six-point socket's tidbits of Home Improvement, small projects and other stuff.

[Jiggy Joiner]

I guess that Honda powered 11hp beast came with hot water

No actually Oliver, it was just cold water but, the power compensated for it.
Many years ago, one of my uncles had a maintenance contract at a flour mill, he was responsible for keeping the fleet of trucks on the road.

He had a huge Karcher machine, that was hot water, almost like a steam cleaner. It had amazing cleaning power, and would make short work of getting the filthy trucks looking like new.
Great for cleaning engines too. I think Karcher was more premium back then, to what it is now?

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi!

The new LotusGrill BBQ got delivered today, finally. The Kärcher got delayed to May 22nd. ...  Normally a 4mm hex-key and a SW 13 open end wrench/ adjustable wrench would be all you need to put the LotusGrill BBQ together, but that would be too easy, right?

Everything went perfect until I installed the cover. One nut's threading was completely off, I realized this as the necessary torque increased constantly, well beyond what would be normally necessary. I inspected it and used my Snap-On re-threading set to repair it. Both the nut's and screw's thread.

Last but not least a "Covid-19-Selfie" in front of the DIY store to get some coal and lighting gel for the Lotus.

Kind regards & stay well & safe everyone!
Oliver

 

[FestitaMakool]

Ah, too bad starting with re-threading nuts.. but it came together nicely I see.
Cool popping colors. And the grill looks very interesting! Suppose we’ll hear about performance later on  [wink]
I also noticed we are at least two people supporting Bauhaus today  [big grin] - at some distance though!

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

That’s a snazzy bbq Oliver, I really like it  [thumbs up]

 

[nclemmons]

I bet that table was covered with memories!

 

[grobkuschelig]

Nice new BBQ Oliver!

...I guess it would just be too boring if it came together without any work involved.

I wanted to go to the local Bauhaus some days ago, but I decided to not get out of the car when I realized that the parking lot was full and a long queue was in front of the entrance. Crazy times...

Stay safe.

 

[Michael Kellough]

Nice new BBQ Oliver!

...I guess it would just be too boring if it came together without any work involved.

I wanted to go to the local Bauhaus some days ago, but I decided to not get out of the car when I realized that the parking lot was full and a long queue was in front of the entrance. Crazy times...

Stay safe.

Nowadays, the best time to go to places like that is when it’s raining.

 

[RKA]

Everyone should own one of those rethreading kits, it will really save your bacon!  The hardware supplied with just about anything we buy these days is either crummy or coated with enough paint to cause problems and that kit makes quick work of it!  And for those in the US, that kit is made by Kastar for several brands including craftsman (available through sears) for about $40-50.  Last time I used it was to save the threads on a concrete anchor my neighbor somehow buggered up.  I've used it on furniture, lawn and garden, on the car, I've lost count. 

I'm curious about that grill...looking forward to updates once you fire it up!!

 

[six-point socket II]

Ah, too bad starting with re-threading nuts.. but it came together nicely I see.
Cool popping colors. And the grill looks very interesting! Suppose we’ll hear about performance later on  [wink]
I also noticed we are at least two people supporting Bauhaus today  [big grin] - at some distance though!

Yeah, it's always a little "meh" when having to do this on a brand new product. But it can happen and I wasn't going to pack it back up with the glass top and a 60 cm overall diameter. Plus it's totally invisible, already forgot about it.

That’s a snazzy bbq Oliver, I really like it  [thumbs up]

Thanks!

I bet that table was covered with memories!

Yes Neil, that table has seen many parties, overheard great conversations and a lot of funny jokes ... Many meals were shared and glasses raised. Hopefully many more memories to come.

Nice new BBQ Oliver!

...I guess it would just be too boring if it came together without any work involved.

I wanted to go to the local Bauhaus some days ago, but I decided to not get out of the car when I realized that the parking lot was full and a long queue was in front of the entrance. Crazy times...

Stay safe.

Thanks! Yeah, told that to myself, too. And yeah, absolutely wouldn't have queued up if it had been necessary. Not sure about the size of your local Bauhaus, ours is huge compared to any of the other DIY store here, including a Drive-In. So I guess they have a pretty high limit for present customers. Yet, several signs asked to spent as little time as possible inside.

