RAS on Small Concrete Floor

Scott B.

Scott B.

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Today we banged out the stripping of a small poolhouse concrete floor with a failed epoxy coating. Floor is only about 100 sf, so we ran RAS and Rotex low grit.

I get asked from time to time about the competence of these tools on concrete.

The epoxy finish that we applied is H&C Shield Crete from Sherwin Williams, and acrylic epoxy with flecks and traction grit added. Same finish as we have on our shop floor.

Here are some highlights...



 
Too bad that whole setup is not available in Canada. I wanted the RAS for shaping but ended up getting an RO150, is not the same.
 
Scott,
That was absolutely amazing.
I have done a couple of larger floors with terrazzo machines and just about had to bundle our heads to keep out the dust. We had a fan blowing some of the dust out thru a window but that did not handle more than a tiny percentage of the dust. (I believe I wrote of one experience here on the FOG a couple of years ago.) There was not a spot in the house that was not covered in dust. Closets and between bed sheets were not excluded. I had taped all doors between the space we were working in and the rest of the house but had neglected the air ducts (hot air heat was being installed.)   That RAS you were using was fast and clean.  Epoxy was being eaten up. Did you have to empty the vac before you were done?
Tinker
 
Tinker said:
Scott,
That was absolutely amazing.
I have done a couple of larger floors with terrazzo machines and just about had to bundle our heads to keep out the dust. We had a fan blowing some of the dust out thru a window but that did not handle more than a tiny percentage of the dust. (I believe I wrote of one experience here on the FOG a couple of years ago.) There was not a spot in the house that was not covered in dust. Closets and between bed sheets were not excluded. I had taped all doors between the space we were working in and the rest of the house but had neglected the air ducts (hot air heat was being installed.)   That RAS you were using was fast and clean.  Epoxy was being eaten up. Did you have to empty the vac before you were done?
Tinker
Click to expand...

Its kind of odd, Tinker. I expected from past experiences sanding concrete for it to be a hellish experience. And, I have never been all that impressed with the RAS extraction compared to the rest of the sanders. Until today.

Nope, the MIDI never even filled up. Will have to do it again sometime just to make sure it wasn't an anomaly.

[scared]
 
Tim Raleigh said:
Yes, nice demo.
Killer machine.
I love mine.
Tim
Click to expand...

We don't use it all the often (as painters) compared to the other sanders, but man when we do take it out it knocks our socks off every time. Its usually in some extreme rapid removal scene.

This was one of those times.
 
I'd like to point out that the RAS is GREAT for knocking down old finishes on pretty much anything, but just useless, regardless of grit, for smoothing concrete where someone has splashed hydraulic cement.  For that I had to revert to a medium grit diamond surfacing wheel on my DeWalt 4-1/2" grinder (with a dust hood connected to my CT Mini). 

 
Scott,
Were you grinding into the concrete with that operation?  Or just sanding off the epoxy finish?
I have never done any grinding of epoxy, but, as mentioned, have grinded concrete.

With several threads on FOG, others have asked about grinding concrete with Festool sanders and I have always recommended against doing.  If you were grinding into the concrete beneath the epoxy, and no more dust cloud than we see in the vid, perhaps I should keep quiet next time the subject comes up. 

Incidently, the finished job came out great. 
Tinker
 
Tinker said:
Scott,
Were you grinding into the concrete with that operation?  Or just sanding off the epoxy finish?
I have never done any grinding of epoxy, but, as mentioned, have grinded concrete.

With several threads on FOG, others have asked about grinding concrete with Festool sanders and I have always recommended against doing.  If you were grinding into the concrete beneath the epoxy, and no more dust cloud than we see in the vid, perhaps I should keep quiet next time the subject comes up. 

Incidently, the finished job came out great. 
Tinker
Click to expand...

Tinker,

Yes, in the process of removing the failed finish, we were on the exposed concrete for quite a bit of clean up and smooth off (shown in the vid). There was a chalky residue between the failed epoxy and the raw concrete which required scuffing out.

Very little dust.

Yes, epoxy finishes on concrete always come out very nice.

Thanks
 
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