My husband and I have no woodworking experience. We are in the process of removing a blotchy stain job on alder wood indoor railings. We sanded the old stain off with 100 grit and will be sanding with 120 today in advance of applying the stain. One of the problem areas was where we applied putty into joints and nail holes. Although it was sanded before staining, the residue of the putty around the joints and nail holes caused big unnatural blotches. All of that has been sanded out and now we have some open joints. When do we apply wood putty and with what product exactly? Research of some old forums suggests tinted wood putty applied prior to the final varnish. We need the idiots guide here because we have no knowledge of the products or methods. Thanks! Putty after stain so you can match the finished result, as the putty will not absorb the stain. Then your finish coats of polyurethane on top of that. You need to apply the first coat of poly before applying the colored putty. The poly seals the wood better than the stain and you eliminate the danger of the oils in the putty softening up and moving or removing any of the stain. A rag damp with paint thinner can be used to wipe up any errant putty and to help keep your fingers clean. I normally stain, poly, sand lightly and then putty before applying the final coats of poly. I haven't looked for tinted wood putty. Is it available or does one have to tint it themselves? Also, when you say poly what exactly is that? When I go looking in the store, I will probably need the whole name. (sorry, I am really ignorant here.) Is it applied with a paint brush? Poly is short/slang for polyurethane. Poly dries to a harder film than varnish = longer wear. It can be applied by spray or brush [some will use a roller but it doesn't always look too good] Colored putty comes in little jars and is usually stocked near the stain, poly and varnish. It comes in an assortment of colors. I like to get the 2 colors closest to what I need and intermix them as needed to get a close to perfect match. It depends on the putty you use. The putty I have used the most is Famowood. You put it on before you stain or apply your clear finish. Famowood does take stain, but it will typically stain darker than the wood. It comes in a handful of different colors. To avoid those blotches around the areas you putty, avoid smearing it over large areas. Make sure you sand it well before staining to remove all of the putty from the surface. Try wiping the area with mineral spirits to see if you can spot anything left behind. droo - what you are using is what I would call a wood filler. I know some accept stain better than others. The putty Mitch and I are referring to is pretty much the same thing as 'painter's putty' except with colorant added to make it match the wood/stain. Years ago before pre packaged colored putty we had to add colorant to white putty to get the right color and then add whiting to the mix to help dry up all the oils from the colorant. I haven't had trouble with putty going in after the stain and before the first coat of poly but it's not something I've done a lot. Mark knows this stuff better than I do so my new process will be first coat of poly and then the putty from now on. Mitch, another benefit to apply a coat of varnish/poly first is if using the oil base version it will deepen the colors in the wood and make it easier for you to match the color. I like it when the putty match is good enough where you either can't see the putty or have to hunt for it
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1st, thanks for the reply. I have a shed that i will be putting vinyl on. The problem/confusion that i have is that im not sure where to start the starter strip. I was reading the idea is to have the vinyl line up all the way around which raised a question for me. In the front of the shed the existing wood siding goes all the way down to the foundation which is near grass level but on the sides/back side of the shed the existing wood siding only goes halfway down on the sides and 1/4 down on the back. So if i want to line up the vinyl all around where do i put the starter strip? It would seem to me that it would be at the highest foundation point which is the back, and use a line all around and work my way up and down from that line. This is the 1st time im doing this and any help would be great. thanks! A couple of thoughts. Generally I like to make the siding look the best where it will be seen the most. Not always possible, but a good starting point. Next, on the side and back, can you strap down enough to get a full width. If the plywood extends out over the foundation, even if you have to rip some PT and use short screws to get started, the fit/looks would be a lot better. Let's see if the pros have some more suggestions. Bud I think i get what you mean and now i have an idea on what to do. As for the old trim around the doors and windows its about 4 inches wide maybe 5, with no 45 degree cuts, if you know what i mean, i assume those will all have to come out and replaced by J channel correct? Also what can i do with wood broads that are rotted in certain areas like 2 inch diameter sections, I will be putting the tar paper on top of the existing wood, but is there anything i can put before that to cover small rotted sections, maybe use a small flange piece to cover these small rotted stops then put the tar on top!!? thanks againBeer 4U2 If the trim around the doors and windows looks ok, you can possibly just butt the J trim up to it. As for any bad spots, since they will be under the vinyl it doesn't matter that much. If we could see what is behind many of the siding jobs out there, well, that's the point of the new siding. If you are new to J channel, have someone show you cut and fit it to keep the water out. A bit tricky and needs to be done right. Bud
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Anyone have any idea adjust these screws? They have a weird head on em that makes it difficult to adjust. Check out the photo: http://i799.photobucket.com/albums/y...eaterLarge.jpg You can get a tool that will fit them or for a cheap fix use a crimp on wire connector of that size. Since you really don't have to fool with it that much, I would use the wire connectors. The reason those screws are tough to adjust is two fold... 1: the Epa back in the 90's began requireing tamper resistant fuel mixture adjustments on all 2 cycle engines for emissions reasons. 2: The manufacturer Wants the factory preset to remain for several reasons A: most people start fiddeling with the mixture instead of cleaning or replacing filters...filters get clogged, impede airflow so the user leans out the mixture till it seems to be running good..Then they do it again... and again...Then finally they'll replace the filter , and low and behold ..a whoosh of fresh air combined with the lean set carb cause a condition of fuel starvation...she revs like a wild cat and... toasts the rings and cylinder wall... a fry'd cylinder from fuel starvation looks very differint from one that ran straight gas (No 2 cycle oil) A fuel starved cylinder will only be burnt and scored on the exhaust side of the cylinder as the carb side recieves enough liquid to cool and lube that side , but the entirety of the mix is combusted before any liquid fuel gets to the other side , hence no lubrication on the exhaust side of the cylinder. A straight gassed cylinder will be roasted anywhyere or everywhere in the 360 degrees of the cylinder wall... Adjusting the mixture is much trickier in a 2 stroke engine than a four stroke, and can have disasterous consequences....Try to keep the air and fuel filters clean instead Originally Posted by marbobj You can get a tool that will fit them or for a cheap fix use a crimp on wire connector of that size. Since you really don't have to fool with it that much, I would use the wire connectors. I got one for under 10 bucks on ebay What did you search for to find that tool 38? Originally Posted by 38racing I got one for under 10 bucks on ebay I think the below item is about $1, force one on, remove the screw, cut slot with a dremel and your good to go. Have a good one. Geo Originally Posted by TheBlackLab The reason those screws are tough to adjust is two fold... 1: the Epa back in the 90's began requireing tamper resistant fuel mixture adjustments on all 2 cycle engines for emissions reasons. 2: The manufacturer Wants the factory preset to remain for several reasons A: most people start fiddeling with the mixture instead of cleaning or replacing filters...filters get clogged, impede airflow so the user leans out the mixture till it seems to be running good..Then they do it again... and again...Then finally they'll replace the filter , and low and behold ..a whoosh of fresh air combined with the lean set carb cause a condition of fuel starvation...she revs like a wild cat and... toasts the rings and cylinder wall... a fry'd cylinder from fuel starvation looks very differint from one that ran straight gas (No 2 cycle oil) A fuel starved cylinder will only be burnt and scored on the exhaust side of the cylinder as the carb side recieves enough liquid to cool and lube that side , but the entirety of the mix is combusted before any liquid fuel gets to the other side , hence no lubrication on the exhaust side of the cylinder. A straight gassed cylinder will be roasted anywhyere or everywhere in the 360 degrees of the cylinder wall... Adjusting the mixture is much trickier in a 2 stroke engine than a four stroke, and can have disasterous consequences....Try to keep the air and fuel filters clean instead I have posted what you are talking about, many times. The first thing a lot of people do with a bad running engine is get on the carburetor screws. When I encounter a carb. related running problem, I remove and rebuild the carb. and put the adjustment screws back, basically, to their original adjustment. I have received a lot of disagreement with my statement there is no periododic adjustment to a carburetor. May not work for all--But it works for me Originally Posted by marbobj What did you search