Hi all:
I’d like to start a thread about the useful methods and strategies you use everyday that you don’t see others using and always wondered why. Here are my contributions:
— I use a simple water level, either a straight tube or sometimes with that electronic beeper, when I’m doing siding or leveling just about anything around corners. I’ll add food dye to make the level easier to read. In spite of the availability of lasers, I can’t believe more people don’t use this method.
— I always carry a blow-gun in my trailer and at the end of the day I use the remaining compressed air to blow out the dust from my tools (outdoors, of course) to keep them clean and working longer. I also use it to blow out dust and rot from bad sills and other areas where it is hard to use a broom.
— I back-prime everything from siding to to trim to porch flooring. I don’t want to come back in two months to fix the cupped boards or peeling paint.
— I use minwax wood hardener to seal the end grain of exterior wood before painting. It only takes a few seconds and it prevents wicking.
Now, what are you doing that I’m not doing??
John
Replies
enduringcharm
instead of minwax buy a can of shellac. it's the same basic product, cheaper and readily available..
F;
I do use shellac a lot too. But, for exterior use the minwax hardener is more robust I think. It also dries even faster than shellac. I just dab it on with one of those throwaway brushes used for glue and applying plumbing flux.
I use shellac all the time for covering knots in wainscotting and other interior items to be painted. I also use it for a base coat or wash coat in certain staining situations when I'm trying to prevent blotching.
J.
enduringcharm,
I use shellac because it's always dry when I get back to it to varnish or whatever and It's supposed to have UV protection in it. At least some of the amber should have some.
The wood I warnished without the shellac is already peeling in places but where I used shellac it's in fine shape..
Basic on their MSDS and application information they are total different types of products..
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
What's with using remaining compressed air? I like the fresh stuff.
Shouting the word "NOW"
And you say, "For what reason?"
And he says, "How?"
And you say, "What does this mean?"
And he screams back, "You're a cow
Give me some milk
Or else go home"
Using a plumb bob.....
J;
I have to admit that I've mostly switched over to laser on that front. I do still carry the real thing in my underbody tool box, but usually I pull out the laser for most work. Of course, when I'm in a pinch, I'll make a plumb bob out of whatever I have handy.
J.
I am a huge fan of the water level. It never has dead batteries, no annoying beeping, it can "see" around corners, etc. In the winter I fill it full of the blue windshield washer fluid to keep it from freezing.
D:
Windshield washer fluid--that's a great idea that I'm going to steal!
J.
The first winter I was back in TN I learned to use windshield washer fluid in my tile saw.
i refuse to use a plumb bob, i find it sexist and repulsive, i use plumb barbara exclusively.
" i use plumb barbara exclusively."I tried that once.But when I attached the line around the neck I started getting lots of complaints. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xhc-Iugto3A
.
.
A-holes. Hey every group has to have one. And I have been elected to be the one. I should make that my tagline.
If you want "problems" wit me just keep it up;].I keep saying it should be "plumbbobby"
Edited 7/3/2008 1:03 pm ET by bobbys
me? want problems with you?
your the one who wants romantical advise buddy, i don't want no problems.
I can tell you how to fit an elephant in a shopping bag however, if by chance you are curious,
but you have to promise to play along.
I will get back to you on the elephant im still workin outside with the garden hose
....know frenchy will come up with a "shellac" answer or 1,000...
J
or is this the wrong frenchy? ...my bad...nah
...see more people using shellac to seal routed/cut mdf edges prior to painting...works like a dream.Hit it with some shellac, 10 mins later, a light rub of 150/220 sandpaper...smooth as silk finish on the paint.Jay
you know frenchy is a very knowledgeable fellow, you can't automatically discount what he has to say,
but on the other hand there are times when.....
he didn't just kiss the blarney stone, he was in a lip lock with it for days.
frenchy know his stuff...in fact, in some languages, frenchy means shellac.Jay
I've kissed the blarney stone and they definitely shellac it ;o)Jeff
I picked this up from my old boss; I keep a can of spray urethane for maintaining chalk-lines. Rain won't wash or blur the lines you spent a lot of time striking.
R;
Ooh, that's a pretty good one too. I always hesitate to mark out too far in advance for this very reason. Otherwise, you end up remarking six times and the lines are a big fat blur.
J.
Why didn't I think of that? I use blue chalk for temporary lines and red for more permanant ones. The spray is a great idea.
look into carpet chaulk for temp lines... works better than talcuum...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
The other great thing about a water level- I left one set-up outside at a rural job-site for weeks in view from the road. I never worried that it would get stolen. A laser would be gone the first night. And, if it did get stolen, I was out maybe four bucks.
I've heard hair spray works too, at least inside. Not sure about its water resistance though.
spray lacquar dries faster...
Life is not a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in a pretty and well preserved body, but rather to skid in broadside, thoroughly used up, totally worn out, and loudly proclaiming<!----><!----><!---->
WOW!!! What a Ride!Forget the primal scream, just ROAR!!!
I keep a can of spray urethane for maintaining chalk-lines
You can also use hair spray.You get out of life what you put into it......minus taxes.
Marv
I use minwax wood hardener to seal the end grain of exterior wood before painting. It only takes a few seconds and it prevents wicking.
Well, I like that one.
"Never pick a fight with an old man. If he can't beat you he will just kill you." Steinbeck
Hello John. How can I make one of those water levels?
Thanks
B;
All you need is around 25 feet or so of clear plastic tubing. I think the inside diameter must be around 5/16". You can buy the generic tubing or Home Cheapo sells a kit complete with a little electronic doo--hickey that beeps at the other end when you are working alone.
Fill the tube with water, leaving a few feet of air space on either end, and hang it for a little while so all the bubbles escape. With either end of the tube open, the water will always seek level, and two guys can level around corners or through all sorts of construction maze. Each guy holds his thumb over his end while you are getting situated, and then after opening up the ends to the air one guy holds his end of the tube so that the water level is on the desired mark, and the guy on the other end marks where his water level reaches. Now you have a perfectly level mark. One guy can stay put, and the other guy can move around to put marks wherever they are needed.
The additional tricks:
--a little food coloring makes the water line in the tube easier to see.
--Windshield washer fluid (as described earlier) can prevent freezing
-- It's fun to soak the guy on the other end by blowing through the tube when you are done.
--You can get plastic connectors that turn the tubing into a loop so the water stays in there during storage.
--This can be used to reach around obstacles which prevent lasers from being used, since lasers need a line of sight.
-- Make sure you keep the tube straight up and down when you are marking, and mark at the bottom of the muniscus. Use a chalk line to connect the marks when you are done.
John
Thanks John. Great tip, i'll be hitting up Home Cheapo this weekend.
Thanks again.
You can also get clear plastic tubes that will screw on to both ends of a garden hose to make a water level. Lee Valley still sells them IIRC.
In stead of water in that wate level, I use antifreeze. Don't have to wait for the air to escape, and its colored and won't freeze!
Got an old water level that screws onto a hose, have used it once in 40 years.
My tip: have at least 30-40 or every type of tool that is smaller than a cubic foot, then they are hard to misplace.
Have at least 50 tape measures and 100 rolls of electrical tape spread around the shop and house.
Never bother to clean up the shop unless you cannot find all 40 of something.
etc.
I always have caulk on hand so I seal the ends of cuts with it.