Replies

1. 
   FastEddie1 | Nov 30, 2003 05:45pm | #1

   What about renting a high powered water sprayer.  I have heard they are used for peeling bark off logs, and they can easily etch wood and concrete if the right (wrong?) tip is used.  And there is no sand to buy or clean up.

   Do it right, or do it twice.

1. 
   Sphere | Nov 30, 2003 06:19pm | #3

   Well...The Pressure washer would likely wreck the BEAUTIFUL Pecan and Hickory wide floors...even if I Power wash the outside..Gonna blow right through the walls at the corners and the baddest parts of the chinking...Thats why I was thinking of sand.

1. 
   WorkshopJon | Nov 30, 2003 06:42pm | #6

   "The Pressure washer would likely wreck the BEAUTIFUL Pecan and Hickory wide floors"

   SPHERE,

   I see where you are coming from now (and I take you are just trying to clean the walls, not the floors?) Still very risky. I've seen what a sandblaster can do to wood.

   My advice, buy/borrow one, try it out on something that you don't care if it gets damaged, but don't count on it working out.

   Any further thoughts on my part mere speculation, which I'm sure you've been doing too.

   Jon

1. 
   Sphere | Nov 30, 2003 07:12pm | #8

   Yup...I am usually the swat a tack with a sledgehammer kind of person..in this case it sounds like I would be going after godzilla with a pee-shooter...I ask myself again.."what was I THINKING???"  Pics. to follow if the brain figures out how to get them posted...Thanx

1. 
   ponytl | Nov 30, 2003 08:25pm | #9

    I just sandblasted 300ft of 40ft tall brick wall...  I hated to sandblast but someone put a thick latex stuco type paint on it about 20yrs ago instead of tuckpointing it like it needed...

   i needed a 600lb clemco pot, (with the fresh air system and blasting hood) a 375cfm compressor  a 40ft scissor lift and used my dumptruck to go to the local coalfired steam plant to buy 30tons of "black beauty" 20-40 if i recall   .... $53 a ton...  while i was at it... i went ahead and blasted the inside walls pretty fast to just give them a clean look... and i blasted all the big beams (12x16 heart pine)...  took me about a week to do the whole thing with one helper...  i could empty the pot in 20 min (all 600lbs)  only ran the blaster across my thumb once (down to the bone in 2 seconds) and i'm still getting grit working it's way out of my skin...  I own a 150cfm compressor  but you need the big one... the scissor lift & dump truck are mine but i used a friends compressor and sandblast rig it was over 100 outside but with the fresh air system and hood it wasn't a problem... i've been looking hard to buy a used set-up... it's the only way to go... while i had it i blasted a cement/mortar mixer that looked ready for the dump (looks new now)... i wanted to get to an older bobcat i have but he needed his equipment back...

   anyway... get the big unit... go with as fine a blast grit as will do the job... you have to have the hood & fresh air system... stay as far away from your logs as you can... keep it moving and still do what you want to do...i'm pretty sure you could drill a hole in the log pretty quick... with the right equipment and one helper I'd think you could do the whole thing in 2 days... and then spend the next week cleaning up stuff u just blasted off...  i won't even get into what it is that ur blast'n off and what you'll do with it once it's on the ground...

   all in all I want a big sand blast rig... just another toy

   inside i did rig a water hose with a fine mist into the blasting path kept the dust down to where i could see what i was doing... 

   i know i left something out but feel free to ask... i'm no expert but i did just do it for 8-10 hrs a day for a week or so... the guy that owned the blaster said he'd have charged about 20k to do what i did... with material, fuel, helper, dump fees for the used sand i hauled off... and the $ i gave him for letting me use his equip... i might have spent 3k max and got one scar...

   Pony

2. 
   WorkshopJon | Nov 30, 2003 06:00pm | #2

   SPHERE,

   I have one of the $99. (with the pressure tank) one from HF and it works great for its purpose (cleaning metal), but on a log home?????

   As ELCID mentioned,

   "they can easily etch wood and concrete if the right (wrong?) tip is used.  And there is no sand to buy or clean up."

   For that job, I'd pick the pressure washer.

   BTW, I have a 7.5 HP, 2 stage 26 CFM compressor and it barely keeps up with the sand blaster.

   Jon

   Edit: caught that comment about you thinking of using  "(playsand ?)"   a word of caution, typically it is NOT dry, and will clog the blaster. Better to spend the X-tra $ and buy [dry] building sand. $3.00 50lbs. bag vs. $2.00 for the "play sand."

   
   

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   Edited 11/30/2003 10:06:21 AM ET by WorkshopJon

   
   

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   Edited 11/30/2003 10:07:01 AM ET by WorkshopJon

1. 
   Sphere | Nov 30, 2003 06:27pm | #4

   Thanx for that...the compresser was my main concern..I can spray lacquer all day no problem..but blasting?...Yeah..I know the sand or whatever has to be dry..I saw Crushed Wanut/Pcan hulls as an alt.  Pricy tho.  And as I said above, Water and the floors is a no-go..I can and will start by covering them with sheets of Homasote and old up side down Carpet..for the cieling demo. 

   So...The BIG ONE is your other suggestion?   Duane

1. 
   stefs3 | Nov 30, 2003 06:41pm | #5

   I'm a log builder.

   First, a sand blaster will eat your logs up if you are not adept and careful. Second, the blaster you can get from Harbor freight will take forever. It has a 5 pound can,, or some such, and just won't do the job. The big kind use upwards of 75 feet per minute. No home compressor can drive that.

   Pessure washers are used for log, but "intact" logs. They will soak your logs, shoot all the chinking out, and ruin the inside flooring.

   What you want is a device rented by companies like Permachink, which shoots gound up corn cobs or walnut shells. You can get the job done in two days, inside and out, and be done with it. They rent for a couple hundred, plus the big Ingersoll compressor, but that is the only reasonable way to do the job. If you have lots of rot in the logs, the walnut shells will "carve" it out and then you can do what you need to.

   Save your money, spend money, and do it right.

   Good luck, its tough work

   Stef

1. 
   Sphere | Nov 30, 2003 07:03pm | #7

   Yeah..thats the ticket..do it right...most of the chink has to go any way (patched with mortar..WRONG)...the rot/termite damage will get eaten away I hope. The layers of paint on the outside ought to go easy, there are 2 walls inside that USED to be outside before someone put up an addition so there is more newer paint in those rooms.. I also have to replace at least 2 logs right above the sill, there is no saving them..I am going to scab a 2x12 on a foot/solid base and brace the wall as I gingerly remove the bad one , then do it the old fashioned way ...hew, notch, and pound it in. Good thing I actually have done this be-fore..hadr part is getting a decent hunk of Locust or White Oak..in the part of Kentucky that is all Blue Grass and Horses.

   I think me and the Perma chink folks are gonna be real good friends soon. Thanks we'll be in touch I am sure..Duane 

2. 
   WorkshopJon | Nov 30, 2003 10:36pm | #10

   Stef,

   I agree with your comments. Especially,

   "Save your money, spend money, and do it right."

   But just one thing.

   "Second, the blaster you can get from Harbor freight will take forever. It has a 5 pound can,, or some such"

   HF does in fact sell a 110lbs pressure (vs. siphon feed) unit for $159, and a smaller 40lbs one (which I own) for $79.

   But as I stated before, don't even think about using either without a SERIOUS (5HP minimum, TWO stage, CFM's well over 20) compressor, unless you like lots of coffee breaks waiting for it to pump up to pressure.

   Jon

   110 POUND PRESSURIZED ABRASIVE BLASTER