Shower Curbs /Tile Saws /Beer/& Monikers

[Dave Ashton]

I figured maybe I could grab some attention if I threw the beer part in. OK..Im no mud expert like John but Im on the slow learning curve so just give me some time. Im wondering what procedures are used for floating the curb in the shower. Ever notice how this is the part that is always left out of a shower pan article? When do you guys float it? In the showers I have done I have floated it later, floated the inside then the outside, outside then inside, and of course all at the same time. All seem awkward and I feel like Im making way too many trips to finish up a shower job. Maybe Im just thinking about it too much. I normally dont worry about my final curb height until later, using the outside and inside tile as a screed for mud once it is set. Well, I have to think about it a little so I have something to set to! Maybe my mud is too wet..or maybe too dry. I did a six foot long curb today and shower floor all at the same time (big shower)and it was kind of a struggle but I got it licked. Advice? Techniques?

Rob...you know my set up, MK101 Pro and an MK660 for small stuff. They have worked well for me except that I seem to go through alot of switches on the 101.

And most importantly, BEER...right now Im treating myself to a Guinness because I mixed up a bunch of mud today in the 98 degree heat. Not that I need a reason!

Dave

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[John Bridge]

How's it goin', Dave? 98 degrees? Geez, only 92 down here. Hell, this may be Paradise after all. (The irony just hit me: hell and paradise don't quite fit in the same sentence, do they?)

I'm going to hold off. I'd like to hear some other comments. I'll tell you one thing I've figured out, though. Tileprof can't type as well as I can, but I'll bet the two of us build curbs the same way.

And Dave G., too, if he hasn't forgotten, him bein' a professor and all.

Oh, Dave A.,

See you're still drinking that Guinness stuff. It doesn't work well in the heat (since they drink it at room temperature). You need some of the swill I drink. Not a lot of money and cold, too.

I still have that picture of you and your buddies drinking Busch. Want me to post it again?

[Edited by John Bridge on 08-01-2001 at 09:40 PM]

[tileprof]

i can type john! just not as fast as some. chances are we do build curbs the same.
dave what size of tile? the nice thing about mud is that u can build to accommidate size of tile . ie shower curbs ,columns ,any wall . it just takes a little pre planning.
98 degrees!!! ouch poor boys check out bc weather cooooooool!

[Rob Z]

Allright Dave, glad to see you among the Forum-ites. Send me an email and let me know how things be...

I'm opening myself up to ridicule, since John and Tileprof have done about 100,000 showers between the two of them. but here it is...

After the curb is framed and the pan and lath are on, I float the inside and the outside. I usually have other stuff to do on the job, so i let it set and firm up (I'm one of those guys that Art busts on for doing other kinds of work). I set the tile on the curb, plumb and with the tile on the inside slightly lower than the tile on the outside. (Art, I use a torpedo level for this, not my 6'6" level. that one is used for installing doors) The tile on the faces of the curb set up higher than the lath/pan liner on top of the rough curb.

I use rapid set thinset on the curb tile, so a bit later I can mix dry pack, coat the backside of the curb tiles with thinset, and fill the channel on the curb with mud. The tiles on the faces of the curb provide the guide to screed the mud off. I then set the curb tile with thinset on the dry pack.

I've used the Bonsal pro Form curbs, also. Very quick and easy.

[chip]

Thank you for walking me through this. But I would have found away to use the 78" level, would have saved time, not having to go out to the truck and all. I don't care that it is a 32" curb, I coulda found a way. (As if!!)

Also thank you for the plug.

Art

[John Bridge]

I think Rob does it pretty close to the way I was taught to do it. I "rough" the curb in as the last thing when floating the shower. Let it sit there a couple hours and then fine tune the front and back.

Later, after tile has been set inside and out, use half-inch "curb sticks" to float up the top for radius bullnose (A4200). Or, float it flat for stone or surface caps.

We bond the extra mud to the top with thin set.

I've always bent metal lath over the top, sandwiching the pan material, before putting mud on the curb, no matter what it's made of.

You can understand why MB didn't include it in his famous shower pan article. Why mess with murky issues?

[Are you lurking, Mike?]

[Rob Z]

Yayy! I'm doing it like the pro's.

[tileprof]

im not allowed to set screeds....john did this!....

[Dave Ashton]

Well what the hell, Im doing it just like you guys, guess I need some more practice.

Yes, 98 and humid over a mud box is a sweat producer....but, I seemed to make it off to rugby practice OK at the end of the day so Im not bitching.

John, I tend to keep a selection of brew in the fridge...there is plenty of lower dollar cold ones in there. (Post away if you feel so inclined.) In my defense that picture is about 15 years old. Still run with some of the boys on the couch though...good bunch of mates.

Dave

[John Bridge]

Here we go. Dave "Creature" Ashton is on the left. Picture taken 1988.

http://johnbridge.com/Bush%20for%20Prez.jpg

[Rob Z]

Haven't I seen this picture on "America's Most Wanted"?

[John Bridge]

Steven, You've got to bear up, man. Being an apprentice takes class. You're about half a step above "helper."

[tileprof]

I za cummin boss!

[John Bridge]

Hey, that gives me an idea for a new title for myself. Boss . . . . hmm.

[Rob Z]

How about "Bossman"?

[John Bridge]

No, I think boss might be more workmanlike -- more "tile-like," actually.

But it sounds more pretentious than administrator, come to think of it. Guess I'll stick with apprentice until something better comes up.

[cx]

No, no, just Boss and the name, like in that movie starring...sombody famous. Where the prison guards were all "Boss Somebody". We called all our supervisors that in my old life, when I worked for the Govment. And if they had a nickname, it was Boss Nickname. And the Facility Chief was, of course, Boss Chief, which he really didn't like, so naturally it stuck real good.

