Celeste

Thanks Reed and Shane. It's not going to be that bad of a job, but they need to have some bushes cut back away from the fence and alot of the decks. There are 28 decks that I'm bidding on. Roger

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's !! First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they carried us. They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes. Then after that trauma, our baby cribs were covered with bright colored lead-based paints. We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking. As children, we would ride in cars with no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat. We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle. We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this. We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank soda pop with sugar in it, but we weren't overweight because WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING! We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on. No one was able to reach us all day. And we were O.K. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem. We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 99 channels on cable, no video tape movies, no surround sound, no cell phones, no personal computers, no Internet or Internet chat rooms..........WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them! We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents. We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever. We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and although we were told it would happen, we did not put out very many eyes. We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them! Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!! The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law! This generation has produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever! The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas. We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL! And YOU are one of them! CONGRATULATIONS! You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated our lives for our own good. and while you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave their parents were. Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!

I'm so glad someone brought this back up! I remember reading something somewhere last year but when it came time to try it I couldn't find the how to post! Celeste

Not speaking from experience but only from conversations with users, given that the developer of Wood Tux also is the developer of HD-80, I would imagine that his product would remove another of his products with little problem. Also, as I understand it, the Wood Tux product is simply another oil based stain - not one of the acrylic petrifying kinds that would be a nightmare to remove. Celeste

That's not an unreasonable figure actually - Roger has that booked during the first two weeks of May alone. We're wrapping up a $5K job this week, booked another $6500 one today.....If we could do it 12 months a year we'd be set but at this point, I'm very proud of what he's accomplishing in our time in business. Henry is right on the money about what you have to factor in. Our overhead is pretty low all things considered and Roger certainly works hard. Celeste

Hey Philip - Oxalic acid does wonders on our nasty southern red stuff :) We use it on all the new construction sidewalks, driveways, slabs & even the vinyl siding. We do wash the surfaces with hot water first to see what's gonna let go. Mix oxalic 2 lbs to 5 gallons of water in a pump up sprayer and evenly spray the entire driveway (you can't spot clean concrete with this) let dwell for about 10 minutes then rinse. We have experienced where some idiot has walked with muddy feet across the uncured concrete - in other words, if the mud is in the cream coat prior to proper curing - it ain't all coming out with anything other than time (maybe). Celeste

Hey I'm a boiled peanut :) - and married a Boll Weavil! Celeste

YUP - there's the best coffee on the planet! Celeste :)

You can Stainless - just have to adjust the amount of water in your original mix so that you don't overdilute if using the x-jet.

Richard uses it all the time doing trucks. Some of eacochem's products contain small amounts. I've always been told it's a nasty so if we can use something that is as effective, we avoid the stuff ourselves. Hydrochloric acid is the proper term for muriatic. The only time we'll use plain ole muriatic acid is to etch concrete prior to staining it. My personal philosophy is that the chemical mixtures that actual chemists mix have a wonderful purpose - they all have the right amount of all of the ingredients to make a product funtion as it should PLUS they come with instructions, which is a monumental help if you were to ever have a problem or failure. It's worth the few extra dollars to me to know that I have a lower risk of an accident or claim that could send my insurance through the roof. Just my .12 worth. Celeste

This one is a dead dog - members do get benefits other than the use of the logo and those benefits are increasing. You can find the benefits listed at the pwna.org website. $195 annually is a housewash for heaven's sake. If, for once, everyone would look at the REALLY big reason we all need to come together for this - eliminating the illegitimate, lowballers...we might be able to stay on the same page. Technically, according to some of the non-profit regulations I have read, lobbying activity is prohibited or at the very least, strictly limited. With the births of the state chapters, the PWNA is going to be more "local friendly" and much more publicized. The chapters are SELF-GOVERNED. If you want an answer about what your local PWNA is doing, it's at your doorstep when you pick up the phone. It will become a stronger marketing tool - AGAINST THE LOWBALLERS AND ILLEGITIMATES. And finally, if anyone has a concern about the PWNA claiming to be a representative, do what you do during the elections of our presidents, governors, etc... PARTICIPATE. The voice of many speaks much louder. The PWNA has not done anything to DAMAGE this industry - if they had, I wouldn't have sent my dues in. But if you don't want to join, geez, don't. If you can go with the flow, be successful without it, good for you - keep on keepin' on. But if you want it to work for you - join up and promote it - it's what you make of it, just like anything else. Celeste

Henry I can get the same distance or even alittle bit more with my down stream set-up. Dont get me wrong I love my x-jets they have there place in my arsenal. Roger

The PWNA state chapters are forming right now - You will start hearing about it..... You will read many many many different views of the PWNA, some positive, some negative. What it boils down to is that it's a business decision. Obviously you had a bad experience with the Homebuilders Assn - It's kicked us into high gear in our area..... everything works differently for everybody and it's what you make of it. As far as benefits, take a look at www.pwna.org The member benefits are listed there. It is possible that it will be worth less than $1 / day to join. I gotta ask this, if you were doing 2.5 million annually, what was a measly $400 and pray tell - why on earth did you stop? Also, did you ever ask any of your clients if you were chosen to do their work because of your affiliation or that someone in the organization recommended you? Celeste

