Small Equipment Repair

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Our most common jobs are lawn mowers of one kind or another, simple maintenance jobs, requiring small repairs. We repair just about ANY type of small equipment, whether it's electrical, mechanical, hydraulic, or pneumatic. If you can get it to our shop, chances are pretty good we can repair it.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. At CALL TOM!, we work on ANY Small Equipment, regardless of age, origin, or type. If we can't repair the equipment, or return it to working order, we don't charge for labor! Our parts include no markups...our savings are transferred directly to our customers.
We won't turn you away because the equipment is too old, or an off brand, or even if you built it yourself...we'll repair it, or you won't pay for our labor!

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. We like to aquire long term customers, people whom we view as friends. Honesty is a principle of our business, and treating our customers with truth and respect is the only way we want to do business with them.

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. Customers are commonly concerned about cost of repair. At CALL TOM!, we pass on our parts costs savings to our customers by not marking up prices...AT ALL. Our cost is what you pay. Also, our labor rate is fair. If a customer brings in a piece of equipment that will cost more to repair than it is worth, the customer is advised of that information. If the equipment is past its useful life, the customer is also advised. At CALL TOM!, we strive to make your repairs as inexpensive as possible.

Q. Do you have a favorite story from your work?

A. A customer called and asked if we worked on rototillers. Yes, we do, what is wrong with yours?
I think it has a broken gear.
Gears can be very expensive, is the tiller worth the expense?
I think it is.
OK, bring it in.
The customer showed up with the tiller on the back of a VERY LARGE John Deere tractor. Now folks, here at CALL TOM!, we work on SMALL equipment. This tiller was a tractor mounted Howard tiller, TEN FEET WIDE, weighing over 3,000 pounds!
Seeing how the customer had travelled across Burley, and into Paul, I really couldn't turn him away with a clear conscience, so I agreed to repair his tiller...$5,000 worth of parts, and an $800 labor cost for repairs, he drove away as a happy customer, impressed at the low repair cost.
As I've said, here at CALL TOM!, we can repair just about anything, but I would really like to stick to repairing SMALL equipment.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I've been a mechanic since I was 15 years old. That was over 40 years ago. I enjoy repairing everything. Fixing things that seem impossible, or really complicated, things that really make me USE my abilities are what I require to make myself feel useful in life.
Working for others showed me how dishonest and greedy people can be. I like to help people through problems, and it seems that while working for others did get equipment repaired, most customers were being taken advantage of.
Being able to look my customers in the eye and tell them how I was able to repair their equipment, and for such a low cost, makes me proud of what I can do for my community. My customers are my friends.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. A customer called regarding an electric wheelchair that didn't work. We told her we'd do our best to repair it as inexpensively as possible. She delivered the wheelchair, and through diagnosis, it was determined the joystick controller had been shorted out and the circuit board was burned out. The joystick controller was sent out to be rebuilt, and when it was returned and reinstalled, the wheelchair operated as it did when new.
The savings for this customer amounted to NOT having to make a trip to Boise and stay in a motel for a few days until the wheelchair was repaired.
The good part for CALL TOM! was to be put on the "go-to" list for electric wheelchair repairs by the wheelchair manufacturer.

Q. If you have a complicated pricing system for your service, please give all the details here.

A. Our normal labor rate is $35 per hour.
In November and December every year, we offer a 5% labor discount.
January through March, we offer a 10% labor discount.
Throughout the whole year, we offer NO MARKUP ON PARTS!
AND...if we can't repair it, there's NO LABOR CHARGE!

Q. Write your own question and answer it.

A. My small engine doesn't run. What should I check for?

Gasoline engines need four things to run.
1) Compression. 2) Fuel. 3) Air. 4)Spark.
Compression: When you pull the starter rope, or turn the key for the starter to turn the engine, you should hear a definite change in the noise associated with the engine turning. If the noise sounds constant and unchanging, or the pull rope provides no resistance to your pull, you have no compression, the engine won't start.
Fuel: First, ensure there is some fuel in the tank. Sure, it sounds dumb, but it does happen. Second, SMELL the fuel - does it smell like gasoline? or more like turpentine? If it smells like turpentine, it's old, and won't be good enough to run the engine. If it smells old, you may also need to have the carburetor cleaned. Old fuel "varnishes" the carburetor internal components, and plugs passageways, preventing the fuel from reaching the combustion chamber.
Air: Check your air filter. If the air filter is plugged or restricted, and the engine still runs, it will act like the choke is still on, giving little power to run on.
Spark: Check your spark plug by removing it, hooking the spark plug wire back onto the plug, and either wrap a wire around the threads on the plug, or otherwise 'ground' the plug to the metal part of the engine. Make sure the spark plug wire on top of the spark plug isn't touching anything, or you will be 'shorting' the spark before it gets to the plug. Pull the rope, or have an assistant pull the rope for you, and watch the spark plug to see if a good spark jumps between the electrodes of the spark plug. If it doesn't, you may have a bad coil, or a wire in the circuit shorted.
These are the basics...good luck!