What did you do today?

[highup]

Where did everyone go?

I got myself into an odd duck that wore my sorry arse out. A guy has a garage that he's revamping. It's 40 by 50. He removed a bunch of interior walls and a loft so now it's one large space. One crack went wall to wall through the center, then six more going from the center crack out to the opposing outside walls. That plus dozens of chips and craters from drilled holes and nails that held the interior walls. There was also a deep spauld area probably from a battery. I hit it hard with baking soda and no bubbles at all. I brought in the hose and used my shop vac to suck out the baking soda mess, the hit it with a stiff wire brush in my drill to clean out the loose aggregate.
Finished on day 4, but I told him it would take me two. Last thing I did was vacuum the entire floor. Let's see..... walking backwards with the vac wand.... 40 passes, 50 feet long.... that's .....plain nuts

 

[highup]

I used UZIN 170 self leveler for the cracks. He didn't want a wide swath of filler, so I made a custom brass nozzle for a plastic bottle to slowly pour in the self leveler, filling the cracks until they were full.
That's where I missed my time estimation. The cracks filled up, then 30 seconds later they needed another fill, then another and another.....
This Large garage isn't for daily use as a garage. He's storing a 30 foot travel trailer, metal shelving and it will be a bit of a man cave. The guy didn't want to go for the expense of a properly applied epoxy coating, so the paint store told him a solid body concrete stain would be his best shot at some sort of finish. It's a not so perfect slab made better and at least it will have a more even color. He's aiming at a medium to dark brownish gray.
Anyway, he's happy with what I did........ and I'm beat up from such a tediously slow process. I've probably walked 5 miles in that sucker.

 

[highup]

Finished my circle cutter last night for repairing vinyl floors.
Lots of trials and errors. The circles were either not perfectly round, or not exactly the same diameter. With every correction I made, it got better, but still not as exact as I needed.

 

[highup]

I made a brass lever to stop the lower edge of the blade from moving around. I decided to solder in some pins so I could adjust the diameter of the cut. Adjust the cutter position, then slide the lever to engage the pin to lock it into place.
This helped by stabilizing the lower part of the blade holder, but then I discovered the the top guides, the ones that slide to and fro were a lot more sloppy/wiggly than I thought.
I took the black plastic part off, drilled out the holes to accept brass tubing. The tubing made super close bushings that now slide over the two steel rails with zero slip. I used JB Weld to hold the brass bushings in place.

 

[highup]

Here's what holds the blade in place. I bought some large fender washers and epoxied them together for stiffness. I cut them into a half moon shape and tapped in a brass screw so this swing arm piece could be easily moved up and out of the way to adjust or replace the blade. Works really well.
To keep the base of this contraption from moving as I rotate the cast iron cutter, I put dabs of silicone grout caulk on the base. I added a bead around the perimeter also. To get the silicone smooth and flat, I set this base on a smooth granite sample covered with a sheet of heavy black plastic until it cured.
The silicone grabs onto the floor surface really well. If it moves at all, my circle cuts will not be round. It works great.

 

[highup]

Here's a test repair done with paper backed sheet vinyl. It's the floor my neighbor has..... The reason I made this cutter in the first place. She has a half dozen dings and gouges in her floor. The floor is in a modular home and it's loose layed. I'll glue in the plugs.
I wish Armstrong still made their topical sealer. Be perfect for this type of thing.

I used Dap adhesive caulk to do this test repair. Is there a better adhesive, maybe clear or white epoxy? A slow setting super glue?

 

[Jon]

Where did everyone go?

I am here
Had to lay vinyl planks in a bathroom and toilet today 40ks away
Not worth it

 

[highup]

Doesn't sound fun nor profitable.

 

[Floorist]

Doesn't sound fun nor profitable.

Everyone does some of those.

 

[highup]

I see too many of those kind of jobs.

 

[Floorist]

I see too many of those kind of jobs.

At least your customers feed you.

 

[highup]

At least your customers feed you.

They haven't been doing that so much. Last ones were pizza then sandwiches back in late May. Different customers.

 

[Floorist]

Out replacing some bad boards on my deck. One in the gate was split

 

[Jon]

Doesn't sound fun nor profitable.

Had another yesterday
Drove 30ks about 7 sq m smoothing compound which was 2 coats then lay 5 lin m vinyl with 4 m heat weld and got home about 3 pm
The kicker was when I went to work this morning they allowed 2 days
I love doing jobs which cost me money
Also one cant find a lino layer these days
The other layer the retailer uses is on holiday
How do retailers make money to pay their overheads when they cant organize
Glad I am old not needing the money

 

[highup]

I hate laying lino, but love cutting holes on it, then replacing the holes with new ones.

 

[highup]

Look on the bright side Jon. This keeps you out of trouble
.....as long as the took you torch away.

 

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They haven't been doing that so much. Last ones were pizza then sandwiches back in late May. Different customers.

Cookies and cash today. Worked for my neighbor cutting out 4 rips and dings in her vinyl.

 

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Here was my find of the week a few weeks ago at the Habitat store. I wish they still made a topical sealer like this. I could use it right now.
I might resort to one on the mannington 2 part sealers to coat the 4 small circle or plugs that I did today.

 

[Jon]

I hate laying lino, but love cutting holes on it, then replacing the holes with new ones.

You arent meant to fix holes in vinyl
Sell them new vinyl then you can get rich

 

[highup]

I hate today's vinyl crap. I'd advise her to carpet the kitchen instead.