chip spreader

[Derald Rice]

Just starting to make decisions about the floor, and have wondered about the feasibility of using a Scott's hand-held whirlybird type of seed spreader for broadcasting the chips. It has a window in the bottom of the hopper that controls the amount of chips that drop through when the trigger is pulled, and the speed of the dispersement wheel under the window is controlled by hand. Most of you know the tool I am talking about.

Has anyone ever tried this method ? I am considering using the small , 1 / 16 chips.


Thanks, Derald.

 

[Mlynch]

i have heard this doesn't work well... especially if you are only doing partial coverage because of the overlap from circular dispersion. Let us know if you try it.

 

[gregs]

I used it on my job and thought it worked great. I had to modify it by adding a bent paperclip in the bottom to help stir it up more but that may be just the brand I used. I "calibrated" it first on a sheet of plastic and found a good setting. When I actually used it, I just kept walking around until I used up all the chips I had pre-measured for that area.

 

[Fuller]

Keep it simple.

Just throw them up high and watch the floor, not the ceiling. Using a small amount and a flick of the wrist will help too. Sometimes the reflection from the epoxy will hide the actual amount of chips that are landing on the floor, you need to look at your work from different angles. Provided you have enough open time on your epoxy, it's always good to work front to back though out the room and then work side to side, filling in the thin areas. If your spikes start leaving holes that don't heal up it's time to stop.

 

[menz300]

I agree with fuller this isn't rocket science its throwing chips in the air hitting the ceiling watching them rain down like NFL players make it rain at a strip joint or you can throw like seed for more of a full broadcast. I think people get nervous about running out of chips. For a good medium to heavy broadcast 10 pounds of chips will do up to about 550 sq. ft. which is a generous 2 car garage. I also like the song reference that Fuller uses so I guess I am off to L.A. via Omaha......

 

[Mlynch]

Well it depends on your definition of heavy... we use 55 lbs over about 400 sq ft to get about 100 percent coverage.