Russell Cissell

HD-80 is now available through the ESI online store at www.esproducts.net You can now order direct online and save money. Faster, easier, cheaper all around better for the contractor.

If you are just stripping F&P why not use EFC-38 and not even worry about it?

Jesse Thanks, but I'm in real good shape. Caught some hail and had some limbs down but nothing too bad. There are others who got it a lot worse. Appreciate your thoughts.

Ken I saw where you wrote: "If every contractor remembers that WT on cedar (in it's natural form) makes an orangey finish," I wanted to clarify this is only on white or VERY light cedar. If you visit: http://www.esproducts.net/Colors2.htm you can see the Warm Honey Gold color applied to three different shades of Cedar. All three are red cedar, however the last sample is very light red cedar. It almost looks white. In this sample the color does have an orange tint. Some home owners love this color.

Ken I would not recommend it if you are applying Wood-Tux. It is entirely contrary to the goal of preserving the wood. It is also completely unnecessary. As a wood restoration professional you have two goals. Protect the wood and Keep the wood looking good. On a very hard wood like Ipe it is difficult for any finish to penetrate very deeply into the wood. A primary reason for this is the wood is loaded with extractives such as natural sugars and oils. These sugars and oils are natures way of protecting the wood and keeping it looking good. Because these natural oils and sugars are no match for the sun, the wood needs a little help. To give the wood adequate UV protection requires X amount of UV blocking pigments. Many products are designed to provide about a year of protection on most woods. Most woods will allow for greater product penetration. The more penetration you get the more pigment you will apply to the wood. The problem with Ipe is that it will not allow most products to penetrate enough to achieve the application of X amount of UV Blocking pigments. By applying acetone you are burning away natural sugars and oils and basically making room for more penetration. This goes against all logic. You are purposefully damaging the wood in order to protect it? The reason that Wood-Tux performs so well on these hardwoods is it was designed to perform under the worst of conditions. It was designed to be applied even if the wood is wet. Because our goal was to create a stain that could be used right through the rainy part of the season we had to really beef it up. Wood-Tux is extremely high in the two things that are most important when it comes to sealing wood where deep penetration is difficult to achieve. Pigment and Resin Solids. The pigment provides the UV Blockers and the Resin Solids work to hold the pigment in place. How long would you like the finish to last on the Ipe? What is your maintenance schedule set for? There are a couple different ways you can apply Wood-Tux to hardwoods. Initially all look great, but one method clearly lasts longer and one method is fastest and one is easiest. For more information you can check out www.esproduct.net Click on the Product Information Link and then the Wood-Tux on Hard Woods Link

Ken We have had great success with Wood-Tux applied to Ipe and Cambera. I've got someone you should talk to. Give ma a call when you get a chance.

Yes, half stregnth should work well. If you have any doubt, just do a little test patch on the worst part of the deck. Charlie Now that everything is packed into the 10 lb containers, that would create a lot of waste. When I think about hundreds of non-biodegradable plastic scoops going out the door each month, I cringe. If I could get away with it, I would ship out products in a paper bag so I wouldn't be clogging land fills with those plastic containers. I'll make you a deal, you go out and buy yourself the nicest Pyrex measuring cup you can find and send me the receipt. I will issue you a credit in that amount and take it off your next order.

This is a universal Hydrant Adapter that was built for a recent project that required the use of multiple machines. The demand for water exceeded what was available from the property owners source. The best option was to tap into the fire hydrant. The municipality where the job was located didn't have a meter for rent so this unit was designed to meet all state and local regulations. In this case a meter and back flow preventer were required. This same unit can be used in a variety of configurations based on the situation at hand. This unit cost $850.00 to assemble. It was over engineered and the components are all top of the line. The meter for instance could be replaced with a less expensive model and save about $200.00 - $250.00. If it something you will need a lot you might consider building one. I'm sure that if you take it to the Water Gods for inspection prior to use they would approve it. That was the thinking behind going with the super fancy meter. I thought it might be more persuasive should I have to use it in another municipality later. Water Gods like fancy things. Hope this helps! Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. www.esproducts.net