for to find that tool 38? marbobj; Just search carb tools they will show up, a set is about $30, I have a set and have used them once, it is easier to have a couple electrical connectors in my tool tray. Have a good one. Geo My Weedeater has never run quite right.......it's actually a strange problem. It's only 2 years old and I've taken good care of it, draining the gas every season and using stabilizer in the gas. I can get it started up no problem and it seems to run good for a little while and then it starts acting up a bit. It has a hard time running full throttle and will usually bog out at some point. It can never seem to recover from the bog and no matter how much you finesse the throttle it just wants to die......and eventually it cuts out. Gotta try and start it up again and it's fine for another little while but it will happen again. My yard is pretty small and I can usually do everything I need to do in about 15 mins, but the weedeater will die out on me 3-4 times a session. I've looked at the air filter......it's perfect. I've also checked the gas cap, it's venting. Cracked fuel lines or primer? If not, it's likely developing an air leak when it warms up. The crankcase cover is cheap plastic, and as it warms, it expands and can warp and leak air into the crankcase...causing your problem. That's interesting..... Is this warping crankcase cover a common problem? When the engine starts stumbling spray some carb/brakeparts cleaner behind the carb and along all mating surfaces of the crankcase, if the engine tempo changes you have found an air leak and can take the appropriate action. Have a good one. Geo Originally Posted by geogrubb marbobj; Just search carb tools they will show up, a set is about $30, I have a set and have used them once, it is easier to have a couple electrical connectors in my tool tray. Have a good one. Geo when the engine is running you can slide the tool over the screw and it stays while you adjust. I can't keep a slotted driver in the screw slot when the engine is running. Originally Posted by 38racing when the engine is running you can slide the tool over the screw and it stays while you adjust. I can't keep a slotted driver in the screw slot when the engine is running. The electrical connector works well when running, the slot makes a good reference if the connector slips. Have a good one. Geo Some kind of air leak would certainly make sense..... When it starts to stumble it's not smoking or anything so it seems to be leaning out to the point where it's barely running. Throwing the choke on might help it, next time it happens I'll try both. Strange though, it's always done this.
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I am in the planning process of building my deck and came across this product at homedepot. It is new this year and I am wondering if anyone has tried it. It is a pvc wrapped composite decking board. It has a 20 yr warranty. Price is much cheaper than the full pvc boards. The 16' boards are $35. I didnt have much luck finding online reviews because it is so new. Anyone tried this stuff yet? Thanks Welcome to the forums. I'd be leary about using a decking that is wrapped with something different than what the core is. I did that on a couple of decks using a 2X6 Bella Rosa, back when it was available, and I had issues with both decks. (And Bella Rosa was simply two different composites.) You're talking a deck board that has a composite core and a PVC wrap. They are going to expand and contract at different rates when the temp. changes. Sounds like a perfect set up for failure to me!! (But then too, I'm a deck contractor, not a bean counter in a suit who's never got a scratch, cut or blister building a deck!!) Thanks for your input. I am not familiar with Bella rossa. Could you explain what it is and what issues you had? The original Bella Rosa was a composite 2X6. The inner core was some sort (one formula) of composite, and the outer skin (about 1/4 thick) was a different formula, or at least 2 materials that were made with a different pressure. Whatever they did, it looked good on paper, but it didn't work in the real world. Veranda is making a board that's a composite core and a PVC wrap?? I understand the logic of their 'suits'. PVC is expensive. Composite is less expensive. Make the core composite and the skin PVC, and we'll save $$. My guess is that it won't work. I've installed hundreds of composite decks and hundres of cellular core PVC decks. The two materials are NOT compatible in one deck board like Veranda's 'suits' are thinking that they will be. I'm sure that those boys were trained by the finest, and that the boys have some pretty impressive initials after their names (and their trainers have an even longer list of initials after their names). But mixing pure PVC and composite in one deck board?? It's not gonna work!! Every year there are new products that come out and many fail in the real world over time and never live up to their marketing and so called guarantees. The list is long on product failures, class action suits, and frustration on products that ended up costing alot of people alot of money. I can remember when PT lumber came out and it was suppose to be the next 25 year cedar. Alot didn't last 10. Wait 20 years first before deciding if this product is good or not. That's my advise as at least there are other products out there that have been proven out. Everytime I see something new that could cause a major future issue I get nervous. I often even wonder what the popular, lower cost PEX plumbing systems everyone is installing these days will end up performing like over time. In this example I would still go with copper and pay the difference because at least I would know what I am getting. What's peace of mind worth? I once had a malomine coated deck table that lasted 7 years before it blistered and I bought it believing what they told me about it lasting for 20 years.
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Hello, I'm new and this is my first post to this forum. It seems there is a wealth of knowledge to be gained judging from some of the reading I've done. I purchase a 7-blade reel mower with a 5 horse BS engine, it works great and is made by the TRIMMER LAWN MOWER COMPANY, GARDENA CALIFORNIA. I was shocked that it started because when I checked the tank before cranking there was red gas in it, I havn't seen red (leaded) gas in years! Anyway, I wonder if anyone has any info on this company which is this threads title and maybe knows how much these reel mowers sold for or what they're worth now or how old they are? It also has its big metal catch pan that hangs in front and catches the grass. Thankyou, little-bit Hello Little-bit! Sorry, but I am not familiar with the mower or the company. I imagine the red color of the gas was due to a fuel stabilizer, since gas old enough to be leaded would not run an engine. Sounds interesting. There are some sites on the net that deal with old oddities like yours. Try a google search on antique lawn mowers and see what turns up. The Trimmer lawn mower I have now is the same one I mowed my dads yard with.That was a couple of engines ago.I absolutly LOVE this mower.I know it will need a reel soon and have been looking around the internet and can't find anything.My dad said that all of the pros. used them and I hope they are still in buisness. If anyone can find anything on these mowers,please let me know. Thanks!!!!!!!! Trimmer has been bought by Eastman in Portland Maine. I had one for many years, I loved it, which I still had it. Trimmer of Fresno, Inc. Eastman has also taken over the old line of Case/Ingersoll tractors. I have had a chance indirectly to deal with the folks there in Maine a couple of times, and they are a good outfit, VERY customer oriented. If they have parts, they will do what they can do get your mower running. I have a Trimmer front catcher professional-type mower. It is in the shop now - clutch gone out. Don't know if it can be repaired. I got it new about 20 years ago and also love it. Needs sharpening and the sheet metal catcher has had a lot of repairs and modifications. Does anybody know of a parts supplier? Harry in New Mexico I too have a trimmer mower and it has served me for a lot of years. I'm looking for height adjusting wheel bar that mounts in the front. Does anyone know where I can get parts in Orange County CA. Eastman Industries :: HoverMower :: Eastman Commerical Above is the website for the company that bought out Trimmer. I don't know if they still have parts, but you can contact them thru their website. Eastman still makes the same lawn mower as the old Trimmer. EASTMAN REEL MOWERS - FORMALLY CALIFORNIA TRIMMER - RM25 RM20 It's basically the exact same design. Which shows how good the design was in the first place. The height adjustment, the blades, the center drive wheel, the chain guard, almost the entire carriage, is the same. I have an old front catcher with the metal catcher. My Dad bought it in the late 60s or early 70s. It can drag you across the lawn at full throttle. Trimmer was based in Gardena, California, and after World War II, a lot of Japanese Americans settled in Gardena after they were released from the Internment Camps. During the 50s and 60s, a lot of Japanese American men were professional gardeners throughout Southern California. Many of the biggest plant and garden nurseries in So Cal were also owned by Japanese Americans at the time. Trimmer's heavy duty lawn mowers were used by a lot of Japanese American gardeners. So certain shops here in So Cal that the Japanese American gardeners frequented know a lot about them. My friend Doug, who own's *******told me to never sell my Trimmer lawnmower. He's been fixing lawn mowers for over 50 years. His Dad ran the shop before him, so he knows his lawn mowers. Doug said the Trimmers are professional grade lawn mowers, and they are built like tanks. Just take good care of the engine, and they will just keep running. The rest of the lawn mower almost indestructible. I Another shop that would know the Trimmer is ******* They've also been around since the 50s or 60s.
