o/t - brick repointing

[Lurksalot]

this is the thing you need , it bolts on to your grinder , you could even attach a hoover on the end , although it will kill it .

there are other types , but the ones which look like splatterwelded fingers don't last as long as this type, and blades are replaceable for the type on the link .

I am also surprised that a mastic type gun works for mortar mixes as it is thixotropic ie it goes solid under pressure , a bit like custard .............

Oh and that reminds me , ignore all the above, but I can safely recomend Hurdseys ginger cake and custard  

[Asterix]

this

Ta for the suggestion, but £70 nigh on  

Keep em coming, shopping/ borrowing trip tomorrow night.

[Simeon]

Look at from this point of view. The majority of builders are'nt the sharpest tools shed which indicates most building type work is'nt that difficult.

Want to try a day or two to see how difficult it is we are not all thickos.

Can I refer you to the word 'Majority', that does not mean 'All'

[Lurksalot]

Buy it, use it , flog it on the bay ,  it is by far the neatest , cleanest and quickest way to do the job, you will be saving a fortune by not paying a builder, you may as well use the proper tools .

As it happens you can get a similar tool , which doesn't offer replacement parts or the safety guard/hoover attachment for a lot less, but you will have to shop around for it .

have a look at

this is the splatterwelded type though and doesn't last as well as the "router " blade type

[slater]

QUOTE

Can I refer you to the word 'Majority', that does not mean 'All'

Yeh but I mean too deep for me  

lewis

[Blatman]

QUOTE

a bit like custard

I thought custard was best described as a "non Newtonian dilatant fluid". Thixotropic also works though...

[Lurksalot]

Hmmm let me work on that one

I can absolutely recomend Hurdseys ginger cake and yellow non Newtonian dilatant fluid , yum yum

 

[rustie]

Go on. Do it yourself and then post up some pictures, preferably before and after, then we can continue this thread for ages.

What do builders get paid for?

[Asterix]

After a couple of false starts, by 1pm yesterday, I'd gathered all the equipment I needed for grinding.

Bought a 600w cheapo B&Q grinder and went to screwfix for a grinding bit (and I bought the splatter plate suggested above). Due to early evening commitments, I didn't get much done but I did start. Most of the time the bit went through the mortar like a knife through thick mud, but there's obviously variations in the mortar itself as, when I got to the (ominously) greyer looking mortar, progress slowed significantly. 3hrs later the bit broke (bit sheared off the casing) - that can't be right surely. Am going back to retailer to try and blag a replacement as well as get myself a diamond edged 5mm masonry disc (then I can compare).

Will also need to get the right airgun attachment for my compressor (to blow the remaining crap out) before I do any mortaring - don't want to use hoover for the obvious reason - as it appears that the Clarke airgun/ hose I've got is not compatible with my Tooltec compressor.

Managed to do an area approximately 50cm wide by 2m deep from top brick down towards floor (i.e. there's a 1m patch at base of wall as yet untouched), all to approx an inch deep. Where the mortar looked "good enough" I left it. What concerned me most throughout the whole process was how much I can do before I have to mortar. In an ideal world, I'd like to grind it *all* out first and then mortar it *all* back. In this respect I've been very conscious of not weakening the wall but there's no problem so far.

What I'll probably do is the patch I've ground out now, then move on with another patch around the same size, etc, etc...all the time being again conscious of not weakening the wall.

Have bought a readymixed sack of sand/ cement cos I'm a lazy b****r - we'll see how we go/ how expensive that route turns out to be before adjusting the plan.

Ultimately the walls will be PVA'd and whitewashed, so no issue with the mortar being a different colour in patches.

DaveB's lent me his mortar tray, trowel and chuff  - very kind . He warned me when showing me the wall he did, that it will take me a "long time". Given what I've found so far I reckon he's right...which is not so good news given that I work away during the week .

[edit]Pictures to follow[/edit]

[slater]

QUOTE

all to approx an inch deep.

far to deep.you only need half of that. Dont blow out the dust

unless you want to be cleaning dust for the next few years, just wet the wall down before you point. You may have problems with ready mixed sand cement mortar it tends to be to sharp same as B&Q sand, instead of a nice buttery mix it will tend to go hard and very watery. The best sand to use is a blended sand avalable at Travis Perkins and other decent builders merchants. One tip, when using the tool you have, let the tool do the work forcing it will break it as you have found plus as I have said you are going to deep. (this was not a sex education lesson before all the comments start)  

lewis

[Asterix]

all to approx an inch deep.

far to deep.you only need half of that. Dont blow out the dust

unless you want to be cleaning dust for the next few years, just wet the wall down before you point. You may have problems with ready mixed sand cement mortar it tends to be to sharp same as B&Q sand, instead of a nice buttery mix it will tend to go hard and very watery. The best sand to use is a blended sand avalable at Travis Perkins and other decent builders merchants. One tip, when using the tool you have, let the tool do the work forcing it will break it as you have found plus as I have said you are going to deep. (this was not a sex education lesson before all the comments start)  

lewis

Ta, will use a reduction collar on the plate as a guide.

Problem is though - the current mortaring problems probably go as deep (and further) than an inch already.

[slater]

re pointing is just that, pointing, houses used to be built in lime mortar which is very soft and then pointed in sand -cement to protect it and give a longer life dont worry if the original is soft once re pointed it will be as good as new  

lewis

[pistonbroke]

Mortar is supposed to be pliant,  you dont want the layers between coarses to be hard and brittle , the wall has to breath with temp changes, ground movement, vibrations etc .

The pointing provides a tough skin to protect the soft mortar thats why the mix for pointing is a hard one (3 to 1 ) as against 5 to 1 or 4 sand 1 lime to 1 cement for lime mortar

if you dig to much out and replace with a hard mix you could get problems at a later date  

Looky  Here

[John Loudon - Sponsorship Liaison]

Get and use the mortar gun I posted the link to. Quick and easy to use plus no mess!!!!!!!!

[Blatman]

Seen the reviews for it?