What I actually like about the current situation, it's kinda like Christmas time: Everyone is bat shit friendly, respectful, says please & thank you, you're not getting bumped into frequently ... I love shopping like that. ...

Nice new BBQ Oliver!

...I guess it would just be too boring if it came together without any work involved.

I wanted to go to the local Bauhaus some days ago, but I decided to not get out of the car when I realized that the parking lot was full and a long queue was in front of the entrance. Crazy times...

Stay safe.

Nowadays, the best time to go to places like that is when it’s raining.

Agreed!

Everyone should own one of those rethreading kits, it will really save your bacon!  The hardware supplied with just about anything we buy these days is either crummy or coated with enough paint to cause problems and that kit makes quick work of it!  And for those in the US, that kit is made by Kastar for several brands including craftsman (available through sears) for about $40-50.  Last time I used it was to save the threads on a concrete anchor my neighbor somehow buggered up.  I've used it on furniture, lawn and garden, on the car, I've lost count. 

I'm curious about that grill...looking forward to updates once you fire it up!!

Really, $40-50 USD? Then I'm going to forget what I paid for the Snap-on re-brand, instantly.  [big grin] But I agree, it's a super practical kit, very useful, highly reliable/great quality!

Fired it up tonight.

So here we go:

It kept it's promises. Fired up, ready to use in about 5 minutes. Within this five minutes, temperature rose to more than 300°C with closed lid. First time firing it up, it smoked for about 45 to 60 seconds, while some production residue burned off the two coal bins. Then it burned smoke free. No flames as no oil/marinade dripping into coal. I fired it up at 16:06, after having finished Dinner at about 17:45, I closed the lid once more, turned the ventilators back on, and easily reached 210°C in a matter of minutes.

So I'm very, very happy with it. It's exactly what I have been looking for to compliment our stone BBQ with the copper chimney.

We had Scampi, a Steak, marinated Pork Chops, and some sausages. New/young potatoes (prepared in a pan after cooking them), our Red-Sauce and Onion-Bread. The wine is an incredible red wine Cuvée from South Africa, very fruity - yet a very distinctive taste, because it spent 6 months in french oak barrels ... I love barrel-aging/maturation.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[FestitaMakool]

“The perfect customer..” mending the claims by himself! - I usually do the same Oliver, it beats all the hassle of return and claim. And you’re ready to go once fixed!

You seem to have my favourites on the barbecue too, always an excuse to have a sausage “to go” for the chef! Bratwürste? Steak, marinated pork.. mmm. Fruity red, ahh.
Must try scampi more.. inspiring! - Especially as I had no dinner today - busy with the opportunity to test drive Mini Cooper Works . So I’ll eat tomorrow [big grin]

I’m gonna check the Lotus later, seems simple and great performance.

Regards, Stig

 

[six-point socket II]

Let's have a pool party ...  [scared]  [eek] [big grin]  [wink]

It's exactly what I/we had hoped for.

Small, lightweight, relatively quiet, pump runs when trigger is pressed only - if trigger is not pressed it's shut off/ no noise. Plenty of power to clean the pavers throughout the backyard, both with the dirt blaster as well as with the surface cleaning attachment. The telescopic attachment works great on the patio's roof. I'm/we are very happy. If it holds up the next +- 5 years, we won't have any complaints. Perfect, I love it already. And (supposedly) made in Germany. I have a feeling that's closer to being "assembled in German" than made, but who cares. We're happy.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[six-point socket II]

Let's talk Festool Surfix, shall we?  [big grin]

As I said in one of my previous postings, the Festool Surfix One-Step Oil we bought for the staircase, but turned out not to meet our expectations color wise, was saved for the Guest-Bathroom door. Today I sanded the door and two door frames - and applied the Festool Surfix One-Step Oil.

Door prior to sanding and applying oil.

First there is sanding, I didn't take a lot of pictures of that - we've had that before and it's enough I think.

But an interesting issue came up. As I did before, I used the Festool Granat sanding sponge(s). With the door being more frequently exposed to water/ wet hands, I saw the same build-up of sanding dust on the sponges, I saw when sanding weathered parts of the patio's roof substructure and the more often touched parts of the staircase. It's best described as a flour like consistency. This stuff sucks, because it's really time consuming to get it from the sanding sponge, as it "cakes" really well.

