What the SFA has done for me

[Dan R.]

I bought a $200,000+ saw for for 65,000.
I had night crawlers delivered to the Winnipeg airport for my Canadian fly-in fishing adventure.
I have been shared processes that save me money every day.
I have received discounts. I have had members do service calls for me.
I have done installs for other members.
I have been directed to the correct place more than once (no not hell ) for solutions to many problems.
I have enjoyed all benefits of membership, through sharing, it truly has made this business fun to be in, even during the trying times.

You only get out of it, what you put into it.

Make a difference and participate.

Get to St Louis.

[Antonio Almonte]

I know for me and my business the SFA has been a god send. I know I would not be where I am today without the SFA and it's members.

The advice, tips and tricks, comraderie(sp?), the list could go on and on.

I also made great friends. Folks that I consider close friends that I would never have met if it were not for the SFA.

See ya all at the Megaworkshop!

[dustinbraudway]

The contacts!

The friends!

The privilege to talk and work with like minded fabricators through out the world everyday.

All the shop visit's through out the country and abroad

Working with ultra craftsman using different new and old school techniques!

Getting to teach someone else how to make a living and be good at it!

Learning from others and building my skill level.

[Chris Mills]

It has raised the bar of my work to confidentely state to customers that "We are the best in the area!" I offer them to compare our work to others. This is 100% because of the SFA. I have found answers to problems that I would have been lost without the SFA. I have learned how to do it better, faster and cheaper! I have met and become friends to many. I save money through our discounts everytime I buy anything. I have become much more confident because I have the group to fall back on. It is by far the best investment I have or will ever make. I bought a roughly 80k saw for 25k. I am up on the latest techniques because I am a menber. I feel I am part of a brotherhood that will go the extra mile for me and many have done that already and I have done it for others as well. I am thankful and proud to say I am an SFA member. I am learning something everyday.

[clhilde]

I ditto Dustin and Chris

Just today I made 2 Phone calls and thanks to perfect timing had a machine inspected that may be a new purchase banks willing and I just bought a back up saw for a steal over the weekend while we were at the workshop.Wish i had found out about this place 5 years ago I would be rolling

[Joe Durfee]

Where to begin:

1. Friends - I was looking through my contacts on my phone last week and realized that about 25% are SFA members. I can call at any time to ask questions or just to catch up. The parties when we get together are alright too...

2. Knowledge - Only being in the being in the industry four and a half years, there is so much that I have not been exposed to yet. Members are always willing to share their experiences so that others don't make the same mistakes.

3. Deals - Many sponsors give SFA discounts. Who doesn't like saving money?

4. Finally, I just finished my first week at a new SFA shop. Yes, I moved 700 miles from home, but I feel that this is the next step in my career. Without the SFA I would still be where I was in the past and not moving onward and upward.

[Rob Martin]

Well it's been awhile since I've even been on the site. My brother and I joined the SFA when we were getting our feet wet in the industry (no pun intended) and the SFA was relatively a new organization. We went to several workshops and learned a lot. Not to mention, we've met a bunch of really cool people along the way.

My favorite thing about the SFA has always been learning the concept and skill of top polishing. Thank you Scott!!!

But as of 30 minutes ago, all of that has changed! I installed a large job of Santa Cecilia about two weeks ago. New construction house, big kitchen and three bathrooms. Two of the three bathrooms were so friggin big they had seams. We fabricated and installed everything dead nuts perfect, top polished seams, the norm. It was my first job with this new contractor, and I blew his mind with the quality of our work. He had never seen seams that good....didn't even know it was physically possible. About 5 days later he calls me to say "there is some sort of weird green tint on the countertops.....I think someone must have spilled something". Even before I was able to get over there to see it I was in full on panic. I assumed the dreaded Green Bloom. After inspecting it myself, I was correct in my assumption. And I'm not talking about a little green bloom. This was the green bloom of all green blooms. Both seams in the two bathrooms had a gross green stain the entire length of the seam that was almost 18" wide. I can't find an image on the internet ANYWHERE that compares to this case of green bloom. After 6 years in business, I'd like to think I know how to safely and properly use activator....but it was obvious that anywhere the activator had been applied, had turned to green bloom. It even carried up the gd backsplash!!! **and I will note it was a new brand of activator, but I never thought differently.

So, long story short. I tried my own little methods (also learned via SFA)......acetone and DE poultice. Then I tried torching it. Then I spilled acetone down the front of the cabinets while reapplying another batch of poultice (that's a whole nother story).....

