3/5/2008
7:57:33 PM

I have used several sealers over time. The first one seemed to stay wet even as I was leaving the job, while SBR and acrylic both dry hard. Thermo dries kinda soft, like the sticks it comes in.

Testing is simple. Pull-out your iron and look on the neck. You will see sealer or thermo all along the neck of your iron---IF, you are sealing at least some of the time--if not all the time and it stays there.

3/5/2008
9:43:00 PM

quote:

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I have used several sealers over time. The first one seemed to stay wet even as I was leaving the job, while SBR and acrylic both dry hard. Thermo dries kinda soft, like the sticks it comes in.

Testing is simple. Pull-out your iron and look on the neck. You will see sealer or thermo all along the neck of your iron---IF, you are sealing at least some of the time--if not all the time and it stays there.

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3/5/2008
11:41:51 PM

How to seam for jim. I prefer to row cut when possible. cutter blade close to fibers on most carpet. Make sure you check edges and trim if need. Now seam tape there are many kinds to chooses from. Chooses the right one for that job. Roll seam tape out hook one end stretch the and hook the other end. Line seam up to check that it line ups. Now shift back leaving ½ gap for latexing. Latex and wipe it down a little go a long way. Now time to kill find something do like start getting your next room ready. Now check latex run back down seam edges to see if dry meaning not wet. Some new for you jim. Set the set wall then have helper hold the middle of your fill piece with kicker keeping the fibers from touching stretch tight. Using the seam iron in theorem the iron should be ran on 3 to 3 ½ so that the iron will not over heat the backing. Think about this if iron is hot and you move to slow you'll over heat the backing. You must learn your on speed. Place iron onto seam tape release tape slid back melt then slid back into place you can not heat on tack strip. Slid iron forward 3 inch's then put seam together and tuck at wall. I work my iron differently on different carpets. One way is not always the best for me. Most of the time I like to move 3 inches at a time keeping seam tight and using tractor lightly. Leaving seam weight 8 or 9 inches back allowing seam to cool some before placing the weight on it. There are times I needed it sooner. Repeat until the end. At the end slid seam weight to back of iron. then I release carpet 3 inches on each side of seam and pull back carpet. Fold carpet side that furthers from you put kicker on top of side. The seam tape that runs up wall. pull up at same time as your iron. Then slid hand to back of seam tape. Its hot but you grow to like the heat. Now slid iron back forth. Slid out pressing on hand lay tape down. Then work seam edges into place tuck and slid weight forward.

3/6/2008
7:33:52 AM

I must say that in todays world, most people fear being wrong, but that is todays culture. If you watch this and any other board, you will see that mindset, but that mindset dumbs down everyone.

It's not that myself or others are any smarter than just having common sense, but that so many others don't understand common sense and how everything and everyone, depend on everyone else.

Our nation is losing its ability to function, without others telling us what to do and how to do it. Our children must become worse than we are, because as with anything or anyone, you are either moving in a positive direction or a negative one.

How is it so many cannot know so much?

Our government is giving away Americas infrastructure to private enterprise, when all Americans paid for it.

Soon, the corporations will own America. Right now they just control it and our puppets in office.

It seems that our nation has gone to don't ask,--don't tell and give no one the credit they deserve. Money is all that counts.

3/6/2008
2:41:51 PM

quote:

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I learned a long time ago Jim, that we should only worry about those things we have control over. Anything else is a waste of time and energy.

Without getting into a political debate, please realize that throghout human history, there have always been two groups of people- Leaders and Followers.

Leaders aren't afraid to blaze new trails nor are they intimidated by social norms. They are too focused on their own personal journey to be worried about what those in their wake are doing. Leaders are content and fulfilled. They are the four-wheel drives in society, never getting stuck in the mud of debate and delusion.

Followers on the other hand, are always restless and anxious. They are rarely happy with what's going on at the present and have a dim view of the future. They are the complainers of society, never offering solutions but rather get some type of satisfaction in obsessing with the present problems and grim outlook for the future.

So the question we all must ask ourselves is...

Are we a leader or follower?

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3/6/2008
8:02:23 PM

(You did a really great job Tax Man and I admire you, because you are unafraid and you are willing to stand out on the edge of the precipice and dare the wind. Few installers are so brave, but few will learn so well as you.)

Thank you for the kind words Jim.

(You, like all others don't understand one thing and that is, most men doing any seam work obviously never considered timing and what the irons do.)

I thought I cover this.

(Using the seam iron in theorem the iron should be ran on 3 to 3½ so that the iron will not over heat the backing. Think about this if iron is hot and you move to slow you'll over heat the backing. You must learn your on speed.

(I do know that too little heat and the glue stays, but it doesn't hold well at all and if the installer gets the iron hot enough to melt the glue so that it's runny, most of the glue gets gathered and pushed to the end by the iron, leaving very little glue on the tape, IF THE IRON IS GROOVED. I didn't realize that until recently. I believe a flat iron MAY BE BETTER, but I need to test that theory.)

I agree but I do think they roll the seem hard pushing glue out the sides and forcing towards the end. May need to check this to.

(In turn, most all installers have never considered just how fast that so little glue cools down and does not hold well. I would also say, if cold air is being drawn across a seam tape because of another source, it would cool the glue down even faster and make a weak bond. s---d---n.)

I agree it is used in the wrong way but his tool may useful in other ways.

(Most installers do not realize how very little time they have to get the carpet seam into the glue. Nor do they realize how a seam can peak because of all the time they take in getting the edges into the glue.)

