Project Responder Blog

New Axixtech Torrent LED Lightbar

2009-08-18T11:50:00.001-05:00

Axixtech has just released their brand new low profile led lightbar. It's called the Torrent. The Torrent LED Lightbar offers the amazing ability to produce dual colors for warning and traffic control. The rear of the lightbar can be configured to display red and/or blue for the primary warning signal, and switch to amber for traffic control. It is manufactured overseas, in Taiwan, not china. I've been handling Axixtech for years and they offer superb quality. I won't sell any junk made in china. Take a look and get a hold of me if you have any questions.

Michael

Interviewed on KSDK, Channel 5, in connection with SCORE.

2009-04-07T09:12:00.006-05:00

Back on March 23rd, the owner of Responder Public Safety Equipment, Michael Netherton, was interviewed in connection with the local chapter of SCORE. Responder Public Safety is growing at a very fast pace and Michael sought out the support and advice from the local SCORE representative. Because of the success Responder PSE has enjoyed, Larry Ross, the Kirkwood Office Manager, invited Michael to participate in the interview to help underscore how SCORE has been helpful in guiding him through the process of writing a business plan and securing an SBA loan to buy a new building. The following is the video of the interview:

New Amber Warning Light Section

2008-11-19T06:26:00.004-06:00

I promised myself I would update this blog once a week. So much for keeping promises. Anyway, Responder PSE has picked up a new product line from ECCO. The main reason for setting up this new distributorship was to expand into the amber warning light market. With the addition of ECCO, we now have a full line of amber led beacons, strobes, minibars and hide-a-way leds. With winter fast approaching here in St. Louis, we wanted to be able to serve the snow plowing contractors as well as all of the public utilities. Now we can.

Speaking of led beacons, we have a new hybrid led rotating minibar and hybrid led beacon available now. These are absolutely incredible. The minibar is in stock and the beacons will be here shortly. We will get some video of these incredible lights put up as soon as possible. ECCO truly has merged the best of the LED and the best of the rotating warning light with this new product.

In addition to establishing the new distributorship, we just bought a new enclosed Wells Cargo trailer which will be outfitted over the winter to become our new "showroom on wheels". This spring, we will be able to take our products on the road and begin to serve the entire metro area as well as eastern Missouri and western Illinois. So stay tuned, there is a lot more coming down the pike and 2009 is going to be a big year for Responder PSE.

Tomar Scorpion Now Available

2008-11-10T10:38:00.003-06:00

Tomar has finally released pricing on the new Scorpion led lightbar. This is a huge step forward for Tomar. I have always been a big fan of their products and this new lightbar is definitely worth waiting for. I have created an interactive spreadsheet for customers to use so they can quickly configure a Scorpion just the way you want it and have the price* calculated for you in real time. Now customers won't have to do the math on their own, trying to figure out how to stay on budget and still add the features they want. You can find the interactive Tomar Scorpion price guide in the "build your own bar" listing on our website. We will have a demo unit available early in December, at which time, we will put a demo video together and get it online for everyone to see just how impressive this lightbar really is.

Project Responder.com has a new look

2008-10-22T13:23:00.006-05:00

Well, it was new a month ago. I've just been so busy I have not had time to keep my blog updated. However, my goal is to get something posted out here at least once a week to keep everyone updated. Especially since there is so much going on.

I spent nearly the entire month of August putting a new shopping cart program together in order to replace the storefront which I had used since the inception of my Public Safety Equipment business. It had served me well, but the business has grown exponentially and I needed a shopping cart application which was more robust and could accept international orders. I ended up purchasing an "off the shelf" product and then put in about 200 hours editing and customizing the code to fit my needs and those of my customers. Simple shopping and easy checkouts were the goal and think this new program does it. Now, this does not mean that the new system is without a hitch in its giddyup here and there. I've squashed all of the bugs I've been able to find, but if you run into something that does not work right or seems a little squirrely, let me know. I'll get it taken care of asap.

A lot of other great things have been happening as well. Juluen released a brand new compact led warning light last month, it's the new SE3. This small light is amazingly bright and whats more, it is priced right. Compared to whelen, code3 or any other three diode surface mount warning light, this just can't be beat! I'll be putting together a chart of the most popular surface mount led lights which I currently offer so you'll be able to easily compare them side by side and really get a feel for the differences in size and led configurations. This may take a little while since it will be done in flash and I'm a little rusty there.