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Has anyone ever used this before? I am about to install this over an OSB subfloor and want to get any and all pointers before I take this on. I have 5 in planks that are about 4 feet long. I am also going to float these floors. These are tongue and groove floors. Can I install without glueing the planks together? They seem to attach pretty snug without glue. I am willing to hear any and all suggestions/information. Please assist. Thanks, in advance! Follow manufacturer's recommended installation instructions for best performance of flooring and to avoid voiding warranty. If you purchased a product that requires glue, then glue. If you purchased a product that is a click or snap product that does not require glue, then do not glue. Read and follow directions carefully for subfloor prep, any required underlayment, acclimation, installation, care and maintenance. If you are not going to attach the flooring to the floor, then you will want to glue the planks together. Wood expands and contracts and you will end up with large gaps in your floor if you do not glue it. Thanks, everyone. I put down 300 sqft of the Thomasville Mahogany and it looks great! It was a good choice for an existing transition to a tile floor. I would definately use a good PVAC glue like Titebond II or similar. Shooter!!! My savior!!!! Please give me all the details about your install. Any pointers? Did you install under the shoe moulding or just under the base board? How did you install yours? Glue, nail or staple? Did you float yours? Did you use Titebond II in between the tongue groove? What did you use as underlayment? I am about to start mine next week. I have the Jatoba. I am installing on an OSB sub floor. Please give any and all the info you can! I used the off the shelf from HD, the blue rolls of padded underlayment. The 100sqft rolls are around $25 or so. They act as a pad and also as a vapor barrier. You lay the rolls with the plastic side down and overlap the plastic seams. I also use Duct tape to hold the seams together. I am on concrete slab and was mostly concerned about the transitional height to a slate tile floor. This is why I went with an engineered flooring that could be floated. I did not wish to have to put down a plywood underlayment to staple or nail into. I am also not a huge fan of gluing directly to a slab. I removed all of the existing baseboard and floated the floor with 1/4 expansion gaps around the perimeter. I used tinted caulking at the grout line between the wood floor and the tile. I will replace the baseboard and shoe mouldings. It is generally easier to remove the baseboard but not always necessary. I used Franklins, Titebond II, PVAC wood glue and applied it to the groove side of the flooring, including the ends. In about 4 hours the floor was solid as a rock but you should let the glue set overnight. I do quite a bit of flooring but none that float and are glued at the tongue and groove. I am quite impressed and would not hesitate to do more with this method. PVAC wood glue can set up and actually be stronger than the wood itself. Thanks Shooter, you are a BIG help! I 'll be starting mine on Wednesday! I am also looking at purchasing this product for over concrete installation. I am most concerned with how it is holding up under traffic. Shooter, do you have any pets, kids, etc that would be testing the finish. We have a little Jack Russel - no kids.. I think it will be fine but want to get your opinion - as every product wears differently. Also let me know how the install goes Kino... Thanks for any help.. Will do mdr2001, but let me tell you my install has just been pushed back about 2 weeks. My honey-do list grows with each passing day! I have to first take down some panelling, after that I have to mud and tape the walls, and after that I have to paint! THEN.... I can do my floors in that room! is it Mahogany or Santos mahogany or another type?? anyone know?? Kino - I have 2 small children and 2 small house dogs. The floor hasn't been in too long but seems to be pretty durable. I am comparing it to other 3/4 solids and 5/8 solid bamboo floors I also have in my home. mdr - The flooring is just listed as Mahogany by Thomasville. Even their flooring site does not specify any particular species of mahogany. Here is the url for the Thomasville floor site. Copy and paste into a browser http://www.thomasvilleflooring.com/Hardwood23/Mahogany-Bedroom.aspx Thanks Shooter - all your help has been appreciated...Ill let you guys know how it goes. Shooter, In which direction do you lay the underlayment? Parallel to the floor joists and perpendicular to the floor that I am installing or what? Thanks! Why is the float method specific to particular styles of flooring? Why not glue tongue and groove solid hardwood together and float it over concrete? I only see mention of this method for engineered hardwood but I can't think of the reason. I know solid wood flooring expands and contracts more than engineered, but the wood is free to expand just as it is with nail-down or any other method. Kino - It really makes no difference for the underlayment. Personally I tend to run along the length of the floor boards. granz - For one the manufacturer will void any warranty that they offer on the floor if you do not use one of their prescribed methods for installation. If factory warranty is not of concern then I guess you can install it any way you choose. It is your floor after all. Having said that, you are on the right track. Engineered floors are far less susceptible to expansion and contraction so floating and glueing the tongue and groove may be considered acceptable by some manufacturers. Solid hardwoods tend to expand and contract quite a bit more and most manufacturers suggest a nail or staple down method. I believe that if you add up the amount that a solid hardwood could expand or contract per board and times that by an entire floor, it is probably not deemed suitable by manufacturers. In reality, the PVAC wood glues actually create a bond that is generally stronger than the wood itself. I am quite pleased so far with this method when I installed the Thomasville floor. My home is all 3/4 solid nail down over slab, except for this one room, but so far I have no reason not to like it. Time will tell more, but so far so good. I still don't see why gluing the tonge/groove and floating solid hardwood is not recommended versus engineered wood. The additional expansion/contraction causes what problems? How is nailing the wood down into plywood any more flexible than floating it? To me it seems like nailing down the wood should be even less flexible. The wood should expand and push up nails. At least the glue can expand/contract a little bit along with the wood. I'm currently floating my Thomasville Jatoba over concrete. According to many flooring experts (not the Home Depot sales agent/representative who suggested that I glue the wood to the concrete floor), the best way to install an engineered wood floor (like Thomasville's), over concrete, is to float it and NOT use the glue down method. I had to remove a previously glued down section of engineered flooring and it was labor intensive. Then I had to remove the mastic. Over the years, the glued down engineered floor contracted and expanded causing gaps - the tongue and grooves had never been glued. In time moisture will wick thru the concrete and there will be some shifting and/or hair line fractures within the slab foundation. In my case, I found the later to be true. For these reasons, the floating method is highly recommended. Leveling the concrete floor: I mopped the entire surface with water and after an hour or two I was able to isolate the low spots by the puddles. I leveled the concrete floor with self-leveling cements. After trying, three brands C-cure (Floor and Decor), Henry's (Lowe's) and Level-Quik (Home Depot), I found C-Cure to work the best followed by Level-Quik. Henry's dried too quickly to work with. It's most important to flatten your floor. If your floor is not FLAT, it will not last. You'll eventually hear pops and creaks and it'll be like walking on a spring board. It may take several days to flatten (level) but, it'll be worth it. Take your time and mix mortar to a consistancy of a light pancake batter for a smooth finish with feathered edges. The thinner the mortar - the longer it will take to dry. Cutting the door jams: Using a sample piece of the flooring and underlayment as your guide, I cut the door jams with jam saw. It's much easer than a hand saw. I, also, used a Dremel rotor with a 546 Rip/Cross Cut for the ultra-tight spots. The Underlayment: Professional installers recommended double layers of protection. They