Hi Troy you have many good questions,  I encourage you to get some training at a revolution camp . Since you are looking at  a slow and steady approach take your time and build your confidence.  SH and CH both have their unique advantages and draw backs SH has a long shelf life in the drum un mixed. . As for tanks the new SWS skid is equipped with all 50 Gallon tanks and if you're starting out with weekend residential jobs a 50 Gallon mix and a 50 Gallon chemical tanks should be sufficient. 

The revolution camp will give you hands on exposure to great equipment and skilled contractors who make their primary income softwashing. This step should be first. The cost of attending is well worth it  and will help guide you in constructing your system to adequately serve your needs. 

Since you are a fan of Mark Cuban and Dave Ramsey the other advic e I'll give is SOFTWASH SYSTEMS  is just that aBUSINESS  SYSTEM , much more than just equipment and chemicals. Mirror and match and success can be yours with tremendous effort . 

Good luck and keep asking questions. 

 

Hi Vic,
there are guys doing exactly what you are considering. The only drawback is CH does not have the shelf life of SH once diluted. I do not have a lot of experience with the actual shelf life so I'm not going to predict it. Hopefully another member who does this will chime in.

Matt Lancaster wrote:

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Hi Vic,
there are guys doing exactly what you are considering. The only drawback is CH does not have the shelf life of SH once diluted. I do not have a lot of experience with the actual shelf life so I'm not going to predict it. Hopefully another member who does this will chime in.

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Thank you, Matt!

We are on the dry part of the state, but I'm seeing more and more possible projects for the future.

What is the actual name for Pixy Dust, and will it work with old CH?

Sorry I missed you guys at Softwashapalooza. Maybe LA...

vic 

OK, I thought I had replied to this post to say thank you for the great advice, but apparently I didn't hit the button to save the post. So thank you for taking the time and effort to respond!

First, I'm taking the advice and I'm going to be at the Revolution Camp in April (23-24) in Greenville, SC that Pat's hosting.  My wife is making the calls today for room pricing to see if the SWS event prices will be lower per room and if my federal employee discount would apply.  I need to follow up with a local member who is planning on selling me his 3 YO Fat Boy Bandit (http://pressuretek.com/fatboybandit.html) this month or next month when he upgrades his system. 

I've been looking (and looking and looking) at tanks and found the following two that fit the bill, but one of the salesmen is saying the tank is fine for holding SH/CH, but the tank is not DOT approved.  Is that a concern for us carrying less than 119 gallons of SH/CH or is that a 120+ gallon concern when you are required to also have a CDL?

50 Gallon PCO tank - Sprayer Depot - http://www.sprayerdepot.com/Shop-by-Category/PCO-Tanks/PC00050SWSL - $238.18 including aluminum straps and shipped to my door.  This was exciting because every other site the shipping was almost equal (and sometimes more expensive) than the tank itself.

65 Gallon chem tank - Tractor Supply - http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/leg-style-storage-tank-65-gal - $199.99 + tax, NO straps, local pick up.  I spoke to the manager and he said they do not have straps for these tanks and suggested nylon straps.  That concerns me.

 

Vic, no problems adding your questions on my thread.  It's good information and now since it's tagged in my thread, it will be really easy for me to find in the future. Win/Win in my book!  What information did Brandon have to share about the CH?

On a similar not to John's advice about pump failure, make sure you have a slush fund if you are starting slow and steady.

Pump failures are just one of the things that can be an unexpected cost. Needing a longer ladder or a 200' of extra hose- or both- happens. Also, there is the better kind of unexpected expense. Say you land a big job and need a bunch more SH and Green Wash, and you need it NOW! It hurts when this happens, but you have to keep in mind its a good thing! You seem like you have the forethought to know this, but I thought it worth mentioning.

To answer your actual questions, I would start with SH. But I would try out CH, or at least hook up with another member who is using CH, early on in your training. Not sure if you are buying a SWS skid or another kind of soft washing equipment, so ignore the next if it does not apply. I started with a twin pump system on a trailer and a 50 gallon vertical tank with only a top opening. I mixed the SH before leaving to the strongest % I would need and diluted down as the job dictated. I carried extra SH when needed in 5 gallon pails. It worked, as I was doing the sort of volume you're talking about. It was a little bit of a pain, also transferring chems by hand always leads to spills, avoid it if you can. Be careful if this is what your doing, protect yourself at all times. Also, my trailer is two years old and the area where the tank sits looks about 10 years old with rust. I now have a Gen II skid and it's way better, but my old system worked well and bought my new skid pretty quickly!

Last thing. I had a delavan 5850 that lasted a whole season with about 250 roofs on it. Then it went after the second month in the following season. Most likely did another 30-40 roofs. Point is some pumps can last for a long time and some just one time. I have gone thru 3 penta flex pumps in 4 months last year. The pump I have now has lasted 6 months now and hopefully it will last another 1-2 months to start the season.

Thank you Chad,

 

Slush fund…is that anything like the “Slushie” fund my wife had when she was pregnant? :0)

 

Excellent points Chad.  I could bypass an accumulator or patch a hose easily enough while on a job, but running a single pump system without a spare pump could leave me dead in the water.  Not only costing me money, but making me look/feel like an idiot in front of the customer.   A larger and new ladder is going to be early in my priority list of purchases because I’m using what is available to me at the moment and my current ladder is probably close to my age (and I just turned 45 last week). 