Another awesome addition to the product lineup are the LED Off Road Lights from Vision X USA. I have one of the XIL 400 led lights installed on the grille guard of my Jeep and it's simply amazing how bright it is. The light is cool and even all the way around. Unlike halogen or hid off road lights, these don't suffer from "hot spots" and uneaven light distribution. On top of that, they just look "cool". Be sure to check them out.

I've picked up GoLight as well. I do not yet have all of the GoLight radio remote control spotlights listed yet, but they will be soon. I've hired an assistant, Cory, who will be updating the site with new products very soon. On top of GoLight, I've also picked up Streamlight. None of these are online yet, but Cory will be getting to these soon as well.

That's all for now. I wanted to take a few minutes and get this ol' blog updated since it's been languishing out here for much too long. And as always, if you have any questions or if there is anything I can do for you, don't hesitate to call or write.

Spring update, what's happening...

2008-05-11T07:55:00.006-05:00

Well, the weather has finally gotten to point where it is consistently warm enough to work on the truck again. But with the cost of fuel, Project Responder is not headed out on any trips anytime soon. When I started building the truck, gas was still only around $1.15 a gallon. Now, at close to $3 a gallon and rising, the 460 no longer makes sense. So the plan is swap the current engine with a diesel. Now I know what you're thinking, diesel fuel is nearly a dollar more than gasoline. However, by converting used vegetable oil from fast food establishments works out to around $0.40 a gallon. Combine that with doubling miles per gallon with a diesel, the cost of operating the truck will actually be less than driving my Jeep. My goal is to have this completed by the end of summer since this is such a large undertaking. I'm still trying to decide between a Ford 7.3 IDI or a 5.9 Cummins. I hope to have this nailed down shortly so I can start putting the plan into action.

Now, the other thing going on is business. It's growing by leaps and bounds. In fact, it's growing so fast that sometimes is almost hard to keep up with. Orders to Iraq were recently completed as well orders worldwide which have continued to swell as well. With new products recently released such as the 10 diode par36 led lights, the options continue to grow. I've just recently become an authorized dealer for Fire Research Corporation as well as for Rontan lighting products. I have a lot of work ahead of me to get the new products listed on my website. So with that, I'm going to sign off and get to work.

Blue gen1 products back in stock

2008-04-24T11:30:00.002-05:00

The factory is once again producing the gen1 products with blue leds. Apparently Juluen had some difficult issues with their diode supplier and they have finally been resolved. Other than the 66D deck lights, I have a huge number of Hawk I led dash lights in red/blue, blue, and blue/white dash lights back in stock. Feel free to call if you have any questions.

Production of blue Axixtech Hawk I and II led dash lights suspended

2008-03-05T09:45:00.002-06:00

I just received notice from my supplier that production of the Axixtech Hawk I and II led dash lights in blue or any split combination of colors with blue, have been suspended. It seems that the diode supplier has been supplying faulty blue gen1 diodes.

What this means to you? If you own one of these gen1 led dash lights, chances are you won't have any problems. However, if you do, they are fully covered under warranty, so you don't have to worry. Just contact me, or if you purchased your light from another dealer, contact whomever sold you the light, and it will be taken care of.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.

It's official, Project Responder is now my full time job

2008-02-26T11:21:00.002-06:00

I just put in my two weeks notice yesterday that I'm leaving Mocap to work full time building my online emergency vehicle supply business. Project Responder PSE will now be a full time venture for me. The orders have been increasing rapidly and business has been growing so fast that I had to make a choice. In order to give my customers the service they deserve, I chose to work for myself and for my customers.

I will be using this blog to keep my customers updated with special offers, events and product announcements. Stay tuned, because I have a lot of things up my sleeves that I'll be bringing to bear this year.

