Jump to content

MMI Enterprises

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Content count

    3,057

  • Joined

  • Last visited

  • Days Won

    5

Posts posted by MMI Enterprises

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Looks like pine to me...but so does everything else..lol...

    ..and yes I not doubt streaks that bad are likely to continue to leak out even after you get it with strong oxalic dilution on the outside. Even though chances are that most of the exasperating coating of the nails is corroded away it is all just sitting in the hole behind the nail heads all the way through and back and into the cross supports. Curing type stain might put down it coming back for awhile.. Might look good for a year or two and pass the customers expectations. Have to tell them though the job is a bust if they expect otherwise or want some warranty.

  3. Posted · Report reply

    We started using the total square footage as a marketing tool for our restoration services about 10 years ago. If you do the math it really shows. Example: if you have done have done 300 decks it would be 300 x average square footage (500 feet or so) = 150000 square feet restored. Looks very good on paper and customers like it. I have sold numerous jobs on that alone.

    Now if you just expand that to cover other trades some would read more like McDonalds #'s... am only up to a tad over 10 million sf.ft. of surface maintained myself so am way shy of zillions..lol :)

  4. Posted · Report reply

    Once again, kevin, I have to ask you exactly how much experience you have with and B) WoodTux on hardwoods. I'll give you mine. tens of thousands of square feet on both A & B in addition to frequent correspondance with the manufacturer of wood Tux and other high volume hardwood service companies.

    Hi Ken,

    "Once again" ?..when's the first? If your implying something stood to be corrected then refresh me..if there is something new let's talk about it. What's on yer mind? :)

    You seem to be implying I incorrectly described my own recent experience with the 'after the fix' version I received or gave bad advice on application? Container itself reads 3-5 min. then wipe, a 4-8 hour dry time, and that for a "richer" look you can "TRY" two coats . You yourself told me, based on manufacture communication, that the latest stuff that was supposed to have been fixed won't ever cure and/or implied to me that it should not be expected to so am unsure of what your getting at concerning my recent posting.

    "A) WoodTux in general " ...very limited with a curing version.. more limited with a non curing version.

    "B) WoodTux on hardwoods" ....none...why you have need to mention hardwood when I dealing with redwood, doug fir, and cedar?

    With that said, I've had experience with alkyd emulsions of various brand and they pretty much all are about the same animal for the most part.

    Unsure where ones extensive experience with one version of a product translates into more experience on another one or a new uncuring one though so I find us both talking about experience levels pretty much useless as of late...

    BTW, it was denied that wtw was an alkyd emulsion at one point..did you know that?

    Can't find it on here now but I find it interesting anyways..

  7. Posted · Report reply

    I doubt the route to the savings mentioned can be attributed to the 'child tax credit' alone. The 'earned income' credit is perhaps the main savings/refund vehicle and relies on income fugures. The child tax credit is different and only partial contributer if any..I would question that as applicable. Taxes paid in coming back on top of EIC can be a real hefty refund for many folks.

    John,

    It scares me that you would spend two hours and then not name the main credit correctly. Please verify.

    My thoughts to you are -You have a computer, please consider buying the tax software next year as they will allow you to do the numbers correctly in less than an hour... They usually get everything when you follow the programs Q&A methodology.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    It's an alkyd emulsion, it's sticky pretty quik after. Might want to wipe excess sooner then 10 min. The 'after the fix' stuff I used doesn't cure where applied excessive. Soaking doesn't seem to deepen the look of a thirsty board much to me. All that will dry is what is IN the wood is my feeling whether your out east with high humidity or blistering dry heat of the West.

    Not into fiddling around putting on a little then wiping..that's a bunch of bs.. Spray the whole deck a good coat in like 5 min then back brush with shurline on an extension pole.

    I am hoping for good things from the Stain and Seal...Shows no separation in the container after a night sitting. How hard it is to create a top film remains to be seen. Hoping it is real hard.

  9. Posted · Report reply

    They say CPA is only way to go for actual setup of the daily stuff and then after a time you can move to the payroll companies or do yerself.... how certified them payroll companies are I do not know.

    I'v done my own taxes with the turbotax software for decades now..is good stuff..

    Rod, Have heard more then once the opinion from professional investment advisors (like Bob Brinker) that one of the worst things is to take investment advise from a CPA. They claim it is simply not their fortay and they would not be a CPA if they were any good at it.

