[TheForge] OT: My floor is poured: the saga OT:

Thu Oct 23 23:43:10 EDT 2014

Yeah, I've thought of that.  But if you used compressed air from an
oil-less compressor (and released through a diffusion frit) the hose
needn't be thick or unduly stiff.  Or it could be an overhead hose of this
sort:
http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result?q=coiled+air+hose

Bruce
NJ

On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 10:43 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer <
artgawk at thegrid.net> wrote:

> That's something i should have done a long time ago. Dragging an air hose
> tail around my crowded shop isn't at all appealing though.
>
> On Oct 23, 2014, at 7:34 PM, Bruce . wrote:
>
> Another alternative is a supplied air system.  Put fishbowl over head.  Run
> air hose into fishbowl, maintaining positive pressure therein.  You get the
> picture.
>
> Bruce
> NJ
>
> On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 6:30 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer <
> artgawk at thegrid.net> wrote:
>
> > Bruce, years ago i realized being hairy and conventional respiratory
> > protection were in conflict.
> > After a bunch of preliminary steps, i ended up with a snorkel mouthpiece
> > plugged directly into a respiratory filter socket.
> > Exhale through nose.
> > Gotta change filters 2 X as often.
> >
> > On Oct 23, 2014, at 3:24 PM, Bruce . wrote:
> >
> > Acute exposure to ANY dust is dangerous, especially in large quantity.
> > Glass dust would be especially so because it is sharp.  Wear a good dust
> > mask if working with such stuff.  (Being bearded, I tend to use a moist
> > bandana over my nose and mouth instead of a dust mask because dust masks
> > won't seal against a beard.)
> > But unlike pure silica, glass will eventually dissolve in the body, so if
> > it doesn't kill you soon after exposure, the problem might eventually go
> > away.  Don't count on it though.
> >
> > Bruce
> > NJ
> >
> > On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 6:12 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer <
> > artgawk at thegrid.net> wrote:
> >
> >> Sounds like silicosis by the ton...That was 3 cents a TON, i think
> Jerry.
> >>
> >> In this connection, refineries sometimes sell sulfur really cheap too..
> >> It's strong, 5X stronger than cement,  especially with some styrene and
> >> fiber mixed in,  easy to melt in a 55 gal barrel with a bonfire, and
> pour
> >> at around 250F.
> >> It's water proof and very acid resistant. Like the styro, make sure it's
> >> never subject to flames...(IE, below grade).
> >> It doesn't burn particularly hot, but it's persistent and really ,
> really
> >> noxious!
> >>
> >>
> >> On Oct 23, 2014, at 2:58 PM, jerry Frost wrote:
> >>
> >> Oh yeah, ants LOVE foam, any kind, ants or foam. Crushed glass is good
> >> stuff
> >> and if they're selling it for $0.03/lb they can't afford to ship it to
> > the
> >> glass plant. If you can find powdered glass it makes excellent ant
> > killer.
> >> It gets in their joints and shreds them from the inside out and even
> > their
> >> little crunchy bodies are deadly to the next ones to come along. Just
> > don't
> >> breath it, it's only less dangerous to us.
> >>
> >> Jer
> >> -----Original Message-----
> >> From: TheForge [mailto:theforge-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of
> >> Bruce
> >> .
> >> Sent: Thursday, October 23, 2014 1:44 PM
> >> To: Blacksmithing List Sponsored by ABANA
> >> Subject: Re: [TheForge] OT: My floor is poured: the saga OT:
> >>
> >> And ants!  Ants will nest in styrofoam.  Voice of sad experience, here.
> >>
> >> Bruce
> >> NJ
> >>
> >> On Thu, Oct 23, 2014 at 1:49 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer <
> >> artgawk at thegrid.net> wrote:
> >>
> >>> Hope it works as well for you as it did for me...That backfill has a
> >>> staggering R value!
> >>> Don't neglect to cover it with something that'll keep fire and rodents
> >> out.
> >>>
> >>> On Oct 23, 2014, at 10:39 AM, Andrew Vida wrote:
> >>>
> >>> The recycler had 3'x4'x6' bales of compressed plastic, but they were
> >>> over 1000# each and I am in no humor to wrestle that.  The polystyrene
> >>> blocks are extruded from the chipped raw material. Density varies
> >> significantly.
> >>> No matter.  I'm looking to provide a seepage channel and these should
> >>> do the trick.
> >>>
> >>> Oh, and I also have left at least 4 trails between Charleston and
> >> Elkview.
> >>>
> >>> On 10/17/14, 1:30 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
> >>>> Andy, the styro i was getting was in the form of wired, compressed
> >>> bales. They had a press that'd turn a giant dumpster full into a 3' X
> 4'
> >>> bale, that i then stacked 3 high on my flatbed. Exhausted, i drove
> >>> home in the dark having tied down the load. I feared that the cops
