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I opened my shop in June. Before that, I was grooming out of my home and my $59 special (that I got for free because somebody gave it to me) worked just fine, but that's not the case anymore. When I first opened the shop, I ordered a hydraulic table - one of the "lower end" models, because it was cheap and I couldn't afford a $1500 table. The husband put the table together for me, and I put my Standard Poodle on it and the table was all over the place. Figured we had a faulty table, so we sent it back and got another. That one was no better, (did the same with a 20 lb. dog on it) so it was returned and I bought some height extenders for my $59 special and that's what I've been using.
There are only a few groomers in my area who will take dogs over 40 lbs, so I get bombarded with them. I don't mind so much, as long as they don't think I'm a Big Mac, but I can't put a dog bigger then a Cocker on my table, so anything larger is groomed with me sitting on the floor. My shop has been open for 8 months now, and my back and knees make me feel like I'm 80. Now that my GH is on the way, it's time to get those big dogs, and myself, up off the floor.
So now I'm back to the table decision making, and after my experience with the hydraulic mess I've already had, I'm leary. But since I've only been in business for 8 months, $$$ is also an issue. I really don't want to spend over $700 on a table right now - quite frankly, I would like to keep it under $500. OTOH, I've learned the hard way that buying the cheaper stuff doesn't pay off and I wind up spending twice as much because I have to reorder name brand. (Don't ever buy off brand blades. Trust me on this'n)
A client of mine gave me a catalog from a place that sells hydraulic equipment. Nothing to do with grooming, but there's hydraulic and electric tables in the catalog for far cheaper then the grooming tables in my grooming catalogs. Problem is, I can't find one with a table top bigger then 19" width. I get some BIG dogs in my shop and 19" wouldn't work. So now I'm thinking maybe I should go ahead and order one of those tables, and then have my dad make me a wider tabletop for it. Has anyone attempted this? Or am I just talking myself into blowing unecessary money when I should just say the hell with it and spend the money on a good grooming table.
**sigh** Decisions, decisions.
There are only a few groomers in my area who will take dogs over 40 lbs, so I get bombarded with them. I don't mind so much, as long as they don't think I'm a Big Mac, but I can't put a dog bigger then a Cocker on my table, so anything larger is groomed with me sitting on the floor. My shop has been open for 8 months now, and my back and knees make me feel like I'm 80. Now that my GH is on the way, it's time to get those big dogs, and myself, up off the floor.
So now I'm back to the table decision making, and after my experience with the hydraulic mess I've already had, I'm leary. But since I've only been in business for 8 months, $$$ is also an issue. I really don't want to spend over $700 on a table right now - quite frankly, I would like to keep it under $500. OTOH, I've learned the hard way that buying the cheaper stuff doesn't pay off and I wind up spending twice as much because I have to reorder name brand. (Don't ever buy off brand blades. Trust me on this'n)
A client of mine gave me a catalog from a place that sells hydraulic equipment. Nothing to do with grooming, but there's hydraulic and electric tables in the catalog for far cheaper then the grooming tables in my grooming catalogs. Problem is, I can't find one with a table top bigger then 19" width. I get some BIG dogs in my shop and 19" wouldn't work. So now I'm thinking maybe I should go ahead and order one of those tables, and then have my dad make me a wider tabletop for it. Has anyone attempted this? Or am I just talking myself into blowing unecessary money when I should just say the hell with it and spend the money on a good grooming table.
**sigh** Decisions, decisions.
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