Help! The lines continue!

MHasterok said:
I've tried to blend in the lines afterward with a wand and a 15 tip, and that doesn't even work. It's like the passes seal the line into the concrete. My customers are happy with the huge difference it shows every two weeks, but I want it to come out better without the wide lines.
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I am surprised that you have to use so much of a strong chem, if is being done every 2 weeks, at least in front walks you posted.
 
Instead of going up and down with the suface cleaner have you tried going side to side with it? You may have early stages of a swival going bad on you also. Just a few thoughts is all.
 
ok guys, I will now step in and tell you my latest experience on this topic. Rarely do I get stripes from my big guy when doing concrete work. Last week I had to do a driveway for one of our local mansions here, and I mean alot of concrete. I blow the leaves off first and then I spray my chemical. After some dwell time I surface clean. Halfway through the job I noticed the patches that didn't look as clean as the side passes. After investigating, I found out that my tips wore down and my swivel was starting to leak which affected my water pressure hitting the concrete. So for me, these were my problems. Once fixed and replaced no stripes and clean as new, by the way I make it a habit of mine to spray a thin layer of chlorine over my finished work to give it the extra clean look. I hope this helps! Hugh
 
You might try a different degreaser. I use caustic soda beads several others do also. There are some that don't like to use it. Whether you use it or not there is no disputing that it works well on grease.

I don't know how much chlorine is in your area. It's $1.50 per gallon here so applying it after is not very expensive.

Good Luck, I hope you get it figured.
 
Mark 8262 said:
You might try a different degreaser. I use caustic soda beads several others do also. There are some that don't like to use it. Whether you use it or not there is no disputing that it works well on grease.

I don't know how much chlorine is in your area. It's $1.50 per gallon here so applying it after is not very expensive.

Good Luck, I hope you get it figured.
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How do you use the caustic? What proportion and how do you spray it, do you neutralize it or just rinse it? I always wanted to try caustic but never had the time to premix it, wait to cool down and etc.. I have a bag of caustic sitting for long time now.. Does caustic go bad with the time?

In regards to the original post: I also would play with different tips (15).
Another thing is what it was sugested above: check your spray bar and nozzles. If they leak or not turned parallel with the spray bar, there could be a big chance that to be the reason for the lines. Not that I have 1 mln years of experience :)), but it happened to me once :)..
 
Check your lines on you nozzles and make sure they are lined up properly. They have to have they split parallel with the spray bar. Then check the angle they are pointing to the ground. This will affect the speed the spray arms spin. If you nozzles aren't lined up properly or are spinning to fast you will have this problem.
 
FoxSweeping said:
How do you use the caustic? What proportion and how do you spray it, do you neutralize it or just rinse it? I always wanted to try caustic but never had the time to premix it, wait to cool down and etc.. I have a bag of caustic sitting for long time now.. Does caustic go bad with the time?

In regards to the original post: I also would play with different tips (15).
Another thing is what it was sugested above: check your spray bar and nozzles. If they leak or not turned parallel with the spray bar, there could be a big chance that to be the reason for the lines. Not that I have 1 mln years of experience :)), but it happened to me once :)..
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I don't really measure the caustic mixture (but I should) but I mix it very strong and down stream it and rinse really really well after. I don't think it goes bad but it will get "rock hard" if it's not sealed in an air tight container. Be very careful when using caustic.

Good Luck
 
Show us the after pics Chris, show these guys what a pro can do.

Talk to you later, time to go up on that building roof and finish it.
 
Squirtgun said:
Your diluting down your chem way to much IMO.It already has water in it coming from Landa and you are watering it down a lot more.Flip your mix ratio and see if that doesn't make an improvement.
If you are trying to cut costs why are you buying premixed degreaser from a Landa dealer(they are chraging you retail).A guy like Russ Johnson can sell you high quality chems at a lower price and he's only a phone call away if you need advice on application or mix ratio.
I cut degreaser cost a long time ago when I started using caustic.If used properly it's one of the lowest cost,quickest degreaser available.

1 more thing....stop farting around with your thermostat.Set it around 185 - 190 and leave the darn thing alone.
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Thanks Scott, I'll contact Russ.
 
810f250 said:
I am surprised that you have to use so much of a strong chem, if is being done every 2 weeks, at least in front walks you posted.
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Like Squirtgun said, mine are the same. I get all the grease up, and it's just as bad two weeks later. At least this way, they know they really need me.
 
I think my swivel is going bad. It has about 1/8-1/4" wiggle room if you wiggle the arms. I'll check the angles and the tips. I'm not in the big times YET, so I don't have the money to replace it at this point.

Mark, do you just go to a pool supplier for your chlorine? Are you diluting it at all? Do you rinse it off, or just leave it? Thanks.

Thanks guys for all the replies!

The pics below is all the same drive thru. Pics aren't the greatest, taken with my phone.
 

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call Steel eagle and ask them about the new Talon 3 swivel I have gotten them for as low as 200 overnighted to me so they are definatly cost effective
 
Chris Tharpe said:
call Steel eagle and ask them about the new Talon 3 swivel I have gotten them for as low as 200 overnighted to me so they are definatly cost effective
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I'll do that, thanks.
 
Chris Tharpe said:
Thats how most of mine look as well in 15 days. This is 2 different stores but the same effect
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Thats messy.

I have only a few drive thrus, the ones I do the employees are required to wash down daily with chems, sometimes scrub, they might miss a day, I come in and wash every 90. I usually run the SC fast 6 to 10 ft before the drive thru concrete starts,

MHasterok said:
I think my swivel is going bad. It has about 1/8-1/4" wiggle room if you wiggle the arms. I'll check the angles and the tips. I'm not in the big times YET, so I don't have the money to replace it at this point.

Mark, do you just go to a pool supplier for your chlorine? Are you diluting it at all? Do you rinse it off, or just leave it? Thanks.

Thanks guys for all the replies!

The pics below is all the same drive thru. Pics aren't the greatest, taken with my phone.
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I see the lines , they are no that obvious, for that drive thru I would run 15 deg nozzles
 
I run 15's on the big guy on my drive-trus too but i use my 20" so i can run with it.
 
MHasterok said:
I think my swivel is going bad. It has about 1/8-1/4" wiggle room if you wiggle the arms. I'll check the angles and the tips. I'm not in the big times YET, so I don't have the money to replace it at this point.

Mark, do you just go to a pool supplier for your chlorine? Are you diluting it at all? Do you rinse it off, or just leave it? Thanks.

Thanks guys for all the replies!

The pics below is all the same drive thru. Pics aren't the greatest, taken with my phone.
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I get my chlorine from a place called Water & Waste Specialties. That is where I get my caustic also. If you go to a pool supply place you are probably going to pay retail maybe $4-$5 a gallon. If you have some friendly competitors they may tell you. Also if you have a Univar nearby, you can get it from them. I think it's a little less that $2 per gallon from them in the 55 gallon drum and they will charge you a one time $40 drum fee.

I buy mine in 15 gallon drums because they are easier to handle and I this way I can mix my soap right in the drum. I usually by 3 drums at a time.

Apply after you rinse and pack up and go home

Hope this helps
 
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