[Stonehenge]

JW - I tried to find that 'masher' from the site you referenced - is that a name you made up for it, or is that really what it's called?

I think you made a good call making the walk at least serviceable until spring - I did the same things on those steps I had to finish up - I finished one step, and rounded up the materials neatly in a corner for the second step, to go in next season.

[Bill Schwab]

They are available through Bosch, and used on the mid sized roto hammers.

[Stonehenge]

Oh. This whole time I was thinking it was a hand-held thing, like a hammer. We have a decent sized Bosch hammerdrill, so I'll check locally for it. Thx.

[jwholden]

The company I bought it from called it a masher. There are some that are made to fit on rotary hammers as well that do the same thing. I looks exactly the same as a meat tenderizer. I'll post a photo when I recover from the bug that has been going around my parts. I also want to show off my new pressure washer from northern.

[Will Pacala]

I've got their catalog. They have some very nice stuff there. I've gotten some things over the years and was very impressed. Hope you get better.

[jwholden]

It looks something like this,

masher :

[Will Pacala]

Looks like it can do some damage!!. It reminds me of a common kitchen tool. The meat tenderizer I think. What do you really use that for?? Thanks for the picture! One other thing that comes to mind in this thread is a attacment for your cordless or corded drill. It has a long shaft and a few baffle/paddles at the end and looks like part of a mixing bowl. It's usually used for paint and spackle but I often use it to mix together large batches of mortor or cement when a more liquidy solution is needed. I've seen them in a bunch of catalogs but I got mine at Lowes a few years ago.

[Stonehenge]

Oh, so it IS a hammer. Guess I wasn't in left field after all. Looks like about a 2# hammer. That'd do the job nicely. And I hear you about that bug - got it here too, after visiting with the family germ factories over the holidays. Hope you're feeling better.

[Will Pacala]

A friend of mine just came back from a yearly trip to California to visit family. They said that two kids in the neighborhood had died from the FLU and one other person had it! What a scary thought of losing half your development ot a common disease or sickness. California has had it's fair share of tragedy this year (or last). Wildifres, floods, Landslides, Disease.

Aside from that.....I just picked up one of those hammers and a good 'ol brick hammer as well. Both are very nice tools. Nice handle and head. the major sellijng point was the great ballance between handle and head. Nice tools. I bought them at Lowes of all places!!!

[jwholden]

We're back on the patio project. Progress is coming slow but steady. This patio is going to look great and I'm using every skill I have, and then some, putting it together.

The patio is about 15" above grade and I am considering whether to put a pipe behind the wall to the left or not. The patio will be pitched at about 1 1/2 %. I have never installed a drain pipe in a raised patio and am very worried about a hole in the geotextile around the pipe causing my patio to sink. Any members input would be appreciated.

[Bill Schwab]

JW:

If you do that, use SDR-35, or Schedule 40 with the hole facing down. Any time I have seen a rasied patio settle it is usually behind the wall, within the first year of being done, and if the installer used that black snakie jakeie junk, and it has collapsed. It would help your base keep dry with the rain and snow that will occur where solid gravel is going to hold moisture, freeze and crack...At least in theory anywho....

[diginahole]

If you put the tile in before the fabric you don't need to poke a hole in your fabric. Do you still have a place to daylight the end of the pipe? If not I'd do without it.

[jwholden]

I can get schedule 40 pipe with holes in it? Sounds cool.

Bill, are you recommending installing the pipe, holes down, with no layer of clear gravel or geotextile around it?

I would love to say forget the pipe, and may still go that route. However, I would also love this patio to last and would despise having to reset any of those 600 lb stones with 800 lbs of cement around them. That would really STINK!

[Stonehenge]

Seeing how you've laid a pretty thick bed of concrete around the perimeter, I'd be inclined to not forego the drainage, otherwise water may have the chance to just sit and sit. November, it'll be freeze, that, freeze, thaw.

[Bill Schwab]

JW:

You put the holes down so if water purculates up, it fills the holes first and takes the water away to daylight. Make a sandwich out of clear gravel around the pipe, use 1" minus for infill. If you use schdule 40, you need to make the holes. nothing a 1/2" drill can't handle.