Then I went home with my tail between my legs. I was starting to accept the fact that I would be rebuilding half of this job.....ripping out perfectly good work and reinstalling. I got on the SFA that night and searched green bloom. I noticed 3 or 4 of you guys highly recommended Mangia Macchia. So I order some. Pay $106 for next day air. Then I wait. Two days later I'm still waiting. Then I call...."oh, sorry sir. that product was on backorder when you ordered it last Thursday, but we have some now, we'll send it out today to you".....

So it arrives late Tuesday afternoon. The island for this kitchen is now sitting in my garage so that I could do some testing in the comfort of my own home (it had a tiny pit that I filled during the day of installation, so it too has green bloom). I apply the Mangia Macchia as directed. After waiting 3 hours, I peel off the plastic and let it dry. I woke up this morning @ 4am with Mangia Macchia on the brain. I spring out of bed and run to the garage to see the results........ The Green Bloom is gone baby!!! GONE!!!

I now swear by this product. It has saved me thousands of dollars and countless hours of labor. I can now enjoy my holiday weekend!!!

So what has the SFA done for me? Well, I will be playing golf and drinking beer on the day after Thanksgiving, and tailgating all day for the FL/FSU (even though the Gators SUCK) game on Saturday instead of rebuilding and reinstalling a friggin kitchen and two bathrooms!!

You just might see me at the next workshop!! I'm back baby! SFA for life!!!

[dustinbraudway]

Congrats Rob!


Glad it worked out for you.

[Antonio Almonte]

Nice! Glad it worked out for you Rob!

[Matt Lansing]

Nice!

It is a great resource if people have the desire to learn!

[Curtis R. Marburger]

Curtis Marburger I know what it is to be Stone Hard , I am a Stone Cutter, a Granite Counter top Fabricator, I do not advertise at all. its all word of mouth and clients hear of our work 100 plus miles away. I asked GOD for wisdom in Stone Fabrication and he sent Master Craftsman into my life who taught me the foundational basics of rightly dividing Stone. before and when we divide Stone we compare it and put it back together correctly with razor sharp seams and top polish seams. I was there when top polished seams started they said it could not be done. 1 man Mark Lauzon whom I am privileged to know would not settle for that. and together with other like minded individual's we built a world wide "stone fabricators alliance" the SFA
they are correct top polished razor sharp seams can not be done, razor sharp top polished seams can only be done by those who are Master's of their Workmanship
some people Think others Think they Think

Thank You to all the Master Craftsman of the SFA you know who you are . You also know you are only as good as the last piece of stone that passed through your shop
Thank you to the Ladies of the SFA who hold a very special place

Curtis

[kevinp]

A post in the General Forum brought this subject to my attention.

The SFA is an unending resource of knowledge and comraderie that I have learned so much from I don't know where to start.

Learning to top polish...
Advice working with difficult stones...
Dealing with hack competitors...
Blade and pad advice...
Fixing all kinds of issues etc...

The members are quick to help with any problem that comes up. Many have bent backwards to help me before they actually met me.
I have become much more wise and confident since joining the SFA, and I had a fair amount of fabrication and ownership experience before that!

The SFA Rocks!!!

[jrjoeyg12]

I think it can best be put this way: Whenever we face a new challenge or something we have never seen before, we all say this to each other "Let's ask the SFA!" Everyone here is so incredibly helpful and full of knowledge. I am a third generation to this business and it is amazing how there are still things that we haven't seen. It is almost guaranteed that just when you think you've seen it all, there is something else to discover. And the SFA is there for all of it. I only recently joined this year and there is no question I will be a member for life.

Can't wait to join one of the workshops and meet everyone!

PS: that story about the green bloom was terrifying. I am going to do some more research on the subject because I have never heard of it! See my point!?!?!?!

[CustomMarbleGraniteToo]

Today the SFA showed me how just a bunch of small businesses and individuals can band together in such a way to create an army and take down Goliath to save other small businesses!

Very proud of all of you!

[GuyboR]

The SFA is more then just about granite.....it's about friendships.

Last Friday we had a wayward Canadian couple stop in our shop to visit. Mike and Jodie Dean were on their way to Chicago for the weekend from London Ontario. Apparently Mike was reading the map, because they drove past Chicago, south 2 hours to Bloomington (Dan Riccolo), north 2 hours to Davenport (me) then northeast 2 hours to Rockford (Rick George).

Finally after missing their Chicago exit the first time past, and experiencing Friday night rush hour Chicago style, Lisa and I met Mike and Jodie in downtown Chicago for an enjoyable weekend. The girls did their best to map out EVERY purse shop on Michigan Avenue while Mike and I did our best to keep the credit cards away from them. We had a wonderful time with a couple that we never would have had the pleasure of knowing if it wasn't for SFA.

