StainlessDeal

www.truckpaper.com Everything trucklike for sale and more. Be sure to check the heavy-equipment trader as well.

Like the lady says, "Must have mooore!" Thanks!:lgbounces

First off, let me say that you had not posted when I wrote my reply, it sounds a little harsh after yours. Secondly, Thanks for doing what you do. I don't doubt a word you are saying about people's feelings. Now I would like to ask what it means to say that, "He is downs." Is that a typo? Or is that the current form of, "He is afflicted with Trisomy 21?" This is exactly what I was reaching for. People are different. People descibe. Vilifying the phrases and those that use them, doesn't change the affliction, or how people feel about it. It does, however, make people wade through a figurative minefield whenever they are speaking to, or about these topics. This leads to avoidance of both the topic, and the afflicted. I'm not excusing abusive, or ignorant speech. I just advocate people realizing that most labels are going to offend somebody, and giving too much power to words not intended as insults just puts another arrow in the quiver of those fools that enjoy insulting and denigrating their fellow humans.

I think it is important to remember a couple of basic things about language: It is flexible and it is ever-changing. It is the intent, literally the message being communicated, that is most important. Retarded is a quantitative word that is meant to describe either potential or achieved attainment as measured against others. When refering to a person, it is a bit (clinical or impersonal), unless intended as an insult. Then it is just rude or ill-mannered, as is all insulting language: It is intended to be. Most words and phrases that describe people as members of groups based on some characteristic go in and out of vogue as desriptive, to insult, to comical, and back. There is no particular rhyme or reason to these trends, except that it appears that whatever generation is currently in college generally seems to abhor the labels used by the generation before. Here are two examples: I'm a "Lugen." Not a word that probably has any special meaning to many here, my father will beat the head in of anybody using that word to describe Lithuanians. Luckily, not a common occurance. (Even in Omaha, a city with a large Lithuanian population.) The word amuses me, because to most people, I'm just another white guy. I have a buddy that is Italian. (Actually, I have many.) Some don't mind being called a wop. This started as an acronym (Albeit an unofficial one) for "With Out Papers" and probably wasn't ever meant respectfully, but not as an outright insult. Over the generations this one has gone back and forth. The point of all this is that I have not intended to insult anybody with this post, but somebody might be offended by my use of two words that have been slurs at some ponts. There is nothing I can reasonably do about that other than be bewildered, and assure them that there was no intent to insult. The rest is in their hands, but I would also like to point out that you have a right to be insulted. You then have the responsibility to get opn with your life. It is impossible to discuss uncomfortable subjects without descriptive language. Sorry for the long ramble, but I love the language and like discussing it also.:) :cool:

When I worked in lumberyards, "Masonite" and "Hardboard" were names used interchangeabley for siding that was made to look like real wood, but which was actually a very heavy form of cardboard. Basically just many layers of pulpy paper pressed with glue and a wood-like texture. There was also an extremely thin layer of primer (practically printed) on the finish side. It was available in lap and vertical types. It is still common in my area, and I have seen it almost anywhere I've been in the US. If this is what you are talking about, then just use whatever housewash mixture you commonly use, I use Rowletts Citracleen and 10.5% usually, but have and do use others. You are absolutely right to worry about the results of pressure: No siding likes pressure! If the chems you use are not doing the job, you need better chems or technique, but not more pressure. If there are soft or cracked or swollen spots in the siding, it has already begun to fail, and needs replacement rather than washing. A search for "Housewash formula" should get you started in the right direction.:)

I can't afford to have dirty houses associated with my work. Housewashing is a hard sell here, and requires a lot of customer education, that all looks like bullstein if the house has two sides untouched. The neighbors put there tongues in there cheeks and say, "That guy really did a nice job for you" as their eyes near roll out of their heads. People love to be smarted than the Jones', they don't need us to help feed that. Remember that when somebody recommends you to a friend, that friend will want to see the work, but may not want to point out deficiencies they see. The upshot is bad pub for you that can't be corrected unless your customer confesses to being too cheap to pay for a whole house wash. Have you ever looked at body work on a friend's car and noticed a flaw? Do you point it out?

They seem reasonably priced (not cheap), and wear very well.

Neil, you have to share after that intro.

Nice job on the deck, Doug! The Tux looks good! Nice job on the pics Shane, you're the man with the pics!;) :cool:

Jeff's the coolest! He teases himself more than the rest of TGS put together.

I think you should work at night!;) I clean some greasy loading dock areas, and I've found it worth my time to use a scraper on a stick to pick-up what I can of grease blobs (5th wheel/saddle grease) before I soak anything. Some spots I pretreat with various degreasers mentioned above, then finish with a blast of chlorine or Oxalic, depending on how bright I think it needs to be. These customers are not real picky, but I like the work to represent me well.

