Just general comments to the posts...

Yup, Ol Crusty never could seem to get a bill together... He wrenched
on my airplanes for 17 continuous years as best I can remember...
When I did get the bill some 5 or 6 weeks later I always sent a check
by return mail as I knew he was usually in a cash flow crunch... A
couple of times I even drove the check 20 miles to him after my office
hours on the day I received it because I knew he needed to pay his
mechanic... And I did consider him a friend (he still left me twisting
in the wind - for whatever it's worth)...

Being in one business or another for 50+ years I can cite you chapter
and verse on slow pay/no pay people... All business owners have these
problems...
When I had the auto body shop it only took me one bad customer to set
the rule that the car is not pulled out from behind the chained fence
until the bill is paid in full...
Airplane mechanics who are not getting paid just do not understand how
to run a business... The plane does not leave the shop until the bill
is paid - period...
If the customer needs credit let him get it from the bank, his
buddies, where ever... or go to Helen Waite
Anytime I have a bill at any of the big guys, Jet Center, Millionaire,
etc. my plane stays behind their hangar doors until the eye candy at
the front desk calls the shop foreman and informs him the bill is paid
and he can bring the plane out to the ramp... They understand what it
takes to stay in business...

I agree with plane owners being cheap *******s... In fact I told Ol
Crusty numerous times that he needed to raise his shop rates, paint
the floor, get new tool carts, everyone wears a clean uniform, present
the customer with an itemized estimated bill and have it signed in the
three places before turning the first wrench, and act like he is a
skilled professional... Doing that and having a business manager
would have kept him in business.. The auto dealers understand that -
and for those who don't it will only be a short time before Roger
Penske's name will be out front in place of theirs......

denny