Crossing the Line... Craig's soap box!
Ain't technology Interesting?
So, I decided that it was time to bring more video to my website and facebook page and after some research, I picked up one of those super cool GoPro cameras on Amazon.com. UPS man dropped it off and ten minutes later, Melissa and I were wondering how to test the camera.. I looked at her Kawasaki 450 Motocross 4 wheeler sitting in the bay and here you go... our very first video. Now this is a little low quality as it is a download off of her facebook page... but you get the hint. Ever wonder if those GoPro cameras are worth the money? Yes... yes they are.
Now... what should I shoot a video of? Dump box working from the bed? Hmmmmmmmm...
Oh my... they never stop.
So, we had a school shooting in Sandy Hook by a deranged young man who didn't legally own a gun, because he was a nut job. He SHOT his own mother and stole her guns to do the deed. Then, he may have taken an AR-15 to the school but left it IN THE CAR and NEVER USED it to commit his stupid heinous crime. Don't believe me on that one... here is a link to the story where the networks ADMITTED that the shooter never used an assault weapon. http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/01/cbs-nbc-abc-admit-no-assault-rifle-used-at-sandy-hook-2546018.html
Yet... Dianne Feinstein doesn't think you and I are smart enough to handle our guns. She doesn't want any more of those cool looking assault weapons out there and she is working her hardest to get your guns in a scrap iron shredder, right now!
They want to ban 'assault weapons' (meaning anything that looks cool) and they want to create all sorts of new examinations (turn your head and cough please) and tests before you can even buy the guns that they deem you could still own once they have there way (for now).
It is insanity, pure and simple. So, what do you and I do?
Well, I am a lifetime member of the NRA and I recommend everyone else join. They are the third largest lobbying body in the world and they like getting paid... so I have much faith that they are in there right now, every day keeping an eye on this for you and me.
Second? Send your elected officials an email, not demanding that they do this or that. Instead, send them an email that just asks them something like... "What do you think about all of this gun ban talk?" Here's a good link to find out who yours are.. http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
See what replies you get back.. you may be cheered up or you may decide you need new elected officials. But either way, you will know.
Ok.. enough of my rants. ~ Back to work... Craig
Questions and Answers... Episode 1,001,987
April 4th, 2013
Just kidding, but I do keep getting asked a few questions and thought I would at least post the answers here to help in case someone else wanted to know... Here you go.
Q: Can I get an MT or ET tilt in 16' length?
A: Nope. We built them that way years ago and ran into two major issues. First, at 16 feet it was just too darn steep to get up on and Second it would BARELY reach the ground. So... we quickly abandoned that concept and now 18' is the shortest we can do.
Q: Can I get torsion axles?
A: Yes. $200 per axle as an upgrade.
Just to speed things up.... there you go.
~ Craig
How do I stay in a good mood? I quit reading or watching the news!!!
After the last election, I had just about had it and now with gun ban talk and all of the other completely and stupid... plus totally idiotic things Washington keeps doing, I have taken the following measures to improve my mood and attitude...
I quit reading the Drudge Report, Newspapers and any other print or online news show.
I have deleted both The Daily Show and the Colbert Report from my DVR cue.. as these guys are just too left wing for me anymore. I have also, in all fairness quit watching fox news altogether as their only mission is to build more rage into my system these days.
I read old novels, I watch Dr. Who and Top Gear on BBC America and play with my 3 year old son a lot...
It's working... I am in a much better mood. Maybe you should try it too. ~ Craig
March 30th, 2013
WOW!!! What a month! After the last four weeks, I have done things I hoped I would never have to do. I have been calling anyone I advertise with and shut down ads, quit posting on craigslist and pretty well hunkered down. Why? Because I am sold out... and I mean SOLD OUT!!! You guys really know how to get in the mood to buy trailers and it shows. For sale inventory is practically non existent from day to day, I have orders in for the next 6 or 8 weeks depending on the type of trailer and folks just keep calling and plunking down their hard earned money to get in line.
It's flattering but exasperating at the same time. Calvin and the guys across the lot at the Hull Trailers Production plant keep hitting wall after wall. Our demand has outstripped supply for axles, jacks, couplers and lights from our prime supplier which forced everyone to jump up and start buying from more than one company. 7,000lb axles suddenly became hard to find, so we got on the phone and solved that problem. But now we play catch up and that extends order delivery dates, which puts our customers in a pinch and makes us stress out, because we like to be accurate when we say we are going to build something. I know in the long run, it's a bump but it's a bump that i would rather not have happen.
All I can say to you all is... THANKS for loving our stuff, thanks for getting in line to get yours coming and thanks for understanding when something totally out of our control comes along and ruins our build schedule from time to time.
Other things to discuss...
How about a cool new feature on both our MT tilt 18 foot trailer and our newest LED light upgrade for tilts that include LEGAL Thinline LED tail lights? Check it out here.
Hey! I also did an update on a really neat 18ET tilt as well... i put it toward the bottom of the page at this link! Check it out with the Thinline LED lights as well... for $120, it's money well spent on a tilt bed.
2/23/2013 Saturday morning at the little red shed.
Hey Guys! Did you know it' already April?
Well, it might as well be....
It's the story of my life, it seems. I have once again become a victim of my own success to a point and we are selling more than we can build once again. Sure, it's nice to be loved, but I see a log jam ahead and I thought I would write this note hoping that folks who visit our website might stumble on here and learn what's happening as far as lead times.
As it stands today, there are maybe one or two trailer models that I can still assure you delivery of before April. Think about that a second. Yes.... APRIL. What does this mean to you? Well, if you aren't in any big hurry, it won't effect you a bit. But, if you need a trailer to get something done this spring, you darn well get off the fence and get in the system, otherwise I am just not going to be able to help you.
If you need any gooseneck hitch trailer, any dump box or any really custom unit.... April is fast becoming the Month I can assure you that you will get it. Now it is public knowledge, so I hope this dulls the shock and awe I have been getting on phone calls lately.
We really appreciate the business and we are flattered for the volume, just help us out and plan ahead for Spring.
Thanks
Craig
1/25/2013
It's FINALLY done.....
Yes.... from a $400 craigslist buy nearly 3 years ago, I finally got all of the pieces lined up and the old '81 Chevy Stepside shop truck is running again. I had wanted to do one of those 1960's gas station style shop trucks with a Hot Rod twist without breaking the bank and I got it half right. I got the look but it still cost too much to do.... as they always do. But, now the money is spent and it's time to just drive it, use it and have some fun.
After doing a cab swap to get rid of the rust, we straightened up the bed a little, pounded out the old stepside fenders and sprayed on black primer followed by grey primer and finally white primer, then sanded back through in spots for the old worn out look. Then I had my buddy Mumbles pinstripe the whole rig and letter it up in old school fashion all about Stateline Trailers. Other than the way hopped up aluminum headed 355 small block and the beefed up turbo 350, the new Supreme 5 spoke wheels and radials were the largest single ticket items on the truck, but I think they give it that 1969 look that I was going for. What do you think?
The tailgate tells the story... Cool Trailers Cheap Prices 7 Days a week. The 1960's Galaxy 500 tail lights were in the fenders when I bought this old girl and we simply put in new fixtures and bulbs and lit them back up.
Can you see the typo? My sign painter walked around, looked at the rear fender and said, "Oh Crap! I put too many i's in equipment!" No problem... it's white primer... let the letters cure, sand it down, reprime and reletter... simple. I think that the stance of the bell tech 3-5 drop kit and c notch were money well spent.
All in all it's a cool throw back piece, a rolling business card and a fun little hot rod truck to drive around.
Now... what are YOU working on? Email me some photos now! I might send you a FREE Stateline Trailers ballcap.
~ Craig
1/23/2013
How long do trailer tires last?
Good question and one that I should have addressed long ago, in my opinion. The poor little car trailer tire is a thing to be reviled. It lives a horrid existence being beaten and tortured constantly, then left, neglected in the sun and elements for months, only to be hooked onto and tortured again. Honestly? Most trailer tire manufacturers give their trailer tires a life rating of 10,000 miles. Yep... about as long as most motorcycle tires.
What can you do to make them last as long as possible? Here are some tips...
1. AIR THEM UP!!!!
I actually run my trailers at maximum sidewall recommended pressure or even 5lbs higher. It seems to keep them cooler under load and cooler trailer tires last longer.
Rotate them.
Yes... left to right, etc etc. It's worth the trouble to do this every 2500 miles or so.
Keep them out of the sun.
If you have an inside storage spot, you will double the life of your poor old trailer tires. Honest injun.
So... too long a wait but there are my three simple steps to get us much mileage as you can from a trailer tire, but be prepared... if you tow a bunch... you'll be putting rubber on every 10,000 miles or so. It's just the nature of the beast.
~ Craig
1/22/2013
Well, I finally found the time to sit down and do some writing on this page again! Man... time just flies by around here and I find myself behind at the end of each day. What's new? Well new pricing came out and as a whole it pretty well stayed the same. 18MT tilts went up $55 while most other models remained the same, HD flatbeds went DOWN in price! Now we have the 16' HD flatbed once again at only $1995 which is an insanely good price and the sales numbers are already proving that to be correct. Haven't had a loose stock unit since I debuted that price three weeks ago.
What else?
New catalog is on the site for download here.
And... Oh yes... everyone in my house has been fighting the flu for ten days or more, so if you've called and got my voice mail, don't take it personally, I probably headed back home to get some rest and try to beat this crud.
OH!!! And I am just about done with the shop truck project which has drawn on and on.. and on... like all projects do. I can't wait to show it off here and at the lot. Just a cool little old school stepside pickup but you Hot Rod guys should dig it.
I promise! MOre updates more often, but now i must head home and try to whip this head cold! See you all tomorrow!
~ Craig
12/01/2012
Welcome to December! I am not going to wax on poetic about the huge amount of business we have been getting, but I am going to say Thanks to you all for your business and friendship! We appreciate it!
Also, let's talk about new pricing that will be issued this month and will go into effect on January 1. Yes, pricing is going up but not by much. I see our 9,990lb, 14,000lb and 21,000lb GVWR package options going up by about $50-100 but there will also be some enhancements to go along with that. Also, I see base trailers going up about $50 here and there along with a well deserved $100 or so price increase on dump boxes and some other heavy trailer models. Like I said, a little here and there... nothing Earth shattering by any means. If the proposition of chucking out an extra $50 to $100 for a new trailer after the first bothers you, just get your order in now for a delayed pickup date and we will lock in current pricing. Pick up the phone and give me a call at 712 589 3055 and I will get it in the system asap.
So, I decided that it was time to bring more video to my website and facebook page and after some research, I picked up one of those super cool GoPro cameras on Amazon.com. UPS man dropped it off and ten minutes later, Melissa and I were wondering how to test the camera.. I looked at her Kawasaki 450 Motocross 4 wheeler sitting in the bay and here you go... our very first video. Now this is a little low quality as it is a download off of her facebook page... but you get the hint. Ever wonder if those GoPro cameras are worth the money? Yes... yes they are.
Now... what should I shoot a video of? Dump box working from the bed? Hmmmmmmmm...
Oh my... they never stop.
So, we had a school shooting in Sandy Hook by a deranged young man who didn't legally own a gun, because he was a nut job. He SHOT his own mother and stole her guns to do the deed. Then, he may have taken an AR-15 to the school but left it IN THE CAR and NEVER USED it to commit his stupid heinous crime. Don't believe me on that one... here is a link to the story where the networks ADMITTED that the shooter never used an assault weapon. http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/01/cbs-nbc-abc-admit-no-assault-rifle-used-at-sandy-hook-2546018.html
Yet... Dianne Feinstein doesn't think you and I are smart enough to handle our guns. She doesn't want any more of those cool looking assault weapons out there and she is working her hardest to get your guns in a scrap iron shredder, right now!
They want to ban 'assault weapons' (meaning anything that looks cool) and they want to create all sorts of new examinations (turn your head and cough please) and tests before you can even buy the guns that they deem you could still own once they have there way (for now).