 

I have (4) 5 gallon pails for carrying SH and I’ll probably do exactly what you recommended in the first post you replied to me in where I introduced myself – every 5 gallons of SH is ~1% mix in a 50 gallon tank, assuming you fill the tank to the full 50 gallons.  I’ll have my SH in my mix tank before leaving home and carry a couple 5 gallon pails of SH with me for “cover my butt” situations and fill the remainder of the tank with water at the site.  As far as spilling SH on myself in the transfer, I know it will happen without a doubt.  I’m my father’s son and I’ve seen my dad stand near an open hood staring at an engine and never touch it and hands in his pockets, and somehow still walk away with grease on him, a trait I picked up somewhere along the line so I know I’ll be wearing SH while doing manual transfers.  Mark Fermoyle made me laugh though…when he was transferring by hand when he started he used a huge funnel, although most of us call them orange safety cones .  I spoke with Steve with J. Racenstein for over an hour last night and we discussed (and he sent me a parts list) on setting up a single pump system to be able to be used as a transfer pump as well, and that is going to be high on my list as well for the sake of saving my clothes and shoes (and myself).  As the slush fund allows, I’ll probably add a second pump and create a dual pump system and have a built in back up pump.

 

I’m still looking for a trailer.  If I cannot find a suitable one in the local trading post I figure I can get a low end trailer from the Tractor Supply Store or the trailer lot down the road to get me through the first couple of years.  I was thinking about either getting several cans of spray on rubberized undercoating (or going to a spray in bed liner company) and spraying most of the trailer to protect the frame and rails, and adding some ¾ marine plywood to reinforce the deck and give a little extra protection, as well as a way to secure tank straps and the Fat Boy Bandit to the trailer.  In the future I want to build up to an enclosed trailer that I can put a nice wrap on the outside for advertising like you did on your truck recently.  This way I won’t have the back of a truck permanently tied up where I cannot use if for many other functions of everyday life.  That’s one thing I picked up from Mark as well…being a part time roof cleaner he has gotten annoyed with the fact his truck can’t be used for everything else life throws at him because of the permanent equipment mounted in the back.  I do try to learn from others experiences where I can.

 

Anyway, I did hear you about the slush fund.  Most of my profits early on are going into building the business/equipment, and then I’ll keep a good percentage of the profits for upgrading equipment, training and advertising/growing the business.

The 90 pounds wasn't correct...that was that the company was claiming as UPS shipping assigns a weight charge for the size of the package in this case.

I guess in this case I'll have to ask if everybody trusts the brand Den Hartog/Ace Roto Mold to have quality products?

You are worrying too much about the little details. I guarantee something will happen on a job but a phone call to anyone on the board, and we can help fix it. Everyone still has equipment problems and if you aren't over capacity you can easily go back to job and take care of it. I've found our customers to be very flexible and nice to deal with. Focus on the marketing and how to create value. Very quickly you will be landing some very profitable jobs and withing a couple of months you will be looking for nicer starter system - like the smart wash system for around $2K or or a SoftWash Systems Rig. A professional looking rig helps with your image and will justify a higher sell price.

Troy 

I think the system is fine, but my suggestion is mainly for The pump. Make sure you have a backup. I suggested the vertical tanks to save you room....we actually use horizontal. They are both fine. 

I have no comment for Tim today.....but tomorrow is another day! 

Thank you Eric!

I just sent you a PM with my contact information.  My first trailer is of course, due to budget.  We only have a soccer mom mini-van at the moment so I'm going to have to put a trailer hitch on and use a trailer as the most cost effective starter solution that will still allow us to use the van to everyday use.  Truck/trailer plans beyond that is flexible depending on what information I have on hand from people like yourself who have already walked this path. :0)  I was thinking an enclosed trailer would enable me to still have the back of a truck free when I get one, would keep the SH out of the direct sunlight and give me a big broad side that I can advertise on, all while keeping my chemicals and equipment enclosed from the elements and sticky fingers.  Of course now that I think about it, keeping the SH enclosed...I'm wondering if it would deteriorate everything enclosed in the trailer too?  Would it help to have the inside sprayed with a spray in bed liner coating like the do the truck beds?

We can discuss on the phone, but I know others are watching and learning from this tread so I posted it here as well.

Congratulations on the new shop! And I can't agree more Chad, and to be honest, I can't give a good reason why I haven't owned a trailer for years because I know they are so useful. My dad had the ability to look at a piece of dirt, a rock, a tree limb, almost anything, and find a way to make it useful and turn it into money. My dad always had a truck for hauling and he felt that was enough. Then when I was about 14 or 15 my mom, dad and I went to an auction and my mom and I went to get some hot dogs and I glanced back at my dad and he had this little mischievious grin on his face, and there was a nice motorcycle on the auction platform. I looked at my mom and said, "Mom, I think we own a motorcycle now..." Judging by the look on her face and the angry phrase, "What!!! We had better not!" I knew it wouldn't last long (but the bike was fun) and a few weeks later my dad traded the bike for some cash and a utility trailer which he intended to turn around and barter for his next deal. Before he had a chance to sell the trailer we found 1,000 uses for it and it was hooked up to the truck at least 2-3 times every week as long as I lived at home and we quickly wondered how we ever lived without one. Within a year or two he upgraded to a trailer big enough to haul vehicles and he had a trailer pretty much until the day he passed away, which is probably why I didn't own one myself because I had access to his trailer. Oh, and my dad didn't sell his last motorcycle until he was 74. :0)

I hadn't thought about it really, but now that you mention it adding brakes to a trailer is something I'd consider a necessicty. I was riding down I-295 with my mom when I was a kid and saw a vehicle pulling a medium sized camper and the traffic slowed suddenly and he had to get on his brakes pretty hard. The trailer must not have had brakes because it just started hopping from side to side, from the left tire to the right over and over, and the harder the driver hit the brakes the further the trailer bounced from side to side and into the adjacent lanes. I don't know how close we truly came to being hit, but it made quite an impression on me. I'll add this to my list of items somewhere under a back up pump and PPE/better ladder if the trailer I buy doesn't already have brakes.