Lessons Learned from 1st job

[CannonW 14]

If I had any brains I would have turned down the job... or tripled my price. But, desperate for the work, the experience and $$$ I plunged into the job.

It is a second story bay window with cedar shingles on 3 sides with a steep roof along the sides with tough access at the peaks.

First, the rate... I bid the job at Deck prices $1.25 sq/Ft. It should have been close to $5 sq/ft based on the access and the condition of the shingles. They had black mold and old stain.

Second, I applied the HD80, EFC-38, Bleach and Oxalic Acid (yes, I tried them all) with 1 pump up sprayer. What a waste of time changing chemicals... not to mention dangerous! Of course the sprayer broke so I had to go home and get a new one. Next time... I will have spare parts... I will have a separate sprayer for each chemical... and I may have a different setup entirely... Shurflo or X-jet. I need some help here... I want to apply some of these chemicals at full strength... can the X-Jet do that? This is why I have been holding off the purchase of the X-Jet. I assume that I have to use a Shurflo setup to accomplish full strength application.

Next Lesson learned... don't use the sprayer as a mixer. Next time I will mix in a 5 gallon container and strain the chemical into my sprayer. I plugged up the sprayer several times.

Another time waster... walking back and forth to the trailer. Is there a way to setup a pressure washer so you can turn it on from the gun? Has anyone set up a "remote car starter" sort of apparatus?

Well, I will be going back to stain this week. Hopefully I won't have anything else to report. I've learned enough on this job, I just want to be done with it.

Later,

Jeff Swanson

The Cannon Group

[Don EMS 14]

Jeff, Dude your in my back yard. I'm just south of lonsdale on CR 1 west of Millersburg. Maybe get together for a cold one. 507-744-2623.

[John Orr 206]

Jeff,

It sounds like the normal learning curve to me. lol

I would recommend that you get a ball valve and quick-connecting it at or near your gun. This will allow you to change guns without having to shut the machine off. As I am writing this, I realized that you probably are using a portable machine. The key to keeping your pump from overheating is a float tank. When you release the trigger, it will bypass water from the pump into the tank while drawing supply water from the tank. It doesn't have to be a large tank, maybe tou could rig a portable tank (30 gals?) The plumbing would be fairly simple and by doing this, you won't have to worry about getting to your machine before the pump burns-up.

[CCHSNC 14]

One problem with using the x-jet to apply some chems. is you have to mix the chems. stronger than normal because it will get diluted when applying with the x-jet. Some chems. will only dilute so far so make sure you can mix them as strong as you need them before buying them to use with the x-jet. It is also good practice to mix your powdered chems. with warm water so you get proper desolving.

[Beth n Rod 1,279]

An electric sprayer with a shurflow pump and a long hose will save on frustration.....

Call Rod and he can tell you about his electric sprayer. Beth:groovy:

[Littlefield 65]

Lastly, Jeff, the sodium hydroxide in the HD-80 can dissolve the tarpaper under the cedar shakes. The other chems are allright.

[Aplus 525]

I totally agree with what Robert said. I know a lot of folks xjet their stripper, but I don't. I prefer my portable pump cart, because I can control EXACTLY the ratio applied to the surface.

It uses less chems because I can more accurately deliver the chems where I want them, as opposed to the xjet which really blasts chems all over the place. I just don't see how chems can be applied accurately without spraying and backsplashing all over the grass, shrubs, house, etc. At least half of the chems must end up in places unintended.

Just my .02