It is insanity, pure and simple. So, what do you and I do?
Well, I am a lifetime member of the NRA and I recommend everyone else join. They are the third largest lobbying body in the world and they like getting paid... so I have much faith that they are in there right now, every day keeping an eye on this for you and me.
Second? Send your elected officials an email, not demanding that they do this or that. Instead, send them an email that just asks them something like... "What do you think about all of this gun ban talk?" Here's a good link to find out who yours are.. http://www.usa.gov/Contact/Elected.shtml
See what replies you get back.. you may be cheered up or you may decide you need new elected officials. But either way, you will know.
Ok.. enough of my rants. ~ Back to work... Craig
Questions and Answers... Episode 1,001,987
April 4th, 2013
Just kidding, but I do keep getting asked a few questions and thought I would at least post the answers here to help in case someone else wanted to know... Here you go.
Q: Can I get an MT or ET tilt in 16' length?
A: Nope. We built them that way years ago and ran into two major issues. First, at 16 feet it was just too darn steep to get up on and Second it would BARELY reach the ground. So... we quickly abandoned that concept and now 18' is the shortest we can do.
Q: Can I get torsion axles?
A: Yes. $200 per axle as an upgrade.
Just to speed things up.... there you go.
~ Craig
How do I stay in a good mood? I quit reading or watching the news!!!
After the last election, I had just about had it and now with gun ban talk and all of the other completely and stupid... plus totally idiotic things Washington keeps doing, I have taken the following measures to improve my mood and attitude...
I quit reading the Drudge Report, Newspapers and any other print or online news show.
I have deleted both The Daily Show and the Colbert Report from my DVR cue.. as these guys are just too left wing for me anymore. I have also, in all fairness quit watching fox news altogether as their only mission is to build more rage into my system these days.
I read old novels, I watch Dr. Who and Top Gear on BBC America and play with my 3 year old son a lot...
It's working... I am in a much better mood. Maybe you should try it too. ~ Craig
March 30th, 2013
WOW!!! What a month! After the last four weeks, I have done things I hoped I would never have to do. I have been calling anyone I advertise with and shut down ads, quit posting on craigslist and pretty well hunkered down. Why? Because I am sold out... and I mean SOLD OUT!!! You guys really know how to get in the mood to buy trailers and it shows. For sale inventory is practically non existent from day to day, I have orders in for the next 6 or 8 weeks depending on the type of trailer and folks just keep calling and plunking down their hard earned money to get in line.
It's flattering but exasperating at the same time. Calvin and the guys across the lot at the Hull Trailers Production plant keep hitting wall after wall. Our demand has outstripped supply for axles, jacks, couplers and lights from our prime supplier which forced everyone to jump up and start buying from more than one company. 7,000lb axles suddenly became hard to find, so we got on the phone and solved that problem. But now we play catch up and that extends order delivery dates, which puts our customers in a pinch and makes us stress out, because we like to be accurate when we say we are going to build something. I know in the long run, it's a bump but it's a bump that i would rather not have happen.
All I can say to you all is... THANKS for loving our stuff, thanks for getting in line to get yours coming and thanks for understanding when something totally out of our control comes along and ruins our build schedule from time to time.
Other things to discuss...
How about a cool new feature on both our MT tilt 18 foot trailer and our newest LED light upgrade for tilts that include LEGAL Thinline LED tail lights? Check it out here.
Hey! I also did an update on a really neat 18ET tilt as well... i put it toward the bottom of the page at this link! Check it out with the Thinline LED lights as well... for $120, it's money well spent on a tilt bed.
2/23/2013 Saturday morning at the little red shed.
Hey Guys! Did you know it' already April?
Well, it might as well be....
It's the story of my life, it seems. I have once again become a victim of my own success to a point and we are selling more than we can build once again. Sure, it's nice to be loved, but I see a log jam ahead and I thought I would write this note hoping that folks who visit our website might stumble on here and learn what's happening as far as lead times.
As it stands today, there are maybe one or two trailer models that I can still assure you delivery of before April. Think about that a second. Yes.... APRIL. What does this mean to you? Well, if you aren't in any big hurry, it won't effect you a bit. But, if you need a trailer to get something done this spring, you darn well get off the fence and get in the system, otherwise I am just not going to be able to help you.
If you need any gooseneck hitch trailer, any dump box or any really custom unit.... April is fast becoming the Month I can assure you that you will get it. Now it is public knowledge, so I hope this dulls the shock and awe I have been getting on phone calls lately.
We really appreciate the business and we are flattered for the volume, just help us out and plan ahead for Spring.
Thanks
Craig
1/25/2013
It's FINALLY done.....
Yes.... from a $400 craigslist buy nearly 3 years ago, I finally got all of the pieces lined up and the old '81 Chevy Stepside shop truck is running again. I had wanted to do one of those 1960's gas station style shop trucks with a Hot Rod twist without breaking the bank and I got it half right. I got the look but it still cost too much to do.... as they always do. But, now the money is spent and it's time to just drive it, use it and have some fun.
After doing a cab swap to get rid of the rust, we straightened up the bed a little, pounded out the old stepside fenders and sprayed on black primer followed by grey primer and finally white primer, then sanded back through in spots for the old worn out look. Then I had my buddy Mumbles pinstripe the whole rig and letter it up in old school fashion all about Stateline Trailers. Other than the way hopped up aluminum headed 355 small block and the beefed up turbo 350, the new Supreme 5 spoke wheels and radials were the largest single ticket items on the truck, but I think they give it that 1969 look that I was going for. What do you think?
The tailgate tells the story... Cool Trailers Cheap Prices 7 Days a week. The 1960's Galaxy 500 tail lights were in the fenders when I bought this old girl and we simply put in new fixtures and bulbs and lit them back up.
Can you see the typo? My sign painter walked around, looked at the rear fender and said, "Oh Crap! I put too many i's in equipment!" No problem... it's white primer... let the letters cure, sand it down, reprime and reletter... simple. I think that the stance of the bell tech 3-5 drop kit and c notch were money well spent.
All in all it's a cool throw back piece, a rolling business card and a fun little hot rod truck to drive around.
Now... what are YOU working on? Email me some photos now! I might send you a FREE Stateline Trailers ballcap.
~ Craig
1/23/2013
How long do trailer tires last?
Good question and one that I should have addressed long ago, in my opinion. The poor little car trailer tire is a thing to be reviled. It lives a horrid existence being beaten and tortured constantly, then left, neglected in the sun and elements for months, only to be hooked onto and tortured again. Honestly? Most trailer tire manufacturers give their trailer tires a life rating of 10,000 miles. Yep... about as long as most motorcycle tires.
What can you do to make them last as long as possible? Here are some tips...
1. AIR THEM UP!!!!
I actually run my trailers at maximum sidewall recommended pressure or even 5lbs higher. It seems to keep them cooler under load and cooler trailer tires last longer.
Rotate them.
Yes... left to right, etc etc. It's worth the trouble to do this every 2500 miles or so.
Keep them out of the sun.
If you have an inside storage spot, you will double the life of your poor old trailer tires. Honest injun.
So... too long a wait but there are my three simple steps to get us much mileage as you can from a trailer tire, but be prepared... if you tow a bunch... you'll be putting rubber on every 10,000 miles or so. It's just the nature of the beast.
~ Craig
1/22/2013
Well, I finally found the time to sit down and do some writing on this page again! Man... time just flies by around here and I find myself behind at the end of each day. What's new? Well new pricing came out and as a whole it pretty well stayed the same. 18MT tilts went up $55 while most other models remained the same, HD flatbeds went DOWN in price! Now we have the 16' HD flatbed once again at only $1995 which is an insanely good price and the sales numbers are already proving that to be correct. Haven't had a loose stock unit since I debuted that price three weeks ago.
What else?
New catalog is on the site for download here.
And... Oh yes... everyone in my house has been fighting the flu for ten days or more, so if you've called and got my voice mail, don't take it personally, I probably headed back home to get some rest and try to beat this crud.
OH!!! And I am just about done with the shop truck project which has drawn on and on.. and on... like all projects do. I can't wait to show it off here and at the lot. Just a cool little old school stepside pickup but you Hot Rod guys should dig it.
I promise! MOre updates more often, but now i must head home and try to whip this head cold! See you all tomorrow!
~ Craig
12/01/2012
Welcome to December! I am not going to wax on poetic about the huge amount of business we have been getting, but I am going to say Thanks to you all for your business and friendship! We appreciate it!
Also, let's talk about new pricing that will be issued this month and will go into effect on January 1. Yes, pricing is going up but not by much. I see our 9,990lb, 14,000lb and 21,000lb GVWR package options going up by about $50-100 but there will also be some enhancements to go along with that. Also, I see base trailers going up about $50 here and there along with a well deserved $100 or so price increase on dump boxes and some other heavy trailer models. Like I said, a little here and there... nothing Earth shattering by any means. If the proposition of chucking out an extra $50 to $100 for a new trailer after the first bothers you, just get your order in now for a delayed pickup date and we will lock in current pricing. Pick up the phone and give me a call at 712 589 3055 and I will get it in the system asap.
Isaiah 9:6 For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Other stuff in the news this month!!!New 'Ducktail option' allows super low profile cars to load and unload without scrubbing spoilers! $395 option can be added onto any 20' or longer E/T tilt trailer (Can't do it on M/T tilts as the longer E/T stroke cylinder is needed to assure full tilt loading on this model) Check out the photo and give us a call... now we can help you load your lowered Vette, Viper, F series Ferrari or other exotic with ease.
But WAIT.... There's more!
We get so busy building and delivering trailers that we sometimes fail to shoot good photos and get them on here... our customer, Mr. Trucke from up in Iowa stopped in to pick up his new 30' Tilt bed hi deck with triple 7,000lb suspension, I ran out with a camera and shot couple of quick shots... one with the bed down and one with the bed up... this sure beats handling ramps!!
We get so busy building and delivering trailers that we sometimes fail to shoot good photos and get them on here... our customer, Mr. Trucke from up in Iowa stopped in to pick up his new 30' Tilt bed hi deck with triple 7,000lb suspension, I ran out with a camera and shot couple of quick shots... one with the bed down and one with the bed up... this sure beats handling ramps!!
I'll say it again... .this is one SWEET trailer design! Want a copy of this unit for yourself? Get one just like it for $9630 between now and the end of the month! Price will go up slightly after January 1... so hurry!
More good stuff is heading your way soon! Remember, the reason for the Season, Love your friends and family and get your business in line in 2013... if we can help you do that, give us a call!
Merry Christmas once again... Craig and Melissa Hull.
More good stuff is heading your way soon! Remember, the reason for the Season, Love your friends and family and get your business in line in 2013... if we can help you do that, give us a call!
Merry Christmas once again... Craig and Melissa Hull.
11/08/2012
Man... I know it sounds like broken record around here, but we once again broke our all time month sales record! Many thanks to all of our customers and new friends. We will do our best to keep 'em coming on our end. Really.... thanks to all of you guys!
Craig and Melissa.
11/07/2012
I sat up and watched election coverage last night until about 11pm. At that point, I saw that Governor Romney was NOT going to be elected. My wife was angry... and still is. I guess as I reach the age of 50, I have become a little more stoic about these things. Unlike some, I will do my best to be supportive of our president Obama as he enters his second term and my only prayer is that this battle between the people who actually make the money and create the jobs and those who simply take it will not escalate.
My real fear is that those who do make the money, the jobs and the tax base that have been forced to support this country will decide that they have had enough. When they do, they will cheat, they will hide their money and go underground, leaving a country without any income... and then we will have some SERIOUS trouble. I pray for everyone to keep a level head, get ready for the next fight and get on with business. The rest will take care of itself.
God Bless.
Craig
Man... I know it sounds like broken record around here, but we once again broke our all time month sales record! Many thanks to all of our customers and new friends. We will do our best to keep 'em coming on our end. Really.... thanks to all of you guys!
Craig and Melissa.
