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Mathew Johnson

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Posts posted by Mathew Johnson

  2. Posted · Report reply

    Matt, thanks for that reply. I've been away from the computer for the last week, got a new baby girl that just arrived. Its been a little hectic around here. It has been 16 yrs since I last did this.

    Anyway back to your setup, that is an awesome setup. Could you tell me where I might be able to purchase equipment like that, possibly online. Also I had another question. I was thinking about your air compressor set up and was wondering how it would work using a compressor to pressurize a tank and move fluids this way. I thought this is similiar to using a pump up sprayer. I guessing that this isn't practical since I've not heard of anyone using such a setup, but was wondering.

    Thanks

    , I would be happy to tell you about it

    Call my cell....607-435-5539

  3. Posted · Report reply

    Matt, thanks for that reply. I've been away from the computer for the last week, got a new baby girl that just arrived. Its been a little hectic around here. It has been 16 yrs since I last did this.

    Anyway back to your setup, that is an awesome setup. Could you tell me where I might be able to purchase equipment like that, possibly online. Also I had another question. I was thinking about your air compressor set up and was wondering how it would work using a compressor to pressurize a tank and move fluids this way. I thought this is similiar to using a pump up sprayer. I guessing that this isn't practical since I've not heard of anyone using such a setup, but was wondering.

    Thanks

    Compressor: Lowes

    Yamada Pump: Dultmeier

    Machine: Hydrotek - ACR Products

    Summitt Stackable Hose Reels: ACR Products

    Tabk: Tractor Supply

    Chem Hose: Lowes

    Ball Valves: Lowes

    Rapid Reel Hose Reels: ACR Products

    Generator: Home Depot

    Air Hose: Harbor Freight

    Decker Sprayer: ACR Products

    Misc Wands: everywhere

    Corress Wand: Pitchwitch.Com

  4. Posted · Report reply

    If Beth and Rod are accepting donations at this time to keep TGS ahead of the bb curve and in keeping them at the top of the game in the info highway world of the net then let the donations begin.

    Questions does TGS take Payments from Paypal?? Also can we get a receipt for tax purposes(If not so be it). Come on lets be proud and help out the ones who helped support all of us all these years. TGS site has gave me just about more info for my business then any other bb. Its a top rated site and to keep it at the top then if you can, donate towards it to keep it as the Best. I've donated in the past and hope to do it again. Also there should be a list of companies that ended up donating to this site. The amount they donated should not be made public unless they wanted it to but the names should be mad public like on a Brass plaque that says donated to TGS..

    Keep this bb- the best- and donate to get your name on that exclusive plaque that will make you feel good knowing that you helped this bb in the past,today and tomorrow. At the Very least think about that----Thank you.

    John.... Good point. We donate because we want to, not for a tax writeoff. It is not a legal tax write off... but who cares.... It is like paying a subscription for a virtual power washing manual that gets updated daily.

  5. Posted · Edited by NYPWC.NET · Report reply

    Thanks for the replies. I just read thru the xjet vs. ds thread and still trying to figure out what is best for applying chemicals ( oxalic acid and percarb). One of the things that I was wondering, is there different way of looking at this depending on what you are trying to do ( house wash vs. stain prep) the stain prep is what I'm trying to do. I like the idea of the ds in that you just have one hose out. But it seems like it is not that easy to figure out the chemical ratios. The xjet seems like a good idea but I don't like the idea of lugging around buckets of chemical. And then there is the pressure thing. Its seems to me that it is best to apply chemicals at a very low pressure, like that of a pump up. So I guess I'm leaning towards the 12 volt pump or a gas powered chemical pump. I would like to keep my equipment in the trailer and just roll out the hose so I'm not sure if the 12 volt pump provides enough pressure for 200' of hose.

    The other thing I'm still wondering about is the use of an extension wand. I have gathered that most high rinse from the ground by using a higher pressure and or a small degree tip. All the houses that I will work on are stained redwood of red cedar. I've been doing alot of research on preping and staining of cedar and redwood and there are some that express alot of caution when it comes to using a pw to prep siding or wood decks. The spraying at an upward angle against lap siding concerns me. Siding is designed to shed water that comes at it at a downward angle. This concern led me to adapt my 6' airless ext. pole onto my pressure washer wand. At the end of the 6' ext to head can be swiveled to anle the spray at a downward angle. It works great for getting the spray at a downward angel but is a bit cumbersome. Does anyone out there use an ext. wand?

