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MMI Enterprises

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Posts posted by MMI Enterprises

  2. Posted · Edited by MMI Enterprises · Report reply

    A good branded product might be like Zep's Super Doug..

    Best chem, in my opinion for grease, is potassium hydroxide (caustic lye) or a mix containing it and/or sodium hydroxide. Take yer various branded product and add the word 'msds' to it in a google search and you will learn lots. Usually the percentages can be deduced and sometimes hence who's will be stronger.

    ..good luck :)

  4. Posted · Edited by MMI Enterprises · Report reply

    Can't say I have ever lost an o ring at the machine outlet as I have never ever had the need or desire to unplug there while machine is running or has any pressure.. have lost them out of the 1/4 tip couplers though. I see it as backwards design on machines utilizing a male plug for main output and such obviously has been effecting decissions of the designers of the add on DSer's.

    Chris, The female qc on unloader block and on machines main outlet which allows for the easy bypassing of heater or streamers appears to be stock on my older Mi-t-M.

    Rod, Yea the right name for that protector thing I mentioned going over is a restricter hu?..lol. I pull it right over nice and tight and pretty much always tends to go around house corners and the like. I cut off the leading one that comes on the hose before it or it will slide around on hose.

  6. Posted · Edited by MMI Enterprises · Report reply

    I absolutely agree with Ron's choice of where the plug and coupler are to go. I plug hoses in and the wand or surfacer get the qc female coupler. Is logical to plug hoses into something and hoses are more readily had with male threaded ends on both end that therefore take the npt coupler to join them or accept the fnpt-male plug end. Reel whip gets plug and so does the DSer (which is backwards btw on the Allison SSS..had to change it around). Machine out and unloader block outlets get the female. Such arrangement allows for easy removal of DSer or bypassing of heater or plugging a small hose or jumper in...just my 2 cent.

    ps- a female on hose end joining things up could snag on a corner and in theory unlock.

  8. Posted · Report reply

    We had the cold uptil last Fri then it turned great for outside work which kinda stunk cause I had people wanting their stuff all prepped and ready to go for painters. Then we musta had some sort of weird inversion thing going on about mid week as it seemed warmer up the hill from me than it did in the valley. Was surprised actually that this older lady at one of my stores wasn't carrying on about the dogwoods blooming or some such..lol...

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Dinky places boss wanted me to do another location.

    I mention an approx. upkeep price figure with language such as "be about $xx.xx if done every 2 week after the other place (set on busy weekday route) or I try to get done day before if I got time". So initial clean gets done on that 'day before' day and but the holiday causes a late situation for to start the upkeep...no problem. Next opportune time for to start the upkeep happens to fall same day of week as the initial clean. Should be fine, right?.. Nope!.. I call as a courtesy, clerk acts liek we're good to go. I show up, setup, then the clerk guy 2 min later says 'boss says we gettin shipments in(hours after I'll be gone) so ya can't do it, boss says come back Sun?, have to do on Sun. or can't do.' ...I'm like umm hell but ok, I guess I'll be flexable and try it out. I don't even charge em for a canceled show...

    Week later Sun. middle of night has me showing up, that's like 4 weeks in, and a nice clerk lady says after I set up "How much?"

    ...I says "$XX.xx" (which is a measly $10 higher then weekday route, still lower than other job, and way lower than you can imagine btw)

    So 2 minute later clerk says after getting off phone "boss said it was to be $xx.xx....take it or leave it"...I asked her did he really say that and she said yea thats exactly what he said. That little phraze struck a cord in me. Yea mostly a prideful one but also one related to sensability. I thought to myself heck I should pay attention and consider it a question to be answered. Took all of about 5 seconds to conclude that this work is definitely not the type I am after and my time would be better spent getting up hours earlier in the mornings with family or to spend getting quality day work. (I mean look what time I am up writing this crap)..So I says to clerk as I am loading up "Tell him I'll leave it and the other one too if he likes". She thought he was very unprofessional saying that to me and before I was on my way I let her know she was nice about it and not her fault or anything.

    So at what point do you take it or leave it? Is it when ya hear a harmless statement as such or are you totally immune to this kinda stuff because you prequalify or are very strict and clear in your contracting, etc.?

  19. Posted · Report reply

    Jim, Yes I do try to be generous and helpful with pure heart and so what you say is taken as a compliment...thanx. I don't know that such is a skill more than it is a blessing..funny though is subjective to perspective. I assure you that generally speaking everyone does not take things the same let alone how you yerself may have intended them. Whether the well intentioned growth oriented messages or the perhaps funnier parts. All I got to do is look to my own luved ones to know I miss the mark as much as the next.