11/07/2012
I sat up and watched election coverage last night until about 11pm. At that point, I saw that Governor Romney was NOT going to be elected. My wife was angry... and still is. I guess as I reach the age of 50, I have become a little more stoic about these things. Unlike some, I will do my best to be supportive of our president Obama as he enters his second term and my only prayer is that this battle between the people who actually make the money and create the jobs and those who simply take it will not escalate.
My real fear is that those who do make the money, the jobs and the tax base that have been forced to support this country will decide that they have had enough. When they do, they will cheat, they will hide their money and go underground, leaving a country without any income... and then we will have some SERIOUS trouble. I pray for everyone to keep a level head, get ready for the next fight and get on with business. The rest will take care of itself.
God Bless.
Craig
10/27/2012
HOLY CRAP! You guys sure can buy a lot of stuff real fast! Another smoking record month is going on the books and we ALWAYS appreciate the business! Hot Sellers in October? Dump boxes, 18MT tilts, 9,990 and 14k capacity 20' M/T and E/T tilts and dovetail car trailers as well. Keep buying them up and we'll keep getting more in! ~ God Bless!! Craig and Melissa.
10/26/2012
Here we are 10 days from an election and everybody says it's a dead heat.... I don't think so. I get the sneaky feeling that there is a HUGE silent majority of folks who have a sour taste in their mouths over $16 trillion of debt, A healthcare program that was basically shoved down our throats, a lack of growth on jobs and a complete laundry list of things that President Obama has or has not done. It's too bad. When he got elected, I said to myself, "Well, He's in and I wish him luck. Hopefully he can get some things fixed."
Now four years later, he really hasn't fixed anything and actually made some things worse. If Ronald Reagan had done these things, he'd have only been a one term President. If Clinton had done these things, they'd have run him out of town on a rail. But here we sit in a neck and neck race.... the world may truly be crazy, but I am betting on millions of sane, hard working guys like you and me to show up at the polls and get this guy out. We will see soon enough.
10/26/2012
Here we are 10 days from an election and everybody says it's a dead heat.... I don't think so. I get the sneaky feeling that there is a HUGE silent majority of folks who have a sour taste in their mouths over $16 trillion of debt, A healthcare program that was basically shoved down our throats, a lack of growth on jobs and a complete laundry list of things that President Obama has or has not done. It's too bad. When he got elected, I said to myself, "Well, He's in and I wish him luck. Hopefully he can get some things fixed."
Now four years later, he really hasn't fixed anything and actually made some things worse. If Ronald Reagan had done these things, he'd have only been a one term President. If Clinton had done these things, they'd have run him out of town on a rail. But here we sit in a neck and neck race.... the world may truly be crazy, but I am betting on millions of sane, hard working guys like you and me to show up at the polls and get this guy out. We will see soon enough.
10/12/2012
Leave a message!!!
Seriously... we are getting so much call volume around here any more that Melissa and I will both be on the phone taking orders or answering questions and people will be beeping in on both lines! If you call and get our voice mail. Please do leave a quick message and we WILL call you back!
10/12/2012
Is it just me or do Obama and Biden kind of act like this is all a big joke? I watched the Vice Presidential debates last night. Whenever a serious issue would come up and Paul Ryan was speaking, Joe would snort and grin and shake his head like he was hearing a joke.... strange stuff indeed.
Joe laughing while Ryan speaks about the Iranian Nuclear threat.
They both held their own I guess, but it didn't sway me. I know who I wanted to be our next president and I already voted. I hope you have voted early as well.. if not, just don't miss out... vote. It counts this year more than ever.
Seriously... we are getting so much call volume around here any more that Melissa and I will both be on the phone taking orders or answering questions and people will be beeping in on both lines! If you call and get our voice mail. Please do leave a quick message and we WILL call you back!
10/12/2012
Is it just me or do Obama and Biden kind of act like this is all a big joke? I watched the Vice Presidential debates last night. Whenever a serious issue would come up and Paul Ryan was speaking, Joe would snort and grin and shake his head like he was hearing a joke.... strange stuff indeed.
Joe laughing while Ryan speaks about the Iranian Nuclear threat.
They both held their own I guess, but it didn't sway me. I know who I wanted to be our next president and I already voted. I hope you have voted early as well.. if not, just don't miss out... vote. It counts this year more than ever.
10/09/2012
Was it just me, or did Mitt Romney hand Obama a whoopin' the other night? I was stunned and surprised and absolutely tickled all at once! I can't wait to see Paul Ryan go at it against Joe Biden this week!!!! (This could be better than watching MMA fights!)
What it looked like from my chair at home!!!!
How the media spun it the next day.... to no avail...
Oh well.... we aren't really all that surprised are we?
Now... it will all be for naught if the silent majority (you and I and all of the other guys that think like WE do) don't get in and vote... just to make sure that i did, I and Melissa have already stopped in at the local courthouse and cast our ballots in early voting... you can too! Call your local court house and they will tell you how!
10/09/2012
Want to get a BETTER deal on a new trailer from us? Become our facebook friend and you could get $200 off real soon! Click the photo to get in the running right now!
Ooops.... typo... we'll be doing this giveaway at random to one of our facebook followers when we hit 1,100 likes..... so.... go.... like.... maybe even win!!!!
10/09/2012
Don't think you create jobs? Look at this photo chart and hold your head high!
10/09/2012
Who would have thunk it?
Another record month follows the 16 before....
So here it is the 9th of October and we have been humping, selling and delivering so hard that I never even had enough time to eat a regular lunch in about a month. What a trip! You guys really love our stuff and it shows in the massive amount of calls, sales and custom orders that we just keep receiving! We are flattered and humbled as always! Thanks for the business and all we ask is that if you get our voice mail... LEAVE a message! We WILL call you back!
And just when you think I thought I couldn't get any more love from you folks, I received two emails from customers that warmed my heart!
Ron French from up around Chicago way had me build him a custom E/T tilt trailer in red. He came and picked it up about a week ago and was a hoot to talk to. A gun nut and a car guy trapped in the Chicagoland area... I think if he could figure out a way to move to Page county, we'd be hanging out a lot! Anyway, he took the trailer home and sent me this email with a photo of his sweet 928 GTS Porsche on top! Look at the photos and read his email... I didn't ask for the love, he gives it freely and we appreciate it!
Craig, I really enjoyed meeting with you last week and picking up my new trailer.
The trailer is made using the best materials and excellent construction. Top notch craftsman
Many thanks for the kind words, Ron... enjoy the trailer and send me a photo when you get the polished aluminum plate on that funky extra tall headache rack!
But... wait, it gets better!
Then, not twenty minutes later, I got an email from my friend John.
John Bennett from South Carolina had run up (Yes! all the way from South Carolina!) to pick up his new trailer. He then ran back down into Oklahoma, picked up an classic truck and dead headed it all the way back home. Here is the email he sent....too bad he didn't give me a photo of his trailer with the old Chevy truck on top, but the words alone warmed my heart.
10/6/2012
We finally hit 1,000 Facebook Friends and gave away a FREE 66x8 SS trailer, or $1100 off of any trailer the winner on our Facebook page would like! John Walker of Shenandoah, Iowa was our winner, nearly wet his pants when he got the phone call and opted to have us build him a 20' SS utility with the 9,990lb GVWR pack on it... Congratulations John!
Take heart!!! We are going to give away a $200 off certificate to one of our Facebook friends when we hit 1,100 likes... so go be our Facebook friend today! You could be next!
Like free stuff? Then be my facebook friend!
09/13/2012 by Craig
In this day and age, it's always good business to be as nice as you can. If I just operated on the principles of profit and loss, I don't think that I would have lived the life I had, enjoyed the success I have known and I KNOW that I would not be surrounded by the people I am surrounded by. Sometimes, just being nice to be nice is reward enough. When I decided to create a facebook 'face' for Stateline Trailers, I didn't just do one of those hokey 'click here to like this page' facebook pages. I created a page where Stateline Trailers was almost a person unto itself. Which meant that if you wanted on my page, you would have to ask to be my facebook pal and I would then KNOW you existed and we would join up online. So far, it's the smartest online decision I have made. Since starting the page, over 770 people have taken the time to ask to be my facebook friend and I have accepted the offer. And now, I am rewarding my facebook friends once in a while with a freebie.
Today, I offered up a free SLtrailers.com hat to the first person who could give me the full name of the winner of the 1969 Daytona 500... LeeRoy Yarborough.. in case you didn't know. My facebook friend and customer Jim Wagoner from Topeka Goggled it faster than anyone else and he won.
I will be doing things like this every few days or so... and every time my friends list hits an even 100, I give away a $100 in store credit that the winner can use for parts or to buy down the cost of a new trailer. That's it, no strings attached... just go ask to be my facebook friend and you could win free stuff too. Why? Well, it makes me happy, it makes the people that win stuff happy and now and then, I even sell a trailer.
On another note... poor Clint... he's in the meat grinder now..
Mark Twain once said that as long as he made people 'think' that he was making them think, they loved him, but if he ever made the mistake of actually making them really think, they would hang him in a second. Poor Mr. Eastwood may have found that out when he did what I thought was a pretty good job of a totally off the cuff presentation of his thoughts on the Obama administration at the DNC convention a few weeks ago. Love him or hate him, Love Mitt or hate Mitt, Love Obama or hate him.. you have to admit that it took some major sized, chrome plated and polished 'huevos' to stand up there and do what he did.
"Clint, if they don't get it, I do!... thanks for doing it" Your fan for life, Craig Hull.
Honestly, is this a great country or what?
~ Craig
09/11/2012 Where were you 4,015 Days ago?
It almost doesn't seem possible, but it HAS been 11 years since a pack of wild eyed zealots hijacked airliners and flew them into two buildings in New York City. We can all remember where we were when it happened and we can all remember how America rose up to meet the challenges back then. But today, I fear we have lost some of that fire. I think that maybe we should all take a look at this photo once in a while. It reminds me that we need to keep up at the effort of success in America, if we don't, then those jackasses won in a strange sort of way.... and I think you'll agree... we never want them to win anything.
Say a prayer for those who died that day, say a prayer for those they left behind and then let's get back to work and make America the envy of the entire world once again... sound like a good idea?
We're STILL selling the tar out of dump box trailers!
August 30th, 2012. It's been over a YEAR since Calvin debuted the new dump box trailer design and to this date, we have NEVER been able to get at least one in stock, until now. I am probably going to be getting right back on here and taking this off, but we do have two loose models right now.
We've got a loose 14' gooseneck dump box model for $6490
and we have a 14' bumper pull with reel out tarp kit for $6190
Why is it so hard for us to get any in stock? Well, because we have studied that last 20 years of our dump box production and sales and created a streamlined, improved, superior engineered unit with all of the features you need for less money than anyone else. Price is a point, but what you GET for your money really is what sells this unit. If you haven't studied our dump trailers, go take a look at both the bumper pull and the gooseneck dump pages and you will see what everyone is waiting in line to get. It's a terrific unit that is proving itself to be rugged and reliable in the field. We have hundreds of them out and not a SINGLE unit has had to make a trip back here for ANYTHING so far... and that says it all.
Click here to take a tour of our bumper pull dump box trailers.
Want to take a look at the Gooseneck Dumps? Click Here!
Sorry that you have to get in line to get a dump box trailer... but do yourself a favor and get in line. You'll get a better trailer for a lot less money than you ever thought possible.
Are guns a good investment? Who cares!!!!
All of my friends are nuts for them, most of you guys are nuts for them and we all know why. A well crafted gun is a work of art, a tool for protecting yourself and the people near you and a great way to maybe not MAKE money, but a good place to stash it. Guns really don't lose their value and while you own them, they are fun toys to play around with. Not to mention the fact that a properly trained and licensed, well armed adult male has a 700% better chance of protecting his friends and family than one who isn't. It just makes it a no brainer to have a few good powerful hand guns in your personal collection. Plus.... don't it look cool?