    I again apprieciate any input.

    We use our extension wands to come in and/or down on the siding when washing, whether it is cedar, vinyl or clapboard. The set up you are interested in using is exactly what you are looking to use ( see pics)

    One the back there are three house reels on the shelf. The first hose reel on the left is for detergents - there are four ball valves in the line to the air driven pump. the first ball valve I turn on for stripper, the second valve turns on the neutralizer, the third is a line I can put in any liquid (most commonly percarb or roof wash mixture, the fourth valve is to the float tank to flush out the line when done using. The pump is a yamada air pump powered by the gas air compressor on the floor - left side.

    The middle hose reel is an air line off of the compressor for air tools and such. The right hose reel is to one of my decker HVLP stain sprayers. Underneath that is a Hydrotek belt driven 4.8 gallon cold water water unit with a 65 gallon float tank.

    The other pic is the side door with the stackable hose reels ( 200 foot high pressure line and 150 of 3/4 in garden hose. Under the hose reels there is a 5500 watt generator. (not shown, I revised the trailer setup since the PICS)

    I built shelves for the cardboard and several tarps. There are 3 - 15 gallon tanks that I mix chems up in, for roofs I have a 35 gallon tank that I take along.

    Hope this helps

    The trailer is a 12 foot haulmark with electric brakes. It is an awsum setup

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  8. Posted · Report reply

    Hello everyone, 1st post here. First off a little background. I'm a GC that does my own interior and exterior painting and staining on new construction. All of the homes in my area are stained so there is alot of work in the restaining business which I've decided to pursue.

    Now to my questions. I've got 9 hp, 3500 psi, 3.5 gpm pressure washer. So I'm covered on that part for now. What is not clear to me is the application of chemicals. I just finished a job using a pump sprayer to apply percarb and oxalic acid. That is alot of work. I've been reading up on the different ways to apply chemicals. Uploading, downstreaming (are they the same thing), 12 volt pressure pump, and a gas powered chemical applicator. My guestion is what is the best approach. I'm leaning toward the gas powered machine. I know this is alot of money but I'm in this for the long haul, and besides I'm a tool guy and a gearhead so I like anything with an engine on it. I just want to make sure I get the right tool for the job. I'll leave it at that for know. I'm I will have alot more questions. Thanks in advance to all of you that take the time to share your knowledge.

    There are a lot of different methods to throw the chems on a house.

    1. Pump up bug sprayer (works but results in sore arms and a lot of time)
    2. Xjet or Mjet (works well, the stripper I use (for some reason) foams when I run it through an MJet and clings to a house well for added dwell time) You do have poor control over the overspray and fallout
    3. Downstreaming - works but need a heavily concentrated chem mixture to get an effective concentration on the surface
    4. HVLP - A battery operated system on a cart that will apply chems and some stains (we have made adapters to spray the stain and chems through our 32 foot wand when needed) - Works great!
    5. Shurflo or Delavan on demand pump. Works well, but the chems will chew up the pump diaphrams
    6. We primarily use an air compressor with a yamada air driven pump. The harsh chemicals do not seem to harm the pump and it works the best for this purpose. We also use this setup for appication of roof cleaning chems - a zero degree - 20 or 30 orifice tip throws the chems 20 to 40 feet with good control. We use a 10 / 65 degree tip dor deck application with a large and even pattern of applicatiion. We have 200 feet of chem line on a hose reel, nothing leaves the wood restoration trailer

    I hope this helps

    Matt


  9. Posted · Report reply

    i did a search on this topic but i really did not find the answer i was looking for. i washed my neighbor's light blue vinyl siding house this weekend and after removing the dirt and mildew i discovered that there is quite a bit of oxidation on the sunny side of the house. if you run your hand across the vinyl then you will find a white chalky residue. i would love to know what anyone has used successfully to remove this problem.

    thanks in advance,

    rando

    Call ACR Products.... They carry "Restora". This is a product that restores the luster to the siding. It is a great product and easy to apply and a huge money maker. We did a vinyl house this summer and it came out great. ACR# 610-392-1899. The coverage of the product is 600 to 800 sq ft per gallon. You CANT use it on white siding,

    MJ

  11. Posted · Report reply

    Matthew, you need to check your statistics on the war cost.

    theiraqinsider.blogspot.com/2008/02/how-much-does-iraq-war-cost-per-month.html

    I am thinking that this website is not exactly sympathetic to the Bush administration, so their quote is probably high, but it is still 4.2% of the amount you quoted.