> >>> would follow the debris trail for 60 miles and find me days later.
> >>>> I used some of the bales whole where i was concerned about sliding,
> >>>> then
> >>> opened up the remaining bales to fill the rest of the space. Before i
> >>> placed the styro, i did a multiply redundant series of waterproofing
> >>> coats on the outside of the retaining wall ( parge coat, rubberized
> >>> asphalt sheet and heavy plastic sheet.
> >>>> I topped the styro backfill with a foot of leachrock for vermin and
> >>> fireproofing.
> >>>> The french drain at the bottom  sloped 1/2" to the foot and was
> >>>> covered
> >>> in 3 layers of drain fabric.
> >>>> Unfortunately, the heavy plastic sheet under the french drain got
> >>> perforated in the process and the seepage leaves me with a damp shop
> >>> floor a few days after heavy rains despite  both sand and plastic
> >>> sheet under the slab.
> >>>> Somehow, 3 tons of sloppy clay is much heavier than 3 tons of almost
> >>> anything else. Groan.
> >>>>
> >>>> On Oct 17, 2014, at 5:18 AM, Andrew Vida wrote:
> >>>>
> >>>> Well, it turned out the recycler indeed has blocks of styrofoam and
> >>>> I
> >>> have been stacking them to the grade line.  Typar at the outer face,
> >>> then back fill.  They loaded two large boxes full... probably about
> 800#
> >> each.
> >>> I will be leaving in a short while to get two more and that should do
> >>> the do for us.  They are about 8" square by randome lengths, vary in
> >>> density, but seem to be porous.
> >>>>
> >>>> The day after the north and east walls were completed, the rain
> >>>> caved in
> >>> the clay at the northeast corner.  I'd estimate at least 3 tons of
> >>> water-logged clay.  God bless my wife for her help.  We got it
> >>> excavated yesterday in about 6 hours and did it literally by hand, as
> >>> the shovels were utterly useless.  I was swearing to make a sailor
> >>> join a convent.  Not sure why, but when the clay grabs me such that I
> >>> cannot get my boot out, I go completely red.
> >>>>
> >>>> Got the drain reset, gravel in, foam blocks on top and sealed the
> >>>> walls
> >>> with Hydrocide... pretty nasty stuff.  I'm still wearing it, three
> >>> days and about 8 showers later.  Need more foam block, and then
> backfill
> >> partially.
> >>>>
> >>>> Mason told me to use non-shrinking grout between the bottom of old
> >>> footing and top of new block walls.  That is going to be a lot of
> >> grout...
> >>> :(  At that volume I would have gone broke on hydraulic cement.  That
> >>> damned stuff is $$.  I've never used concrete grout before.  I sure
> >>> hope it has the compressive strength to take the load.
> >>>>
> >>>> I think I am going to fill the spaces where the steel columns are
> >>> encased by the blocks with portland.  The walls of the block are
> >>> shaved a mite thin in one or two places.
> >>>>
> >>>> I will have Bibi take pictures today and post them so you all can
> >>>> bear
> >>> witness to the truer depths of my insanity.
> >>>>
> >>>> The next step: concrete company comes to pour 6" cap on the old-new
> >>> floor.  That will give me a 12" floor, less head room (down to about
> >>> 9'4"), but I'm OK with it.  The second pour will act as a lock for
> >>> moisure and a kicker for the bottomost blocks against the inward
> >>> pressure of the surrounding earth.
> >>>>
> >>>> Much yet to do, but at least the new foundation is in.  I cannot
> >>>> tell
> >>> you what a relief that has been.
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>>
> >>>> On 9/16/14, 6:57 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
> >>>>> I'm certain you do Andy! Um...Just one?
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On Sep 16, 2014, at 2:50 PM, Andrew Vida wrote:
> >>>>>
> >>>>>
> >>>>> On 9/16/14, 5:18 PM, Peter Fels & Phoebe Palmer wrote:
> >>>>>> Some years back i discovered free bales of styrofoam from the
> >>> recycling plant.
> >>>>>> They were so eager to get rid of them they loaded them for me
> >>>>>> after
> >>> hours..
> >>>>>> Covered my 12' flatbed with them stacked 9' high.
> >>>>>> They made great backfill behind the big  retaining wall and have
> >>>>>> been
> >>> stable for the last 15 years or more.
> >>>>>> Water resistant , insulating, easy to place and free. I covered
> >>>>>> them
> >>> with leachrock about a foot deep for fire and vermin.
> >>>>>> If you need more volume, break up the bales on a calm day.
> >>>>>> French drain below.
> >>>>> Now this is a really cool idea.  I was having a small fit trying to
> >>> figure how I was to get all that gravel situated properly.  Was
> >>> thinking of using gambions, but they are stupidly pricey and you have
> >>> to build them yourself... and they are endlessly heavy, even the small
> >>> ones.  But this I could do.
> >>>>>
> >>>>> Thanks Peter - I will check this out.  I'm sure I now owe you a beer.
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