Case in point. This slick Regent R200S stainless steel 1911 45 automatic pistol that I picked up from my buddy the other day. I have to admit that I have always had a soft spot for the venerable 45 ACP 1911 pistol. Ever since my dad took me shooting with his old Remington 45 auto when I was a kid, I have been amazed at the power of them combined with the 'reasonably' compact size. I shot this photo sitting next to my phone for reference. These are by no means a
pocket gun. They do have some size, some weight and are darn near impossible to carry without someone noticing. I find them more useful as a desk drawer piece.
But, when you slip in that stainless steel 7 round clip and rack it up, this puppy does it's intended job very, VERY well. Like an old buddy of mine said, "A 9mm slug might expand, but a 45 slug doesn't have to."
101 years old and it still may be the best all around automatic pistol design ever created. If you haven't shot one, you really should. And price??? This Regent is brand new and with 3 stainless steel clips, two boxes of 45 ammo, a carrying case, with all taxes and fees included was still under $700. It's probably one of the better gun buys I have made in recent years and one that I plan to keep around for a long time! You love guns? Then you HAVE to own at least ONE 45 auto 1911 pistol. Take it from me!
Sometimes you change for the better...
August 30th, 2012. Things change. It's a fact of life. When I was in my 30's I lived for motorcycles. Sportbikes, Choppers, Harleys, Eurobikes... didn't matter. If they had two wheels and burned fuel, I was in. But, I got older. I broke a perfectly good knee stepping off of a fishing boat in 2004 (Ouch!) and that slowed me up a little, but I still had a good knee and I kept buying and selling and collecting bikes. What it looked like from my chair at home!!!!
How the media spun it the next day.... to no avail...
Oh well.... we aren't really all that surprised are we?
Now... it will all be for naught if the silent majority (you and I and all of the other guys that think like WE do) don't get in and vote... just to make sure that i did, I and Melissa have already stopped in at the local courthouse and cast our ballots in early voting... you can too! Call your local court house and they will tell you how!
10/09/2012
Want to get a BETTER deal on a new trailer from us? Become our facebook friend and you could get $200 off real soon! Click the photo to get in the running right now!
Ooops.... typo... we'll be doing this giveaway at random to one of our facebook followers when we hit 1,100 likes..... so.... go.... like.... maybe even win!!!!
10/09/2012
Don't think you create jobs? Look at this photo chart and hold your head high!
10/09/2012
Who would have thunk it?
Another record month follows the 16 before....
So here it is the 9th of October and we have been humping, selling and delivering so hard that I never even had enough time to eat a regular lunch in about a month. What a trip! You guys really love our stuff and it shows in the massive amount of calls, sales and custom orders that we just keep receiving! We are flattered and humbled as always! Thanks for the business and all we ask is that if you get our voice mail... LEAVE a message! We WILL call you back!
And just when you think I thought I couldn't get any more love from you folks, I received two emails from customers that warmed my heart!
Ron French from up around Chicago way had me build him a custom E/T tilt trailer in red. He came and picked it up about a week ago and was a hoot to talk to. A gun nut and a car guy trapped in the Chicagoland area... I think if he could figure out a way to move to Page county, we'd be hanging out a lot! Anyway, he took the trailer home and sent me this email with a photo of his sweet 928 GTS Porsche on top! Look at the photos and read his email... I didn't ask for the love, he gives it freely and we appreciate it!
Craig, I really enjoyed meeting with you last week and picking up my new trailer.
The trailer is made using the best materials and excellent construction. Top notch craftsman
ship
is rare today, and I just wanted you to know how much I appreciate it.
Every detail from the wood decking to the welds is a work of art. I sent
you a few pictures with my Porsche 928 GTS on the trailer. Again, thank
you. Ron.
Many thanks for the kind words, Ron... enjoy the trailer and send me a photo when you get the polished aluminum plate on that funky extra tall headache rack!
But... wait, it gets better!
Then, not twenty minutes later, I got an email from my friend John.
John Bennett from South Carolina had run up (Yes! all the way from South Carolina!) to pick up his new trailer. He then ran back down into Oklahoma, picked up an classic truck and dead headed it all the way back home. Here is the email he sent....too bad he didn't give me a photo of his trailer with the old Chevy truck on top, but the words alone warmed my heart.
Hi Craig. Just want you to know that I completed my trip from Braddyville IA back to my home in South Carolina via Oklahoma City. Approximately 1,500 miles in total. I traveled interstates, cities, day and night, and the trailer performance was wonderful. The trailer tracked straight and didn't dip, dive or skip around on rough roads. The lighting is great, I could easily see my side light markers in both side mirrors so I knew exactly where my outer wheels were when on narrow roads and traversing between road work barriers. The trailer is well balanced and didn't put unnecessary pitch or weight on my truck. I'm looking forward to years of service. Thanks for the great experience. Please send my thanks to the craftsmen who built this trailer.
John Bennett
Fort Mill, SC
10/6/2012
We finally hit 1,000 Facebook Friends and gave away a FREE 66x8 SS trailer, or $1100 off of any trailer the winner on our Facebook page would like! John Walker of Shenandoah, Iowa was our winner, nearly wet his pants when he got the phone call and opted to have us build him a 20' SS utility with the 9,990lb GVWR pack on it... Congratulations John!
Take heart!!! We are going to give away a $200 off certificate to one of our Facebook friends when we hit 1,100 likes... so go be our Facebook friend today! You could be next!
Like free stuff? Then be my facebook friend!
09/13/2012 by Craig
In this day and age, it's always good business to be as nice as you can. If I just operated on the principles of profit and loss, I don't think that I would have lived the life I had, enjoyed the success I have known and I KNOW that I would not be surrounded by the people I am surrounded by. Sometimes, just being nice to be nice is reward enough. When I decided to create a facebook 'face' for Stateline Trailers, I didn't just do one of those hokey 'click here to like this page' facebook pages. I created a page where Stateline Trailers was almost a person unto itself. Which meant that if you wanted on my page, you would have to ask to be my facebook pal and I would then KNOW you existed and we would join up online. So far, it's the smartest online decision I have made. Since starting the page, over 770 people have taken the time to ask to be my facebook friend and I have accepted the offer. And now, I am rewarding my facebook friends once in a while with a freebie.
Today, I offered up a free SLtrailers.com hat to the first person who could give me the full name of the winner of the 1969 Daytona 500... LeeRoy Yarborough.. in case you didn't know. My facebook friend and customer Jim Wagoner from Topeka Goggled it faster than anyone else and he won.
I will be doing things like this every few days or so... and every time my friends list hits an even 100, I give away a $100 in store credit that the winner can use for parts or to buy down the cost of a new trailer. That's it, no strings attached... just go ask to be my facebook friend and you could win free stuff too. Why? Well, it makes me happy, it makes the people that win stuff happy and now and then, I even sell a trailer.
On another note... poor Clint... he's in the meat grinder now..
Mark Twain once said that as long as he made people 'think' that he was making them think, they loved him, but if he ever made the mistake of actually making them really think, they would hang him in a second. Poor Mr. Eastwood may have found that out when he did what I thought was a pretty good job of a totally off the cuff presentation of his thoughts on the Obama administration at the DNC convention a few weeks ago. Love him or hate him, Love Mitt or hate Mitt, Love Obama or hate him.. you have to admit that it took some major sized, chrome plated and polished 'huevos' to stand up there and do what he did.
"Clint, if they don't get it, I do!... thanks for doing it" Your fan for life, Craig Hull.
Honestly, is this a great country or what?
~ Craig
09/11/2012 Where were you 4,015 Days ago?
It almost doesn't seem possible, but it HAS been 11 years since a pack of wild eyed zealots hijacked airliners and flew them into two buildings in New York City. We can all remember where we were when it happened and we can all remember how America rose up to meet the challenges back then. But today, I fear we have lost some of that fire. I think that maybe we should all take a look at this photo once in a while. It reminds me that we need to keep up at the effort of success in America, if we don't, then those jackasses won in a strange sort of way.... and I think you'll agree... we never want them to win anything.
Say a prayer for those who died that day, say a prayer for those they left behind and then let's get back to work and make America the envy of the entire world once again... sound like a good idea?
We're STILL selling the tar out of dump box trailers!
August 30th, 2012. It's been over a YEAR since Calvin debuted the new dump box trailer design and to this date, we have NEVER been able to get at least one in stock, until now. I am probably going to be getting right back on here and taking this off, but we do have two loose models right now.
We've got a loose 14' gooseneck dump box model for $6490
and we have a 14' bumper pull with reel out tarp kit for $6190
Why is it so hard for us to get any in stock? Well, because we have studied that last 20 years of our dump box production and sales and created a streamlined, improved, superior engineered unit with all of the features you need for less money than anyone else. Price is a point, but what you GET for your money really is what sells this unit. If you haven't studied our dump trailers, go take a look at both the bumper pull and the gooseneck dump pages and you will see what everyone is waiting in line to get. It's a terrific unit that is proving itself to be rugged and reliable in the field. We have hundreds of them out and not a SINGLE unit has had to make a trip back here for ANYTHING so far... and that says it all.
Click here to take a tour of our bumper pull dump box trailers.
Want to take a look at the Gooseneck Dumps? Click Here!
Sorry that you have to get in line to get a dump box trailer... but do yourself a favor and get in line. You'll get a better trailer for a lot less money than you ever thought possible.
Are guns a good investment? Who cares!!!!
All of my friends are nuts for them, most of you guys are nuts for them and we all know why. A well crafted gun is a work of art, a tool for protecting yourself and the people near you and a great way to maybe not MAKE money, but a good place to stash it. Guns really don't lose their value and while you own them, they are fun toys to play around with. Not to mention the fact that a properly trained and licensed, well armed adult male has a 700% better chance of protecting his friends and family than one who isn't. It just makes it a no brainer to have a few good powerful hand guns in your personal collection. Plus.... don't it look cool?
Case in point. This slick Regent R200S stainless steel 1911 45 automatic pistol that I picked up from my buddy the other day. I have to admit that I have always had a soft spot for the venerable 45 ACP 1911 pistol. Ever since my dad took me shooting with his old Remington 45 auto when I was a kid, I have been amazed at the power of them combined with the 'reasonably' compact size. I shot this photo sitting next to my phone for reference. These are by no means a
pocket gun. They do have some size, some weight and are darn near impossible to carry without someone noticing. I find them more useful as a desk drawer piece.
But, when you slip in that stainless steel 7 round clip and rack it up, this puppy does it's intended job very, VERY well. Like an old buddy of mine said, "A 9mm slug might expand, but a 45 slug doesn't have to."
101 years old and it still may be the best all around automatic pistol design ever created. If you haven't shot one, you really should. And price??? This Regent is brand new and with 3 stainless steel clips, two boxes of 45 ammo, a carrying case, with all taxes and fees included was still under $700. It's probably one of the better gun buys I have made in recent years and one that I plan to keep around for a long time! You love guns? Then you HAVE to own at least ONE 45 auto 1911 pistol. Take it from me!
Sometimes you change for the better...
Then, A dirt bike accident in the Arizona Desert in 2007 broke my OTHER good knee and suddenly, the fear of being crippled outweighed my love for motorcycles. When you don't have a good leg to stick down in an emergency, the prospect of putting yourself in an emergency situation on a 700lb motorcycle doesn't seem so fun and adventuresome anymore.
For a while, I just felt bad about it, like I was punishing my inner kid. But, as I creep up on the Stately age of 50 next year, plus with a 3 year old boy at my side, I have finally come to grips with the fact that I am just no longer a motorcycle kind of guy. Does that stop me from having some fun? Heck no!!! I have just traded my love for two wheels into four wheels and am driving my wife nuts with car projects lately.
My wife found this old photo of me posing with my youngest son, Tom on a motorcycle that I had sold to a fellow. It made me think that a quick note to my friends about changing your hobbies is not the horror that I feared it was. Maybe you have always enjoyed a high impact hobby that you just don't feel comfortable doing any more. I get it. I understand it and I am here to tell you to go find another hobby that makes you comfortable and happy at the same time.