    Thanks Scott, I took the numbers off of one of the speeches a the DNC.... But it is the point of the matter I was trying to convey.

  12. Posted · Report reply

    My step brother was a first responder during Katrina. He works for Fish & Wildlife. He and his buddy and co-worker went out in a boat and rescued people from rooftops and took them to the dome where they were supposed to go. They navigated water without knowing what was where, and passed many a dead body. Devastation was all around them. Some that were helped were those who had lived there all their lives, were elderly and had no way to leave or were handicapped. There were real people, good people, friends of my family who lost everything they owned. They were not bums or ghetto people, they were families in the path of a devastating force of nature. Anyone who is God fearing, who is compassionate, and who holds life dear needs to think about this if they react without compassion or with disgust or disdain towards those who suffered and lost friends, family or home. Shame on you!

    Beth

    My best friend of 25 years is a Captain in the army reserve and an oncall member of FEMA's DMAT Team (The field hospitals FEMA sets up at these events. He was deployed for Katrina to the region and again for Gustav. I asked him why was he going a second time? (He is a PA).

    The response I got was enlightening. He said there were a lot of bad people stuck in NO during Katrina, They actually had a detail of federal marshalls providing personal security for the team members 24 hours a day, so they could safely work and sleep in peace. He also said that he met countless people who were destitute and were genually nice that were stuck there in a life situation that is not as easy to work your way out of as many may think. (Sounds like Afganastan residents at the mercy of the talaban or Iraqi women at the mercy od the men or Saddam) He said that is the reason he was going back.

    He didnt need the money, It is a volunteer contingent. He reminded me that all to often we forget that any of us can end up in a similar situation at the drop of a hat. Hmmmm... drought in the Southeast, a fall off a ladder that leaves one of us paralyzed, or a spouse laid off and no powerwashing work... How quickly the tables can turn on ANY of us.

    The question is "Should we rebuild New Orleans?". I don't think that is the best question.... How about..... Should we as a country support the people effected by this? The WTC had two major attacks in the last 20 years.... The events of 911 and the bombing that preceded that horrible day.... Why are rebuilfing the tower?

    For what its worth.... We are spending (as a country) 10 billion dollars a day to fight a war and rebuild a country half way around the world where members of the Armed Forces of this great country are getting mambed and killed. Someone mentioned the 130 billion that we have spent in New Orleans since Katrina... That is synonymous with the last 13 days of the Iraq war, money we are spending to provide support to citizens of another country.

    As far of the people on public assistance and looking for goverment assistance effected in the Hurrucane regions..... look at it from the perspective that anyone of us could end up in that situation for a multitude of different and unforseen circumstances at a moments notice.

  15. Posted · Edited by NYPWC.NET · Report reply

    Can someone tell me where can I buy a chemical tank for the roof set up? Which brand, size and maybe a prepered place??? I think, I shouldn't go more than 100gal. How big of a roof can you do with 50gal or 100gal tank.

    How about this one?

    Snyder Industries Square-Ended Poly Spray Tank — 100 Gallon Capacity | Sprayer Tanks | Northern Tool + Equipment

    Is this too big? Should I go smaller?

    What you guys think?

    Thank's!

    Tractor Supply Company is where I buy most of my stuff.... I have a 65 gallon I may be getting rid of. I use a 35 gallon for the roof chems

  16. Posted · Report reply

    Having 'preferred expert' status for the surrounding 100 miles would be nice.(unsure how to base such decission but surely shouldn't relate to how much money is paid in)

    I have to agree.... not necessarily a certification. more of a designation recognition . ***** recognizes "Company ABC" as a contractor of distinction for Professional Wood Restoration. with a seal or emblem that one could use on proposals, websites and marketing material.

    The same could be offered for "Carpet Cleaning", Residential Property Cleaning, Commercial Property Cleaning,

    Have a simple application process for each area and criteria that experienced contractors should easily meet. Ie. 3 years in business, proficiency demonstrated through - verification of professional liability insurance, project photos and submission of a "project resume and a required equipment list" with perhaps a letter of reference from a customer.

    It would be unrealistic to try to make it cheat proof for the members, doing so would create a bureaucratic bunch of red tape for the ones who deserve the designation and discourage them from applying. People who are dishonest will beat the system anyway.

