Jim Bilyeu

[JR Wood]

Hi Jim,
I was just wondering what the name of the machine you use to remove furring.I started using a scotch brite pad on spindles after I strip and it works great.I seem to remember you said that you were using a floor buffer or something with a scotch brite stripping pad.I really would like to buy one now I am sick of the fuzzies!!!

 

[Jon Fife]

whats up JR,

I'll try and help you on this one and Jim B. can respond if i leave something out. The machine we use is a buffer/sander made by Makita #9227-C. Mine cost about 200 dollars, make sure you get one with a wrap-around handle. Talk to Jim B about getting the pads, they are just like floor stripping pads except they are about 10 inches wide. This is by far one of the best purchases I have made this year, once you use this set up you will wonder how you ever got by with the scotch brite pad!!! pads only cost about 2 dollars each, and i can do several decks with one pad. Hope this helps,

Jon Fife

 

[Mike Hughes]

Jon,

What do you use for the spindles? Does this machine do anything for verticle surfaces, or only the floor??

Seems like the spindles are always the worst.

Mike

 

[Jon Fife]

hi mike,

we use it mainly on the rails, the floor is seldom bad enough that we need to buff it. On an average !4x20 deck with a staircase, we could easily do all the buffing in less than an hour. We generally only do visible areas, we won't get on a ladder and do rails that you can't even notice. We mainly knock off the just the bad stuff. We could probably spend a lot more time buffing and it could look a little better, but no matter what you do, people are only willing to pay a certain amount. I try and find a happy medium between excellent workmanship and a reasonable price.
I'd like to hear how you guys do it. Are you in and out as quick as possible or do you go to great detail?? I personally don't think either is wrong or right. I think there is a market for both types of businesses, and i try and fall somewhere in the middle. Everyone have a good weekend,

Jon Fife
Nashville,TN

 

[JR Wood]

Mike,
I started using scotch bright pads.They are about $3 for an 8 pack at home depot.They are 6X10 and fit around spindles perfectly.Right when you are done stripping,just wrap around spindle and pull down(or up,I find down easier).
I have a hose in my hand with a sharp stream to wash the pad off.You can do a whole deck in 15 minutes and it works great.Saves on sanding when it is dry.You know it works when you see all the spent pulp on the pad even after you rinse.Customers also appreciate the extra effort.I got the idea from Jim Bilyeu when he posted about the machine.

Also thanks Jon for the info.I have the spindles all figured out, I was mainly interested in the floor.Cedar is my main concern although I do get a few pressure treated decks that fur.My ultimate goal is to speed things along by using a stronger cleaner or stripper and knowing I can remove fuzzies easier will make everything go more smoothly.

 

[Greg Rentschler]

JR,

We have been using the pads with good success as well... although we have 2 DeWalt Variable Speed Polishers instead of the Makita Unit. The DeWalt units are available through Harbor Freight for around $150.00. These units are easy to work with although the "D" handle may be less fatigue. We use a floor burnisher on the floors with razorback pads..... you can knock out alot of deck in a short ammount of time. We found a local source for the 3M pads but had to buy a great deal of them to get the pricing reasonable. One thing I learned, they have to be 3M. The others fall apart! Our guys are averaging a pad per deck and 15- 20 per log home.

 

[JR Wood]

Thanks Greg
That's the info I was looking for.
It is amazing how much crud comes off with those pads.I am glad I found them.I was tired of spending $2 for a sanding sponge that lasts one day.

 

[Greg Rentschler]

JR,

The floor pads average $6 apeice.... plus $20 a day to rent a burnisher (unless you buy one). Were paying a $1.30 each for the 3M 9" grinder pads. You'll actually have more cost into the materials needed but if you look at it as "time is money" your way ahead. We detail out almost every deck we do (to some degree)and just figure that into the estimate.