust. The key word is trust. Without creating trust, you have about as much chance to sell your product as selling an ice cream cone to an Eskimo. Think about your feelings: would you...

I-Net Buzz: A monthly column on the Internet and E-Commerce.(York International Corp's Unitary Products Group Luxaire offers web site for heating and air-conditioning distributors and dealers)
April 1, 2002... York International Corp.'s Unitary Products Group Luxaire division has created the Luxaire Business Network, also called Biz.Net for its heating and air-conditioning distributors and dealers. The system is designed to improve efficiency and...

Florida. (Regional News).(heating, ventilation, and air conditioning industry)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Florida Forum newsletter published by the Florida Roofing, Sheet Metal and Air Conditioning Contractors Association carried a special report in January detailing the new state building code. The code was delayed in January but slated for...

Illinois. (Regional News).(people in the news: plumbing, heating and air conditioning)
April 1, 2002... James Stewart, vice president of H.R. Steward Inc., Cary, was elected president of the Plumbing, Heating and Cooling Contractors Association of Lake and McHenry Counties for 2002-2003. David Ariano, vice president of Ravinia Plumbing & Heating...

Kansas. (Regional News).(Buckley Roofing Co., of Wichita honored)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Buckley Roofing Co., Wichita, was honored with an NRCA Gold Circle Award at this year's convention for its work on the Exploration Place Inc. children's museum and science center. Three-inch high battens made in the company's sheet metal shop...

Kentucky. (Regional News).(Sheet Metal Contractors Association elect officers)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Kentucky Sheet Metal Contractors Association elected officers for the 2002-03 term. They are: chairman William Merrick, Merrick Construction Co.; vice chairman Tom Van Etten, Griffin & Co.; sec.-treas. Denny Herberger, Diversified Sheet...

Michigan. (Regional News).(ACCA convention)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Michigan ACCA holds its annual convention April 11-13 at the Waterfront Inn & Resort in Traverse City, under the theme "Leadership in Changing Times." Mike Callahan will be giving the keynote address. Phone 517-323-2824 or fax 517-323-1715 for...

Nebraska. (Regional News).(John mcCarthy of McCarthy-Hotentot-Siebler featured in newsletter)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... John McCarthy of McCarthy-Hotentot-Siebler, Omaha, was featured in a recent issue of Arcoaire's Dealer Access newsletter. He offered sales and marketing tips on packaging hvac equipment for residential customers: deluxe, premier, superior,...

Honeywell awarded Jim Williams.(Jim Williams Refrigeration wins sweepstakes)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Caption: Honeywell awarded Jim Williams, Williams Refrigeration, Warren, Mich., $30,000 as the grand prize in its POWERContractor Sweepstakes. One of Williams' Refrigeration's entries was chosen in a random ballot selection from more than...

New Jersey. (Regional News).(ACCA monthly meeting)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... North Jersey ACCA held a Manual D Seminar in March. Its next regular monthly meeting is April 16. Guest speaker in February was Robert Hedinger and Richard Wenger on "current trends in lien laws."

Ohio. (Regional News).(Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning industry's ACCA board meeting)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Central Ohio ACCA's board of directors and committee chairpersons met in February. Cheryl Roahrig was a last-minute replacement speaker for Harold Squire, who had to bow out for health reasons. Thompson-Cunningham Insurance Agency is a new...

Pennsylvania. (Regional News).(Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning industry association members)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Tom Szymczak of SSM Industries was installed as the new president of SMACNA of Western Pennsylvania at the December membership meeting. Vice president is David Meyer, Ralph J. Meyer Co.; treasurer is Mark Scalise, Scalise Inds.; secretary is...

Washington. (Regional News).
April 1, 2002... A team of students from the University of Washington won the first-ever student competition held by the Mechanical Contractors Association of America. They received a cash prize of $5,000 at MCAA's 113th annual convention in Boca Raton, Fla. in...

West Virginia. (Regional News).
April 1, 2002... Kalkreuth Roofing & Sheet Metal Inc., Wheeling, was honored with an NRCA Gold Circle Award at this year's convention for its work on Cleveland's Carl B. Stokes U.S. Federal Courthouse and Office Building. The project required more than 100,000...

Wisconsin. (Regional News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Wisconsin Fox Valley Sheet Metal Contractors Association elected the following slate of officers: president Greg Gauthier, Gremar Metal Inds., Green Bay; vice president Phil Steinhofer, Hurckman Mechanical Inds., Green Bay; sec./treas. Mark...