suggested that I first put down a 6 mil sheet over the concrete - over lapping 8-15 inches using duct tape. Then, place the better under-layment on top. I used Sound Solutions Vapor Bloc (Floor and Decor) - others may just as good. The plastic seams over-lapped and were duct taped. Use a high quality duct tape like Nashua by Tyco Adhesives. Never use dollar store brands - they never seem to last. Glueing the tongue and grooves: Use a good PVAC glue like Titebond II. You'll have a tight bond (no pun) after 4 hours but allow the adhesives to work for at least 24 hours. Important note: wipe up the excess glue as you go along. It's VERY difficult to remove this glue after it has dried. Spacing: Thomasville recommends a Ѕ inch (13 mm) gap from the walls but, this is about the size of most quarter rounds. I used 10 mm spacers, so use your best judgment. ј inch (6.3 mm) spacing is recommended for laminate floors and most spacers sold are ј inch. I also recommend that you visit a couple flooring stores for ideas, recomendations and suggetions, also visit clinics sponsored by ACE Hardware, Lowes, etc, and, of course, go Thomasvilleflooring.com and print their Engineered Hardwood Flooring Installation, Care and Warranty Guide. Also read all manufacture instructions regarding ancillary product (underlayment, leveling cement, equipment safety and use, etc) information. Most importantly, take your time and have fun...but don't take all year. xxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx I have installed about 1100 sqft. of the jatoba in my home. I chose to nail down the floor mainly because i felt it would be a time saver over the glue down method and i have the equipment redily available and didnt have to rent it. I was very pleased with the overall experiance, there were very few pieces that had any imperfections. the prouct has been installed for about 5 months now and has held up well agains my 3 children and our dog. but i have had a hard time keeping it free of smudges.It cleans up very well but shortly after its moped and we are just going about our daily business it looks all smudged up i have tried several different cleaning products that claim to be residue free but they are not, but I was given a suggestion in another forum here to use bona kemi so thats my next step. I'll let you know how it goes. I started to look at having Home Depot to install approx 600 sf of the Thomasville mahogany, and am now having second thoughts about using Home Depot to do the work. I have asked them to quote a floating floor, and they insist that they can only glue down that product. This will be an install on concrete, so I thought I had the option of doing either glue or floating. The product literature states, nail glue or float. I understand that if you float you must glue the planks together, and that is understandable. What is the right answer? yes! you can float the floor, but i would not let home depot do it. you can find an independant person or company to do it for a cheaper price. all homedepot does is hire someone locally (who is an approved installer)which you could have gotten the same person to do it without the middle man.so i would suggest shopping around before you make a final decision. I am also going to install the Mahogany Thomasville. I currently have wood (parquet) floor glued to concrete. I was planning to float the floor over the existing parquet. But I have read on several websites that I must remove the existing parquet before floating the new wood since the parquet was glued to the concrete. I can't figure out why this is. The parquet has been installed for over 10 years, is level, and is stable. I would prefer to avoid the backbreaking work of removing the parquet. It seems to me that floating it should be fine. The Thomasville Installation Guide does not mention the need to remove it. Can anyone think of a reason why some websites state that the parquet must be removed? Thanks You can float floors ontop of existing floors, but I do not know about floating them over existing hardwood. The only thing I can think of is if the old floor fails for one reason or another, your new floor would be damaged. I personally would remove the old floor just to be sure, but it's up to you. If the manufacturer says you can, then go ahead. They are the ones that give you the warranty. If they say you can't, and you end up doing it anyways, they can void your warranty. I started my installation of Thomasville Hardwood in Walnut (Nogal) yesterday. So far it looks great, but I made a few minor beginner mistakes that lead to some small gaps between certain boards. Can anyone recommend a good tinted sealant that I should use on these spot areas? I'll need something to match the walnut color, which is basically the color of black coffee. Thanks, Azmat I would be interested as well. We also installed the very dark brown Thomasville flooring in the kitchen. It's gorgeous and although it shows dirt (thanks to the dogs playing in the mud and then walking through the kitchen), we love it. HOWEVER the kitchen cabinet installer seemed to think he was MC Installer and scratched up the floor considerably. While the repairs are covered by the kitchen design company (yeah!) I'd like to know cover up boo boos if we muck it up ourselves. Note - do NOT use Sharpie (that was the installers fix). It will be obvious, especially in bright lighting. Ironically one other bit of damage the installer did was to leave water standing on one of the seams - it buckled terribly. A week later it has leveled itself back down. Though I will have the flooring repair person take a look, I was impressed at how the flooring healed itself. As for wear, the only damage so far has been caused by the cabinet installer. We accidentally dropped a 5 lb sledge on the floor during installation with nary a ding. Dog claws haven't phased it either. You can contact Thomasville to see if they have touchup kits for their engineered wood flooring: For Thomasville Engineered Hardwood Flooring, call 1-800-278-8204. You can also touchup with crayons or furniture touchup sticks. Great information in this thread on the installation. Would love to hear from the folks on the options to keep the floors well maintained. We just installed Thomasville Jatoba in our house (1200+ sq feet) and want to keep it looking good. The installation manual talks about keeping water away (even a damp mop is prohibited). But the folks at the toll free number listed in the manual/website suggest using Murphy's Soap with water as the cleaning/maintenance solution! What has worked well for the folks here? What do you do to keep the floors clean and well maintained? We just installed Thomasville Jatoba in our house (1200+ sq feet) and want to keep it looking good. The installation manual talks about keeping water away (even a damp mop is prohibited). But the folks at the toll free number listed in the manual/website suggest using Murphy's Soap with water as the cleaning/maintenance solution! What has worked well for the folks here? What do you do to keep the floors clean and well maintained I have close to 1100 feet and to clean: I dry-mop our floors, bi-weekly, with a mild all pupose floor cleaner. Never use a dripping wet mop. Immediately afterwords, I use a dry towel to wipe up any excess moisture. BTW, Murphy's soap is a good choice. I also have remnants, good welcome mats, etc at all entrances to minimize the accidental introduction of rocks, sand, and other items that can track into the house. Lastly, I dust clean the floors, weekly, with a microfiber dust mop to keep the floors looking show room clean I just got done installing Thomasville engineered Jatoba in my daughters bedroom, and there are quite a few spots where the edge of the wood cracked where it was nailed. I had a local handyman install the same floor in my other daughter's room a couple of months ago, with the same results. Both floors are nailed over 3/4 OSB. He used 1-1/4 PowerNail nails; I used 1-1/2 Bostich staples with a different nailer. I know it's not the tool, the fasteners, or the installer, so I'm guessing it the sub-floor or the flooring. I have one more bedroom and would like to avoid the same problem. Can anyone tell me why it happened and whether there's annything I can do to fix it? DO NOT use 15 or 16 gauge staples, with that floor! Stay at least 2 inches away from the ends, when fastening. The specs call for a fastener, every 4 inches, with a 18 gauge or smaller wire staple. This flooring is real soft. A lot of denting claims are comming in. More then any other floor I look at for that concern. By the way, that's a beautiful floor! I was looking at it when I was showing customers some flooring. Originally Posted by Jazzeerun