Me? I have found some four wheel fun to work at. This 1962 Cadillac Coupe Deville was a steal on craigslist a few months ago and it has been fun bringing it up to modern cruiser standards. I guess when it all comes down to it, as long as you love what you do, it doesn't matter if you change direction a little. Plus, with this hobby, I have room for momma and kids all at the same time!
Remember, its really just all about having some fun in the end. ~ Craig
It's like Manna from Heaven around here.
August 10th, 2012
When the Israelites were in the desert, Moses asked God to feed them and he did. Every morning, there would be food laying on the ground for them to eat. But only enough for the day. Never enough to store up or keep on hand. It was a daily thing. I sometimes see that same method in my life here at Stateline. Every day I get up and I see the corn burned up in the fields and I listen to the people who are all worried about how a drouth is going to effect us... and I find myself worrying, like everyone does now and then.
But, I am also a man who knows that God is kind and good and fair. I simply ask God, "Lord, you know what we need. Send me some people today who need a trailer" and I leave it at that and go to work. I update my craigslist ads, do my usual things and 'ring'... you guys call up and we talk, then you call back and buy a trailer. When we are selling at the same rate we were in the spring on a weekly basis, I have to publicly acknowledge that there is a God and he does care about us.
Jesus said in Chapter 4 of James... 'You do not have because you do not ask God.' and I take that at it's word. If you are feeling pinched in life for any reason, get your heart right with him and ask with a little bit of faith behind your request and he WILL take care of you. For those of you who have been caught by this drouth, remember, There is a God who takes care of us all. If you do not believe that, then I really don't know if you and I would get along.
Dinner with the Bush hating Atheist.
My comments above reminded me of a business dinner I had with a British gentleman back in the mid 2,000's, when George W was president and folks on the West Coast, which is where I met this gentleman were at a full W hating frenzy. We met at the restaurant and he knew of me and I knew about him, but just to make completely sure that I knew where HE stood on things, he started out the conversation by saying, "Craig, I just want it known up front that I am an avowed Atheist and I utterly DISPISE your President Bush." He even concluded that statement with one of those, 'and how do you like that!' smirks.
My first response is still the best one I could have come up with and I invite you to steal it and use it when necessary when coming in contact with people such as he was. I looked down at my menu and said, "Well, I don't think George Bush needs to me to come running to his defense and I am pretty sure that you and God will have your own conversation about that some day, so let's get past that and eat!"
It made him arch his eyebrows and smile and we got along well. I guess i brought it up to let you know that I am not a raving, bible thumping lunatic, I Just believe that God is here to help and I wanted to relate that he has helped me... and he can help you to.
Now, on with the business... pricing is going up in about 6 weeks, so let's get busy!
When the Israelites were in the desert, Moses asked God to feed them and he did. Every morning, there would be food laying on the ground for them to eat. But only enough for the day. Never enough to store up or keep on hand. It was a daily thing. I sometimes see that same method in my life here at Stateline. Every day I get up and I see the corn burned up in the fields and I listen to the people who are all worried about how a drouth is going to effect us... and I find myself worrying, like everyone does now and then.
But, I am also a man who knows that God is kind and good and fair. I simply ask God, "Lord, you know what we need. Send me some people today who need a trailer" and I leave it at that and go to work. I update my craigslist ads, do my usual things and 'ring'... you guys call up and we talk, then you call back and buy a trailer. When we are selling at the same rate we were in the spring on a weekly basis, I have to publicly acknowledge that there is a God and he does care about us.
Jesus said in Chapter 4 of James... 'You do not have because you do not ask God.' and I take that at it's word. If you are feeling pinched in life for any reason, get your heart right with him and ask with a little bit of faith behind your request and he WILL take care of you. For those of you who have been caught by this drouth, remember, There is a God who takes care of us all. If you do not believe that, then I really don't know if you and I would get along.
Dinner with the Bush hating Atheist.
My comments above reminded me of a business dinner I had with a British gentleman back in the mid 2,000's, when George W was president and folks on the West Coast, which is where I met this gentleman were at a full W hating frenzy. We met at the restaurant and he knew of me and I knew about him, but just to make completely sure that I knew where HE stood on things, he started out the conversation by saying, "Craig, I just want it known up front that I am an avowed Atheist and I utterly DISPISE your President Bush." He even concluded that statement with one of those, 'and how do you like that!' smirks.
My first response is still the best one I could have come up with and I invite you to steal it and use it when necessary when coming in contact with people such as he was. I looked down at my menu and said, "Well, I don't think George Bush needs to me to come running to his defense and I am pretty sure that you and God will have your own conversation about that some day, so let's get past that and eat!"
It made him arch his eyebrows and smile and we got along well. I guess i brought it up to let you know that I am not a raving, bible thumping lunatic, I Just believe that God is here to help and I wanted to relate that he has helped me... and he can help you to.
Now, on with the business... pricing is going up in about 6 weeks, so let's get busy!
How high will it be? I am still unsure at this point, but I have had some heated conversations already that have bought it down a little here and there. My feeling? $50-100 per unit will be pretty average. I also see some options going up anywhere between $10 and $50 depending on what they are. So, nothing Earth shattering, but worthy of noting in advance.
How to beat the price increase? Get one coming NOW! Call us at 712 589 3055 and when we get your order in now, it goes in at the current price! Simple? Simple...~ Thanks... Craig
Wednesday, July 25th, 2012
Man, I am lazy, over a month since i wrote in this page... but, it has been hot and I have been busy. Much of my time has been spent just meeting with you guys and handling your trailer orders and sales. We are blessed to have landed in this spot in the world and in this spot in time. It's been a great first year (our anniversary came and went in a whirlwind and we didn't even slow down to notice) and we expect our 2nd year to be a full 100% increase over the first.
We thank you all and once again, deeply add our appreciation for your support, your trust, your friendship and your business... thank you all very very much.
The Burger King Incident....
I got straightened out by a 15 year old kid the other day.....
Let me explain. I had gone on a trip to DesMoines for some business and was heading back home in the afternoon. I had been haggered and hot and hurried all day and was thinking, "Man, I work too hard! I need to just call it a day and relax. Nobody should have to work like I do... " You know, the usual bla bla bla we all do ourselves once in a while.
As I was driving along patting myself on the back on how hard i have it and how good I am at all i do, I decided to stop in at a burger king and grab some lunch. Since i had an 18 MT tilt on the back, i chose to park and walk in for a to go order.
Inside, I stepped up to the counter and on the other side was this short, extremely chubby kid of about 15 with a big smile on his face. He said, "Hey! Welcome to Burger King! What can I get you?"
His smile was infectious, but he was pale and covered in sweat, even in the air conditioned room. My first comment was to smile and say, "Son, can't you stay cool working in here?"
"Not since the chemo! Makes me sweat like crazy!" was his reply.
I took a closer look and realized that this boy didn't have a lick of hair poking out from under his Burger King hat, no eyebrows, nothing.... he was the poster child for all that messes you up on Chemotherapy and here he was working away happily at a BURGER KING for minimum wage!
"Buddy, that sucks! How are you holding up?" I was trying to recover from the moment.
"Oh! I just found out I'm in full remission and they say the nausea and stuff will go away in a day or two.... I'm doing GREAT!"
Long story short, i paid for my food, threw him a little tip and walked back out to my paid for Escalade with my head down. Who was I kidding? I had it easy! Did i have to worry about whether I was going to die in the next three months? Did I have to worry about who I was leaving behind? Did i have to worry about all of that AND go stand at a Burger King counter and sweat in my own nausea all day? ... No, I get to drive around in paid for vehicles and sell stuff....
Suddenly, I felt extremely lazy and it dawned on me that I had just gotten my attitude adjusted by a 15 year old kid. Now, every day when i feel like things are hard, I just think 'Hey! At least I'm not fighting cancer while working at a burger king for peanuts!'.... seems to motivate me to get my butt back to work pretty quickly.
Is there a lesson here for you? I don't know. I just know that there was certainly a lesson there for me and i think i learned it.
Count your blessings and get back to work.
Craig
Thursday June 7th, 2012!
Man!!! Have we got good news! Instead of pricing jumping up immediately, we've actually have a few things go DOWN in price around here lately! Check it out!
But wait, there's more! As they say on TV.... our popular fender width floor option just came down a bunch, just by re-engineering things a little, we save you $15 for every foot of fender width outrigger you order. Case in point.
12' $660 $480 $180
14' $770 $560 $210
16' $880 $640 $240
18' $990 $720 $270 NOTE! At this point, it's like getting channel steel
20' $1100 $800 $300 fenders for FREE now!
22' $1210 $880 $330
24' $1320 $960 $360
26' $1430 $1040 $390
28' $1,540 $1,120 $420
Those are some pretty big savings numbers!!!! If you've been sitting on the fence about getting a REALLY equipped trailer, snag it now. I am sure that new pricing on base models WILL be going up soon, so this really is as cheap as i see these trailers getting ever again.
Wednesday, May 24th.
An actual campaign button for Mark Twain in the 1870's... more of a joke than anything, but still a keeper.
Let's talk about the election for a moment. I am not one of those 'yay for our team, screw the other guys' cheerleader type of political people. But, even I feel that this election cycle is rather crucial. With my Health Insurance having gone up over 25% in two years, national debt at crisis levels, talk of taxing the rich and giving to the poor... it all even wears on a guy like me that really likes to spend his time immersed in the trailer business and spending time with his wife and kids.
BUT!!! Just to make sure I knew who I was dealing with, I have been doing some sniffing online. Not just looking at emails everyone sends around, but through CNN archives, Fox News archives, AP news, UPI, Bloomberg, Wikipedia and others and I found out a lot of stuff that makes me like this guy even more! Read on...
When Mitt was younger, he worked as a night watchmen at a Chrysler Plant in Michigan to help pay for trips to go see his girlfriend, who became his one and only wife way back in 1972. He's doing two better than I did there... on my third and final wife myself.
Mitt went off to work for the Mormon Church in Europe between college years and while there, he got his jaw badly bruised for stopping a couple of drunk guys who were picking on nuns. Yes, Catholic Nuns... .he stepped in, drew them away from the Nuns and took a beating for it. Doesn't really sound like a privileged, spoiled ivy league punk to me.
Also while in Europe, he was in a car accident that killed the wife of his boss. After recovering from the accident, this college kid on break stepped up and became the acting co-president of the French mission, oversaw nearly 200 people, learned to speak French fluently and became a better man because of it. Score another for Mitt. I like a guy that can adapt and grow.
He married his Wife Anne in 1969 and had five sons. Anne was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis in 1998 and Mitt took time off to spend it all with her. She credits him for being her team captain and getting her through the toughest times. Anne also has been diagnosed and treated for breast cancer in 2008 and once again credited Mitt for 'pulling and pushing' her through the tough spots. --- score two more for Mitt, he sticks around in the hard times too.
So... yes, i know he is smart, rich, a one woman man, dad and grandfather, lives a very staid life and knows how to conduct himself personally and professionally. so... i guess i like Mitt more, now that i have gone searching than i even did before.
Would I be so lucky with Barack Obama?? I doubt it. The guy just never added up to me.... and that bothers me deeply.
Now. Don't take my word for it, go learn for yourselves and then you decided when the day comes this fall. I know who I am voting for. So... with that off of my mind... back to work.
Craig
Friday, May 18th.
You know there are days when you should have stayed in bed... then there are those days that you are glad you got up early and went to work. Today has been one of the latter. After a crazy strong week of orders in the deep double digits, we were figuring a nice, calm Friday afternoon. Mom is getting her car back from the shop with a new front end alignment and the tires rotated and spin balanced. I am getting ready to send the 'survivor' ford expedition project off to my buddy John's shop for some transfer case beef up work, before changing tires and taking it to the full offroad side of things, and that was probably going to be that.
