Wilmac bandsaw restoration.

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks David for taking the trouble to post details of the U-Pol etching primer; much appreciated. I already have some etching primer in stock together with correct thinners for use in my spray gun; perhaps next time we visit Rufforth I might buy one of the U-Pol spray cans just to have it handy for instant use? More below about the soda blaster collection.

Thanks Gary; I'm still undecided regarding the double glazing replacements; I could as you say make my own oak frames but this would still be very expensive because the price of oak includes oxygen as the cash is handed over?

I've just returned after collecting the soda blaster. I knew pretty well where the supplier was located but as I neared I set the SatNav and eventually stopped outside a very old run down building which appeared absolutely deserted with no lights on and no identification at all. I dislike visiting these kinds of places; old building converted into units with no street identification and no unit details to be seen; I got out of the car and as usual my personal black cloud was in full attendance and it had brought along its relation "high wind". So I wandered around a bit but sure enough absolutely no sign that I was even in the right place; I crossed the road back to the car then noticed a single guy going into one of the units; yes this was the guy I wanted to meet.

The bandsaw cover was inspected and hard medium would be required to remove the poured on paint so I came away with a blaster/50kg hard blasting medium and also I bought an air/water separator which is important.

A demonstration could not be offered as the place was closed down but I did ask for an estimation of the time it would take me to remove the paint from this cover; this blasting process is quite slow because considering the paint thickness it could take up to 45 minutes unaided by my 2hp compressor.

I was kindly shown an aluminium car bonnet with louvers nicely blasted using the hard medium leaving a perfectly etched surface to accept paint.

Back home I can't even get the blaster out of the bx; the high wind was trying to remove the garage doors so in disgust at this dire weather I've dumped everything in the garage and put the car away; perhaps I'll end up blasting the bandsaw and doing the new double glazing at the same time but it could be next June before conditions improve. Once I get angry enough I'll pull the car out and get stuck in but I confess I'm not looking forward to blasting in the confines of a closed garage. At least I've now got the kit to do the job and I know someone who wants to trade down to a smaller compressor so things might work out well with a bit of patience.

Boy it was rough over the top Big Al; I bet you are pleased to be away from the area?

Kind regards, Col.

[AlanBeckett]

It's certainly getting a bit windy down here young Col, but I bet it's a lot worse in Queensbury.

Alan

[Keithstv]

No idea what it's like in Queensbury as I'm at work at the moment. I'll find out in a couple of hours time though.

Keith

[Retired]

Hi,

The Dog & Gun pub still survives Big Al because I noticed it as I passed with two cars in the car park; I bet winter snow is a real joy in the area and even a 4WD will be useless on those hills; the Aygo only just managed second gear on the climb out of Oxenhope.

If you have similar luck to me Keith may I suggest you buy a kite on the way home then you will arrive to dead calm?

Bron and I have just returned from Batley and what atrocious weather; the wind is trying it's best to blow down the remaining trees lubricated with lashing rain. I was going to dump the car on the drive but perhaps it might become damaged by flying debris; just what I want is a soaking wet car in the garage with two bags of blasting media sitting on the bench; I don't know how this hard blasting media reacts with damp but soda would have been much worse?

Total cost excluding fuel this morning was £230; the blaster is supplied in a large cardboard box which is not too heavy and assembly consists of attaching the legs; I'm told everything needed is within the box but at the moment I'm unable to get to the box by the weather.

I believe I'm mistaken when I said the supplier is the manufacturer of this soda blasting kit? Given what I saw of the premises it's highly likely the basic blaster is bought in then simply adapted using their feed units and nozzles? I could of course be totally wrong but it's the impression I got whilst on site.

For those already with a sand blaster a conversion kit is available for soda blasting costing £79.95.

I wasn't on site long because the guy had opened up specially knowing I would be arriving around 11am as arranged; he was most helpful and pleasant and no doubt I'll be visiting again for consumables.

I did learn that blasting softwood with soda might not work due to the softness of the grain whereas hardwood (excluding Balsa) will withstand the impact from the soda; drat it; just my luck because I had high hopes of blasting our softwood window frames next year; I was told to load up with soda and try a small area because given the age of the frames they might not suffer from the blasting? Pity force fields are not yet available as a retail item or I could buy one to go right over the bungalow and gardens like an inverted fish bowl? This climate really does get me down; a brand new toy and I can't even get it out of its box? It's enough to drive me to drink?

Hopefully I'l manage to open the box tomorrow and if successful I'll post pictures of what I've bought today. The air/water separator is something I've wanted for many years but never got around to buying but it is important to have one installed for using these blasters and at £20 it's not too expensive; just another thing to install before I can start blasting. I decided to buy the smaller blasting unit because it would receive infrequent use and do the job of the larger blaster but it would be more mobile and take of less storage space but I was sorely tempted to buy the double sized unit; I've already spent a lot of time trying to remove this bandsaw paint ending up hot and tired so it will be interesting to see how this blaster compares; I'm keen to try it out.