I'm currently floating my Thomasville Jatoba over concrete. According to many flooring experts (not the Home Depot sales agent/representative who suggested that I glue the wood to the concrete floor), the best way to install an engineered wood floor (like Thomasville's), over concrete, is to float it and NOT use the glue down method. I had to remove a previously glued down section of engineered flooring and it was labor intensive. Then I had to remove the mastic. Over the years, the glued down engineered floor contracted and expanded causing gaps - the tongue and grooves had never been glued. In time moisture will wick thru the concrete and there will be some shifting and/or hair line fractures within the slab foundation. In my case, I found the later to be true. For these reasons, the floating method is highly recommended. Leveling the concrete floor: I mopped the entire surface with water and after an hour or two I was able to isolate the low spots by the puddles. I leveled the concrete floor with self-leveling cements. After trying, three brands C-cure (Floor and Decor), Henry's (Lowe's) and Level-Quik (Home Depot), I found C-Cure to work the best followed by Level-Quik. Henry's dried too quickly to work with. It's most important to flatten your floor. If your floor is not FLAT, it will not last. You'll eventually hear pops and creaks and it'll be like walking on a spring board. It may take several days to flatten (level) but, it'll be worth it. Take your time and mix mortar to a consistancy of a light pancake batter for a smooth finish with feathered edges. The thinner the mortar - the longer it will take to dry. Cutting the door jams: Using a sample piece of the flooring and underlayment as your guide, I cut the door jams with jam saw. It's much easer than a hand saw. I, also, used a Dremel rotor with a 546 Rip/Cross Cut for the ultra-tight spots. The Underlayment: Professional installers recommended double layers of protection. They suggested that I first put down a 6 mil sheet over the concrete - over lapping 8-15 inches using duct tape. Then, place the better under-layment on top. I used Sound Solutions Vapor Bloc (Floor and Decor) - others may just as good. The plastic seams over-lapped and were duct taped. Use a high quality duct tape like Nashua by Tyco Adhesives. Never use dollar store brands - they never seem to last. Glueing the tongue and grooves: Use a good PVAC glue like Titebond II. You'll have a tight bond (no pun) after 4 hours but allow the adhesives to work for at least 24 hours. Important note: wipe up the excess glue as you go along. It's VERY difficult to remove this glue after it has dried. Spacing: Thomasville recommends a Ѕ inch (13 mm) gap from the walls but, this is about the size of most quarter rounds. I used 10 mm spacers, so use your best judgment. ј inch (6.3 mm) spacing is recommended for laminate floors and most spacers sold are ј inch. I also recommend that you visit a couple flooring stores for ideas, recomendations and suggetions, also visit clinics sponsored by ACE Hardware, Lowes, etc, and, of course, go Thomasvilleflooring.com and print their Engineered Hardwood Flooring Installation, Care and Warranty Guide. Also read all manufacture instructions regarding ancillary product (underlayment, leveling cement, equipment safety and use, etc) information. Most importantly, take your time and have fun...but don't take all year. xxxxxxxxx@xxx.xxx Jazzeerun, How are the floors holding up? I am looking into install 1000sq ft of the Jatoba onto existing wood floor. Just wanted to know if the floors are holding up (dents/coloring). Thanks! Hello Steve, I like doing things myself because of the great self-satisfaction it brings, the inclusion of excercise and, of course, the cost savings. However and unfortunately, my only experience comes from lying the Thomasville over a concrete foundation. My opinion regarding floating your Thomasville over existing floors is, if the substrate is level and solid you should have few problems 'floating' your Thomasville boards. Have you taken into consideration any height differentials with existing flooring (butting against tile, carpeting, hearths, etc.), doorway openings, etc? If there's going to be a substantial height difference, where you'll have to step up or step down, you may want to consider removing the existing parquet floor. I've had my Thomasville Jatoba floor for nearly a year and when people see it their comments are usually the same Classy, Made for Biltmore, First Rate, Exceptionally Beautiful, Gorgeous, This is not cheap. Personally, I've never seen a wooden floor as beautiful as this...in any home. This floor also looks spectacular because its butted nicely (flush) against carpeting - without T-molds. However, I did have use T-molds when butted against my flushed tile. I also purchased 'necked' quarter rounds and T-molds then stained them with Minwax's Sedonna Red. After two coats of stain, they were an incredibly perfect match with the Jatoba Well wishes, Paul El. P. S. Wipe up any sweaty perspiration immediately or risk the possibility of perspiration stains on your beautiful floor. I have only one board like this. In a message dated 1/8/2008 7:47:24 P.M. Central Standard Time, sdspin@gmail.com writes: Hello, I was reading your comment on the boards regarding the install of Thomasville flooring. I am also looking to install the Thomasville Jatoba Engineered Hardwood floors to 1000 sq ft of space. I was wondering how you like your floors. What have been the positives and negatives? I plan to float the floors over the existing parquet floors since it's already leveled. Do you have any comments about that? Any reason I should reconsider doing this or using the Thomasville floors? Your thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Thanks! Steve Does anyone have any recommedations for the best sound-deadening underlayment for use unter Thomasville flooring? Thanks, Griffin We have just finished installing just under 1000sqft of walnut colored Thomasville Flooring. The floor looks beautiful and I couldn't have been more happy until I started to notice scratches on the floor. We have 2 kids ages 10 and 12 and two dogs. It seems the slightest running from the dogs scratches the floor and when one of the kids slipped on the floor the button on his jeans scratched the floor. I'm not talking buff out scratches I talking a scratch deep enough that you can feel it. I also took a scrap piece into the kitchen and dropped a butter knife to see how it would hold up. I dropped the knife from waist high and the floor dented. We are now not going to install it in the kitchen. I have also not been able to find anything that cleans the floor nicely. As soon as I'm done dust mopping it, I need to start all over again. I can live with cleaning the floor constantly but I can't live with paying that much for a floor that dents and scratches so easily. I plan on contacting Thomasville to see if there is anything that can be done, but I would recommend to anyone thinking about installing the floor that they take a sample from the store first and see how it handle. Oh I almost forgot we did have a couple pieces chip as we were installing the floor but I can live with that too. It would be great to know if anyone else has had these problems and if they were able to solve them. thanks Originally Posted by Carpets Done Wright This flooring is real soft. A lot of denting claims are comming in. More then any other floor I look at for that concern. A past post.... FYI, on the Mahogany flooring boxes they now list the wood as Caoba which is also known as true mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla). That's the good news. The bad news is it isn't very hard (Janka 800). Some of the planks have the most gorgeous whorls and patterns though. I need to save them for the more public areas. BTW Santos Mahogany isn't a true mahogany but it's still pretty good wood for flooring. EDIT: I called Thomasville Flooring just to confirm and the rep said the mahogany is actually Sapele! Now I am confused. The boxes clearly state Caoba. Grrr.... Did a google search for Thomasville Wood flooring and found this site. Read through all the post's and found it very helpful. But haven't seen too much the past few month's. I was in Home Depot and saw the Thomasville wood floor and thought it looked great - tough to choose a color! But I'd like to see how the floor is holding up. We have a houseful of animals (3 dogs and 3 cats), so I need a floor that's going to hold up. I was planning on using Bruce Lock n Fold, but I like the wider plank - looks classier. Any feedback would be greatly appreciated. I also would like to know if it can be installed over ceramic tile - we have