Rick Powder concentrates are made up of a blend of different dry chemicals. During the manufacturing process each ingredient is added by weight in a specific order to insure an optimal blend. Handling of these concentrates leads to compaction. During compaction it is possible for the heavier ingredients to settle. This means that if you scoup off the top, your solution could be slightly off. In addition, each individual ingredient has a different rate of dispersion. In a perfect world if you purchase 10 LBS of HD-80 you would drop that into 20 gallons of water and achieve the best possible solution. Because it's not always practical to mix that much solution at once the next best thing is to mix a full strength batch and then dilute it with water. Basicly it keeps the solution closer to the intendid mix. This is why some contractors prefer to purchase the single use 2 LB jars. This allows for mixing small batches while maintaining formulary integrity. By mixing full strength and then diluting with water you reduce the variance by roughly 50% Hope this helps Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. www.esproducts.net

Jeff Both HD-80 and EFC-38 are 100% active. What that means for you is that you can extend either product. HD-80 is designed for heavy duty stripping. EFC-38 was designed to remove semitransparent oil based finishes like TWP, Deck Scapes and Wood-Tux. If you are washing new construction or even older wood that has no existing sealer you can use EFC-38 mixed half strength at a cost of less than one penny per square foot. Just remember, when you are working with any powder concentrate, you should always mix it full strength and then cut it with the desired amount of water. For instance you would mix EFC-38 at a rate of 1/2 LB (about 2/3 cup) per gallon. Then you would add another gallon of water to that solution. Once you get a feel for what the product will do at various strengths you will find EFC-38 to be a very flexible product. You can find more information by visiting www.esproducts.net and clicking on the Product Information link. Best of Luck Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. www.esproducts.net 1-866-536-7393 Best of Luck

It wasn't intended to look good. We were testing to see if we could reach a point of failure. It's not the intended use of the product but we have to test beyond a products intended use. In this way we are better able to provide support for contractors in the field.

Everett- The actual product recommendation calls for the application of one saturating coat on dry wood. On extremely wet wood applying two light coats wet on wet will achieve a richer finish than just one coat. you can find samples of both wet and dry applications at www.esproducts.net Click on product information and look under Wood-Tux The product is extremely high in resin and pigment solids so a very thin application (200 square feet per gallon) is actually all that is needed to protect the wood. The finish is designed to allow the penetrating oils to act as a carrier vehicle which pulls the pigment and biocides into the wood. By locking in the transoxide pigments and anti-fungal agents it's not necessary to continue to re-coat the deck in order to achieve adequate protection. To address directly the question of re-coating wet on dry I would not recommend it. Not for the reason you stated. "Sealers and stains tend to repel themselves when this happens the product does not adhere as it should. The result is usually a sticky deck, premature failure, possibly a haven for mold and mildew, excessive peeling, and so on." It is more an issue of breathability. If you apply a wet coat to a dry (cured) coat it will adhere however the initial application will prevent the oil from carrying the pigment into the wood. It will also begin to build on the surface. If you continue to apply in this fashion the finish will loose it's vapor transmission qualities. Wood-Tux was designed to cure at the surface yet still allow the wood to breathe. When you return for maintenance, a light application of EFC-38 and a low pressure wash will open the surface and allow you to apply another coat of finish without having to strip the prior application. Typically a maintenance application will take 40% -- 60% as much stain because you don't have to replace all the oils that are still in the wood. The following pictures illustrate the effects of applying multiple wet on dry coats to red cedar. The initial application was brushed on in one saturating coat and allowed to cure for roughly 24 hours. 5 subsequent applications were sprayed on allowed to dwell for roughly one minute and then wiped with a rag. There was a 24-48 hour cure time between each application. The result was complete encapsulation of the wood surface.

WOW, it is nice to hear such high praise. I hope that everyone enjoys the new contractor friendly plastic "cubetainers." We absolutely love the convince here and they are ideal for shipping with UPS. The best thing is you will notice about a 25% drop in your shipping charges with this new container. With the roll out of this new container we have also introduced a couple of new Contractor Bundle Specials. If you haven't had the chance to visit our new Contractor Supply Store, you can find it online at www.esproducts.net. Best of Luck! Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. www.esproducts.net imrcc1@aol.com