    "Another benefit to using an accountant is that the IRS does not flag these types of filings for audit as often as those who do their own taxes."... have heard lots of audit flags from ex IRS agents and layman over the years but never picked up on that one. Did you hear that from a CPA or?.. I really would like a reference source to that if you by chance have one. Them ex agents do say there are flags that are not talked about outside the top people in the agency.

  10. Posted · Report reply

    Ask where located to get a feel for their income and size of property.

    You can get a jump on that if you include on your answering machine some instruction to leave location and a brief message..

    Ask if they had the work done before. If they offer more info about past deal and imply they want cheap deal rather then same/quality deal you can ask them why they not going with that fella again...musta been a reason. If they hem and haw a bit after treading there or something seems fishy in offering to talk of past prices then very likely they are cheap shoppers. Don't discount them yet though as they still may have open pockets..never know if the last guy may have done poor job but did in fact charge them heaps. They may be shy due to wanting to keep the bid pure and unfettered..you know, keeping you legit as to what you can and want to provide. Nobody wants a contractor to sacrafice their price so much that they get shabby work. But so treading into past work and what they experienced will tell you what the main thing is in their head. It is either cheap price shopping or quality ruled shopping.

    Once you know job size you can tell them your minimum or an approximate figure subject to measuring and inspection. If all is not well and you know they cheap but still want to waste your time then push the estimate schedule back awhile.

    Close deal as soon as possable. People are fickle and do indeed shop to feel good..can be at your expense if things are held open too long. I made this mistake recent on a job and regret not just setting the date for them. Gave them too many options and discussions of choosing what to have done. Shoulda upsold while there doing job.

  13. Posted · Report reply

    Thanks for the input MMI. I never did any damage with the m acid, I was just trying to find something that wasn't so harsh. I've read some people using cleaners with sodium hydroxide, I think, and wondered if it worked good. Also I only have a cold water machine right now, don't know if that makes a big difference as far as the cleaners go.

    What dilution it taking with the acid.. 20:1...10:1 or ?

    Long as it looks even and no damage then your good to go with how you been doing it. If you are going much stronger dilution then it may be good idea to really make sure you stick to schedule of allowing same cure time for each job.

    Lack of heat could very likely be your biggest issue..

  14. Posted · Report reply

    We maintain all customers decks. Every two years horizontals get coated. I'm talking about new customers where you are called in to "pressure wash and stain". When I see it the stain is failing or failed, it has to go.

    "Maybe Ken is saying that Time is Money and so is yer advertising dollars...don't waste them?"

    Not really. What I am sayin is that it costs approximately X amount of dollars to acquire a new customer. That new customer spends a certain amount of money. If you don't sell the staining portion of the job, you now have to spend X amount of dollars all over again to acquire another customer to make up what you gave up. Thats not profitable and/or good business. Upselling is crucial to raise margins.

    yea I know..just wanted to hear you say "We maintain all customers decks. Every two years horizontals get coated." ..hehe :)

    But now can you elaborate what pricing you extend them when they are signed on that level. I suppose if it is your brand stain and wood not grayed at all you can get away with less work in defurring/sanding. Still needs about same amount of time for wash and stain as it did originally don't it?

    3) Our stain rate and our 2 step cleaning rate are about the same (output wise) so that makes the labor rates pretty close.. for me, its about $.90 per s/f (all wood not the floor) That includes materials on the cleaning and is discounted for large SF decks.

    .. does this mean yer crews spend about same time cleaning as staining and so yer at $.90 x 2 when maintaining jobs you originally did?
    Upselling is crucial to raise margins.

    This mainly for new customers? Existing customers are already pretty much sold on a program you designed and priced already right? If they want a housewash or drive clean then that is upsell all well and good but assume you hardly ever have to upsell anything on a deck you already into.

  15. Posted · Report reply

    Chlorine is going to be strictly for the mold/mildew as it works on the organics and doesn't really make much of an emulsifier or surfactant.

    If your basic hydroxide, specialty silicate type cleaners,or foaming degreasers don't work then I see no problem with a light etch/clean with the muratic. Have you made damage before down to the aggregate or such? Construction cleanup often times requires this type restorative level of work in using muratic. It can be the nature of it due to the stains leaching into uncured crete. You almost got no alternative..Could try oxalic acid though on some spots as sometimes it can be a rusting effect of the minerals within the crete leaching out...

  17. Posted · Report reply

    "I just figured if some people want a pressure wash "

    Come on Daniel..don't give in that easy.. :) ...if customer only can afford a pressure wash your not gonna do it? I think you headed into this just fine with a good intention to price your inventory approprietly..Some probably be broke if they did not do variety of offerings. You just may have to give up the premium profits associated with being strictly a woodie..I can't see you loosing when there be money to be had..Maybe Ken is saying that Time is Money and so is yer advertising dollars...don't waste them?