ugly tile in kitchen and would like to put wood floor there. We have a houseful of animals (3 dogs and 3 cats), so I need a floor that's going to hold up. If you have pets or young children I'd suggest that you get laminate, tile (porcelain/ceramic) , granite, slate or marble flooring. Engineered wood floors, like Thomasvilles, are natural wood finishes and would easily show scratches and run paths. Then again, you may not mind having a beautiful floor with scratches and path lines. Jazzeerun Refinishing my solid oak hardwood floors 5 years ago was about the most satisfying home improvement project I've ever done. I'm looking to move now and found a house with what looks like traditional oak strip flooring throughout the kitchen/hall but a red/mahogany looking floor in the living room and office. Its wider than the oak strip and I suspect its probably engineered wood now that I think about it. The house is empty and the floors are not recently cleaned but the wear and scratches etc don't look like they will clean up. Has anybody ever actually refinished this type of flooring? The tomasville website says the top layer is 2.2 mil suitable for refinishing 2-3 times but nowhere does it say actually accomplish this. I would think with that thin a wood layer you'd want to only use a circular sander to avoid the possibility of gouging the belt sander all the way through the top layer. But I also suspect that the UV hardened factory finish will not be easily removed. Any thoughts or suggestions on this type of refinishing (or would I have to get a pro to do it) would be great. And for that matter any suggestions on what to look for to try to determine if it really is engineered wood (without prying up a piece!) would be helpful Thanks Kelly
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What type and brand name for cooler pads are most effective for cooling? You will find differing opinions on this. I have used aspen, blue synthetic and cellulose pads. To be honest I can't much tell any real difference between them. Master Cool single inlet coolers use an 8 or 10 inch thick Celldek pad. Last season they were selling at The big box store thinner retrofit pads for conventional coolers made of the same material. They were reputed to provide 10 % cooler air than regular aspen pads. I bought some and they work fine but I really can't say they made any appreciable difference. I haven't seen these pads this year and don't know if they are still available. I think the aspen wood shaving type work at least as well as any other. The other ones do shed less debris and don't clog your pump and spiders as much though. I guess my opinion on what the best pads for cooling are is new clean ones I wish I knew. I seem to have a short memory but last year I had aspen pads. This year I went with the Dura Cool. It seems to me that it cooled better last year with the aspen. I did a google search and I saw some expert say that you can double pack the aspen pads to increase their water retention ability. Also important is to make sure your pump is delivering enough water to keep the pads saturated. I will be watching this site to see what everyone else is saying. Hi, I went with the green cellulose pads part of last year and all of this year and they seem to work good. I've always used the cellulose pads. They seem to put up with the salt and calcium in our water best. If your inside temp is 15 degrees cooler than your outside temp, your doing awesome. the best, hands down, are the aspen pads. everything else is just junk. i have used them all and always come back to aspen pads. as a rule of thumb, your swamp should be cooling your home 30 degrees below the outside temp on DRY days if your set up is primo. we run ours 24/7 mostly on high, with just a few windows cracked open to controll air flow. I dont think it matters much on the filters. I think it all goes back to how good is the water and how much lime and calcium is in it. As it runs over the filter. I bought the blue ones and they worked ok year 1 - no difference that I could tell between them and aspen. I had hoped to get 2 years out of them (given what I paid). But year 2 and there are blue floaties in the water - probably gumming up the pump worse than aspen shavings would have. I have a bleeder kit installed to try to get rid of the salts ... but the pads are still really stained and are crunchy and now work much worse than aspen. I'm taking off the blue ones and going back to el cheapo aspen.
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I am currently removing wallpaper from my bathroom that is the original wallpaper from when the house was built 10 yrs ago. I am running into the same problem as most: when I peel the wallpaper off, the drywall paper comes off too to reveal the brown part of the drywall. I want to end up texturing the walls for paint, and I am currently looking into the texture from the spray can. 2 Questions: Does this stuff work? (I had a friend whose contractor used it quite nicely on his already good looking walls) and Do I need to do any prep work on the areas of the drywall that has nothing but the brown paper exposed? I'm still working on the removal of the wallpaper, so any suggestions that would make the texturing go easier would be greatly appreciated too. Thanks in advance. This site is great, wish I had found it sooner for other jobs!! The walls should be skim coated with joint compound to smooth them out if they end up pretty rough. If the drywall paper is missing in large spots, they should be sealed to prevent the moisture in the joint compound from interacting with the gypsum in the wallboard. Zinsser makes a product just for this called Gardz. Spray can texture is ok for small areas (assuming you have good technique), but for large areas a hopper would be better. If you want to try the spray can, try it out on something other than your walls (scrap pieces of plywood or drywall work well) until you're able to apply the texture to your liking. I've seen the references to the Gardz. Does it dry hard? And I'm sorry but what do you mean by using a hopper? I'm doing a pretty good sized bathroom and will be applying the texture around doorfacings, bathtub surround, and a very large mirror that cannot be taken down unless it is broken into pieces. A hopper gun is what is commonly used to spray texture. Imagine a funnel shaped bucket on top of a spray gun. For large areas you mix up the texture, pour it in the hopper and spray it on the wall. All with using the right air pressure and texture mixture, of course Gardz will dry hard, the main thing is that it will seal any unfaced gypsum. I have heard mixed results from diyers using texture in a spray can, I don't know any pros that like them. That is not to say that it isn't possible to get a good job with them. When I used the spray can method, it was quite easy though like Mitch said...you probably should practice first-either way with the can or the hopper gun. Practicing will give you a feel for how much pressure to release, stroke techniques and distance (how far to stand). If you are using the can... it has directions on it. I believe you can rent the hopping gun and/or you can buy one too. I guess depending on how much time you think it will take you and how much product you're going to need...decide from there. Also, consider how much $$$ you want to spend unless that's the least of your concern. Also, when you do start spraying your walls, make sure you put cardboard or some type of covering on your floors and your mirror, door, etc. so the spray doesn't get all over. (I guess that's obvious but I just wanted to mention that for the just in case you didn't know... ). I got too excited when I did my walls and... Keep a wet rag or towel near you too. Have fun! BTW: Welcome to the DIY forums! Thank you all for your tips. I've wallpapered and painted many times before, but this is the first time I've removed wallpaper and tried to put texture on the drywall. And I thought going into this project that the hardest thing I would have to do is pick the right color paint I'm still not sure if I should attempt the spray approach or just roll on a wall mud texture. I'll keep checking back for any more great hints. Don't worry...it really won't be that bad. Not to speak for the pros but they probably don't use the spray cans b/c that's why they're the pros! Since DIY'ers don't do this everyday...we need the spray can. This might seem like a lot of work or something to grasp but sit back and relax, take your time...enjoy... Originally Posted by DIYaddict I believe you can rent the hopping gun and/or you can buy one too. They can be rented, since a hopper gun is air powered it also requires the use of an air compressor.
