Running a Gite in Brittany

Sandblasting

Spent the day sandblasting some of the internal stone walls in the two new gites yesterday. I hired a sandblaster and compressor from Loxam in Dinan along with 20 bags of abrasive sand. The plan was to clean up the walls surrounding the two staircases along with smaller portions of stonework on an opposite wall. Depending on how much sand was left I was also going to clean up the exposed beams.

I picked up the compressor and sandblaster at 8 'o'clock in the morning (that's the earliest I think I've started work for about a year) from Dinan. I'd picked up the sand in the van the previous day (700 kg) and had to use the car for the compressor because it's the only vehicle with a towbar, even then they changed the towbar on the car to a different style to accomodate the compressor/trailer. Heavy duty ?

As a side issue, I believe you have to register trailers/caravans over 500 kg separately. I.e. with it's own number plate. The compressor was registered on a 92 plate (Paris) whereas our car is on a 22 plate (Cotes'D'Armor). If you move house you need to get a new number plate that reflects the new department number, if applicable.

The whole sandblasting process is very noisy and very hard work. The compressor is thumping away outside, there are various hissing noises from the sableuse (red drum sandblasting machine), several valves and dials to fiddle about with to get the pressure and sand flow rate right, plus several hefty bits of tube to lug about. On top of all that you need to wear a helmet (reminiscent of an old deep-sea diving helmet) with it's own air supply. I suspect the air supply in the helmet creates a positive pressure to prevent dust and muck getting inside. There is alot of dust. Within seconds it's almost impossible to see anything. The dirt and sand is thrown everywhere, much of it back into your face, and as I found out later, into your boots.

Every couple of bags or so (each bag does about 2 to 3 m²) you need to change the disposible plastic visor. It gets all pitted and very dirty with the spray back.

Life is not that easy for any helper you have. It's impossible for anyone else to stand in the same room, neither of you can see each other let alone communicate via voice, especially with the helmet on. It's possible with a series of bizzare hand signals and gestures you could save time, but in the end I just left the room after each bag load, removed my helmet and took a breather whilst the sableuse was refilled.

It was a very tough days work, but worth it. The stonework has come up really well and is ready for pointing. I didn't do the beams, partly because of the cost of another days hire, more sand would be needed and I was dead on my feet. I did test a small patch on one of the beams with a pressure washer and it worked fine. The beams only have a white lime wash/paint covering whereas the stones have much more stubborn dirt.

By the time I'd returned the equipment to Loxam I was completely done in, and tucked up in bed by 8 'o'clock.

|   7:59:29 PM   Sandblasting