Then, the phone rings. My friend and customer Carl Wilmes had just gotten his 14' gooseneck dump box trailer and was calling to tell me............ that he LOVES it... greatest trailer that he has ever seen or owned. Then he sweetens the pot by handing his phone to his buddy who puts an exact copy of one on order... 8 week lead times? not a problem, just call me when it's done, here's your $500.
I smile as i hang up the phone and I get an email on my phone from my buddy Kerry Lukenbill from Kansas city who had picked up a new 18' electric tilt speedhauler a few weeks ago. He has a photo attached along with a short note...
"Craig, just letting you know that side boards went together just like you said. All of my neighbors are jealous. I am glad you talked me into the electric tilt and the heavy 225 radials. This one NICE trailer!" K, Lukenbill.
So, some days you should stay in bed... and some days the world loves everything you do. I should shut the doors and go home now while I'm on a high note... but I'm going to stick around. Who knows, it could get better....
Tuesday May 15th.
Man... what a day! You guys know how to pile it on. Orders, buying anything that's not bolted down and then ordering more and more and more. We REALLY appreciate the business and we always invite you to please keep telling your friends. Like the man says, buy all you want, we'll make more.
Thanks and God Bless.
Craig and Melissa Hull
Saturday, May 12th
American Express is dead.... well, not literally, but for us it is.
Saturday, May 12th
So, I heard that Carroll Shelby died. I was happy and sad at the same time. I know that sounds funny, but I think that poor old Carroll has been suffering for years, which makes me happy that he doesn't suffer any longer. And it makes me sad that we just won't have the old hot rodder in the background, blowing wads of cash on crazy wild car ideas any more. Anyone in the WORLD, whether you are a Ford fan or not, must admit that Carroll Shelby had entered into a rare club. He shares a special place in my mind with Enzo Ferrari, Mr. Bugatti and many others... the builders, the racers, the playmakers. He will be missed and revered for ages to come. Here are some great photos of him as my tribute to the man. Lord, just give him a little track time up there now and then. He likes cutting laps.
Carroll and one of probably 50 zillion trophy girls he posed with in his life.
Two major legends. Zora Arkus Duntov, the man who created the Corvette and spearheaded the development of the small block Chevrolet poses with Carroll... looks like he's trying to figure out how they made it so fast.
Even us Non Ford guys are going to miss YOU, Mr. Shelby. You made life so much more interesting.
Wednesday May 9th
All my life, I said I was going to get a custom license plate just once. Here I am almost 50 years old, have probably ran more titles through the courthouse than the average small car dealer and have never ONCE taken the time to get a custom plate. Well, this year it all changed. I got a different truck to drive and while I was at the courthouse, I asked for the application, filled it out with my $25 check and mailed it off.
A month later, here they are... and I am glad I finally did it. I think I made a good choice on the plate too... kind of says it all about me... What do you think?
'So, what do you do for living??.... Oh....'
Thursday April 12th, 2012.
Sorry for not updating things lately but it has been busy, real busy... like in stupid busy around here. I like busy but it comes at the cost of just having time to do updates and keep in touch with customers. So, this being the day AFTER my 49th Birthday, I thought I would jump off on a tangent that I get many of you are fans of... and that is Cars. Actually, Cars, Trucks.. anything cool.
I had promised myself that I would resurrect my old 81 Stepside Chevy truck and turn it into a monster little shop truck just for the fun of burning rubber and scaring little old ladies and this month, it is finally becoming a reality. My friend Craig Foster is feverishly handling some details that I am just not equipped to take care of and I expect this old girl to be ready to slap some wheels on and drive in a week or two... A quick teaser for all of you motorheads out there... here is what it looked like when I bought it off of Craigslist for $400.
Yep, it looked just as bad in person. But, a cab swap to a nicer piece, some cheap fenders, a little love on the box.. plus a new 383 stroker motor, loose converter, shift kitted T350 and some freshening up of the FACTORY 3.73 Posi rearend, along with a 5/6 drop kit and she will be one heck of a cool little SLTrailers.com beater shop truck! The color? White primer and some chrome wheels. Stand by for a photo.
Do you have a project beast in the works? Email us some photos and we'll toss it on here for public consumption. Because, if we all didn't love things with wheels on them, then we wouldn't NEED trailers at all, would we?
Do you have a project beast in the works? Email us some photos and we'll toss it on here for public consumption. Because, if we all didn't love things with wheels on them, then we wouldn't NEED trailers at all, would we?
Just when you think you can relax!
Oh... I'm just kidding here, but it really is funny. I'll wake up to emails, voicemails, missed calls and people frantic to get something on order, find out what's in stock or just make sure that the trailers we offer really are 'old school H&H' as more than one person put it. (Note: These really are the old school H&H trailers. This is the design and weld quality that made H&H a major powerhouse, combined with a more common sense approach to how the money gets spent).
So, I get in, scramble, email, do phone calls, meet customers, hook up trailers and just about the time that I am all ready to go full bore for the rest of the day.... nothing, zero, zip.. phone is quiet.
So, I am now hiding out at my office in the shop at the farm and having a good time listening to the ipod, looking at old Porsches for sale online, though I would never buy one, they sure do seem interesting... when.. BAM...phone rings, email goes wild and here we go again.
All I can say is thank you all. Thanks for keeping us busy and as always, if you get my voicemail... PLEASE leave a message.. I will call you back!
Thanks
Craig
Friday March 16th, 2012
Let's talk about painting underneath on a trailer.
I guess sometimes I've been in this industry too long and I forget things that other people may deem vital, that from experience are basically, well... unimportant in the long run. Let's take color coating the centers of the cross members on a wood floor trailer. Granted, we ALWAYS prep, acid etch, iron phosphate and prime all of the trailer, but when it comes time to try and lay down the pretty, shiny top coats, the guys try not to climb all over the trailer.
In that vein, sometimes they'll be able to reach in and spray the centers of the very middle cross members with the final color coat, other times, they worry more about dragging a loose knee or air hose into otherwise beautiful paint and let the primer do the protection.
I bring this up, because I had a young gentleman come get his unit, take it home and then phoned me up the following day intimating that I was some sort of low down, yellow bellied, carpet bagger conman because he saw red primer in the very centers of the cross members between the axles on his big tilt bobcat trailer. Honestly, I was a little put back. My first reaction was to simply offer him a complete refund if he was unhappy in any way with the unit, which somehow made him even angrier.
Now I keep getting jibing hate mails from him... so... maybe it's not me, maybe it's not the trailer... maybe it's him.
The point I am getting to here is this. If you REALLY want to know the facts, we usually don't concentrate on getting the very centers of the very center cross members colored in the final top coat. If you NEED that done, Calvin said that for $30, he will make them purposely coat each and every cross member for you in the color coat. But, if you are like me and you know full well that you could dip a 3" channel steel cross member in salt water every day for 20 years and it would still not weaken it's structure, plus you are not concerned with seeing your shiny smile in the bottom of the cross members on a trailer, don't worry about it.
Just passing on the facts!
Also... New feature just added today to the GT tilt page.. our friend Dennis Travis picked up his new 24' GT tilt, 10k with Rub rails and LED Lights.... check out the photo feature by clicking the link below.
Have a good one! and call me if you need anything.
Craig
March 7th, 2012
WOW! 10 trailers a day is coming faster than even I (known around here as Mr. Optimism) would have imagined. When a formula works, it REALLY works! Complete, nice trailers, keep the price low, help people solve their problems and you have built the ultimate trailer mousetrap. Everybody who I haven't called back yet, I apologize... but we are processing new orders and invoicing about as fast as we can. All I ask is LEAVE a voicemail when you call and I WILL call you back!
Now, to take this page back off subject.... as I originally had planned, I want to tell a cautionary tale of what happens when you open your big dumb mouth.
When momma and I moved from the big city of Clarinda out to the country near good old Braddyville, I quickly remembered why you need an all wheel drive or four wheel drive truck. That 2 miles of gravel from our house to the highway could get pretty darned treacherous in the winter.
Luckily, Melissa had done some shrewd Craigslist scanning and hard core haggling to get herself into what I call an ABC... Armored Baby Carrier. A nice, not too high mileage H2 Hummer in good old black.
Melissa's new (to her) Armored Baby Carrier. H2 Hummer.
My winter loaner truck... nice but cramped for me.. 2003 SS Silverado.
So, I tell my facebook friends that i want to sell my 2007 Silverado LTZ crew cab two wheel drive... boom... phone rings. My accountant friend Ed buys it sight unseen (knowing that Craig always get's 'em loaded, keeps Mobile 1 in them and repairs anything that seems the least bit off). Great... sold my truck.
SOLD!!! My 2007 Silverado 2 wheel drive goes to a happy new home.
Long story short.. in one day I went from having two trucks to none and money laying around. I then panic... i need a crew cab, 4 wheel or all wheel drive truck, not a ton of miles on it. I want to own it with the cash I have and I like cool stuff.
Once again, my craigslist scanning wife finds one. Got some miles on it, but the price is right. Then she shows me and I am thinking 'LORD!!!! That's TOO nice... everybody will think I'm a drug dealer!'
But, the price was right! I mean nice enough that it took the cash from my black truck and a small wad of green to get it... so... don't hate on me, but I have this really cool Escalade EXT now! And yes, it IS just as nice as you'd think it would be!
My new cheaper than dirt ride. 2007 Escalade EXT. 400 plus horses, 6 speed tranny, air leveling rear suspension... quite a nice trailer hauler.
So... if you come in here and see my EXT... don't hate on me. This economy and the fuel prices are killing the values on these and for $20 grand and some change you can own one pretty much like it. I love the big insides, heated everything and all but most of all, I like not having a loan.
Anyway... remember, don't sell anything you've got until you are prepared to replace it. I lucked out but only because I have a craigslist expert for a wife!
February 27th, 2012
Boy oh boy! What a weekend. Selling and shipping and taking orders clear into the dark of night! We appreciate the business and apologize if we can't always pick the phone up immediately.... I only have one ear and try my best to give anyone I am speaking with my undivided attention. It really is a lot better for me in the preliminaries if we do it by email. It gives you and I a written record of what we are talking about and helps to keep misunderstandings from getting in the way. If you have ANY questions, always call me, but to make double sure you get your answer, EMAIL me as well.
Let's talk about a wrapped tongue.
Sometimes, you are in a business long enough that you forget how foreign your product is to the layman. One of those terms we bandy about, assuming that EVERYONE knows what we are talking about is a fully wrapped tongue. It's a vital piece of the long term reliability of your new trailer and something that we are very proud of. What it basically does is complete a load circuit from the coupler on your trailer, directly to the trailers suspension system. And it also creates a massively strong, triangulated frame design that is 300% stronger than trailers that don't do it this way. For more info on this... check out my quick and dirty page all about it here.
Motorcycle Season is also upon us!
And that means a lot of guys will be looking to get to some event with their pride and joy on a trailer. To help those who may have doubts about the right way to do it, I did this quick little feature on motorcycle chocks and which ones I love and which ones I hate.... I don't sell motorcycle wheel chocks, so this is just my unbiased opinion. Check out what I have learned in nearly 30 years of hauling bikes and see if I can't help you avoid a little pain down the road.
Finally! A way to mount a winch on a trailer without getting out a torch and welder.... Ryan and Craig come up with the Quickmount Winch System. See if this won't help you fix a problem in a hurry.
and on that note.... it's time to get back on the phone! Many thanks!
Craig
Quick note.... Just completed this new web feature on the 30 foot dovetail high deck tandem dual trailer we offer. Take a look and watch how cool our dual spring assisted ramps work on these! (dual spring assisted as in... spring assisted to stand them and spring assisted to pick them back up!)
Have a good night! Dinners getting cold!
Click The photo and go see it all!
God Bless!
Craig
February 21, 2012,
Celebrating Grandmothers everywhere! A tribute.
Today, My wife Melissa joined with her family to pay tribute to and bury her very last remaining grand parent. Mrs. Miller was a wonderful little woman. I have always felt regret that I never got to know her before Alzheimer's had begun to take it's toll on her. I'll bet that in her day, she could out love, out work and out cook any human alive... just like all Grandma's could, back in the day.