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I went into my local SW store this weekend to pick up some paint for my sons play room. I'm trying to keep it low VOC since he is going to be in there a lot and bought two gallons of their Harmony paint. I asked the saleswoman what primer she would recommend for painting over poly'd wood paneling walls. I was expecting her to say a oil based adhesion primer but she recommended their newly formulated Multi-Purpose primer. Apparently it is now reformulated so that it is zero-VOC. This sounds good to me but I asked her if it had enough bite so stick to previously stained/poly'd wood. She said it would as long as I scuffed up the surface...which I had planned to do anyways. Anyone use this stuff yet? Any good? Personally, I have never seen fit to use a low or no VOC product, but Sherwin Williams makes good products and the people in their stores generally know what they're talking about. I assume it's this primer - Multi-Purpose Latex Primer I haven't used it but being an old school painter I'm a bit skeptical of using latex over oil base finishes. If you go with this primer I'd definitely sand well first....... and let us know how it's fared after several months. I can't find the exact product on their website but its close. The Multi-Purpose primer I have looks almost the same except it says Zero-VOC in fairly large text on the front. The sales woman said it was recently reformulated and this version is replacing the one from the link. That said....it is not tinted so I can return it. In your opinion, what is the best primer to go over an oil base stain that has been polyurethaned? We'll be out of the house for a few days anyways so it can air out all it wants. What primer will make latex stick the best over a smooth, glossy oil base? I don't feel like being a guinea pig. Maybe I'll save this stuff for some drywall. Personally, I would use Zinsser's Bullseye oil based primer after scuff sanding the existing surface. I hear you on not wanting to be a guinea pig The primer my SW rep recommends for that exact purpose is SW pro-block, and yes, it is an oil based primer. It is not no VOC, but it is low VOC. You can find it on page 5 of this brochure. My rep also told me a story just last week about how one of her employees recommended a latex primer for priming over polyurethane/varnish and the customer came back asking why the paint could be scratched off easily with her fingernails. DOH! You sometimes get bad advice from even a paint store employee. It's best to go to the top with your questions! So I would NEVER use a latex primer over varnish, but would instead got for the oil based pro-block. Mitch17...This one.....?? That should work but this is the one I referenced: RustOleum.com Guys....thanks for your help! I'll ask one more related question so I don't need to start another thread. When I scuff up the glossy surface....what grit should I be using? I have some Fine 3M sanding sponges. Not sure of the grit. Will they be too aggressive? Should I be using something like Steel Wool? Thanks again! 220 grit would be my choice. I believe that is in the 'fine' category. The idea here is that you're not trying to remove any appreciable amount of material, just that you're trying to rough up the surface to give your primer more surface area for a better bond. 220 is good between coats of polyurethane or varnish, but I'd probably recommend 150 or 180 grit for paint prep. It will abrade the surface more so that you have good adhesion. 3M sandblaster sponges are fine if by fine that means 180. (they also make a 320 that would be too fine) A block sander is always better for flat surfaces, sponges are nice for profiles and grooves. I do indeed have the 180 grit fine 3M sandblaster sponges. I've got plenty of grooves to work with...I'll be doing this all by hand. But I lied...I have a few more questions. 1. I've read its good to wipe down the surface with mineral spirits prior to sanding to clean off the years of oil/grease/dirt/etc. I've got a gallon of denatured alcohol....will that work? 2. And with the primer...I'm priming over a cherry-ish stain color and going to a light pastel yellow. I'll be putting two coats of SW Harmony down. Does the primer need to completely block out the old wall color or is it okay if some shows through? Thanks! I think that should be it! Sanding will remove most of that from the surface. But in order to remove the dust after sanding, wiping everything down with a tack cloth and denatured alcohol would work well. If you have reason to believe some areas are extra oily due to people touching the walls (around light switches, etc), denatured alcohol works well for that. Wear some latex gloves when you use it though... it goes right into your skin. As far as priming is concerned, primer doesn't need to cover 100% of the old color, but it is certainly nice when it does. Primer coverage is more about adhesion. If you think the dark color will be hard to cover, you can always have your primer tinted so that it more closely resembles the top coat. I'm heading back to work! Yeah, primer isn't meant to hide what's underneath, it's to seal the surface so your paint can hide what's underneath. As well as providing a good surface for paint adhesion, of course. Painting over paneling or stained woodwork is almost always a 3 coat job - 1 primer, 2 finish paint. Yellow is a color that doesn't have the best coverage or hiding properties.... but a lot depends on the color of yellow used. Quality paints always cover better than their cheaper counterpart. I'd also recommend using 150 grit for the sanding. As noted above it's always best to remove any sanding dust' I like to use a liquid deglosser for this as it also softens the underlying paint/poly further increasing the likely hood of a great adhesion. Your denatured alcohol will be fine. I've never used gloves when working with solvents but I'm tough.... and probably a little dumb
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Primer bulb on my Ryobi trimmer was cracked so I replaced. My problem is the fuel is not getting back into the bulb. It dawned on me after I had replaced the bulb, that fuel was not leaking in the first place from the cracked bulb. Any ideas would be appreciated. So.....I am confused as to what the problem is now. After replacing the bulb, is the unit leaking or do you still not have fuel getting back in the primer bulb? In either case the carb may need a sound cleaning and or kit. If the primer is just not working correctly, you may have connected the fuel lines incorrectly. If it is leaking fuel, most likely its internal in the carb with the needle n seat. It is not that difficult to install a kit in the carb but the parts are small and can be a bit tedious. If your up to it we can talk u through it or you may want to look for a small engine repair to rebuild your carb. Theresa, Your problem is one of three, 1 carby 2 primer 3 fuel lines. not to mention alot of assosiated problems that will cause an air cooled two stroke to stop running. Try these simple tests,Its worked for me 25 yrs in the trade. ryobs, macs,green,grey have 3 types of carb, walbro..tillitson..and zama . mods with primers all have the fuel outlet of the carb next to the mixture screws,this fuel line goes to the short connector of the primer.The long goes back to the tank,the other is fuel inlet to the bottom of the carb. I would recommend you overhaul the carb ,check no water damage to metal parts , remove and disguard the fuel strainer on the pump side, replace all diaphragms,gaskets,needle and pressure test with needle side cover off check for bubbles with fuel in the cavity. bubbles mean leaks... worn seat... weak lever spring .lever setting is level with bottom of the cavity on walbro,mod wa,wt . tillitson,mod hu. zama all mods level at the gasket surface replace old fuel lines,crusty discoloured have build up of fuel gum on the insides this will come dislodged and sometimes trap between the needle and seat causing fuel leaks or fuel blockages. Tuning..idle 1turn out High 1turn out should be close to the mark , zama 2 turns each after you have thrown the screw limmiters away. fuel differs around the world ,here in australia its low quality,always empty the tank and run the unit dry . if not the fuel will evapourate and leave a glue type gum behind...back to the same problem... also a few things to check on.. gummed piston ring/s, barrel glazed,chrome worn off cylinder,loose crankcase screws,cylinder screws, Hope i have been of some help to you Theresa, you should be up and running now. cheers Dave ( the doc)
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My submersible pump was over 20 years old, not supplying enough water to flush the toilet and take a shower along with blowing the circuit breaker on occasion. It was down 60 feet and I had to figure out unlock the pitless adapter before I could pull out the well. The pitless adapter was made by Wells Inc. in Ohio and can be unlocked by making a tool using a 6 foot, 1/2 steel pipe. Take the pipe, flatten one end leaving enough clearance for the inside to fit over a wingnut and make a handle on the opposite end. The flattened end goes down the 1 pipe that suspends the well and by turning counterclockwise the pitless adaper foot will go down. Make sure the water and pump is turned off before doing this. The well was pulled out using 2 U brackets and a come-a-long suspended from an extension ladder leaning against a tree. This method can bring the ell up at about 3 feet at time before needing to reposition the brackets which I used to hold the well on the side of the 4 well casing.