Dr. Basscanada Straight oxalic acid is difficult to work with because it will very quickly degrade the natural oils and sugars that give the wood it's characteristic coloring. This "bleaching" action can happen almost on contact. At this point to regain the natural color of the wood you have to remove the bleached out wood cells from the surface. For that you will have to either strip the deck with a power washer or sand the surface to reveal fresh new wood. Your alternative is to use stain to achieve the color you are looking for. You apply an additional coat of Wood-Tux to the are you have already stain to achieve a darker hue. This second coat will result in a shine to the surface. You may or may not find this desirable, it will depend on your personal taste. I would suggest that you first do a small test spot and allow it to dry before making the determination to move forward. If you want to achieve more of a red color you are going to have to add red pigment to replace the natural red in the wood. Again you can find this pigment at a local paint store. In the case of red, ask for a microground transoxide dispersion for oil based stains. If you decide to tint the stain to change the color it would be best to remove the stain that you've already installed. This will be very difficult as it is a fresh application of a very high quality finish. If you are going this rout I would suggest that you contact a local restoration contractor. The job will require special chemicals and safety equipment such a respirators. Please contact me directly before you move forward. I would like to make some additional inquiries so that I am better able to offer my assistance. I will be out of the office today so please call my cell phone at 636-288-8512 Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. www.esproducts.net

Wood-Tux is a semitransparent stain. The finish color is dependent on the color of the wood. If the wood it naturally very light or was very bleached out (white) from the use of oxalic acid, the resulting color can be orange. If the stain presents as orange and you wish for something darker, adding a very small amount (3 ml -- 6ml/gal) of black pigment will result in a more bronzy finish on white wood. You can probably get black pigment from your local paint retailer. Ask for a mass tone black. If you have any further questions please feel free to give me a call at 636-288-8512. Best of Luck Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. www.esproducts.net.

The toll free number is 1-866-536-7393 You can also e-mail your order to imrcc1@aol.com Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. www.esproducts.net

Jeff You can roll if you like. Stain pads also work very well. The product is very flexible. Best of Luck Russell Cissell www.esproducts.net 1-866-536-7393

Rod I don't think we are on the same page. Many contractors will apply stain with a rag or use a rag rather than back brush. This will result in a near furniture quality finish. The down side is it obviously takes a long time and it results in a lot of used rags. If you let them dry they are much harder to clean. If you put them in a stripper solution you only have to rinse them. Obviously if you are using a rag to apply your sealer you would not want any stripper residue left in the rag so it is a good idea to rinse thoroughly. Rags used to wipe overspray generally do not become that saturated with stain unless you've got an awful lot of overspray. Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc www.esproducts.net 1-866-536-7393 imrcc1@aol.com

Paul Staining in the rain has become a popular activity in Atlanta, St. Louis and several cities in the north east this season. I think it's cool to be able to stain in the rain, but my god enough is enough. I am ready for some sunshine. It looks like we are going to be trapped under the same weather system for the better part of this week. It's not even 60 degrees here today. Working all week isn't the same if I can't enjoy a little time on the water over the weekend. Serriously though, Wood-Tux is helping a lot of contractors stay on scedual and maximize their profitability during this rainy season. If you are falling behind on your sealing jobs because you just cant get a break in the weather you should check it out. If you fall behind in the spring not only do you have to play catch up, you will loose work because of the back log. More information about Wood-Tux can be found at: http://www.esproducts.net/ProductInformation.htm Best of Luck Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, inc. www.esproducts.net 1-866-536-7393 imrcc1@aol.com

One of the safest ways to deal with this issue is to use a container to store your used rags and tarps. Use a 5 gallon pail or similar container. Add a small amount of HD-80 or EFC-38 solution (any stripper will work). Use enough solution to insure that all of your used rags/tarps are soaked when you place them in the bucket. Later, at your convenience, you can remove the used rags or tarp and rinse them with your pressure washer. After allowing them to dry they are ready for the next job. This will help keep your tarps supple and easy to work with. This will also cut down on the amount of rags that you have to purchase or find. Remember to rinse your rags well if you intend to use them again as part of your application method. Once you have rinsed them with your pressure washer, you can also throw them in the washing machine for an additional rinse. Best of Luck Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc www.esproducts.net 1-866-536-7393 imrcc1@aol.com

More information about HD-80 and other ESI products can be found at www.esproducts.net. For a short cut to the product information pages you can use the following link: http://www.esproducts.net/ProductInformation.htm If you have more detailed questions, feel free to call the Contractor Support Hotline at 1-866-536-7393 Best of Luck Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. www.esproducts.net 1-866-536-7393 imrcc1@aol.com