Canada. (Regional News).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The Refrigeration Service Engineers Society (RSES) Winnipeg chapter held an educational meeting Feb. 21 with Tom Newark of Alltemp Products as its guest speaker. He is a past RSES Canada President. The RSES/UMRA Canada Educational...

Building codes manual. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... The National Roofing Contractors Association has published the NRCA Building Codes Manual, a book specially written for roofing contractors and others in the roofing industry. It has up-to-date building code information from all major model...

Architecture textbook. (Books, Software, & Lit.).
April 1, 2002... Rheinzink recently released the second revised edition of "Applications in Architecture," the company's manual on zinc production, processing and uses. Aimed at architects, building owners, craftsmen, students and trainees, the book gives a...

Duct insulation spec sheet. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Certain Teed Corp. has a new spec sheet for its FlameChek[TM] duct insulation. FlameChek is specially designed for high temperature grease duct applications. The two-page spec sheet, available in CSI format, includes a photo of the insulation,...

CAD software. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... Lindab Inc. recently released CADvent 3.2, the latest version of its AutoCAD driven software. The software helps streamline duct design, product selection, drafting and estimating processes. The new version of CADvent offers more flexibility...

Sheet metal fittings. (Books, Software, & Lit.).
April 1, 2002... The Masterflex Group offers a booklet of its Flexmaster line of sheet metal fittings. Conical and spin fittings, hangers, dampers, sleeves and available accessories are all listed. Each product listing includes available diameters, gauges and...

Welding alternatives. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Spiral-Helix has a one-page color fact sheet about its Gorelocker Sport, a machine that offers contractors an alternative to welded elbows, reducers, end caps and off sets. The Gorelocker Sport combines two machines into one, with a...

Tooling software. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... International Knife and Saw Inc. recently released "Save2001," the company's Windows-based software system designed to take the guesswork our of slitter tool setup. According to IKS officials, the software eliminates reoccurring setup errors,...

Oil heating careers. (Books, Software, & Lit.).
April 1, 2002... The National Association of Oil Heating Service Managers (NAOHSM) has an eight minute CD-ROM available on the benefits of a career in the oil heat industry. The CD-ROM is aimed at junior high and high school vocational students to consider...

Rooftop unit book. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(Thybar Corp. offers information about Retro-Mate)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... ThyCurb has a 10 page spiral bound book about its Retro-Mate[TM] rooftop unit retrofit system. The color mini book shows installation examples of the Retro-Mate and includes charts to show how the Retro-Mate saves significant time, money and...

Metal building products. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(Copper Sales Inc. provides information on Una-Clad line)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Copper Sales Inc. offers a booklet of the architectural metal building products available from its Una-Clad line. Architectural, structural, soffit and commercial systems are all profiled, with color photographs of the products in use around...

Resistance welding. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(T.J. Snow Co. offers fact sheet about its welders)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Tennessee-based T.J. Snow Co.'s fact sheet describes the slim line, pedestal type spot, projection and seam welders offered by the firm. The machines in the line are shown in color, along with a list of specifications, such as throat depth,...

Air Filter info. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(AAF International)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... AAF International has a sales information sheet for hvac contractors about the company's Breathe Right[R] line of furnace air filters. The color sheet explains why demand for premium air filtration products is high and expected to grow. Details...

Air cleaner. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(Air Quality Engineering Inc. provides information on Model F62B Electronic Air Cleaner)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Minneapolis-based Air Quality Engineering has a spec sheet about its Model F62B Electronic Air Cleaner with Coanda AirFlow. Dirty air particles enter the unit at the bottom and clean air is recirculated throughout the rest of the work area....

Pollution control. (Books, Software, & Lit.).(Tri-Mer Corp. offers product catalog)(Brief Article)
April 1, 2002... Tri-Mer[R] has a fold out product catalog of the company's air pollution control systems for industry, including chamber scrubbers, multi-stage packed bed systems, wet dust collectors and more. Color pictures show most products in use. Each...

Measuring tools. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... This company makes a complete line of tapeless measuring devices for many applications, including hvac. The manufacturer suggests its DMS series is ideal for measuring air volume for hvac. The units come in sizes as small as around the size of...

Hammer drill. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... The FDV16VB is this company's latest addition to its line of hammer drills. It offers a low noise cooling airflow design to prevent overheating. Ball and needle bearings ensure durability and double insulation keeps the power supply isolated...