Grandma Miller had been a worker all of her life and in fact had started out on the production line at Lisle's Corp in Clarinda, Iowa. Yes... the guys that make all of the odd tools and mechanics creepers have always been located just 11 miles North of where I write this page. Soon, Mr. Lisle saw her talent and for 30 years she was invaluable in the office at Lisle's and to this day, I have never heard a Lisle or any other person who worked with her or near her say one bad word about the lady... and in a small town, that is pretty high praise all by itself.
To make the day more interesting, MY mother, Bettie Hull came out of retirement and preached the entire service. It was refreshing to watch my 78 year old mother stand up there and do what God blessed her to do best.. comfort, teach, preach and send off someone who had lived a good life in the best way.
It was also a healing day for all. My brother in law, who had crossed me in the wrong way 6 years back walked up, shook my hand and gave me a hug. Everyone within 30 feet stood silent for a second, assuming that he was finally coming back for a second round... but there was no hostility. Just heartfelt thanks and the want to mend fences. It was good... a good day all around.
We finally got back to the office about 2pm, sold some Dump Box trailers (Thanks Steve and Darrel!) and sold off every 18 foot dovetail we had gotten in stock this morning.... not a bad day for only 3 hours work.
OH! And we negotiated a pretty good price for another winch option... here's a photo and a link to the page.
God Bless you all..
Call your Mom's and your Grandma's if you still can and tell them you love them.
Good Night from Braddyville
Craig Hull
February 19th, 2012.
Here it is... nearly 7pm at night on a Sunday and i Just now finished putting in the last new custom order of the MANY we received today. Words cannot express how blown away we are by your volume of business! Thank the Lord for all the good things, right? (And some of the bad things too.... we bring it on ourselves, but that is for another day!)
Anyway, if you haven't seen it already, go check our latest update to our trailers 101 page. We now have added on the 'Will my car fit?' feature, which explains not only what type of angles and rise our tiltbed trailers have, but how to check your car right now at home to ensure that you can load and unload without scrubbing a spoiler. Very handy. If it's too 'math centric' I apologize in advance, but that's the easiest formula I have discovered so far... if you have an easier method, by all means let me know.
Also, check out my favorite clip on there from the old Pink Panther movie... does your dog bite? (hehehehe)
Good night and God Bless.
Craig
February 2nd, 2012,
First off, I want to say thanks and second... SLOW DOWN!!! We're getting overloaded with calls and orders! We love it, but my office girl is starting to show signs of stress, blaring SKA music out of her computer speakers and frantically pecking at the keyboard while speaking like a well seasoned sailor.... oh well, we'll adapt.
Anyway, the reason i took a minute to blurb tonight is to talk about the Super Bowl!!!!! (Sweet!) I Love the Super Bowl, but the 2012 Super Bowl will be my favorite again, I know already, because... i could care less about the football. (Yep... if it doesn't have boobs or tires on it, I usually am not interested.) But, I LOVE the commercials. Last year, they had no real standouts but this year might be better. I found a website that is previewing some commercials for Super Bowl 2012 and if you like the ads like I do, go get a laugh and an eyeful.
Thanks for being our website visitors, our customers and our friends!
Craig and Melissa.
January 31st, 2012
Another record month..... all over again.
Before I begin here, you have to understand that I have been involved in the trailer business for well over 20 years. At 48 years of age, I have dedicated a solid 47% of my entire life to the industry. When you spend that much time in any one business, you learn things. You also find out pretty quick if you love it or not and I have to say that I LOVE the trailer business. If I could figure out a way to make all of my money somewhere else, so I could just monkey around in the trailer business for fun, I would probably STILL do what I do, even if there were no money in it!
Lord help me... I've got the bug and I love the trailer business! I love hearing your stories, discussing your ideas and hearing your tales of life, work, trailering and everything that goes along with it. I love it when a set of trailer lights fire up for the very first time behind a pickup truck and I love it when people love what we sell. Every day I come in here, I can't wait to hear what someone is going to ask about next. From the man with the 52' H&H Big Brute that needed some panels fixed to the man who stopped in because his boat trailer broke an axle in half near our office. It's not about closing deals and handling money all the time. It's about going home feeling like you helped someone out there who just wasn't getting the help they needed, until they found you. Your problems are not a problem for me. Your problems are what we fix and what we do, every single day.
We ARE having a small problem with getting enough of them out fast enough, but that is a GOOD problem to have. All we say right now is to get your name in and get an order coming if you have a specific need. Otherwise, we are getting new inventory daily and invite you to pick up the phone and call to see what's available before you come down.
Either way, we DO appreciate all you and we thank you for giving us the chance to help you get your trailer needs taken care of. Enough 'business'... here are a couple of historical business stories that have always cheered me up. Enjoy...
From little things to big things come.
I have always been a huge fan of those true business stories that reinforce the good things in the world. Take for instance the story of Henry and Charlie. Henry Rolls owned a small business in England that decided to try and build one of those new fangled cars and Charles Royce had decided he would try to become one of those new fangled car dealers. The two met in Manchester England in 1904 and... well... you know the rest of the tale. It was basically the story of one man who knew how to build something extraordinary and another man who saw the value in it enough to get behind it and sell it.
Circa 1906 Photo Rolls is on the left and Royce is on the right.
It's also like the story of Rich and Curtis. Richard Sears accidentally came into possession of a train car load of watches and sold them on the railroad where he worked as a station agent. He met Curtis Roebuck in Chicago and needed Curtis to fix them when they broke. Out of need rose one of the largest companies of the 20th century.
It's always a good tale when you have talent that meets talent and they both need each other. No real moral to the story here... just thought I would pass along a couple of tales that always made me feel better about being in business!
God Bless
Craig
January 25th, 2012
Big Loaded Trailers are the order of the day!
I am seeing a trend lately. Wisconsin, Colorado, Illinois, Missouri, Nebraska and Iowa. People who have never met each other, do totally different things for a living and need their new trailers for totally different uses are all specifying somewhat identical trailers lately... Here's what's hot right now at Stateline Trailers. Look over what these guys are buying and imagine how great it would be to have something like this to pull and use all the time!
Need something longer than 20 feet? You aren't alone! Check this new unit we had built for Smith Construction in Minnesota!
20' M/T $2495 or E/T tilt $3250... some guys like the E/T for its brain dead simple, 'push a button and it works' design and other guys know that they aren't going to use the trailer more than four or five times a year. Either way, it is a handy size and the tilt bed design works well either way.
14,000lb GVWR package $1095. If you are going to go big, why not just get it over with. All of the men who ordered this just wanted the rugged design of frame this upgrade gives, plus the reliability of the tandem 7,000lb axles and the big 235-16 10 ply rated radials.
Rub Rails $125. Once again, make it so it can do almost anything. By adding this option on, you are assuring yourself that no matter what you need to tie down, you'll have a solid place to do it anywhere along the side of the trailer, fore and aft of the fenders.
LED lights. $100. Hey... you're building yourself quite a show boat anyway, might as well make it look all cool and techy while you're at it, right?
Channel Steel Fenders $280. Once again, you are building the ultimate 'go get that and haul it back here' trailer, so channel steel fenders guarantee you that no matter what you go to get, you can get it loaded, even if you end up having to park it on top of the fenders to haul it.
8,000lb electric winch on bed front plate. $995. Once again, I somewhat surprised how many units have been ordered with this option. On and E/T tilt, the winch even comes pre-wired live to the on board battery, so it is ready to use the moment you get it. On the M/T, you'll have to come up with a way to power it, but i still have gentlemen ordering them in droves lately.
So... what would a big old monster like this run, with ALL of the features listed above? a 20 M/T tilt with 14k package, rub rails on the stake pockets, LED light upgrade, Channel steel fenders and an 8,000lb winch goes for $5090. Yes, that's a lot of money, but that is a LOT of trailer indeed.
Want the ultimate version? Get the E/T model and enjoy the outright green faced envy of everyone who watches you use it! Only $5845
Right now, once we receive your $500 deposit, we can have a new custom one out to you in under 5 weeks. So, you gonna sit there and not have a trailer? Or you gonna do something about it? (I'm smiling while i jab you there!)
Thanks for ALL of the business!
Craig
January 21st, 2012.
Don't you love retired guys?
So, Howard stopped in an offered his services to deliver trailers to customers who need. His rate? $1.25 a mile one way. Pretty darn affordable in this day and age. He basically wants to see the country and cover his costs while he is hauling units.
So, if you have been thinking about getting a new unit from us and wondered if you could afford to have it delivered, Howard has done a pretty good job of making that happen for you.
A couple of caveat's though. Howard is adamant about NOT carrying any money. He asked that I get all of the dollars taken care of in advance, so all he has to worry about is the trailer, the bill of sale and the title. Sounded fair to me. If you need a unit delivered, we'll just take care of the money a day or so before the trailer ships and Howard will be glad to haul it for you.
Need any other questions answered? Call me now at 712 303 1390 or email me here. Better yet, go figure out the mileage from our place to yours on our We Deliver Page!
Thanks!
January 18th, 2012.
Our credit card processor says we are actually a REAL business all of a sudden! We got contacted by them and was told that we are now in the big boys club, which means lower credit card fees! (SWEET!) instead of 3% transaction fees on credit cards, our new fee is only 1.8%. Not quite half price, but we will gladly take it. So, if you want to use a credit card for your trailer, your fee will now only be $18 per $1000 of cost compared to $30 like it was before.
Hey! You only save $12 per $1000 over the old rate, but 12 bucks is 12 bucks, right?
On a lighter note, I thought I would relay a funny (at least to me!) tale about raising kids.
I am 48 years old and I have four kids, one is 24, two are 23 and one is 2. Yep, you read that right... a 2 year old. I have four grand kids as well and two of them are older than my youngest son. Anyway, the other morning, about an hour before Sun up, I was laying in bed when i heard the sounds of little feet plodding across my bedroom floor.
"Hey, Buddy... did you climb out of your crib?"
"yup"... and off he went to play.
Of course, his mother freaked out, having visions of him hanging himself on the edge of the crib, falling and cracking his noggin open or worst of all, getting out of the house into the snow and getting eaten by Coyotes or freezing to death. I listened intently and then explained that he was pretty darn big for a 2 year old and it was time to go ahead and convert his crib into a toddler bed, which i did that morning before leaving the house.
Tom Hull, posing with his newest Niece, Kennedy Hull. Fall 2011.
So, last night, Mom was shot and had fallen asleep on the couch. I was watching the Velocity channel and Tom was just hanging out with dad. As bed time got near, we got his 'jammies' on and a got a sippy cup of water ready and he sat on my lap and watched a show about some cool old Ferrari race cars for about twenty minutes.
Finally, he yawned, then he yawned again and I saw my moment. I spoke in a quiet voice into his ear and said, "So, are you going to get in your big boy bed?"
He thought for a second and then crawled out of my lap, sippy cup in hand and headed for the stairs. "night night"
I told him goodnight and he went upstairs. No noise, no thumps and bumps, no lights going on and off. Ten minutes went by and i went over and clicked on the video baby monitor his mother had downstairs and saw him sprawled out on his bed fast asleep.
Soon after that his mother woke up and looked around. "Where's Tom?"
"Bed" I said.
She snorted and thought for a moment and then commented.... "Well, that was easy!"
"Sometimes," I told her, "If you don't make it a big deal... it's not a big deal."
I thought it was one of those rare moments that you can learn an important life lesson and I thought I would pass it on.. the funny thing is, I learned it from a 2 year old all over again.
January 14th, 2012
Let's talk about the 2nd amendment.
Like many of you, I grew up in a very rural farm community in the '60's. My Dad was a farm machinery trader and 'shortline' dealer all of my life, my mother pastor-ed the local Church and I grew up running around on the river with my buddies, shootin' Squirrels, making the mistake of trying to jump my lime green metallic 20" bike over makeshift ramps like Evil Knievel and just learning things the hard way.