For anyone wanting to set up a one man business; buying an old heavy duty mobile compressor and an heavier duty soda blaster could be a good money earner visiting places where mobile blasting is needed? How many of us would have been pleased to have something blasted clean ready for paint; Gary mentioned he would willingly pay a tenner just to have a radio chassis blasted which could be done in minutes? Car wheels are another good earner; going to the extreme when David and I visit Golborne we always admire the powder coated wheels and rocker covers etc on display; this stall accepts such such jobs and at my last visit to Rufforth I saw two guys carrying out a newly powder coated motorcycle frame which looked brand new; many like me just suffer trying to remove old paint but can easily apply the new paint?

I had never heard of soda blasting until Gary posted about it and at the time I stated I would look into it so now I've looked into it and now own my new soda blaster; I don't mind spending money on kit I think will earn its keep?

Kind regards, Col.

[Radio Fixer]

Maybe blasting the softwood window frames isn't a good idea anyway Colin? How would you stop dust flying over next door? And then you would have mask the surrounding brick work and how do you do that 'cos most masking material would get torn to shreds by the blaster. Then of course the damage to the wood.

To me it would be plastic frames, you can get reasonably convincing oak wood grain affect ones now days. I have even seen some where the finish was not a wrap but was coloured right through. Fit yourself of course.
But failing that then you would have a lot of fun making from wood, lots of routing etc. Wonder if there is any reclaimed oak around, say from churches. But then you have to cut it to size and I think that oak gets harder and harder as it ages.

Having an early cuppa ... Wind is howling.

Gary

[Retired]

Hi,

Many thanks Gary. I can understand your concern regarding blasting items like window frames but had our frames been hardwood blasting with soda would have been easy enough. Soda cleans glass and does not etch glass in any way so even if the old glazed units were to be retained they would not sustain any damage from the blasting however our units are leaded so the leading would end up looking brand new. Glass ovenware can be brought to back as new by soda blasting and once I become familiar with the process no doubt I'll find other applications for it. Initially though I've only bought the hard blasting medium and this would destroy even hardwood and render glass useless unless of course etching was intended. I've not yet tried this equipment out Gary but what I've seen in the videos I think it is quite controllable so if concerned about about surrounding brickwork then a simple mask of hardboard should work? I don't have the answers yet?

I would indeed enjoy making oak window frames Gary; I have the equipment and a big dust extractor so could do the work with the garage doors closed but by the time I've done all the research; drawings; estimates; obtaining the oak; taking delivery of oak together with all the susequent machining I would by prevented from doing other projects which I'm interested in such as doing some woodturning. Each time I start an interesting project I'm interrupted; look at what happened when I only stated whatever happens I'm going to turn a new main-shaft for this bandsaw; yes I spent a morning successfully making the shaft then spent the next nine days in hard graft clearing the storm damaged conifer. This morning I want to get into the garage but can I do so in comfort? It's 7:55 and still dark; I've just returned from Morrison's being buffeted around by gusty wind which is forecast to become even worse.

I want to enjoy my projects not feel them to be some kind of punishment; I've seen days when simply taking a mug of tea from the kitchen into the garage to be one almighty challenge; I've had to put my hand over the mug in order to either prevent the wind emptying the mug or to have it overflowing with rainwater? This might sound funny but I live with this; I also hate seeing millions of stars because my glasses get wet and all before setting foot in the garage. I have expensive paint spraying kit which for most of the year is a waste of time owning. If I open the garage doors the wind tries its best to remove the doors; I've done woodturning using the Record DML lathe just inside the garage with a heavy waterfall cascading down the outside of the garage doors; when I painted the Graduate I had to place wooden battens at the base of the garage doors to prevent the wind kicking up dust and of course to stop the icy blast. I had to brush paint the Graduate when in fact it was screaming out for a top class spray job which I could have done given a better working environment.

I've just installed decent lighting into the garage because I was fed up of working in a constant black hole. Do I wait until summer arrives to make oak window frames? some years I blink and miss summer completely. When I do exterior painting I can guarantee that immediately after the last brush load of gloss is applied either a gust of wind drops debris all over the paint or there is a cloudburst; no I'm not kidding because its happened so many times. Many years ago I watched the weather forecaster Bob Rust state that the day was going to be beautiful without wind or rain. Great I set everything up and undercoated the big wooden up and over garage door in the morning; the paint went on superbly. After dinner it being such a beautiful day the undercoat had dried so I enjoyed applying the top coat; immediately the last brush load was applied there was one almighty cloudburst with lots of thunder and lightning; no warning at all it just happened; the result was one messed up paint job and ever since that day I've not trusted weather forecasts.

Daylight is finally breaking so I might find my way into the garage today. This isn't intended as a moan but to demonstrate what I'm up against when I try to do decent work; I've done lots of French polishing on the kitchen work surface because the workshop windows have been covered in ice on the inside. All I've ever wanted was a warm well lit workshop with reasonable working space; materials to hand and to be able to go into the workshop without being blown around or getting a soaking; then of course there are always the nuisance callers who appear at the most inconvenient time such as when full concentration is needed whilst taking a final cut on the engineering lathe.