Michael

It always amazes me when companies "don't get" the internet

2008-01-16T08:28:00.000-06:00

I recently started selling emergency vehicle lighting products on my website, as you can see from the navigation links. I am currently offering products from Juluen, Tomar, Carson and FoxFury. I contacted ShowMe / Able2 Products here in Missouri to inquire about selling their products as well. I do not have a showroom or a storefront. To keep costs and overhead low, I sell only through the internet and at local and regional shows. Thus far, I have been very successful and business has been very, very good. Especially since I don't spend on advertising. Other than a listing with firehouse.com, my marketing strategy has been visibility through search engine optimization and the results have been very rewarding.

So it seems that Able2 is not interested in working with a company that does not have a brick and mortar facility. Why, you ask? I have no idea. The owner of the company is obviously stuck in the past. I assume that Jerry Watley is the owner since he is listed as the President of the company. Maybe time stands still in the backwoods of the Ozark mountains. I can only assume that he's thinking "the internets? It's just a series of tubes... what the heck good can come of that?" But then again, after browsing through their website, it's not surprising that this company is loath to embrace the net.

Now here's the real kicker, ShowMe is one of the sponsors of Project Responder. They provided two "lights by the inch" leds as well as a couple of led flashers. They make good products. They are not cutting edge in any way, but they are very good for the price. Of course, keep in mind that the gen3 leds they offer are actually just Juluen's or Nova's products repackaged under their name, such as the LA-X 4 Light or the MicroDash Light. So even if I were granted a dealership for ShowMe, there are several of their products I would not carry due to this fact.

So anyway, I was just completely dumbfounded when I was informed of their decision. Considering how brisk sales have been up to this point, that's a lot of potential business lost. And it's precisely this kind of arrogance or ignorance that really blows my mind. Jerry, if you're ever actually surfing the net and find this, let me know. I would love introduce you to the "new" way of doing business.

Missouri National Guard - What can I do for you?

2007-11-29T14:01:00.000-06:00

Today, I received the second 'hang up' message from the Missouri National Guard. The number that shows up is 573-638-9500. So whoever you are, out there in Jeff City, I'd love to hear from you. Just leave me a message and I'll get back to you ASAP!

The new Public Safety Equipment Business has been amazing!

2007-11-20T12:56:00.000-06:00

It's kind of hard to believe how fast the business has taken off. Orders have been coming in almost faster than I could get them out the door. To everyone that has purchased from Project Responder, Thank You. I have purchased a very large inventory and most items, other than Tomar products, will ship the same business day.

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions. I have a new toll-free number now as well as constant access to email.

Order early, Order often...

Lots of new things going on including led light sales

2007-11-05T09:14:00.000-06:00

It's been a long time since I updated this blog. I've been extremely busy getting the website updated as I am now an authorized distributor of the Axixtech LED lights as well as Tomar Emergency Vehicle Lighting. In fact, I've even upgraded and installed a new Tomar 930L LED lightbar as part of the master plan. Because of my new internet sales venture, I've spent a ton of time rewriting the shopping cart application and getting the bugs worked out. Now my time is consumed adding new products to the shopping cart, filling orders and adding new features to the website.

Here are some other bits of news. The engine once again has something wrong. It's not the heads and I think it's a ring or a lifter. I've finally given up and I'm going to pull the engine one last time. Only this time, I'm seriously considering replacing it with a diesel. FordCummins.com has a great solution and I'm really interested in pursuing this option. If not, I'll just take the 460 down to Austin at A&K Machine Shop and have Austin rebuild the engine the way it should have been rebuilt six years ago.

Another bit of news, the Q-Siren has been removed from the top of the bumper and installed directly into the front of the bumper. This has made a huge difference in the appearance of the truck along with the removal of the grille speakers and ocilasers. Now, there will be no obstructions to the grille and the radiator. So running hot should forever be a thing of the past.

Well that's it for now. I've got a ton of work to get done and if you're ever in the market for a dash light, lightbar, deck light, etc., be sure and check out my new online Public Safety Equipment section.

Had a great time at the Chicagoland Emergency Vehicle Show

2007-08-06T01:34:00.000-05:00

The show this year was huge. There were a lot of great vehicles and Dave Weaver did a superb job putting on the show. Project Responder took home the first place award for the best Firefighting Public Relations Vehicle and everyone had a great time. One entrant actually brought his restored police car all the way from Connecticut.

