Having acquired a second hand timber play centre I am faced with a
couple of queries.

The glass fibre slide has suffered from exposure such that the coloured
gel coat can be easily rubbed off. Is it possible to renew the surface?
How?

Also many of the wooden ladder rungs have rotted. Rather than replace
with what appears to be 25mm broom handle, I wonder if there is
galvanised steel tube available with the same o/d?
My first thought was 20mm electrical conduit but I can't remember if
this is i/d or o/d:-(
--
Tim Lamb

Conduit is usually seamed which is bad news for outside use I imagine.
Brian

--
From the Bed of Brian Gaff.
The email is valid as
Blind user.
"Tim Lamb" wrote in message
...
Having acquired a second hand timber play centre I am faced with a couple
of queries.

The glass fibre slide has suffered from exposure such that the coloured
gel coat can be easily rubbed off. Is it possible to renew the surface?
How?

Also many of the wooden ladder rungs have rotted. Rather than replace with
what appears to be 25mm broom handle, I wonder if there is galvanised
steel tube available with the same o/d?
My first thought was 20mm electrical conduit but I can't remember if this
is i/d or o/d:-(
--
Tim Lamb

In message , Brian Gaff
writes
Conduit is usually seamed which is bad news for outside use I imagine.

Yes. The choice would be galvanised.

The uprights are sound but already bored to take the rungs.

--
Tim Lamb

On Saturday, November 16, 2013 9:30:59 PM UTC, Tim Lamb wrote:
Having acquired a second hand timber play centre I am faced with a

couple of queries.



The glass fibre slide has suffered from exposure such that the coloured

gel coat can be easily rubbed off. Is it possible to renew the surface?

How?



Also many of the wooden ladder rungs have rotted. Rather than replace

with what appears to be 25mm broom handle, I wonder if there is

galvanised steel tube available with the same o/d?

My first thought was 20mm electrical conduit but I can't remember if

this is i/d or o/d:-(

--

Tim Lamb

use broom handle that you've cut and dipped in preservative?

or find some hardwood dowel?

Jim K

On 16/11/2013 21:30, Tim Lamb wrote:
Having acquired a second hand timber play centre I am faced with a
couple of queries.

The glass fibre slide has suffered from exposure such that the coloured
gel coat can be easily rubbed off. Is it possible to renew the surface?
How?

I would think about replacing the entire slide if it has deteriorated
that much. If you think it is still strong enough, then try a marine
grade paint for GRP hulls. I would avoid the non-slip ones though :-)

Also many of the wooden ladder rungs have rotted. Rather than replace
with what appears to be 25mm broom handle, I wonder if there is
galvanised steel tube available with the same o/d?

3/4" bore galvanised steel water pipe is 27mm OD.

My first thought was 20mm electrical conduit but I can't remember if
this is i/d or o/d:-(

OD. You would need 25mm conduit, but water pipe has a thicker wall and
is seamless.

Colin Bignell

In message , Nightjar
writes
On 16/11/2013 21:30, Tim Lamb wrote:
Having acquired a second hand timber play centre I am faced with a
couple of queries.

The glass fibre slide has suffered from exposure such that the coloured
gel coat can be easily rubbed off. Is it possible to renew the surface?
How?

I would think about replacing the entire slide if it has deteriorated
that much. If you think it is still strong enough, then try a marine
grade paint for GRP hulls. I would avoid the non-slip ones though :-)

Thanks for that. I'll check more carefully but the glass fibre matrix
looked fine. The concern is the granddaughters having green stained
knickers:-)

Presumably start with a thorough sanding and follow the instructions on
the tin.

Also many of the wooden ladder rungs have rotted. Rather than replace
with what appears to be 25mm broom handle, I wonder if there is
galvanised steel tube available with the same o/d?

3/4" bore galvanised steel water pipe is 27mm OD.

My first thought was 20mm electrical conduit but I can't remember if
this is i/d or o/d:-(

OD. You would need 25mm conduit, but water pipe has a thicker wall and
is seamless.

25mm galvanised conduit has got to be strong enough for a 375mm span and
kids less than 6 years old?

--
Tim Lamb

On 17/11/2013 16:57, Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Nightjar
writes
On 16/11/2013 21:30, Tim Lamb wrote:
....
My first thought was 20mm electrical conduit but I can't remember if
this is i/d or o/d:-(

OD. You would need 25mm conduit, but water pipe has a thicker wall and
is seamless.

25mm galvanised conduit has got to be strong enough for a 375mm span and
kids less than 6 years old?


Probably, but I would find it easier to lay hold of water pipe.

Colin Bignell

Shurely anything galvanised will rust where it's been cut?

Jim K

On 18/11/2013 08:02, Jim K wrote:
Shurely anything galvanised will rust where it's been cut?

Jim K


No.
The zinc will corrode first, protecting the steel.
That's why hot dipped stuff lasts far longer as there is more zinc than
on the plated stuff.
Buildings and ships can have huge ingots of zinc fitted to protect them.

