[TheForge] interesting project

[terry l. ridder]

hello;

first, if there was someone in northern illinois that had the "right"
equipment they would probably use them. after several searches on the
web there is no one found in northern illinois. those that are listed
are all automobile body shops which specialize in depainting automobiles
to bare metal. there is no one available with a portable unit.

this is not an issue of a d.i.y being cheap it is an issue of there is
no one else available. equipment cost is not really an issue either what
is an issue is that of the equipment dealers i have contacted there are
not units available in the time frame required.

so along the theme of the 'junkyard wars' thread we are attempting to
make do with what is at hand.

concerning the automobile body shop baking soda cost, he is offering it
at $11.62 usd per bag. which i personally find pretty reasonable. figure
perhaps 6 bags. the owner of this mansion is also the owner of the local
rental yard/welding shop. so equipment is readily available. he
inherited the house from a relative. he is more than willing to buy soda
blasting equipment because rightly so he can rent it out when finished
with the house. again there is no equipment available in the required
time frame.

now if your are willing to come from the pacific northwest to northern
illinois with all your equipment for three hours work perhaps we need to
talk. travel expenses, lodging, etc would not be covered. three hours of
work at $50.00 usd per hour plus 6 bags of course soda at $11.62 usd per
bag would be covered. btw, the job needs to be done by saturday. today
to tuesday, and the clock is ticking.

On Tue, 20 May 2003, Paul Hewitt wrote:

paul>
paul> I said sweep up and scrape up as much as possible and wash the rest down. we
paul> do it quite often.  As for using nitrogen, only if you have about 100CFM or
paul> more.  I have built somewhere in the neighborhood of about 700 soda blasting
paul> systems, and plain old sandblasters won't work.  Soda has a high "shear
paul> factor"  sand will easily pour and slide down hill, soda cakes together, and
paul> forms steep cliffs, and will not flow through the system.  Also soda when
paul> not proportioned correctly will "jam" in your hose  and I do mean jam, its
paul> takes some time to clean a 15 foot hose.  Also DRY air is a must, any
paul> moisture from "cold" air will cake the soda almost instantly because soda
paul> wants to absorb moisture.  There isn't anything more fun that a 50# pressure
paul> tank FULL of caked soda break out the hammer and wrenches and start taking
paul> it apart.  We also manufacture water blasting systems, which use air/soda
paul> along with a neutral PH water stream (acid PH would destroy the soda
paul> instantly).  This does less damage to wood and soft substrates.  Also anyone
paul> worried about the effects of an little extra soda, wash it down with some
paul> vinegar or acetic acid.  (same thing just I purchase acetic acid in
paul> concentrate and dilute it 1/4 oz to 5 gallons as a wash.
paul> 
paul> As for the soda, if you can buy it Cool, mind you its about 12.00 a bag, but
paul> from an autobody shop that's selling it "at cost" I bet he charges 25.00 or
paul> more.  I am often dismayed at sometimes the do-it yourself attitude, pay
paul> some dude with the right equipment for 3 hours work and 50.00 and hour,
paul> he'll burn about 2 bags of soda an hour, or go buy cheap equipment and 25.00
paul> a bag soda and spend 10 hours at it burning the same 2 bags and hour.  Which
paul> is more expensive?
paul> 
paul> Its kind of like blacksmithing if you didn't do it as a hobby or a living,
paul> would you recommend someone go have a railing made or go buy all the
paul> equipment and spend thousands learning just to make one railing???????
paul> 
paul> grumphh...........
paul> 
paul> Paul
paul> 

-- 
Terry L. Ridder ><>