Now the night before the show, we all drove our vehicles in the annual lights and siren parade through North Aurora. This parade gets bigger every year. When the parade was over, one of spectators came by to impress upon me how loud the siren is on my truck. She said it was the loudest vehicle that passed by. I guess I'm going to have to find some way of measuring the decibel output one of these days.

The weather wasn't too bad and the rain held off till the end of the show. I met a lot of great folks and my favorite fire truck was there again this year, an American LaFrance pumper that the owner has spent countless hours (and money) restoring. It's an amazing piece of work.

I took photos of each of the vehicles that were there in the show. I'll have them all online in the photo gallery by the end of the week, hopefully. I think the unofficial number is somewhere around two hundred. I'll know for sure when I finish photo editing.

Next to me at the show was a public relations vehicle that was built by a father and son. It was a miniature fire truck built on a go-kart chassis. It was really well done and the kids there really loved it. In fact, they kind of stole some of Project Responder's thunder because it was kid sized. We talked for most of the show about our various pitfalls and setbacks. It turns out we shared a lot in that department. They also had a cool little electric scooter that the dad had purchased from Sam's. Now I had been thinking about buying an ATV or a golf cart to use for getting around the show grounds, but this was really neat, and not very expensive. They even let me take it for spin and I was sold. So I ended up calling my local Sam's to make sure they had one and now I'll be zipping around the shows from now on, quietly and effortlessly which will be such a welcome change.

So if you'd like to know more about the show, or see the photos, visit the show section and the photo gallery. If your vehicle is there and you'd like to have the description changed, just drop me an email and I'll get it updated for you.

Thanks again to Dave Weaver for putting on such a great show and I'm already looking forward to being there again next year.

Getting ready for the Chicagland Emergency Vehicle Show

2007-08-02T16:30:00.000-05:00

It's hard to believe that it's that time of year already. Time for the Chicagoland Emergency Vehicle Show in N. Aurora, IL. A gathering of over 200 police cars, fire trucks, ambulances, tow trucks and any other type of emergency vehicle you can think of. The show is this weekend and I'm in the process of getting everything ready for the trip. I'm not sure if I'm going to take the trailer. Dave Weaver is going to supply shore power for the truck so I can run the lights. So that means I don't need the generator. I don't plan on getting a flat tire, so the spare should not be necessary. I can put the easy up canopy on the skid unit to take it with me or even get a receiver hitch cargo rack to hold it and maybe a cooler, chair and things like that.

Anyway, visit the show section and click on the link for the EVS in Chicago for more information or just go to their website.

Time for waxing

2007-07-02T11:54:00.000-05:00

Well its been nearly three years since the truck was painted and I finally took the time to clean and wax the truck. The paint had gotten fairly dull and water no longer bead on the surface. So Sunday was spent administering some tlc to the truck. After washing and drying the truck, the first stage was begun. Using McGuire's three stage system, I started off with the stage one cleaner. This was the most physically demanding process as it took a lot of work to get the paint cleaned since it had been so long since the paint had been cared for. Once the cleaning stage was complete, I took a break to let the paint "breath".

Then came stage two, the polish. This was a little easier than the cleaner, but still a lot of work. As I got the end of stage two, the paint was really looking deep and full of luster. It had not looked like this since it was 'new'. The effort was really paying off. Especially the top of the service body compartments where the metal is flat and smooth. The reflection was amazing.

Now it was time for stage three, the wax. This was the easiest step since I was able to leave the wax on to 'dry' to a haze before rubbing it down. The microfiber cloth really brought out the shine and smoothed the finish out like glass.

After a full day, the results were fabulous. It was a tremendous amount of work and I'm paying the price today as nearly every muscle is sore and worn out, but it was definitely worth it. But next time I think I'll wait for cooler weather before doing this again.

I wasn't sure this actually come to pass.

2007-06-18T16:43:00.000-05:00

I thought this day would never arrive. After years of struggling with engine and other mechanical problems, I really had begun to question whether or not Project Responder would ever really be ready for prime time. It seems that the truck has finally arrived.