Most of the time they move to fast and miss spots.

(Again Tax Man, you are fearless, you are knowledgeable and by such, you will always learn and grow, faster and better than all else.)

Jim, you are fearless, and tuff, and hard to please.I've seen you fighting this industry and you don't give up.

P.S. You did not comment on this. Something new for you jim, Set the set wall then have your helper hold the middle of your fill piece with kicker keeping the fibers from touching in the middle while you stretch tight.

3/6/2008
9:20:57 PM

I'll do my best. I prestretch seam with a power stretch. When you stretch the seam over Laps in the middle. This helps keep the sealed seam edges from over lapping in the middle. Its only need for the stretch then let go. Jim I hope this helps.

3/6/2008
11:30:25 PM

Been learning about Rain Forest and Wet Lands doing home work with my daughter so my time is limited to responed at time's
First Tax man that was a good layout of seaming. Jim I think both Tax Man and I have always tryed and answer all you have ask. But with all you have added there is still more to look for. Some of the other things are with the person doing the seam.
I will try and give you a picture.
First I will cover the tape. It has been a long time since I have seen the tape with a red cast to the glue if it is still out there it must only be in your area, so why would I train installers using it if they can not get it? I am sent seam tape from most all the company's that make it to try and train installers with. Seam Master, ATT. APAC. Orcon, Roberts ,Capital,and a few more. Did you Know that Seam Master made the glue for other companys and the other companys just made the scrim. What I have learned has come thru years of going out to fix installers failed seams and thru watching installers make seams and then looking and taking them apart to see what they did wrong.
Know to the part that was brought up about pushing the glue and making it thin at the tape, there are few things that will cause this, running your iron to hot and making the glue melt to much, Leaving your iron to long in one place there again over melting the glue but the most common one is the installer puts to much down ward presure on the handle and move's the glue along. The right way to move your iron is to put a slight upward presure on the handle as you are moving it forward. In testing companys tape I will melt it with know carpet and watch it melt and see where the glue go's and also see what the scrim does. I can also thru taking seams apart tell if the installers has the habit { witch many do } of leaning on the handle because doing this will make the iron lean to one side more then the other melting the tape more on one side, that is why some times when you take a seam apart it comes off one side better then the other. Even where you are can make a diffrence depending on the pad when it comes to the seam. Now to the tape cooling down ther again there are many factores that can come into play on this also just a few are temp. of the iron,the tape you are using, the temp of the substrate and even the pad that is being used. I find that it can be any where from 25 to 35 secounds before the glue is at the point it will have a hard time getting into the picks the way it should. That is plenty of time to open the pile and get it into the glue in most cases.
I will not get into the subject of the SD at this time and When I have time I will get into the subject of the sealing thread .
I hope everone takes this in a good manner for I am all about learning.

FD

3/6/2008
11:50:55 PM

Can men possibly believe that every other single person on the board, cannot peer into the heart of justice?

Sometimes I have great hope and sometimes great sorrow.

3/7/2008
8:26:57 AM

Maybe, like many other installers, I don't fully understand things, unless they are told to me--us-- in very simple terms.

Maybe some men do know all these things that have never been said so plainly, but I have challenged many time and again, to be specific and they haven't. After challenging a great many of them, they have used nonsense that everyone can understand.

I'm glad that some don't. I always give credit where credit is due and I claimed that one had touched on the subject. However, touching and being very specific, can be two different things. It's usually the difference between doing a mighty fine job and top of the line.

I truly hate going against installers for any reason, because of all they do. However, if someone doesn't do it, --well, look around at all the boards, to see that almost no one agrees with his brother and in fact, most fight each other.

I believe everything is based on leadership or lack there-of. That is why for years I have gone after the so called leadership, challenging them at every turn. In return, their people have attacked me at every turn, reguardless of how they make themselves and their leadership look, while some in control, orchastrated attacks against me, by what they said and did, making all installers either say nothing or attack me outright and constantly. The word "RANT" COMES TO MIND, while I made one full T1 line burn and part of another one--as told by him--and at least some of the most sought after advertizers came to his site. Is that justice? Is that care? Is that so other installers learn more? I made over 4500 posts to that first site and the admin and owner basically stole it all, to teach the Chinese with, while denying the guys on the site the ability to access the material if they wanted too.

I could go on and on, but the above is why there is such ignorance, hatred and fighting, amoung brothers.

I asked simply back then, that it be said, ---"From the desk of Jim Ryan". Plain, simple, truthful as I see things in my part of this nation, to the point and no big deal.

Rant and King of the hill, should make men want to attack.

If there leaders were top of the line, in no way could my information have trumped theirs, but there is plenty of proof to bear that out.

Again, I don't want to fight, but our industry sorely needs some help. Proof is also lacking.

Our industry claims installation crises, but that seems a ruse to me, because of the fillers and all the extra work forced on installers for less money in many cases, because of illegals working for cheaper. Like the boys back in 71, most don't understand and it seems our industry stays in the dark.

Inspectors don't know more than the mills want them to know and or comment on. If they speak a little loudly shall we say, they will lose their license and livlihood. I understand some things cannot be said or done, but by allowing such, there are many that will always abuse the system and those that work for them, if by nothing more than innuendo and as this is passed on, it affects a longer and wider swath, infecting the children of so many, without them even realizing all the damage.

In our industry, there are surely many that are smart and that understand, but you might not be explaining some things in as much detail as you might think you are.

It's also really good to see men that have worked so hard and so long, get the credit they deserve, because---let's say some in life, do not get the recognition they deserve.