Humidifier. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... The Humicontrol gas powered steam humidifier automatically detects excessive build up of mineral scale on the heat exchanger and has a water preheat circuit, allowing the unit to respond in seconds. It features 25% to 100% modulation with...

Field cut adapter. (New Products).
April 1, 2002... This Connecticut company recently introduced a new field cut adapter for its SPIROsafe Double Wall duct system. According to the manufacturer, this field cut adapter significantly decreases the time-consuming process of cutting double wall...

B-Vent Increaser. (New Products).
April 1, 2002... The makers of the B-Vent Increaser say it makes installation of pipe quicker and easier, especially in tight spaces. The new Increaser has a 0-in, height, so it will not add height when two pipes are connected, while maintaining the integrity...

Hardness tester. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... This company has announced two new portable hardness testing devices, the models 3810 and 3811. Both models have a compact design, and feature advanced functions, high accuracy and repeatability. They can test all metals, with results shown in...

Duct Camera. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... This Forth Worth, Texas company makes a duct cleaning system that lets contractors and customers see the ductwork as its being cleaned. The Video-Aire 3500 has a 9-in. (diagonal) color monitor, a built-in VCR and stands 38-in, tall and 14-in....

Air Filters. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... The OdorGuard[R] Ring Panel Air Filters are designed For use in hvac systems and air cleaners. The ring panel filters contain granular activated carbon to remove odors and gaseous and particulate pollutants, and are available in several sizes....

Replacement units. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... The MultiZone Retro-Mare[R] is a fast, cost-effective way to replace multi-zone rooftop units. A self-contained unit with zone and bypass dampers, it is designed to mount on top of existing multi-zone ductwork and zones. Installation time is...

Detergent degreaser. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... "Double Duty" is an aggressive synthetic degreasing detergent without odor or toxicity. Diluted or full strength, it will remove more grease and soil than many other products, according to the manufacturer. Double Duty is biodegradable, has a...

Attachment system. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... This company' spring loaded damper clip is now available with an aluminum body and brass spring. The attachment system keeps the spring in place--no slippage. It includes a slot for a screwdriver at the end of the threaded shaft, allowing the...

Punching machine. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... The Trumatic 2010 Rotation is an entry level, affordable punching machine. It features a hydraulic punching head, alltool rotation, quick setup and changeover features, brush tables and a 50 x 50-in. working range. The TC 2010 R is designed for...

Axial fans. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... This company offers a full line of belt and direct drive adjustable pitched vane axial fans. The vane fans are designed to move high volumes of air while taking up a minimum about of space. All models include airfoil shaped case aluminum blades...

Mobile apparatus. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... The makers of the Layout Cart[TM] say it will save time and labor costs. The unit is a mobile apparatus that facilitates the accurate transfer of one or more points to any other surface that has one or more points. Housed on a four-wheel...

Control valves. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... This firm now offers refrigeration control valves with zinc plating as an option on its acrylic enamel valve coating. Zinc coating provides good corrosion resistance. Among the products the coating is available on: refrigerant solenoid valves,...

Mini Brake. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... This portable Mini Brake weighs just 58 lb., and accommodates sheet metal up to 4 ft. wide in any length. It makes bends up to 135[degrees] in galvanized sheet metal up to 22 ga. The makers say the Mini Brake is ideal for fabricating plenums or...

Flexible duct. (New Products).(advertisement)
April 1, 2002... The patent pending FlexFlow Elbow[TM] is designed to make sure a flexible duct connection to a diffuser maintains the proper shape for maximum airflow. It's made of a strong composite material and works as a brace to hold the ductwork in place,...

Solid state starters. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... This Minneapolis-based company recently announced that solid state computer motor starters are now standard equipment on its new "C" vintage ALS Air-Cooled Chillers. The feature protects form machine or electrical faults and includes...

Bracket system. (New Products).
April 1, 2002... Company officials say their snap-lock bracket system simplifies gutter installation, reducing cost and time. It consists of a C profile mounting rail and twist-in gutter brackets. Using screws, the mounting rail is fastened directly to the...

Pollution Control. (New Products).(Brief Article)(Product Announcement)
April 1, 2002... The Source Capture Arm was designed to remove welding pollutants such as smoke from workshops. Company officials say it can lower maintenance costs and increase employee safety. The company's product line includes a moveable arm that manually...

Calendar.
April 1, 2002... APRIL 8-12 The University of Wisconsin-Madison College of Engineering is sponsoring "Testing, Adjusting and Balancing," a five day hvacr course. Topics will include verifying equipment performance, how to adjust new and existing...