I took the truck to the Route 66 Car Club's Annual Father's Day Car Show in St. Clair yesterday and the truck, even with the tank half full and pulling a trailer, ran like a dream. I had four small lean pops on the way out, but nothing on the way back from the show and I was not going easy on it. I figured the only way to know if it's going to make the grade is to push it hard. And so I did. The power this truck has now with the re-engineered motor, the new Dana 80 with 4.30 gears and the 40" tires, is absolutely amazing. I was able to easily keep up with traffic and even pass the semi's going up hill. It was quite a thrill (no pun intended)!

And to top it all off, Project Responder won first place in the Modified Truck Division for '75 through '89. It was a hot, hot day and the truck was a superstar, finally. This will finally be the year of the truck!

The problem is, nothing went wrong...

2007-05-18T15:25:00.000-05:00

With the electrical compartment complete and the ventilation system installed, it was time to turn my attention to the Safety Vision backup camera system. So I headed out to the garage Wednesday evening and got things underway. I was concerned that mounting the monitor stand to the roof of the cab would be a challenge. It turned out that the way the monitor base is designed, it mounted easily and almost seamlessly. I was able to get the mount securely installed to the headliner, the monitor attached to the mount and the video cable routed down to the Consolidator console. That was about two hours to complete. Since it was a weeknight, I knocked off early. What really bothered me was that everything went incredibly smooth. There were no goof ups and no problems. It just didn't seem right. I'm not used to things working so well the first time when it comes to this truck.

I'll be headed out the garage again this evening to finish up and get the truck ready for the CBC car show tomorrow.

Installing the comparment ventilation system

2007-05-13T20:59:00.000-05:00

The Dana 80 is behind me now and this weekend, among other things, I worked on the ventilation system for the electrical compartment. This has been a source of much frustration as I tried to figure out how to ventilate the compartment without compromising the integrity of the weather seal. After a great deal of thought, I finally settled on an internal venting system. This ended up taking almost all day Saturday to accomplish. Between the venting and touching up the paint from the dana 80 installation, Saturday ended up being a full day. I'll be working a few nights this week to get the truck ready for a car show at CBC High School here close by next weekend. If you're in the area, come by and say hello.

The Dana 80 installation is almost complete

2007-05-02T11:04:00.001-05:00

The weekend was long, but the results were well worth the effort. The Dana 80 installation is almost complete. After spending all day Saturday and Sunday in the garage performing the solid axle swap, Project Responder is sitting pretty with the new Dana 80.

The Sterling 10¼ axle came off without any difficulty by Saturday afternoon. The Dana 80 was in place and ready to be bolted up by the end of the day Saturday. Sunday was the day when I found out that there were a few issues that had to be dealt with. First, it turned out that the new slip yoke for the driveshaft was not a direct fit. The splines of the driveshaft were set up for a "blind" configuration and the yoke was not. The great folks over at Inland Truck Parts did a fantastic job of modifying the driveshaft and making it all work smoothly.

The second issue was the fact that the banjo bolts in the TSM brake calipers were not the same size as what I need for the new Dana 60 calipers. So the brake lines still have yet to be installed. Fortunately I was able to find the correct banjo bolts and brake lines at a local hot rod shop.

So this coming weekend, the driveshaft will be cleaned and re-painted and the brake lines will be installed. If all goes well, the truck will be on the road by Sunday. The bad news is that it will not be in Springfield for the four wheel drive jamboree. But it will be at the next jamboree in Springfield, IL next month.

The Dana 80 is getting installed this weekend.

2007-04-17T08:33:00.000-05:00

The weather has finally taken a turn for the better. Last weekend was incredibly cold (in the upper thirties) with sleet all day Saturday. Today, the high is supposed to be in the seventies and this weekend is supposed to be very nice. So the Dana 80 axle swap is scheduled this weekend. Everything is in place, I have all of the tools and equipment necessary to make this as painless as possible.

Yesterday, however, a good friend let me know of a place in Crystal City called Tire Bargains. The name is kind of misleading, because they do a lot more than tires. They are big into lifts and truck customization. I called and they have Saturday available and their price is very reasonable. So I've decided to drive down to Crystal City Saturday morning, with the Dana 80 in tow with the show supplies trailer, and let Tire Bargains do the work. They should be able to have the axles swapped in less than three hours. I really can't imagine it taking more than four even with some difficulty.