There is no problem with rain following the application of Wood-Tux. As you said, 10 to 15 minutes after application rain will have no adverse effect. Anyone who has seen a product demonstration with Wood-Tux can tell you that we take a freshly stained board and subject it to the full flow of a garden hose. Even with that amount of flow there is no adverse effect on the finish. More importantly you do not see the rainbow of oils in the runoff. This is a clear sign that the product is binding and staying in the wood. I can tell you that your competition is not getting backed up. Those in the area who apply Wood-Tux are right on schedule. The nightmare of dealing with backlogged customers who all demand service the first sunny day is another issue that is avoided all together. Remember just because a product is priced higher does not mean that it costs more to use. Leaving the superior spread rate out of the equation, it is still easy to see that the cost of using Wood-Tux is lower than many other cheaply priced products. If your product limits the number of jobs you can complete then it is costing you money every year in lost work. More work days equal more work completed. More work completed results in more annual revenue. Break down the cost per square foot of any product, remember to factor in ACTUAL coverage rates. You will see that the difference is only pennies (like 2) per square foot at most. Would you pay $20 more for your materials on a 1000 square foot deck if you were able to apply it to wet wood? Would you pay $20.00 not to have to reschedule a job? Are you able to earn more than $20.00 finishing your average deck? Obviously Wood-Tux is not the best choice for every job. It is a high end product designed for premium quality and it is priced accordingly. When you stop to consider the excellent spread rate and the fact that you can apply it to wet wood, it makes a great choice for those parts of the country that have a lot of rain in the spring and the fall. Best of Luck Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. www.esproducts.net 1-866-536-7393 636-288-8512 cell imrcc1@aol.com

I would like to call on all small business owners to research and consider getting behind the Health Insurance Marketplace Modernization and Affordability Act (S. 1955). This piece of legislation will be coming before the senate in early may. Now is your time to take action and let your senator know that you want to level the playing field. Health insurance costs are one of the primary barriers to starting a small business and one of the primary concerns of any serious small business owner. S. 1955 will enable small businesses to band together and take advantage of group healthcare discounts currently only available to larger corporations. Please take a moment to review some information on S. 1955 you can find it here: U.S. Chamber of Commerce - Small Business Health Plans More importantly, if this is something you believe in, take action now. Take the time to make your opinion known. Politicians have big ears right now. Write your senator or send an e-mail. Stand up and be counted. If you're not sure exactly what to say, copy the following text. Include all of your company contact information and send it directly to the office of your senator. -------- As a small business owner, I strongly urge you to support and pass S. 1955, small business health plan legislation, when it comes up for a vote in May. This legislation will allow me to join with other small business owners and help me purchase affordable health insurance for myself, my employees and their families. With insurance premiums going up every year the way they are, at some point I will have to cut benefits or drop coverage all together. This is the reality that small business owners around the country face everyday. But by giving me more options and forcing the insurance companies to compete, I can make sure my employees and their families get the health insurance coverage they need. On behalf of myself and employees, I urge you to support S. 1955, Small Business Health Plan legislation. ---------- Russell Cissell Extreme Solutions, Inc. 636-288-8512 www.esproducts.net imrcc1@aol.com

Bill It's not a bother at all. The only difference between you and our largest customers is time. Everyone starts with questions. I have a lot of respect for individuals who seek out the answers in advance. Besides that, it's my job to help. I've got some things that might help you put together a customer packet. If you shoot me an e-mail with Information Request in the title I will send over what I've got available. Best of Luck! Russell Cissell imrcc1@aol.com 636-288-8512

Bill As a rep, I consider it a privilege to be able to speak about our products on TGS as well as other contractor forums. I try to tread lightly and balance sales rhetoric with useful information. In this case, as you've asked directly, I might recommend the following: Wood-Tux WET was designed to out perform leading exterior wood finishes. Wood-Tux WET boasts at least twice the pigment content of some leading brands and has more anti-fungal protection than most 20 year paints. That equals quality. Damaging UV rays and hundreds of algae and fungal species work hard to break down your wood. Wood-Tux performs as a protective barrier, blocking out the elements and keeping your wood looking it's best month after month. Created to provide long term care, Wood-Tux was formulated with maintenance in mind. This professional finish was designed to wear well and stand up to a periodic washing followed by a light maintenance application. Wood-Tux WET will condition the wood on the inside while protecting it at the surface. Other finishes will require semiannual or even annual stripping that can be damaging to the wood. Wood preservation is about making the choices that will provide for the maximum service life of your exterior wood structure. Wood-Tux WET makes for an easy choice. I hope that you find that useful. Feel free to give me a call if you would like. I am happy to discuss the features and benefits of the product to help you gain a better understanding of it's value both to you and to your customers. Best of Luck Russell Cissell imrcc1@aol.com 636-288-8512