Otherwise, no surprises.

Now, Festool Surfix. I posted detailed pictures of the system previously, so it's right down to business.

Now it is really a breeze to work with. The oil is applied easily, directly consumed by the wood and sponge, when moving the sponge over the surface it feels a little bit sticky, but slides easily enough. I really enjoyed this, clean hands, no mess.

It's also perfect for overhead/vertical work/application on the door frames.

Finished door.

A little scare:  [scared]  [scared] I was a little worried after seeing how deep the Festool imprint was, and that from putting pressure on the "cartridge" white lines had already formed around it. I was pretty sure I would see an accident later during the project. But I'm happy to report: No accident. It held up.  [big grin] [big grin]

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Jiggy Joiner]

Great job Oliver, and this has got me thinking about a Surfix. I’ve never used one, and the few jobs we get that require us to oil are the odd worktop or door frames. We’ve always brushed the oil on, and rubbed it in with cotton lint free cloths. I think I’m missing a trick, and need to order a Surfix or tww  [wink]

 

[Bob D.]

Good to have you back Oliver.

Where to start.  [blink]

The rethreading kit is something I need, so I'm going to research that one. I had a couple small rethreading sets, maybe made for Craftsman by the same vendor many years ago, and some bits have lost their way over the past 3 decades, so time to replenish.

That grill is interesting and I'm in the market for a new one, I get about 8-10 years out of a grill. Been using LP gas on my last two grills but going back to charcoal might be nice for a change.

The extension wand for the pressure washer is something I hadn't seen before. I have a few places where using an electric powered machine would be tough because no power available close by and I would need more than 100 feet of cord.

The Surfix I know has been around a while, so can anyone who has used the Surfix comment on Olivers' concern over the creases forming in the reservoir? Are the pads reusable or is that a consumable item?

 

[sancho57]

Great job Oliver, Havent seen anything posted about surfix in a long while. I wonder how well the outdoor oil works i the Az heat and sun. Im getting ready to make a sign for the front of my new house soon. Would like it to be wood and have the oiled look.

 

[six-point socket II]

Thank you guys, really appreciate the positive feedback!

[member=60461]Bob D.[/member] The sponge is a consumable, all of the Festool oils are made with/from boiled linseed oil, so they will dry/harden. Caution is necessary as - with all boiled linseed oil products, it can ignite rags, sponges while drying - especially when rags are folded or entangled ... A friend of mine had some sitting in a one-way plastic cup, left a little in the cup, and it caused enough heat for the cup to kinda "heat shrink".

5 sponges run about 20,- Euro here (street price).

The fast fix plate/adaptor is reusable, and as far as I have heard, some refill the cartridges, too. (Or even use them for/with other oils)

I've posted this in a different forum, and got the reply that my concern isn't one. The cartridges hold up well, even when re-used. No accidents/bursts.

[member=10147]jobsworth[/member]

I've used the One-Step and Surfix for the first time, so I can't personally comment on the HD-Oil. But I've heard good things from people I trust.

--

Here's a picture of the finished door and frame from today.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[RKA]

That door looks really good Oliver!  Nice job! 

 

[six-point socket II]

Thanks, Raj!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[grobkuschelig]

Nice work on the door Oliver!

With the sponges, I find that they vacuum out quite well to keep them from caking up, but it looked like you also do that.

For others that have asked on Surfix:
I have used the different suffixes and mostly like HD and One-Step.
The outdoor Surfix did not seem to be as tough/durable as for example some Osmo outdoor oil.
But I only had one „cartridge“ of the outdoor from the Surfix set.

I love the HD for interior surfaces and table tops of work surfaces. Must have used at least 2-3 liters over the last two years and am always happy with the results.

I only use the sponge (as shown by Oliver) if there are big flat surfaces. Otherwise I just grab a small cotton-cloth cut-off and use that to rub the oil.
In my opinion the sponge makes quick and good work for the flats bus is cumbersome and a waste of money on smaller projects.

Is never had an issue with the small oil containers. They are really tough.
I usually buy the 2-piece refill sets, seems to be the cheapest route next to the 5 liter canister (which I would take too long to use up...)

 

[six-point socket II]

[thumbs up] [thumbs up]

Kind regards,
Oliver