But, the one thing that I truly learned was that a man should be in control of his castle and be able to protect and defend the ones he loved, as well as feed them, love them and keep them warm and dry.
I know that everyone is talking 'end of the world' and all that, but I have much more faith in America and Mankind than most of those folks. I believe that we WILL correct our financial and social problems and this great country will continue forward, so don't take me writing here as some doom and gloom, gather up canned soup and shotgun shells kind of message. No, I am just talking about YOUR social responsibility to protect anyone who is near you at any time.
This is my 12 gauge pump shotgun with 00 buckshot for piece of mind.... I even labeled it for those who did not understand why it hung above the door... read below.
Pretty much correctly explains it, I think.
Anyway, I was reading one day about whether or not to renew my long lapsed concealed carry permit and came upon words of wisdom from a man. He wrote that he felt RESPONSIBLE to be able to protect anyone near him whenever possible, whether family or stranger. And since he had a right to properly license himself and carry a weapon, he would actually be doing the world a small disservice to NOT carry a weapon. Interesting thinking I guess. So, I connected to what he wrote.
Would I want to be able to stop bad things happening from people near me, if I could? Sure, and I have many times. Mostly because my parents put in me the automatic reaction to protect the weak and set bullies back on their heels. Plus, they and my creator endowed me with 6'3" of height and 330lbs of bulk. This has pretty much allowed me to usually end confrontations with a hard look and few steps toward some bullheaded idiot who was crossing the line.
But, Now I am almost 50 years old. Have two bad knees and one painful ankle to deal with... not to mention arthritis sneaking up on me at every joint. I don't think I am just up to stepping into a swinging chair like I once would have. It was time to just do the right thing, get my concealed carry permit and find a nice little gun that would do what needed to be done, if and when the time came.
So, I did the class, got my Iowa concealed carry permit and found the perfect little gun for me.
This little 22 caliber Taurus looks nice, is all satin nickel plated (I'd rather have stainless, but they don't offer it) and has some nice wood grips, a 9 shot capacity and those nifty little gold buttons everywhere (HEY! I don't wear rings or watches and I thought this could be my jewelry) and it fits right in my pocket with no problem. Some will scoff and say, "A 22? You can't stop anybody with a 22!"
I beg to differ. Three 40 grain slugs will do one heck of a job of stopping pretty much anyone.. especially when you do the double tap with a kiss... otherwise known as two in the chest and one in the head.
So, do I feel any different? No. Do I feel a responsibility? Yes. Will I do what needs to be done if and when that moment comes? I don't know right now, but I am pretty sure that when that moment comes... I will do what is right.
Should you get a permit and carry a gun? Hey, that is 100% up to you! Would I recommend it? I would answer that question with a question. If you were standing in line at your local quickie mart tonight and a guy walked in intent on robbing the place and probably doing some serious harm. Would you rather be unarmed or armed?
Just my two cents, and I am sure for someone who is reading this... I just crossed the line! (Hey! That's what this page is called! What a coincidence!)
A good customer of mine read this and sent me an email with a great quote in it!
'Better to be judged by 12 for doing what you had to do than be carried by 6 to a hole in the ground.'
Wise words indeed!
This is my 12 gauge pump shotgun with 00 buckshot for piece of mind.... I even labeled it for those who did not understand why it hung above the door... read below.
Pretty much correctly explains it, I think.
Anyway, I was reading one day about whether or not to renew my long lapsed concealed carry permit and came upon words of wisdom from a man. He wrote that he felt RESPONSIBLE to be able to protect anyone near him whenever possible, whether family or stranger. And since he had a right to properly license himself and carry a weapon, he would actually be doing the world a small disservice to NOT carry a weapon. Interesting thinking I guess. So, I connected to what he wrote.
Would I want to be able to stop bad things happening from people near me, if I could? Sure, and I have many times. Mostly because my parents put in me the automatic reaction to protect the weak and set bullies back on their heels. Plus, they and my creator endowed me with 6'3" of height and 330lbs of bulk. This has pretty much allowed me to usually end confrontations with a hard look and few steps toward some bullheaded idiot who was crossing the line.
But, Now I am almost 50 years old. Have two bad knees and one painful ankle to deal with... not to mention arthritis sneaking up on me at every joint. I don't think I am just up to stepping into a swinging chair like I once would have. It was time to just do the right thing, get my concealed carry permit and find a nice little gun that would do what needed to be done, if and when the time came.
So, I did the class, got my Iowa concealed carry permit and found the perfect little gun for me.
This little 22 caliber Taurus looks nice, is all satin nickel plated (I'd rather have stainless, but they don't offer it) and has some nice wood grips, a 9 shot capacity and those nifty little gold buttons everywhere (HEY! I don't wear rings or watches and I thought this could be my jewelry) and it fits right in my pocket with no problem. Some will scoff and say, "A 22? You can't stop anybody with a 22!"
I beg to differ. Three 40 grain slugs will do one heck of a job of stopping pretty much anyone.. especially when you do the double tap with a kiss... otherwise known as two in the chest and one in the head.
So, do I feel any different? No. Do I feel a responsibility? Yes. Will I do what needs to be done if and when that moment comes? I don't know right now, but I am pretty sure that when that moment comes... I will do what is right.
Should you get a permit and carry a gun? Hey, that is 100% up to you! Would I recommend it? I would answer that question with a question. If you were standing in line at your local quickie mart tonight and a guy walked in intent on robbing the place and probably doing some serious harm. Would you rather be unarmed or armed?
Just my two cents, and I am sure for someone who is reading this... I just crossed the line! (Hey! That's what this page is called! What a coincidence!)
A good customer of mine read this and sent me an email with a great quote in it!
'Better to be judged by 12 for doing what you had to do than be carried by 6 to a hole in the ground.'
Wise words indeed!
January 14th, 2012
It's nice to get a compliment once in a while.
I was checking my email this morning and a gentleman who had spoken to me on the phone, from over in Illinois had visited this website and sent me the following email.....
"Craig,The first time I talked to you, I didn't have the chance to review your complete website. Well I looked it all over lastnight and I am very impressed with it. I can tell you really take pride in what your doing and your in it for more than just making a few bucks like all the other trailer mfg in my area. You have taken the time to answer my questions thoroughly and definitely have my business when the time comes to purchase. "
Thank you,
Kevin
Stop! Yer makin' me blush!
But, actually, I am happy to see that people like it when you just tell it like it is and let them make up their minds. I have learned over the past 30 years of selling and servicing my clients that gaining a sale by force or subterfuge will only end badly. Like my Mother would always say to me... "If you can't say it to God, then don't say it."
Of course I need to make a few bucks, but I'm not eatin' dog food now, so I will keep doing what I'm doing and relying on the Kindness of strangers and the good Lord above.. It hasn't failed me yet.
-Craig
January 13th, 2012
I need to get a secretary!
How am I supposed to go out and enjoy my cool new little toy if I have to be answering the phone all of the time! Check out my favorite little stress reliever...
Taurus Ultralite 38 special snub nose.
Now THAT is a varmint whacker!
Now THAT is a varmint whacker!
Don't get me wrong... I love the business and I want you guys to keep calling and doing business with me.. this is really just a moment to vent about my left arm going to sleep from holding a phone to my ear for hours at a time. (My wife said that i spent 2400 minutes on my phone last month... that's like 40 solid hours!) Plus it is very difficult to properly maintain tight groupings on a target while talking on a cell phone!
Honestly! My phone has been ringing non-stop for DAYS now and I keep hearing the same thing! "Hey! My buddy bought a trailer off of you and I need one too!"
Those are truly sweet words to any mans ears. It means that we are going things right around here, at least right enough for you to recommend your friends to us, and that is about the highest form of praise we could have ever hoped for!
Now, we are running up against the 2nd problem... building them fast enough for you. Be prepared! Plan ahead 4-5 weeks from when you actually need a custom unit right now. We have been slammed with stacks of orders and the guys at the plant are carefully selecting, hiring and training people to take up the slack. But, we have learned much over the last 25 years... and the most important thing is to do it well, not fast.
As for the answers to the usual questions, Yes, we really don't hate anything that anyone else is building. No, we won't say anything bad about our competition because that is not our place. Yes, we do try to build our stuff a little heavier duty than some guys. No, we see no true advantage to powdercoating compared to the carbon BTXE system we now apply to all units and.... Yes... that price is 'out the door!' (you gotta smile once in a while about these things!)
I had a wise man from Central Nebraska who ordered a trailer this morning. When we began speaking on the phone, he said, "Craig, tell me why I should buy a new trailer from you and not one of these other guys."
I said, "Because I am one Handsome lookin' Devil...."
He laughed.... we talked, he appreciated what we had to offer.... and i appreciate that most of all.
Thanks and have a great Friday the 13th!
Craig
January 11, 2012
Happy Birthday, Bettie Hull.
My mother, circa 1949, with her Sisters, Blanche on the left and Mary on the right.
My Mom, Bettie was 16 when this photo.
All of my life, my Mother has been that one solid pillar of support around which our entire family could stand firm. A born again Christian woman who calls it like she sees it and when in prayer, has nearly as much power on the things of this world as an Armored Tank Division. She never failed to remind us all that she loved us as we grew up and also never hesitated to rise up and smite us, when we acted like little Philistines!
So, today.... I want to publicly wish my Mother a happy Birthday and to remind you all who still have a mom to pick the phone up and give her a call. It's a gift for them that is more precious than Diamonds!
Thank God for America and Thank you Jesus for giving us Mom's that love us so much!
Craig Hull
11/09/2011
Let's talk about fixing the economy.
Ok, I know you are as sick of this as I am. Here we are THREE years into an economic slump and nobody that we've elected seems to care. Our Senators and Congressmen couldn't agree on a place to eat lunch if they had to, while they sit and squander literally trillions of dollars that we don't even have.
At the same time, we have a President who walked into the office with a confident smile on his face and 15 minutes later, I think his toes left the bottom of the pool and he has yet to figure out how to swim out of this mess, let alone pull our boat along with him.
So, what do we do?
Well, we could be like the Tea Party, which I have to say that I agree with... but I also know that in the real world, you can't hold a hard line on everything. The soviets tried that and got their butts kicked by an out of work actor named Ronald Reagan in the 80's.
We could have more hippy theater, in the form of the 'Occupy Wall Street' people, but frankly, I am unsure of what they are trying to accomplish.
You could (and frankly SHOULD) research harder and do your best to 'change the oil' in DC, in my opinion. In Iowa we have Tom Harkin and Chuck Grassley who both have been in DC long enough, in my opinion. I'll bet you have a few well entrenched office holders in your State as well. First thing would be to fire the people doing a bad job and hopefully get some fresh blood in there. The problem is that it really needs to be all at once. If you trickle in new blood into an infected system, the infected blood just converts it into more infected blood. A full on elected official transfusion is required, I believe... and I just don't know if it could be done.
President? I don't know. I am not a Barack Obama fan at all.. yet, Mitt is just looking like an idiot to me, Herman Caine is fast being lynched in the media as some pervert, Newt is probably the smartest man in the room but I don't think his ideology will help heal or fix much of anything... and the rest of the field is just dumb, frightening or both.
So, forget the big picture at this point. Let's talk about how the economy REALLY gets fixed. It gets fixed when everyone stops waiting and starts doing again. When one guy finally says, "Man, I know times are tough, but I REALLY need to get a new truck."
He goes and gets a new truck and his neighbor Ted sees it and thinks, "Bob, got a new truck! Hey, now I won't look like too much of a snob if I take a little money and add on that room the house that momma has been wanting."
Steve down the street sees Bob's new truck and Ted's new house addition and thinks, 'Great, now I can go get that new car for my wife and trade my Harley up without looking like a prick to everyone!'
and... suddenly.... it all gets back to normal.
Hey, maybe I'm wrong but the basis of the entire economy is people doing things and spending money. When everyone finally gives up on waiting and starts doing... it gets fixed pretty darn quick.
Just my opinion, but there it is.
Craig