Good deal Coop - we're not going anywhere anytime soon (knocking on wood really hard right now LOL) I'll touch base with the seller on Monday - heading out of town early Friday morning and then get in touch with you afterward to fill you in on the details. One nice thing when you're looking at a used unit is to try to find one close enough to you to be able to really check it out (or have someone that can do it for you). Email or pm me your phone number. Celeste

Okay, here I go looking like I'm sitting on the fence instead of taking on a position and sticking with it...such is life these days. Celeste

Let's throw another name out there for comparison that pertains to the industry. The National Association of Home Builders is a national organization - you want to join up and take advantage of what they can offer their members, you send in your money and poof, you are a member of the National, State and local chapter. The local chapters meet monthly, the org offers group discounts to members, etc... We decided that it would be a positive thing for our company to display their logo - to indicate that we were a part of something "big" and it has helped. It certainly doesn't mean that we are any more or less qualified than the other pressure washers in our area, only that we a members of something. It works for our company, same as our membership in the PWNA. The PWNA is still working out some bugs but there is a "new excitement" as Everett puts it and there's a more positive attitude toward the changes that are being made inside the organization. The question was put out there somewhere on another bbs in poll form "Do you think we really need an organization?" Some people do because it gives them a sense of belonging, an little extra oomph to their confidence. Others do not and have been successful for years without it. They are no less professional than anyone else. My thing is how can it HURT you to be a member.....we are enjoying the same upswing as Matthew and it is in part to our affiliation with the organization. I also want to reiterate that it's not US the members against THEM the non-members - it's all about US the legal professionals against THEM the lowballing beer money weekend warrior wannabes. Non-members will always be encouraged to attend the chapter meetings and functions, its just going to cost them more to attend - membership must show some benefit. PWNA is not shutting out non-members, we just want to show members that they're getting something for their money. Ok - off the soap box. Celeste

Me too! :)

Professional products, professional results. We prefer contractor grade chemicals, but to each his own :)

Also, just because one chooses not to join the organization, it does not mean that non-members are not ever welcome to the chapter functions...there will be a charge involved (that ALL will be paying) only slightly higher for non-members. Let me go ahead and say that the money raised from these meetings go for general expenses of running an organization ie, postage, meals, promotion, etc... - not salaries or bs stuff. I personally would love to think that when we get our round table together in September, that you (Scott and Angela) would think about making it up here :) Celeste

Citraclean housewash mix rocks! Steve Rowlett's recipe has done us proud :) Celeste

Kinda - the are referred to Professional State Chapters within the PWNA but I think they are going to be called PWNA Georgia, PWNA North Carolina, etc... The Chapters are self-governing, retain a portion of membership dues, and pretty much function outside of the National PWNA, but under the guidelines that have been approved by PWNA. It's taking the bulk of the responsibility of the National organization and placed it on a local level. Members are not relying on someone 3000 miles away to attend to issues that pertain to their state, etc...

Barry & Others - As with all products, everyone has different results with the products that they use. We have used Ready Seal with beautiful results in the past - so have other applicators. Because of reading others' experiences, we made certain that when we used it on a deck, the homeowner did not enter onto a surface that would show any residual stain if that did transfer (tacky preventative measure, I know). We had planned to continue using Ready Seal this year as our fence stain and a back up deck stain for certain level deck jobs. I only mention this other stain because it is at least, comparable to Ready Seal, it is now being marketed and we are interested in trying it and again, it is priced less than Ready Seal. Roger uses Ready Seal - we haven't had any visible problems with it, the deck he did last year does not at this point appear to even need a maintenance coat (although it probably will this fall, 18 months after application) - I AM NOT DISPARAGING Ready Seal - I am only pointing out a drawback that was pointed out to us. Just go check the Wood Defender guys website out......doesn't cost anything to do that. As far as Wood Tux, that is going to be our choice for our "trophy projects" this year. It is beautiful, good for the wood but since we're looking at drawbacks here.....it costs more, it's more labor intensive to put down.....but it looks better - we will still use it. It all comes down to a matter of results and preferences. Celeste

The PWNA is still very much alive and kicking....they did make some changes on the bbs...non-members have limited viewing and posting privileges. Professional State Chapters are in the making. Many of the same folks are invoved as before. Celeste

There is another parafinnic type product on the market now...... see it at www.wooddefender.com Ready Seal is goof proof, however, it never dries - ever. You will always run the risk of it being tracked back into the house - not good if the door enters onto white carpet! The coverage ranges widely, depending on application method (ie, rolling/spraying) the age of the wood, etc... It also does better with two coats. Because it never dries, the color pigment can fade faster, not allowing but one good year before a maintenance coat is due. It goes on nicely with a Deckster sprayer - do not use an airless. Reed Smith does beautiful work with Ready Seal - brushes, rolls & pads everything. Wood Defender is a one coat, sprayable 150-250 sq ft coverage - mostly the same make-up as Ready Seal, but they have a formulation for fences and another one for decks. The deck stain has a silicone additive in it that provides a waterproofing barrier on top of the oils to retain the pigment for two years before a maintenance is needed. The other thing about this stain is that it's substantially less than Ready Seal. We'll be testing it this week.

New stain on the market!!!!! www.wooddefender.com We're trying it out next week and will let everyone know how it works! Celeste