Beth n Rod

I grew up a tomboy. Rode my bike, skinned my knees, played with mud and rocks and climbed every tree in the neighborhood up to the tip top. I was never afraid to fly. Then I had kids... flying makes me nervous. I'm fine with trees, but hate ladders (trees have roots - ladders do not). Fears I never used to have, are there... I too am much better in a mid-sized group than a large group. I have spoken to large groups, but my heart beats real fast... normally it hits me after I am done. We all have something to deal with. Overcoming these things can be really personally rewarding if you keep a positive outlook. Beth

The deck was not dry yet. We will have to swing by and get the dry photos. This is to illustrate what Wood Tux looks like when you apply it to wet wood. This was not meant as an example of the finished product. Jarrod - who makes the speed sealer? Beth

And one more...

Belmont, Do you have a photo of it? Beth

Welcome to the wonderful world of pw'ing. I can relate to getting out into the sunshine easily. [cabin fever here] Looks to me like you have a plan in place...did you have a topic specific ??? Rod!~

This helped in many ways and was a starting point... http://www.toastmasters.org/pdfs/top10.pdf Rod!~

www.sunbritesupply.com http://store.yahoo.com/sunbrite/powerhouse.html Rod!~

"S"Corp. Keeps us protected in many ways. Sole proprieterships are very vulnerable. Rod!~

It was a pretty new thing around here and I have always been on the look out for entrepreneurial enterprise that was basically ground level (no pun) and no market saturation. PW'ing was it. Rod!~

Your welcome. It is higher in viscosity out of the can so on hardwoods you may want to thin it with water 20% to give better penetration. Rod!~

Who are your bets to win this weekend? Beth

-Documentation- This will win against any chargeback. The ones we have had are from people who were trying to do it under false pretenses (cheapskates, every neighborhood has one). We supply the CC co. with all the info and pictures showing the work was done as specified. Most often under contracted work the cc co. will suggest the customer try to work it out with the contractor because of the fact that materials have been installed and therefore the value of them is no longer the same or recoverable. Labor and taxes are not the issue. A chargeback may be issued w/o contest if you have made the charge w/o consent, before work is begun or for any amount not agreed to in writting. Rod!~

Not really. The product breaks down into very small particulate matter which is the simplest form it can take from the caustic reaction it has been subject to. Unless it is paint, there is hardly ever any evidence of a strip being performed with the exception of the wood pulp which is most prominent from cedar and redwood decks. The Neutralization process creates salts from the caustic that has been used rendering it harmless to exposure. IF we have stripped paint (which I dont like to do because there is no way to neutralize the stuff we use to strip with), we clean up the debris using a wetvac. Otherwise, there is no "soup" to deal with in stripping stain from a deck. The water is absorbed into the ground and the salts are utilized by the plants. Rod!~

Teak Oils as mentioned are good for maintaining the woods inner moisture and like danish oil have tung oil in it which has been produced to be as thin as possible. Teak soaks it up. For furniture that sits out in the sun day after day and is not protected with anything more than oils will gray in a few months. Cabots Australian Timber Oil (old VOC formula) has worked well for us in the past but the jury is still out on the new VOC one. From what we have seen is part of the reason why Beth mentioned we are going to try WTW this year on our teak and see what results and duration we get. So far, on other hardwoods (ipe'), WTW has been performing well which is encouraging. Urethanes are great protection for marine teak. Salt kills it though. Sanding w 110-120grit and re-coating is the usual maintenance. Wood Tux! has not been mentioned tested in a salt marine environment so I will not suggest it is a suitable protective. It works well for full sun exposure but the effects of salt on it are probably as one would expect on urethanes. Rod!~

We have used Cabot's Australian Timber oil in the past, but will be trying Wood Tux on our furniture this year. Beth

I would have bought a truck! It really sucked the 1st year working out of the back of my Nissan Sentra :lol: People used to rag me about the tiny pw'er sticking out of the trunk saying that if I put a propeller on it, it would look like I could go fishing. Rod!~

Mike, Being a desert southwestern native, perhaps you can possibly understand the reasons why I dont like winter. :) Rod!~

Don't forget that it wouldn't all be possible without the contributions from people like yourselves and others who have added value in many ways. We thank all of you for helping to make TGS the community that it is. Great stories btw. They add character for everyone to relate to. :applause: Rod!~

Many tub enclosures are made of redwood especially around the base. Efc will do the job @ 6-8oz/gal. Good idea to mask the windows or at least keep them wet before during and after application. Use <350psi or you will blow out the molding holding in the windows inside. The window seal (not sealant/stain) will most likely be shot anyway if present. Wood tux is a suitable product. Rod!~

You identify teak by the grain and the density of the wood. Could very easily be teak. We have seen Wood Tux hold up really well in pretty extreme weather. I would feel better about Wood Tux on a dock than I would many other things. Beth

Inquiring minds want to know, how does one get into that? Rod!~

Met the designer in Pitts & L.V. Seen it demonstrated and it really works well. High rpms and adjustable height for different surfaces. Rod!~

Get both! If you need the wand to make your life easier then get it. Upgrade. If you will be doing more flat-work, then buy a surface cleaner too. It will all pay for itself in time saved and less effort on your part will help you feel like you have accomplished something and the big jobs aren't so big anymore. We bought a whisper wash classic back in the end of '99 and used it over the the next season. Whoa! It saved so much time and literally paid for itself the first season. I don't buy wands anymore because of the wood restoration side that requires we make so many changes in its configuration. Instead, I buy a real good gun and variable sizes in lances to add on and flex wands. Our full size wands are more ornate in the vehicles than used because our crew is so used to just using the small gun and interchanging the lance size to fit the job. My advice is to reinvest into your business to make your job easier and more profitable by the time you can save using better equipment. Coming from a person with back problems, it has helped me stay in the game far longer than if I hadn't. Rod!~

Interesting thoughts... Beth

Jeff, Thank you so much for the kind words. The BBS world as it relates to power washers has grown quite a bit since we began washing. It's great to see everyone helping one another out. Everyone here is responsible for the success of the BBS and for helping others to achieve their goals. I know it makes me smile to think that someone else was able to get a job because someone they never met cared enough to offer help. Networking is wonderful. Beth