The trip to Crystal City is contingent on having everything ready. So this week, I have to get out to the garage and get the new brake calipers cleaned and painted as well as check the fit of the 1410 yoke flange to make sure it will fit properly. Once I know that all of the I's are dotted and the T's are crossed, the job will be official. Otherwise, I'll end up doing it myself, albeit at a slower pace, but with the truck parked in the garage just in case. So that's the latest. Hopefully, next week, I'll be able to update the site with photos of the new Dana 80 installed. Stay tuned...

Winter seems to be upon us again

2007-04-08T21:14:00.000-05:00

Well, so much for working on the truck this weekend. After six years, I'm tired of working in the bone chilling cold and so nothing got done this weekend. The temperature barely broke the freezing mark. Yes, I have a contractors grade space heater, but working in a closed garage during the day has lost its luster. Maybe it's just that I'm getting old. I'm looking forward to the warmer weather and productive time in the shop.

Part of the lack of progress was also due to all of the loose ends that needed to be wrapped up by next weekend. I'm getting married Saturday, so next weekend will be productive in other ways. And I'm sure I'll be sleeping in Sunday :) I will be doing some work in the evenings over the next couple weeks getting the truck ready for the show season as well as for the video we'll be shooting in the coming weeks.

Backup Camera System

2007-04-04T13:49:00.000-05:00

I've been wanting / needing a backup camera system in the truck for some time. As I had mentioned previously, GNet of Canada sent down one of their flush mount backup cameras but I had been looking in vein for a good in cab monitor. Then I found Safety Vision. Dustin, the sales rep with whom I emailed, was super fantastic. He loved the site and the project and was able to offer a complete backup camera system for the truck, so I jumped at the opportunity. When the package arrived a couple of weeks ago, I immediately opened the box and started inspecting the merchandise. What I received was even better than I had expected.

I've got the mounting locations mapped out and I will be installing the system this week and I'll have the complete details online shortly thereafter. Dustin, I'm sorry I didn't get it installed over the weekend as I had promised, but wedding preparations ended up taking precedence, and the t-shirt is in the mail !!

The new Dana 80 is ready

2007-03-28T13:30:00.000-05:00

The new Dana 80 axle from Differential Engineering is finally ready to be installed. It took a while to get the axle from the builder because they had been swamped with orders and waiting for parts, but it was well worth the wait. This Dana 80 is a thing of beauty. I won't go into a huge amount of detail here, I'll save that for the installation article(s). Anyway, I had it shipped in primer knowing that I wanted it painted with Superthane as well as I didn't want the paint getting ruined during shipping.

Once it arrived, I took it over to Liberty Sandblasting. This is the same shop that painted the current axles five years ago. The only problem was that they promised it in one week and it ended up taking three. But it's finally done and will soon be on the truck.

The installation article should be online within a week or so of the actual installation. I can't wait to have it in place.

Signboards for the Auto Show

2007-01-22T15:15:00.000-06:00

The Saint Louis Auto Show is almost upon us and last week, I was searching in vain for car show sign boards. I was actually looking for a metal display stand and I came up empty handed. After several hours of searching the net, I came across a forum post on dieselstation.com with a link to Mac-Ink.com where I found exactly what I was looking for. The best part was that the person behind the business, Tony, lives here in St. Louis. Tony creates these masterpieces in his spare time as he works to turn it into a full time business. I got a hold of Tony and explained my situation and that I needed the sign boards by Tuesday the 23rd. Once he was sure the printer could get them turned around in time, Tony and I met so I could give him a CD of images from which to work.


Main Signboard	Timeline Signboard

That was on Thursday, by Friday, I had proofs and over the weekend, through email, Tony finished up the designs so they could be delivered to the printer first thing Monday. The designs that he came up with are beyond incredible. Tony's work is absolutely fantastic. I'm scheduled to pick up the signs Tuesday evening and I'm looking forward seeing the final product. After looking at the proofs, I'm most confident they are going to be show stoppers.

So for anyone that is looking for an eye catching, attention getting sign board for a show car (or truck), Tony at Mac-Inc.com is definitely the person to contact. And be sure to tell him I sent you.