    I wouldn't recommend tying a price to the designation. Offer it as a benefit to the members.... It would eliminate the stereotype as "the best designation money can buy"

    Just my .02 cents.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    I hate that color. Seen better looking creosote railroad ties. A customer could not pay me enough $ to put such an awful looking stain color on exterior wood.

    Nothing against Armstrong-Clark, they make a very good stain. Hope "oxford brown" is not one of their big sellers, California will have to pass a visual pollution law.

    Rick.... don't hold back, tell us how you really feel. See ya in October, We have planned the event for you.... Oxford brown table cloths, Oxford brown silverware, Free sample of oxford brown for door prizes, oxford brown carpet and best of all..... oxford brown colored ice cold high test.

  18. Posted · Report reply

    LOL...I guess the clue there Rick is it's called Oxford Brown like an old shoe. Matt did they want something that dark? It looks good against the white to me but was it still wet at pic time? It's seems to have some lighter spots here and there was it hard to get even?

    And yes that will be a good one to watch how it holds up under true traffic, will you be able to keep an eye on that one for us?

    It had dew from the night before, pics taken early morning.

    Wanted it to match the trim and more of a solid stain.... It is almost an identical match to the wrapped windows. I am curious to see how it looks in the spring. I will try to shoot some up close photos. The luster of the wood and the grain looks great. I like the color and it covered well.

    I am reprinting my wood restoration brochures and there is an inside panel featuring Armstrong Clark stain and one featuring Readyseal. I will retake the pics for the brochures after the deck has cured for a week or two.

  22. Posted · Report reply

    Man Matt, I remember when I first started this business,... I have to say my story is similar to yours on the brushing experience. It was taking all day along with alot of frustration, but the people I was working for really liked the different approach I was taking and felt obligated from that point on to "deliver". But I knew I'd never survive this business if I continued on the path I was on when I began in 1996. To make a long story short..... I've since then made brushing easy, (mostly due to the proper chemical), efficient application and proper brushes,... I was able cut the time waaaaaay back and the level of frustration has been knocked way back as well . We all have our frustrating days though. I may also add that I didn't have the internet to refer to for learning tricks, techniques and chemicals. Learning chemicals is key in this business.

    I like the idea of better quality cards and other literature, That seems to reiterate my stand on brush washing; You can get away with cheaper cards and brochures but the customers like to see what they perceive as better quality, and maybe more professional. Seems to coincide with my view on brush washing and selling. It's all about getting out of the crowd and giving the customer a reason to call YOU, instead of the other guy(s).

    Jeff

    Jeff, I agree with your methods because... simply put.... If it aint broken, don't try to fix it! Good Luck!

  23. Posted · Report reply

    This is right Dan, this thread is about selling, public perception and raising the bar,..... not which method is better.

    Jeff

    Well put Jeff.... we started out brushing houses as you do. Our goal was to be better than anyone and stand out in the area. FIVE YEARS AGO YESTERDAY we did our first house using that method and the sad part about it is that five years ago today we finished washing the same house... It took us 12 hours.

    We took a different approach to public perception. We had KBK do our logo, then a website, then professional business cards (we ditched the home made ones), then full colored property cleaning brochures,,, we quickly found out that all of the above was the ticket to getting the edge on others. We have added a wood restoration brochure and lettered all vehicles and trailers.

    We do work hard to give excellent results, this plays a large part in returning customers.... but the multidimensional marketing program is what actually keeps the phone ringing.

  24. Posted · Report reply

    OK guys-

    I have been through 3 hot water units in the last 3 years, all have needed some sort of work or improvement. Every time I get a new machine, it has been an upgrade, so its not as if ive been ruining the machines or wearing them out.

    I have had one Landa and two Hotsy's. I have never had an Mi-T-M, but I have a lead on one that needs some repair and I would like to make the repairs and present it to my step dad for Christmas. It is a gas powered machine.

    I have become intrigued by these machines as the burners are so compact that they are almost tiny, and they do not require a 12 volt source for the burners. And the burners burn down instead of up. They also just seem so much different than other machines. Are these machines as innovative as I think they are? Being built in Iowa I assume that parts are available and the quality is high.

    Or are they just kinda junky?

    Thanks for the opinions

    Kyle

    I have two hydroteks... The only repair I have doen in the last three years is replace a thermostat in one of them.

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