In a message dated 1/19/00 3:00:18 PM Eastern Standard Time,
[log in to unmask] writes:

> And you can't do one in the sun and one in the shade.

Michael,

In my experience you cannot easily do field tests by asking the individual
reps to meet at the site at the same time, the same day, under the same
weather conditions and do mock-ups on the same wall next to each other. There
is either too much rancor in the air, or too much pulling over to the side
for a little talk. I say this having years ago done it with cleaning mock-ups
and having nothing to do w/ composite patching. If we can get past the
negative attributes that pop up I agree that it would be interesting to see
fair field tests and I would certainly support them. I'm not generally in
favor of fist fights in the field though I have been known to do a few rude
things from time to time. Without objective physical criteria materials will
be selected for emotional reasons. I think we need to keep the emotional
burden in check long enough to give each other room to be understood. Beside
material performance, and emotions, there are management and supply issues
that need to be considered when selecting materials. It bothers me, form a
contractor's perspective, that supply issues are often not considered when
materials are specified. A recent example I came across is when 3 suppliers
are listed in the spec but with their old addresses... it immediatly leads me
to believe that the design professional is not keeping up on developments,
and makes the entire spec suspect for integrity. The red flag for me here is
to question if I want to spend the time to bid the job. I could write a
letter telling the SOB he is a dipwad etc., but then, where does that get us?
Does not change the fact that the design professional is a dipwad, but it
makes me out to look even worse. One thing I have learned is that today's
dipwad can be tomorrow's friend.

Any of you out there able to relate experiences with a materials rep that
will stop the conversation, tell you his product is not appropriate, and that
you should call their competitor? I got a few of them, and I'll buy more of
their products because of it.

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