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Europa-List: Paint booth story

Subject: Europa-List: Paint booth story
From: Dave Anderson <dja767@charter.net>
Date: Wed, 14 Apr 2004 07:46:25

Thanks to Erich for the detailed rendition of his painting experience. Sounds 
like
it can be done by a builder - andn done well!

Here is a fascinating story if any one has input for me, I'd appreciate it. I 
built
a booth of 2X2 lumber and plastic sheeting left over from my previous painting
experience with  water based paint. I was experimenting with a box fan for
ventilating. I had decided to have the major parts sprayed by the local painter
and do the small parts myself. I decided after looking at the lighting that
I would not use it as a paint booth, but as a drying dust free booth. I would
paint the parts outside early in the morning and transfer them into the booth.
I have a privately owned hangar on airport property.

When I entered the hangar yesterday, I found the paint booth violently slashed
to bits. That is the only way I can describe it without pictures. I literally
stood there for minutes staring - literally scared that my hangar had been 
vandalized.
The immediate concern was for the radios and other expensive equipment,
as well as the airplanes themselves. After the shock wore off, I went to the
airport manager's office and called the police. As it turns out, the local 
county
fire inspector entered my hangar to do an inspection and decided to destroy
my property in the way I described! There was no notice, there was nothing
left to indicate what had been done or who had done it. Needless to say, I am
in a state of shock seeing the government employee (who is paid by my taxes)
acting as judge, jury and executioner. The remarkable thing is I did not intend
to use it as a paint booth and was only experimenting with ideas - lighting
etc. On top of it, they tell me that I will be receiving a citation for having
an illegal paint booth.

I will be consulting a lawyer regarding this, obviously. Does anyone out there
have any experience in such matters. It seems to me that I was denied my right
of due process - never having a chance to explain the situation before the big
arm of the law came down and passionately destroyed what I had created. I think
I'll post a picture on my web site - a picture tells a thousand words.

More windmills to tilt at!


Dave
A227 Mini U2




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