# gypsies



## paintandrepair.net (Oct 25, 2010)

anybody ever run across these gypsies from augusta south carolina they travel the country doing very shoddy work running painting scams


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## hoz (Sep 27, 2010)

They are called "Irish Travelers". Big "family" groups travel every summer. Barns and farm outbuildings are their specialty around here. Sometimes they do driveways.

http://fraudtech.bizland.com/travelers.htm


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## LOSTinDETAILS (Jun 17, 2009)

Lots of folks around here love it when they come through. They will get there barns painted for 75 bucks or whatever the traveler can get. There real money maker is selling junk equipment to an unsuspecting sucker.


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## hoz (Sep 27, 2010)

Yeah they are cheap, but they start out with 30 gallons of paint and 55 gallons of thinner!


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## mistcoat (Apr 21, 2007)

hoz said:


> They are called "Irish Travelers". Big "family" groups travel every summer. Barns and farm outbuildings are their specialty around here. Sometimes they do driveways.
> 
> http://fraudtech.bizland.com/travelers.htm


Driveways _*and*_ the odd roof over here 
Driveways so sunk in the middle you don't need a pool in the back yard :whistling2:
But,,, there are good ones who know their 5hit too :yes:


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## LOSTinDETAILS (Jun 17, 2009)

hoz said:


> Yeah they are cheap, but they start out with 30 gallons of paint and 55 gallons of thinner!



i hear they use kerosene as there thinner to save even more money.


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## JonPaint (Sep 23, 2010)

I think I'm a bit too far north to ever see these guys.There is a pretty good movie,"Traveler",about them starring Bill Paxton.


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## TJ Paint (Jun 18, 2009)

no gypsies here, just carnies.


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## LOSTinDETAILS (Jun 17, 2009)

These guys really are not gypsies, they are travelers that roam the region looking for a sucker.


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## hoz (Sep 27, 2010)

LOSTinDETAILS said:


> These guys really are not gypsies, they are travelers that roam the region looking for a sucker.


Tru they aren't Roma, guess that's why they are called "Irish Travelers". 

These guys must make scads of money. They usually drive newer trucks and have nice airless equipment.


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## johnthepainter (Apr 1, 2008)

cool,,,,,how do these painting scams work?


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## hoz (Sep 27, 2010)

high fibre said:


> cool,,,,,how do these painting scams work?


I just read one on another thread, the HO and his "friends" power wash and scrape his house. Then he hires a painter (who loaned the PW machine to the HO) to apply the paint. Effectively skirting the rpp laws. (Hehehehehe jus kiddin).

Farm silos and galvanized roofs are often painted aluminum. Ten gallons of Kentucky chrome and 55gallons of thinner goes a long way. Looks like new money for a week or two.


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## BC_Painter (Feb 14, 2010)

hoz said:


> I just read one on another thread, the HO and his "friends" power wash and scrape his house. Then he hires a painter (who loaned the PW machine to the HO) to apply the paint. Effectively skirting the rpp laws. (Hehehehehe jus kiddin).
> 
> Farm silos and galvanized roofs are often painted aluminum. Ten gallons of Kentucky chrome and 55gallons of thinner goes a long way. Looks like new money for a week or two.



BRILLIANT! :whistling2:


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## johnthepainter (Apr 1, 2008)

cool!!,,,,,are there anymore of these scams you can describe in detail?


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## hoz (Sep 27, 2010)

here you go, "Irish Traveler Scams"

http://tinyurl.com/2fghbsc


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## teresa (Feb 23, 2011)

*irish gypsy painters*



paintandrepair.net said:


> anybody ever run across these gypsies from augusta south carolina they travel the country doing very shoddy work running painting scams


i can tell you anything you want to know my husband use to work for them. and they don't use paint thinner they use gas to thin paint


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## teresa (Feb 23, 2011)

*gypsys*



LOSTinDETAILS said:


> i hear they use kerosene as there thinner to save even more money.


 they dont use kerosene they use gas......


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## WisePainter (Dec 27, 2008)

my guess, they use gas.


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## LOSTinDETAILS (Jun 17, 2009)

WisePainter said:


> my guess, they use gas.


They don't use GAS they use PETROL!:laughing:


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## Irishmike (Oct 7, 2010)

*Travellers*

Hey guys, the majority of these travellers originate in a little town about eight miles from me called Rathkeale (google it!!) and there is nothing they aren't into believe me! They spray metal barns and sheds here in Ireland for the few fools that will have them! Oxide paint mixed with vast amounts of diesel leaves a fine shine for a few months and then dulls and falls off. Driveways are generally covered with gravel and old burnt engine oil which looks like tarmac but never dries! The big scam a few years ago was selling solid steel gates to farmers which turned out to be crap steel tubing filled with sand. Oh and do NOT buy powerwashers or generators from these people they will run for a few hours MAX!!! Last year they were caught selling them in Iceland and as far away as Australia!


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## TheRogueBristle (Mar 19, 2010)

When I was young I remember my Mom had some people like this (yes, as far north as NY) paint their barn roof. It's one of those arched types that comes almost to grade in some spots, made of galvanized metal. They used long ladders leaned up against it, the longest spray poles I've ever seen, and some sort of silvery coating that was in barrels (they use gas ). I remember when Dad got home, he was not too impressed.


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## Irishmike (Oct 7, 2010)

Before they got in on the spray game they used to literally run around on the curved roofs painting them with sweeping brushes! I'd love to know where they get the extra long spray poles though!


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## cardwizzard (Sep 13, 2010)

A friend of the family bought a lovley set of wrought iron gates from them for his driveway. The gypsies came and installed them and done a lovely job. Think they were a third of the normal price. Delighted with himself he was. Woke up the next morning to discover his gates had grown legs and ran away. Couldn't stop laughing for weeks :lol::lol::lol:. 

Moral of the story don't deal with these people, no matter what super deals/offers they have.


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## CPFSam (Nov 8, 2010)

Are you for real? Never heard of this before.


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## MNpainter (Jul 17, 2008)

This is for real. as TJ said we are too far north, read that as too dam cold for these scammers. when i lived in Ohio they would show up on occasion, to paint steel roofs and barns.scammed a sheriffs deputy one time and he had their "paint " analyzed,result?, mostly gas. the word went out and they seemed to stay away after that. then we had the "kentucky painters".....
thats another story.:whistling2:
steve


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## Brett MCP (Feb 2, 2011)

It's strange, I've talked to a farm owner in Mid-Michigan, that talked about guys coming around to paint his and his neighboors roofs that were metal. Maybe this is what he was talking about because the prices he mentioned were ridiculously low. That was a few years ago.


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## CPFSam (Nov 8, 2010)

WTH are they cutting oil enamel with gas? I didnt even know it could be done. Never tried gas, dont want to, sounds like an explosion waiting to happen.
What do they do go door to door at farms? Crazy. i almost think someones pulling my leg.


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## Workaholic (Apr 17, 2007)

CPFSam said:


> WTH are they cutting oil enamel with gas? I didnt even know it could be done. Never tried gas, dont want to, sounds like an explosion waiting to happen.
> What do they do go door to door at farms? Crazy. i almost think someones pulling my leg.


You never seen those shows they do on dateline and msnbc on these guys?
Here is a alert for Michigan
http://www.mlive.com/news/bay-city/index.ssf/2010/10/michigan_state_police_warning.html


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