  20. Posted · Report reply

    I take care of some Ipe that is close to 20 years old , 16 ft length's (1 by 3) and directly on the surface. Most excellent condition and I do not treat it anymore! I take care of a Redwood deck that it 40 years old and has never been treated and in good condition (2 by 8) OLD GROWTH ! For longevity use smaller width boards and have good spacing for air flow and drainage. I also cleaned a deck over 20 years old PT done with 2 by 4's never treated. The 2 inch side is the floor and he sands it ever couple of years. It was nasty between the boards.

    Looked at a monster of a deck/pergola yesterday that was 30 year old redwood coated with solid.. Was rather latexy, no chalkyness..was a tad different and not sure what coating it was..regardless it is rotting all to hell and needs 50% or better reskinned. Fun times..

  21. Posted · Report reply

    Making something that'll last on flexable surface prone to water exposure and UV isn't a tough one. If you take those aspect indivually required they already got'em beat but then we got to throw in the darn foot traffic issue and then the porosity of ipe...shucks what a manufacture to do?

    The example of how Armstrong is supposed to be working is theoretically the way to tackle the issues. Via specific gravity seperating the individual parts/aspects of a product the idea is they able to get colorful/nourturing stuffs inside while providing a suitable exterior film/coating able to handle the many things required of it such as durability,slip resistance, chem resistance, vapor transmission,etc. without feeding mold or being a dirt attractant. Don't know if that perticular product has been done on ipe yet..just saying that's the idea for tackling wood in general.

    I've mentioned before how solution for new voc rules will come from the flooring or concrete surfacing trades and still feel the same. Yes it is uniquely different with the surfaces not being flexable but yet many the other issues are regularly being delt with..I also think that is likely where the money and research for coatings is more structured and at play.

    Got water problems? .. densify or create chemical vapor barrier situation inside the surface.

    Got penetration of color problems?.. you open it up more or use a smaller particle of color...aka 'dye' which actually is disolved color that solidifies into particle of whatever size.

    Got dye being uv unstable problems?..focus on clear uv protection being in the wear/protection layer by way of utilizing specific gravity.

    Got durability problems? ...focus on properly cross linked polymers, fortification with softer yet more durable and chemical resistant additives such as urethane yet enstill proper balance for the vapor trasmission and removability.

    Got trust in film/coating issues?.. focus on densifying/petrification following the coloring process. Look to polished concrete in yer HD or bluebox stores.

    Providing all this together in a mixed product may be impossable right now but individually their are products out there on shelves that can do each chore. In small demand some them are rather expensive but perhaps once part of everyday use the costs will come down. I see it that if anything exterior wood care may have to move towards multi processes when it comes to finishing just like the prep part or like fine furniture or auto painters, etc.

    Doing the epoxy or a hardened/catylized film isn't likely best route. Such processes create what is called permenance against easy removal and isn't friendly to vapor transmission. So again it's gonna be about higher technology in the waterbornes or fortification and yes it will likely involve what many us term as acrylics. For those that don't like the word just change it. I mean thats what they do to everything else right?. No but really you can use acrylic without attributing all the poor aspects to it. It doesn't have to be thick and glossy..it can be flattened, soft, hard, etc. due to other additives. The polymer technology departs so far from it these days ya can't even really classify it the same as nail polish or concrete lacquer.

    The guys going to world of concrete will see such products and should be able to confirm how solving would care issues will be by way of products and processes coming out of that field. I'd term the stuff they coming up with as transitional products that we may want to try out on at least ipe.

  25. Posted · Report reply

    Dan your competitor(s) can gain yer price during only one bid process that ya all attend to. Makes any price point moot really. If anything, generic pricing and processes spewed regularly about the bbs help regulars and lurkers alike keep level ground and better able to service customers properly and fairly. It betters the field and ensures the bar is kept raised and expectations of customers up. These sensitive/trade secret things are not really special and can be had or learned readily by various source. Thing is when it's all in one place and free it is notable as a great value and may in fact instill a level of greed in some heart. Trust that no one can take away what we put in our head and that really not hardly many at all have the time or drive to care or learn it. Those that do are surely deserving of it so welcome them here and share up with pure heart. This is the internet a place for pretty much total openness. Do not become cynical. Do not hamper growth or change. Seems solid advice that people respect. I in fact think it will get you everywhere.. :)

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