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I am remodeling my bathroom which will include replacing the current tub/shower diverter valve. The current copper pipes are okay, but I made the mistake of reading up on some new technology (well, new to me anyway). That includes using PEX tubing with the shark bite fittings. Sure, I can simply use new copper pipes and fittings then sweat them in place. But, it might be kind of fun to learn something new by using the PEX. The PEX, and shark bite fittings, are guaranteed for decades. Much like the copper pipe. One concern I have is that, once the remodel is done, the water pipes will be behind the wall. If a leak developed then I wouldn't immediately notice it. Then again I wouldn't immediately notice a leak if I used flux/soldered copper fittings either. So, that's not necessarily a deal breaker. Anybody out there have any horror, or success, stories using PEX tubing with the shark bite fittings? hi ron – I’m a newbie and no expert by any means. You’ll probably hear from the pro’s. But I think in many places it is not allowed to put mechanical connections like sharkbite fittings in the wall, for the kinds of reasons you stated concerning leaks. But I certainly could be wrong! Good luck! p.s. love OK city, if you live anywhere around there! I added a bath upstairs and used pex. I soldered the barb fittings to the diverter, the sink and toilet stops. I saw too many shark bites leak and would not put them in walls. Its up to you though just my opinion. Shark bite do have their place in emergency or open/accesable areas. Make sure you pressure test before closing up the walls. I had my water lines filled with water a couple days before sheetrock. The crimp rings on pex are pretty good. You need to crimp squarely. Pex is a big labor savor and ran continuous lengths from the crawl to the 2nd floor bath. No joints inbetween. Mike NJ I think PEX is a great product, as are the SharkBite fittings. That said, if everything else in the house is copper, I'd probably keep it copper. Not that it has to be, but I think it would be 'more professional' to keep it all the same material But at $8 each for sharkbites, I think I would invest in the proper crimping tool and rings. Paid for in the first few connections. I appreciate all the responses. More than likely I'll just use the old tried and true copper pipe with copper fittings. I just thought it might be interesting to try a different option. Even though I'd wait a couple of weeks before putting up new walls, just to make sure nothing leaked, it sure would make me cranky if I had to rip out the wall a few months down the road. If you want to use something new, why not just PEX + brass fittings + crimps? Our house has PEX piping throughout with the only copper being off the water main, pipe to outside and shower fittings. Everything else is PEX (behind the walls.) We've been in our house almost 6 years without incident. PEX is insanely easy to work with. I'd be a bit weary about using push-fit connectors behind walls as well. I'm sure they are fine, but something about them makes me want them to always be accessible. SharkBites are great for coupling pex with copper. I have not had any leak issues. Pex is very easy to work with but connect pex to pex with brass couplings and compression rings, not SharkBites. i have a half dozen Sharkbite fittings in my house. I've never had a drip. I am really confident in their design and reliability. I have never heard of a properly assembled SharkBite failing. The concept of relying on static O-ring compression as a sealing mechanism is time tested.
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Questions about Lennox Heat Pump compressor replacement under warranty
Hi, I have a Lennox HP29 installed by the previous owner in March 2003. We noticed the recent electric bill was double last year's. Noticed that the inside circuit breaker was tripped, and would not reset. Called two different technicans out to look at unit. #1 (Not Lennox dealer) eyeballed the unit and said compressor shorted to ground $1400 to replace compressor. #2 (Lennox dealer) performed several diagnostic procedures and pronounced compressor shorted to ground. checked refrigerant, refrigerant level great. good news, the compressor is covered under warranty Unfortunately, my warranted compressor is going to cost $978 to install. Is this a valid cost to install a compressor? The cost is broken down: 1. Warranty replace scroll $739. 2. pumpdown system drier $238 item 1 is allegedly labor only, but I wonder why pumping the system down is a seperate charge. Are driers that expensive ($238)? Any comments or advise will be greatly appreciated Mac They are refering to pumping down the system and a drier i believe. When a compressor burns out, it can contaminate the freon with acids and other chemicals. The freon, if contaminated must be recycled at a significant cost to the company. The system then must be recharged with new freon. Even if it is not contaminated, they have to cover the cost of their testing kit. So, I would say that charge is justified. Originally Posted by thermofridge They are refering to pumping down the system and a drier i believe. When a compressor burns out, it can contaminate the freon with acids and other chemicals. The freon, if contaminated must be recycled at a significant cost to the company. The system then must be recharged with new freon. Even if it is not contaminated, they have to cover the cost of their testing kit. So, I would say that charge is justified. Hey I'm sure the pumpdown is justified, I just don't understand why it's listed seperately from the labor to install the compressor. Seems like it is part of the process of changing a compressor, so why list it seperately? How many hours should it take to replace the compressor? On a seperate note, are you saying that they will test my old freon and maybe reuse it, maybe not? thanks, Mac Labor is always listed seperately. Yes they should test the freon and reuse it if they can. It should take approximately 4 hours to change. Now I know the labor charge seems high but that includes the original service call, all the correspondence with their supplier and trips ,calls and lots of paperwork after the job is done. Also, most of the time, your contractor will foot the bill for your new compressor until they are reimbursed some 3 to 6 weeks later. So think of part of the fee as interest. Originally Posted by thermofridge Labor is always listed seperately. I'm thinking this guy's got it twice: 1. compressor installation 2. system pumpdown. I don't mind paying fair labor - once. Originally Posted by thermofridge ........but that includes the original service call,........ LOL the original service call was $78 COD. All the local dealers charge $70 to $100 for the first service call regardless of outcome. But thanks for the comments, they do help me understand it better. The more viewpoints I get, the more sense it makes. It sounds like I'm in for: 4 hours labor, probably a 2 man job? = 8 man hours New freon any damaged parts that show up after the compressor is changed. thanks, Mac Any way you look at it or they list it, thats what it costs. It may be a bit high but after all it is a Lennox. Next time buy Trane, Amana or Goodman. A system pumpdown is usually performed when the refrigerant system is opened up. This is necessary for a multitude of repairs and not just for compressor replacement. Therefore, some companies itemize this seperately on their invoice. If your are making a comparison, consider the total price. $978 for compressor replacement is not unreasonable, it requires a lot of time and skilled work. Good luck with this. Originally Posted by thermofridge Any way you look at it or they list it, thats what it costs. It may be a bit high but after all it is a Lennox. Next time buy Trane, Amana or Goodman. O.k., I'm close to accepting this. But can you clarify the after all it is a Lennox statement? I don't know Lennox from Adam-is it great, good or POS? thanks, Mac Lennox makes a great product. Just fewer dealers and more brand specific parts than others. The manager of the company who quoted $978 called back and lowered the quote to $800 on the basis you can't pumpdown a failed compressor. I called a local independent guy who quoted $450 for the job, including doing the warranty on the compressor. guess who is my choice? Unfortunantly, they left a message (I haven't confirmed it) that the compressor is on backorder and won't be available until Feb 14 (more than one month). While a pumpdown and refrigerant recovery are two totally different procedures, the terms are often (wrongly) interchanged. When a tech says we have to pumpdown the system, they often mean pumpdown and/or recover. A pumpdown refers to pumping the freon into the condenser coil while the high side valve is shut. This greatly reduces the amount of freon in the rest of the system which allows for fast recovery of that small amount. This procedure can only be used if repair work is limited to the lineset or evap coil. And yes, it requires a working compressor. I have several comments.First thing that caught my eye was that the refrigerant levels are ok.That cant be checked with the compressor inoperable. Second thing is that people like to dog lennox and talk up Trane.Lennox and Trane are both owned by American Standard. Third thing is the labor cost.739.00 divided by four hours of work.That comes to 184.50 per hour.Thats more than industrial service companies charge.Also the original service call should be deducted from the final bill. Sounds suspect to me. FINAL OUTCOME! Just for the record: 1st estimate $1400 (no warranty work) 2nd estimate $978 (compressor $ covered by warranty) 2nd estimate $800 (revised by estimator) 3rd final estimate $450 (compressor $ covered by warranty) Only downside was it took 3 weeks+ to get the compressor. Might have taken about 2 maybe 3 hours to do, included compressor, new freon, and suction side filter. I'm happy now thanks, Mac
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