Resurrection of a CFEI 100 KVA Induction Furnace

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awemawson:
Well Russ the plan for today was first to squirt some expanding foam to fill the 'upper bargeboard to corrugations' gaps, and while it was expanding and going hard start to remove the old sand and cement threshold ready for the new rubber one to be bonded down. By this time the plan was to trim back the expanding foam at 45 degrees with a sharp knife and liberally coat it with the Cromapol roof gunge.

Well all plans have to be flexible when weather is considered ! It was minus 1.5 degrees C here this morning and there was ice on the barge board so no way I was venturing onto it, and the foam needs 5 degrees to properly work (but doesn't mind the water - in fact it needs it to cure)

So things got reversed. I started by chopping out the old threshold using my Kango fitted with a 'Clay Spade'. It has come off remarkably cleanly despite a liberal coat of PVA on the concrete before I laid it. After a good clean up I glued the rubber threshold in place weighting it down where it was trying to curl up. I can't just lower the roller shutter, as if any of the glue oozes out I'd end up with the threshold and the roller shutter seal glued together. It will have to stay partly open for probably 24 hours to give the 'Stixall' a decent chance of curing as the temperatures are at the lower end of it's range.

Then having cleared away the sand and cement from the threshold I could get on squirting the expanding foam. In the event it was possible to do it all off a ladder leaning over the bargeboard.

I'll probably leave the foam until tomorrow before I trim it to shape and slap the Cromapol on, but thankfully that too can be done off the ladder.

Sea.dog:
Fingers crossed it all woks out this time, Andrew.

PVA is not recommended for use in wet environments. SBR is the new wonder adhesive since it's an acrylic, so not water-based.

PVA still remains water soluble even after it's set.

Muzzerboy:
That Stixall is bloody marvellous stuff. Usually described as an adhesive sealant, available in black, white and clear. The clear really is crystal glass clear, which has its uses and the white stuff can be used where you'd previously have used acetoxy silicone bathroom sealant. It sticks to just about anything and sets to a rubbery texture. I've used it to hold shower panels in place, glued the new bath to the wall, skirting boards in place, even bonded a 2m x 1.4m glass shower panel in place. You can get a really neat finish using either those finishing tools or just skill(!) followed by a quick swipe of the finger with dilute washing liquid.
https://www.toolstation.com/stixall-adhesive-sealant-290ml/p69243

It's like many resins and adhesives ie a sod to clean off your hands. Dunno if you've see this stuff but it's marvellous. It's ester-based, so reasonably kind on the skin but very effective at its job. Doesn't take much and you can mix it with Swarfega or liquid soap. Worth having one handy. https://www.arco.co.uk/products/2750400

awemawson:
I have high hopes of it, but I'm pushing my luck temperature wise. It's lower 'application temperature' is 5 degrees C. The concrete that I'm gluing to was 6 degrees C when I put it down - it's now 7 degrees and the forecast is for 10 degrees overnight (seems a bit high - we are in a frost hollow) and their quoted setting time for a 1 mm thickness is 24 hours at 23 degrees C.

It is still tacky six hours after laying so if this is still the case in the morning I'll try and arrange a mild heat warming tunnel over it with polythene sheeting and a fan heater on low.

awemawson:
Well good to it's word the forecast was correct for once and it was at least 10 degrees overnight, resulting in the Stixall having at least partially cured. Even the bits that have oozed out as biggish lumps are pretty solid so I felt happy to remove the weights and inspect. The outer edge is absolutely fine, the inner edge has one or two ruckles that will need a bit of attention when I'm sealing the ends of the threshold to the frame of the shutter.

I then went back up the ladder and trimmed the expanding foam on the upper barge board to approximately 45 degrees and gave it a good slathering of Cromapol fibre filled roof sealant.

As I'm writing this my extra tube of Stixall has just been delivered by the postman (postwoman actually, Steves on holiday!) so I can carry on with the sealing, but in practice I think it best to give the first application longer to fully cure, and anyway rain is threatening.

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