In message , Jim
K writes
Shurely anything galvanised will rust where it's been cut?

I would expect some superficial rust where bare metal is exposed.
However, this will be out of sight as the ends are rebated into the
timber uprights.

Dennis has pointed to *galvanic* protection where Zinc is more active
electrically than Iron and hence corrodes first.

--
Tim Lamb

On 18/11/2013 08:45, Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Jim
K writes
Shurely anything galvanised will rust where it's been cut?

I would expect some superficial rust where bare metal is exposed.
However, this will be out of sight as the ends are rebated into the
timber uprights.

Dennis has pointed to *galvanic* protection where Zinc is more active
electrically than Iron and hence corrodes first.

I suspect that, for the load and the span involved, heavy wall 25mm uPVC
conduit might do the job.

Colin Bignell

Does upvc conduit last outside? Uv etc?

Jim K

On 18/11/2013 13:02, Jim K wrote:
Does upvc conduit last outside? Uv etc?

The black PVC conduit used in my garden shows no signs of degradation
after 20 years. I presume the six year old will have lost interest in
the slide by then.

Colin Bignell

In message , Nightjar
writes
On 18/11/2013 13:02, Jim K wrote:
Does upvc conduit last outside? Uv etc?

The black PVC conduit used in my garden shows no signs of degradation
after 20 years. I presume the six year old will have lost interest in
the slide by then.

They are currently one and a bit and two and a bit so I am in front of
the curve:-)

25mm galvanised conduit turns out to be much cheaper than hardwood
dowel. I could turn some farm Oak but life is getting shorter!

--
Tim Lamb

On Monday, November 18, 2013 3:34:20 PM UTC, Nightjar wrote:
On 18/11/2013 13:02, Jim K wrote:

Does upvc conduit last outside? Uv etc?



The black PVC conduit used in my garden shows no signs of degradation
after 20 years.

Presuambly *no-one* has been using it as a ladder though?

Jim K

In message , Jim
K writes
On Monday, November 18, 2013 3:34:20 PM UTC, Nightjar wrote:
On 18/11/2013 13:02, Jim K wrote:

Does upvc conduit last outside? Uv etc?



The black PVC conduit used in my garden shows no signs of degradation
after 20 years.

Presuambly *no-one* has been using it as a ladder though?

I wonder if heat shrink sleeve would be affordable in 25mm+ size?

--
Tim Lamb

On Sunday, November 17, 2013 10:50:09 PM UTC+13, Jim K wrote:

use broom handle that you've cut and dipped in preservative?

Are you allowed to use chromium, copper and arsenic treatment on play centres?

In message ,
Matty F writes
On Sunday, November 17, 2013 10:50:09 PM UTC+13, Jim K wrote:

use broom handle that you've cut and dipped in preservative?

Are you allowed to use chromium, copper and arsenic treatment on play centres?

Hmmm... Any timber replacements will be Oak as I have plenty. The
original appears to be some form of tropical hardwood. Some rot has
occurred where the uprights have been in contact with damp soil.

--
Tim Lamb

Are you allowed to use chromium, copper and arsenic treatment on play centres?

If they are still young/daft enough to chew it they aren't old enough to play on it?

What stops hardwoods rotting? Is that ok to suck on? If so why?

Jim K

On 17/11/2013 16:57, Tim Lamb wrote:
In message , Nightjar
writes
On 16/11/2013 21:30, Tim Lamb wrote:
Having acquired a second hand timber play centre I am faced with a
couple of queries.

The glass fibre slide has suffered from exposure such that the coloured
gel coat can be easily rubbed off. Is it possible to renew the surface?
How?

I would think about replacing the entire slide if it has deteriorated
that much. If you think it is still strong enough, then try a marine
grade paint for GRP hulls. I would avoid the non-slip ones though :-)

Thanks for that. I'll check more carefully but the glass fibre matrix
looked fine. The concern is the granddaughters having green stained
knickers:-)

Presumably start with a thorough sanding and follow the instructions on
the tin.

Also many of the wooden ladder rungs have rotted. Rather than replace
with what appears to be 25mm broom handle, I wonder if there is
galvanised steel tube available with the same o/d?

3/4" bore galvanised steel water pipe is 27mm OD.

My first thought was 20mm electrical conduit but I can't remember if
this is i/d or o/d:-(

OD. You would need 25mm conduit, but water pipe has a thicker wall and
is seamless.

25mm galvanised conduit has got to be strong enough for a 375mm span and
kids less than 6 years old?

Easily. Not having the proper tools, I bent some 20mm conduit in a
manual, 22mm pipe bender - it was f***ing difficult.

SteveW

On 18/11/2013 08:02, Jim K wrote:
Shurely anything galvanised will rust where it's been cut?

Jim K

The galvanic protection still works when not continuous.

Where the gap is going to be too large and you want to be sure,
Galvafroid is your friend.

SteveW