Just have to decide if it's gonna be Boss John, or Boss Moderator, or Boss Boss, or Boss Whatever.

What kinda Boss you wanna be, John?

[Rob Z]

John

I'm old fashioned enough to not be threatened by having a "Boss". Have you noticed these days that no one has a boss, but instead has a "Supervisor"?

[Rob Z]

Kelly, that's what I was thinking of..."Cool hand Luke" with Paul Newman. Couldn't remember at first.

[cx]

Yeah, that's the one!

So, what's it gonna be?

Boss Apprentice don't make it.

Boss Bridge has a funny ring to it. Peculiar funny, not funny funny.

Boss John works, but it's kinda plain.

Boss Beer Drinker is too long.

Tile Boss I kinda like but it's backwards - God knows that doesn't rule it out here.

Que mas?

[Rob Z]

Kelly

How about "Mud Boss"? I like it. Quick, let's vote on it.

RZ

[chip]

How about Boss Forum? He's forum, I'm forum, were all forum!!

Cyber Boss?

Patti's Boss? (Ya right)

Grandpa Boss?

Boss E?

You da Boss?

Boss you da man?

Anything you say, your the Boss?

Your in charge?

[Bud Cline]

Dukes of Hazard had a "Boss".

[cx]

Still backwards, Rob. I put it up on top to see how it would look in bold - in the right order.

Think we should hold the vote till the other geniuses have time to weigh in. Just to be fair. Know what I mean? Don't wanna have another of them Florida fiascos.

Could be Boss Tile too. I can see it that way.

[Bud Cline]

Board Boss
Boss Host
Boss Screed
Brew Boss
Boss Meister
BYO Boss
Boss Ltd
Boss Du Jour
Bucket Boss
Box Boss
Boss Hoss
E-Boss
Boss-E
Pro Boss
Big Boss
Da' Boss
Forum Boss
Bully Boss
Tile Boss
Party Boss
Real Boss

Then there's Sonnie......."Sauce Boss"?

[Rob Z]

Bud

Nice selection.

There is a Pro wrassler by the name of "Big Bossman", I think. John could be Big Bossman.

I still like Mud Boss, or Boss Mud.

Bud, you're in charge here. Let's push a decision through.

[Bud Cline]

I never have a problem making a decision, I don't think, well maybe once in while, no I don't, I guess, well yeah I do, sometimes.

My personal preferences have been highlighted (bold) above, I'm down to five. Where's John, does he have a say in this or is this like our upcoming party at his house this fall?

[John Bridge]

Why do I have to have a title at all? I mean I'm so famous and all, well, infamous anyway. . . .

[Bud Cline]

Here's the nominations (so far) for the "Name the Boss Movement":

Art: CYBER BOSS
Rob: MUD BOSS
cx: TILE BOSS
Bud: BOSSMEISTER
John: CELEBRITY BOSS

Any last minute recommendations are encouraged and welcomed from those that have yet to make a contribution. Offer something original for now then we can select from the final list. I think the word "BOSS" therein contained is a mandate.

[Rob Z]

Good job Bud.

John, many people get titles imposed on them by the people they lead. Like it or not, you are the leader of this merry band of Men and Women. (Jacqui, I didn't forget you!).

Apprentice is just not cuttin' it anymore for you. You're being too modest!


Folks, I think MUD BOSS is most appropriate because John is a self proclaimed MUD MAN. He wouln't know a piece of backer board or other type of underlayment if it fell out of the sky on that old truck we saw in his book. He can mud a wall as fast and easy as I can butter toast, all the while having a smoke and typing on the laptop.

He is in fact the MUD BOSS.

John, put down your trowel and take a bow.

[cx]

It's still backward!

Boss Mud.

Or I'll hold my breath!

[Bud Cline]

I'm gonna take one more shot at this and suggest the obvious:

"MUDMEISTER"


Here's what Merriam-Webster has to say about meister:

Main Entry: mei·ster
Pronunciation: 'mIs-t&r
Function: noun
Etymology: Yiddish mayster & German Meister master, from Middle High German meister, from Old High German meistar, from Latin magister -- more at MASTER
Date: 1979
one who is knowledgeable about something specified -- often used in combination <puzzle-meister>

[John Bridge]

Mudmeister, hmm.

[Bud Cline]

NOTICE TO THE CONGREGATION

Seems that John has adopted his new moniker on his own (see post 8/06 5:59pm Professional's Hangout) so..........

That's that! So much for forcing our wishes on him, and so much for democracy!

OK John go ahead and change your label.

[tileprof]

didn't mean to open a can of worms, john , how about "MISTER MUDMEISTER"

[John Bridge]

Who said anything about democracy? Want me to change your title to Democrat?

[John Bridge]

Sorry Steven. Nobody calls me mister if I can help it. In Texas and in the South it's still customary to refer to people as Mister, Missus, Miss, Sir and Ma'am, but even the kids on my street call me John.

A strange thing, though. For years everybody working at the tile supply places called me John. Now I notice I've become Mr. Bridge to those people.

[Bud Cline]

John Bridge
Apprentice
Registered: Mar 2001
Posts: 889
Who said anything about democracy? Want me to change your title to Democrat?

.......well jackass maybe but "Democrat"?



I've done nothing to you John.


Hey did you get your tax rebate check yet, aren't Texans at the top of the list?

[John Bridge]

Yeah, Patti already spent it. And yes, Dubya sent ours out first. He also slipped an extra C-note in that non-Texans won't get. Let me know if you're short a hundred.

[Edited by John Bridge on 08-07-2001 at 08:52 PM]

[Bud Cline]

I won't know for a couple months, I'm at the bottom of the list, which is my usual ranking when it comes to having something that is already mine returned to me.