12-volt expert Joey Knapp discusses the finer points of metal work and how anyone can master an often under-utilized aspect of 12-volt craftsmanship. 

Mobile Electronics, March Issue, 3-30-2016 -- In the last edition of Tech Today, we looked at an amplifier installation. The installation was a little different because the amplifier was installed onto the roll cage of a car. In order to address the parameters of the build, which specified that it needed to be securely mounted, not too heavy, and minimalistic, I chose to make the amplifier-mounting frame out of metal. It is very common to use wood as a substrate to mount amplifiers to. I think everyone who has ever installed, for even a short amount of time, has installed an amplifier on some sort of wood. Wood is not always the best choice. In the case of the amplifier-mounting frame for the roll cage, it wasn’t a possibility. A wooden frame, in that instance, would be either too bulky, or not strong enough. That is why metal was chosen to construct the frame. In that article I mentioned an upcoming article on using metal in installations, and here we are!

Many, many years ago, I remember reading an article about one of the more prominent car audio shops of the time in one of the popular car audio magazines. The article talked about the facility, the sales staff and the fabrication team. The fabrication team consisted of specialists in the areas of fiberglass, plastic, wood and metal. As a teenager just getting his feet wet in the car audio industry, I wondered what area I would end up being a specialist in. Was I going to be a wizard of fiberglass? Would I become a master carpenter? Would fiberglass be the medium that suited me best? Would I become skilled in metalwork? The answer was that I would have to become all these things, and more. During the “car audio heyday” it might have been possible to specialize in one area, but from my experience, those days are far behind us. Now, to be successful, we have to be masters of all of those abilities and many, many more.

This article is intended to help those of you who aren’t familiar with metal work to get a cursory look at metal, what it's like to work with it, and the practical applications for it in the field of mobile electronics. It is very important to note that I am not a “metal master”. I am a guy who has learned what he needs to know about metalworking to get him to the point that it can be successfully used to make things. Many of you might have seen the welding meme floating around the Internet with the little boy. It reads, “My dad says using a grinder to make a weld look good makes you a ‘grinder,’ not a welder”. That could be an accurate description for me. I have some welds that look great, and some that aren’t as attractive. I make sure all of them are suitable for the project’s needs, though. It seems that the majority of the things that are welded in our field have something attached to them, so even pretty welds would need to be ground down, most of the time.

If you are a fabricator who has yet to begin his or her journey with metal fabrication, hopefully you are anxiously reading for more information. If you are a shop owner, you might possibly be thinking: “I hope my guys don’t read this and start bugging me for money to buy metal-working tools.” Hopefully not, but if so, let me share a story with you that could change your view. A few articles back, I wrote about some iPad dash overlay pieces I had been building for a credit card company. We have built a number of them, and it turned into a welcomed, yet unexpected, source of income. The opportunity to build those all came from a job that required welding. Another large corporation had contacted us about building a freestanding display, which would require a very sturdy frame to support the weight of the display. The scheduled time for the project was very short, which would dictate all of the work would need to be done in-house. Had I not had the tools and ability to weld, we would not have been able to take that job. In turn, we would have not gotten the additional iPad overlay jobs either. So, I encourage both owner and fabricator to make the move to add this very valuable skill to your arsenal.

Let’s look at some of the benefits that metal fabrication can bring to the realm of mobile electronics. I am going to share some of the different projects which I have incorporated metalworking into. These are just a few examples to let you see how beneficial metalworking can be. 

To read the rest of the article, visit the digital issue HERE.

March Issue Feature: Retail Acid Test - Improving Store Efficiency

Words by Rosa Sophia

3/16/2016 -- How does a business become more efficient? The first step is organization. Benjamin Franklin once said, “A place for everything, everything in its place.” Retailers can take this advice to heart and remember that disorganization in the workplace leads to time and money lost. Carlos Ramirez of NVS Audio in Linden, N.J. noted that this kind of problem is something he will not abide by. “If a tech spends half an hour looking for something, I just lost 50 dollars,” he said. Efficiency and organization is important in any business. Retailers who work to increase efficiency in their shops will begin to see benefits and positive change, resulting in higher sales and improved success. So how can 12-volt retailers become more efficient, thereby avoiding unfortunate mishaps?

“It’s all trial and error,” Ramirez said. “It takes a long time to find out what works. Whatever doesn’t work, you have to change it. So then the other problem is once you get a system that works really well, as you make more money and start changing lines, you change customers, and then your efficiency changes again.” Ramirez admitted that NVS Audio has had a problem with this issue in the past. “You have to be able to pay attention to how the shop’s moving, what you’re making money with, and how you can make your clients happy. As times change, you have to change.”

Creating New Systems

For much of her life, Tammy Rowland has worked in direct sales and has been involved in recruiting, leadership and training. She has created the Work Smart Earn More™ system, and coaches business owners and entrepreneurs. Rowland points out that, “Efficiency is not just finding a simpler way to do something, but creating a system so it can be done over and over again in the same way. This saves time and takes the guesswork out of any task.” While systems change, the important thing is to ensure efficiency is a priority. Very often, business owners must also learn to roll with the punches as systems and approaches change, and efficiency continues to be an essential part of success.

Ramirez of NVS Audio stated the key aspect of increasing efficiency in his shop: ensuring all departments are well organized. “We spend a ton of money on tool storage, bins and everything is labeled. Everything has a spot,” he said. “We are constantly cleaning and throwing away anything that doesn’t make money. Anybody should be able to walk in, and know where everything is … and where you need to grab something from.” Constantly keeping an eye on how things can be improved is part of ensuring that nothing slips to the wayside; efficiency is always top-of-mind.

Any products kept in-stock for the customers should also be organized and well cared for. The showroom should be immaculate. “This is the first thing I notice when purchasing an item,” Rowland said. “Dusty means old, not cared for … each task has a process. Work out what it is, then tweak it. You may have too many or not enough steps in your process. Training becomes simpler as well … this adds more success and higher sales.”

Read the rest of the story HERE.