  18. Posted · Report reply

    I imagine there are some here that do prescribe to a 1-3 maintenance schedule in their business plan....where they be? surely they have something to say to fit this part: "1) You can't do a partial strip unless the customer is using the same product and the stain that is down there is not in state of failure (I have yet to see that on ANY deck)"

    I question validity to be able to get away with just a cleaning after a one year mark and I will charge same price as original clean/stain if I got to do same prep and work all over again. Just can't see them calling until they need me due to failure.

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Scott,

    With your result here: "I did this and my burner fired as long as it remained wired this way. I immedietly wired it back to the original configuration at the conclusion." ..we can assume the solinoid works and allowed oil through to fire..right? If that is case ya got to find the switch not completing the circuit.

    Use the following generic picture to weed things down.. when you rewired you bypassed the loop the circuit makes through the various items..As you can see switches are all series wired through theirselves (can be bypassed individually or as a group). The circuit..motors and all are considered parallel wired as a whole though as they all make one loop off power source..

    ps. The pressure switch in picture could be either a pressure switch,flow switch, or vacuum based switch on your setup..simply connect their input/output wires together to bypass

    typicalburnerwiring.jpg

  21. Posted · Report reply

    1. The valve, or power going to the valve? How can I test this?

    2. The igniter. Does it have some kind of feature that will tell the valve not to release oil if there is some kind of issue?

    Yes that pic seems to be showing a solinoid.

    If you have a volt meter you can get into the solinoid wiring to see if it gets power when trigger pulled if you like.

    There are different configurations/schematics for various makes of burners but generally both the igniter and the solinoid will not have power until a complete circuit makes it past your vacuum,flow, or pressure switch.

    You really can't go wrong with having a meter handy for this.

    Since the oil flowed through soliniod when you direct wired it seems to me your issue is farther back in the switches. Contacts and springs go bad in the vac switches, and reeds break in the others.

  22. Posted · Report reply

    "How can I raise it? Should I just get a smaller orifice. Would putting a smaller orifice damage the pump in any way?"

    Tip pressure is result of flow through an orifice. It has to go somewhere and so the more flow the more pressure up until bypass setting or your horsepower and pump setup limits respectfully. Changing tip size does nothing to change your end amount of pressure to be bypassed when trigger is closed off.

    So to answer questions: Tighten down your unloader too much and things will break as Rod said. Make sure you have no blockages upstream or downstream and use smaller tip size to match your pumps specs.

    As to asking you question..I wasn't really asking as Ken had already asked you what it was you were cleaning and I only responding to your answer for the benefit of both you and future visitors to this thread.

    "Why did you need to know what I was cleaning to answer that?"

    Didn't need to know what you were cleaning to answer you. You already know that I was confused by your posing dual machinery questions and besides you have plenty of help attending here on the machinery aspect.

    But in case you want to know why I offered epoxy info is because part of what we do here is to help others do things most efficient without damage..that is not to say your situation was such but that perhaps it not best to recommend epoxy needing 3500 psi to every persons situation..it needed elaboration for all...at your expense?. of course not..if you felt otherwise,sorry about that..:)

    "It had to be blasted inch by inch at about 3000psi with 200 degree water. The flooring held up fine." ..Glad to hear you did not need higher than the amount I said..(edit-oops sorry, never did say how much but that 3k is what I would go)

    BTW for future reference, muriatic (hydrochloric acid) or other acids are not usually used for grease or dirt but for mineral deposits or etching of bare concrete. The end result on bare crete is often a look of cleanliness due to the eating away of the top layer. Acids are however used to prepare metal and glass at times in industry..

  24. Posted · Report reply

    Holy cow Joe..that's like 160 20k locations every night of the week!...You surely can afford crimper. After you get one you can make hoses to sell to us.. :)

    ps. btw folks, that could equal $37,620,000 per year at $.03/$.15 average floor care prices..scared to ask Joe what he would consider average though.:eek:

    pss. Hey Joe..seen your pressure washing slideshow..nice work!.. noticed what could be a home made surface cleaner in one of the pics..looks like one I made with info on the Hotwater Wizzard site. I used a 27" propane deck and lawnmower..lol.

    You ever get the chance maybe you can show us the ins and outs of one of your recovery units?..would be awesome to get some more ideas in my head how to do it proper in a DIY situation..

×