THANK YOU SFA!!!

And THANK YOU Mike and Jodie for sharing your weekend with the two of us.

[mark brooks]

I was a solid surface fabricator...WAS.. 5 years ago at the start of the dark times i got into the granite business..SFA was my guide and has been ever since.Been all uphill from day one...today i became a paying member and im proud of that..i went from a Blue ripper to a Yukon.a pancake compressor to an Ingersol Rand screw.From a grinder and curved blade to big radial arm machine.from consignment stone from Triton to my own stone.Ive seen periods of weeks with no customers to a backlog of 10 kitchens..all word of mouth..and SFA was there for every question and nightmare.
thankyou SFA.

[Darryl Miller]

Great post and great story Mark. Thanks for sharing.

[freduarte]

Was just browsing around and saw this post and had to put my story also...
Six years ago I met my boss (a member) through SFA posts and got a job with his company... (I was in Portugal and he was on western Canada)...
Without actually ever physically talking with him I came to Canada for the first time and he ended up being a great guy.
I unfortunately left the company 18 months ago to start my own business and after a bad 9 months experience with a semi-partnership with another guy, I went on my own and am now running my own shop. It's not the state of the art shop but it has a good bridge saw and everything that it's needed to do a good quality job.
Sales are over what I expected and things are going on the right direction!!!
I said "unfortunately" before because it's just a good company to work for (I did the same job for 14 years back home and there's a huge difference on how workers are treated), although I don't plan on ever looking for a job again I will always remember how I came to Canada with $400 on my pocket and a bag of dreams!!!

Thanks SFA and Vshop

[Matt Lansing]

Nice post Fred!

[Curtis R. Marburger]

Happy for you Fred ,

[GuyboR]

Just wanted to bring this post back up as the SFA has once again been an invaluable asset for Robertson Manufacturing.

In the x years that we have been members/involved in the SFA, I have developed many relationships, both personal and business. Three times these relationships have helped us move forward with our company by giving me access to references on job applicants that applied at our company.

7-8 years ago a salesman filled out a application out of the blue. He had some job experience in Florida, so I called a fabricator friend there that in short he said if I hired that person he would personally jump on a plane and come kick me in the ass.

6 years ago another out of the blue application was filled out who came from North Carolina. Once again I called a contact there who said if I DIDN'T hire this person, he would personally jump on a plane and come kick me in the ass. That employee is one of my top employees now.

And just recently we had our 3rd SFA connected applicant. Because of a relationship that I have developed over the last 5+ years with Rick George, I have come to know him well. When he found himself in a position looking for a new direction in his career, I knew that he could fill a void in our company that would probably have cost me 5 figures thru a head hunter service.

These are 3 situations that I would never have had the insight to help make a more educated decision if it were not for the SFA and its far reaching web.

[BellaTerra]

It's hard to compete with other experiences especially since we are still new but I just have to share what the SFA has done for us.
My wife and I moved to Canada four years ago from California. I was born and raised here but my wife has had to do some adjusting to say the least. We did kitchen and bath remodels in California and so I had some experience cutting and polishing with blanks. When we first moved here we built a couple of houses California style with granite and stone everywhere and people loved them. We remembered the advice of a good frind who said, "Do one thing and do it well and you'll never be without work." We felt the market was right for us to focus simply on fabricating countertops. We rented a small shop (500 sq/ft), joined the SFA and started working with prefab slabs. We asked for some advice on setting up and getting suppliers and the response was so much more than we could have ever expected. We started on April 1st 2013 with the hope of fabbing up a kitchen every three weeks or so but ended up doing over 100 kitchens and baths by the end of our first year. We moved to full slabs by the end of the first month, we expanded to 1800 sq/ft on Sept 1st/2013 and then to 3300 sq/ft on Sept 1st/2014 and we now stock over 120 full slabs. We started with my wife and I and one helper and now have five employees and are bursting at the seams. We are at this moment in Italy looking at CNC machines. And the thing is, that all of this would not have been possible without the help, support and advice of the SFA. We sought to do one thing well and we are because of the knowledge and experience gained through being a full member. This is the year we go digital and I know we can do it because the SFA will be there for us each step of the way.

[Darryl Miller]

[Matt Lansing]

Very nice story Colby!

[CustomMarbleGraniteToo]

This week is just another example of what the SFA has done for us. We had a big miter job and the glue didn't match .. so Les called Dustin Braudway and in 10 minutes we had a solution to situation and the job was able to go in a day later.

The relationships formed in the SFA are so incredible.. Where else can you just make a phone call and get the answers you need?

Thanks Dustin!!!