I could go on and on about the problems and yes it would be moaning but how many looking at my previous restorations really know how difficult these have been to complete.

We've considered moving but then we start all over again and few people move from a perfect home?

I want to do a very simple job today; I have brand new equipment to do the job with; I have the determination to see the job done; I have the skills required; I have the time so am not placed under any pressure. I need to do the job outside because the job is blasting paint from this bandsaw; simple enough job considering everything is in place and I'm keen to get on with it so what is the problem? Dire weather; I can't even open the garage doors without the wind trying to remove them.

Perhaps Gary; stainless steel window frames might be better for us?

If colouring is right through Gary on the coloured plastic window frames then this would be superior to simple coating but what would such frames look like in say ten years after the ravages of extreme weather here on the valley? When the sun does come out it can be extremely fierce and it has no problem bleaching the colour from plastic guttering and rainwater sections; gloss paint fades and I paint about every four years. Our friends visited us a couple of days ago and new window frames were discussed; these friends had an expensive large conservatory installed about five years ago and I was advised never to go for white plastic because it loses its newness and starts to look shabby? Most things look excellent when new but expose them to to the climate for a few years. Neighbours directly across from us had new double glazed patio doors installed and the seals failed within two years; their next door neighbour had a new hardwood kitchen window installed with double glazed units; these failed in three years; we are so exposed here on the valley; work carried out to the exterior of the fronts of our homes is severely tested.

Oak does indeed get harder Gary as it ages; I've always said if you hit a piece of 100 year old oak with an hammer it would ring?

Shortly after marrying and being broke Bron and I looked at ways of improving our lot and one thing we decided to try was making a new kitchen from reclaimed timber. At the time many local mills were being demolished and we owned a Citroen 2CV so transport wasn't a problem. We bought a load of thick hardwood flooring from one of the mills and at home removed all the nails. As I say we were broke and I only had hand tools. I had a woodworking vice attached to a rickety old kitchen table this being located in the spare upstairs bedroom. I had a good quality Stanley hand plane so went at this hardwood with a passion only to find the plane skidded over the surface producing dust but no shavings. This hardwood was "Rock Maple" which was then given to a neighbour as firewood and this neighbour had a hard time whilst trying to cut it with his hand saw. We saved up and bought ready planed softwood for frames and 8' foot lengths of white Contiplas for the doors; beautiful Formica was the work-surface over chipboard and once made and installed I was most proud of my efforts but what a struggle due to lack of money; now I struggle due to climate.

I've rambled on enough and its the season of goodwill to me; the weather won't beat me but it will slow me down; time to put my best clothes on and unpack the soda blaster; I'll post pictures and details later today; WOW its daylight?

Kind regards, Col.

[pwdrive]

Blimey Col...I'm really depressed now and I haven't got a violin.

Lawrence.

[Radio Fixer]

Yeah! I second that Lawrence but I think secretly Colin enjoys being up against it ... And look what all this adversity has done for his typing, he must be using more than two fingers for such long posts ... there is always something +ve if you look for it

Not sure about UPVC aging, certainly it wont stay snow white but if it ages gradually to roughly the same shade who's to notice. We had our barge boards and soffits clad some 25 years ago and they still look OK to me. And believe me we get more sun than just about anywhere: had our share of rain this year as well but they say our local res' isn't full up ! Odd that, they must be piping it somewhere else: cant be Yorkshire.

Got to make the plastic window fame decision in 2014, well its already decided we are going to have them. Of an age now where I must plan for the future even though I'm in great shape at the mo! The trend is downhill ... But what to have: white or a wood look alike? Whatever, they must do 20 years and that will be enough. I have good leads from others around here and the homework will be intensive.

Getting ready for the new kitchen isn't proving as easy as I hoped. Mainly as we took the decision to retain the tiles which are very plain and will go with the new units. And I have 70 spares ! The room was fully tiled, painstakingly by me and the alternative was everything off and re-plaster. If I hadn't had so many spares that's the way I would have gone. But taking off to move power points (me getting ahead of 'sparks') is a pain. Don't know what the grout was but its like cement and has to be cut through with the multi-tool else it clings to the next tile and breaks that as well. And getting the old cement off the wall, that's like moving decayed chewing gum. But Hey! life wasn't meant to be easy

Pull up to a log fire (wish I had one sometimes), get a glass of ale (or a cup of tea for you Colin) and a mince pie and have a break for a day or two (well maybe, I cant sit still for long ). All be history in a few weeks and spring and summer is on its way

Gary

[pwdrive]

Plastic windows, doors etc for us too Gary earlier this year, like you we have had some horrendous rain, not a drop through the new windows and doors etc, even if the outer seals get the odd leak in years to come, then no problem as the casements and frames are self draining, yes that old cement can be a sod to remove, good luck with the house refurb, plastic windows is the way to go for sure if you get some decent ones.

Lawrence.

[Joe]

Blimey Col...I'm really depressed now and I haven't got a violin.

Lawrence.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DeHNaa2sNPE

- Joe