Try searching your own posts, it may keep you feeling a little younger. I spit coffee all over myself when I read the line about already being old, I think I could wear a keyboard out trying to respond to half of Jeff's posts. The man is boundlessly enthusiastic! I'd search that exchange up for you, but I'm off to the Tulip Festival in Northwest Iowa today. (I'll post pics for fans later.;) )

My opinion exactly! People work to make a living, they don't live to work. We often say that things cost what they cost, that is true for help as well. Another way to put it: Money talks...

OK, so maybe I'm not really a "Woodie" with a capital "W" yet, but this spring, I'm getting more chances to bid wood. Here is one I did for my buddy's retired mother, no great money maker, but great fun to do. These are all before shots. Old finish was TWP opver a terrible wash performed long ago and at high pressure by the afore -mentioned buddy.

This was done as a favor for my buddy, he has been a real help in the last couple of years, and had stored up some substantial referalls, plus I needed the practice. Shane was within $100 of my estimate, before credit and discount. Three gals of Ready Seal, and three windy, over 70* sunny days after three rainy ones before I stained. I did this one on the way home from other work, and it really is less than a mile between her house and mine. Like I said, no great money-maker on its own, but a good retraining exercise. Thanks for all the compliments, I picked up the great bulk of the theory here, so I certainly couldn't have done this without you all.:)

A few weeks back, I got a call from a guy that had received my spring mailer. He wanted a housewash, said he had done it himself until this year, every year, but was not his usual self lately. He said he was in his mid-80's now and not as spry. I was on a job, but still spent 45 minutes on the phone answering questions, and I began to realize that he didn't get to talk to many people anymore. We set an appointment, but he had to cancel because of a bad report from his doctor. I was pretty certain that I wouldn't hear from him again, but he called me today: I'll just say that it seems as if his health has taken an unfortunate turn. He was worried that I had invested time in speaking with him at length, so he wanted to schedule a housewash without an estimate. I'm pretty certain this will be an affordable housewash whenever he requires one.

First thing this AM, I fired that video up, and my wife calls from the kitchen, "I think one of the neighbors has a peacock out there!" She was totally freaked.:lgsideway

Sealed with RS Natural Cedar, after some light sanding and defurring. Short, sweet job interupted by days of rain. I don't get many wood jobs to bid, but I enjoy them when I do.:)

Oxalic does the trick, a few fuzzy spots, but nothing too awful. This thing is eight or nine years old, TWP was ~ two years. She regularly cleans it with her electric 1750 psi washer, but the son did the last couple with a more potent rental. Still, not as shot as it might have been, by a long way.

I used Sunbrite's Remove, downstreamed, with a short ~ 10 min. dwell. This is cedar in daylong sun. First pic is rail close-up, the others show Reomove, well, removing I guess.

Is Philipine Mahogany what we used to call "Lauan" when I worked in the lumberyards? If I remember right, most of the holow-core interior doors were made of it. It sure looks like the same stuff.

Do you know the people/businesses featured? That is a widely read paper, and as such, it carries a great deal of weight, perhaps a letter to the editor might be in order. I'd think that a reporter, especially one in your neck of the woods, would find you or TGS pretty quickly. Seems like the research in this article was perfunctory at best.

I just had to tease the Bleecho Bandito! I've had a strange spring this year: Seems like most of the people interested in getting bids, are interested in deck or fences. Unfortunately, they also are often mostly interested in me raising the dead (so to speak) or in only doing part of the job. As we've discussed elsewhere, new fence prices run a little too close to profit lines for me to be selling very hard. The family was here last weekend and Eric was saying that the deal you worked out was a good one. They are excited. Let me know how it goes. Corn is just starting to make its appearance, but now that means MPG rather than beef and corn-on-the-cob. Alcohol plants everywhere sprouting faster than corn.

AAKA Samuel Clemens Sorry Rick! Don't you hate fly-by-nighters and all their aliases?:lgbounces

This is one of the most common "freebies" I do. Roofwash and housewash mixes work well, and it requires little effort. I'll say, "Hey, do you want your trashcans washed out?" People often say no, but it works better for me than throwing in sidewalks or pavers (especially since those are services I try to sell!) and is still a way to add a little value and goodwill to the stop. Also, as has been pointed out, cans are cheap everywhere. That limits exposure should something go awry. Just watch your reclaim issues, and beware; the stuff that rolls out of that can might be a nasty surprise!:lgsick: I thought about trying to sell this service as a route, but got the most interest from the haulers themselves. One eventually decided to add it quarterly, but then backed off after learning about the CWA. Now they won't believe there is a good way to do this, and are scared of risk exposure. I think some washing does take place at their shop, as used units are refurbed/stored.