Live in the Philippines

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I’m Under No Pressure

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Well over a year ago I lent a (Kano) friend, my 14 year old, made in FRANCE Power Washer, and it was returned to me in a non functioning condition. 10 years earlier another friend (Kano) borrowed it and his people dropped it off the roof of his house that they were preparing to paint. He wanted to buy me a new one, but since only the plastic trolley it sat on was broken, his Brother-in-law was able to make a new one out of stainless steel. So it only cost $30.00 (Plus some beer) to repair it and saved my friend $300.00 for the replacement. It was never as pretty as when the French made it, but it’s a tool and tools shouldn’t be pretty. (Unless French)

The rainy season ended, and the mold had built up on all my outside walkways and mostly on the roof top patio. Most unsightly and Mayang has informed me that it will be painted in February of this New Year. My French speaking power washer has been in the electrical repair clinic for four months and has been pronounced dead, never to work again. So as I told you last week in my article (“The Eyes have it”) I was pressed into buying a new one. So I bought the Makita Aquamak HW-102 with 100-PSI output, they had four others of assorted unknown brand names, and I remembered my father’s sage wisdom from years ago; Son, if you need a tool, buy two of them, and large expensive tools buy the best.” Those words have served me well in my life.

While there I also had the employees set me up with new hoses and fittings to ensure I could set it up and spray water within five minutes. Money well spent! While waiting I wandered down an aisle and fell upon an ATV Quad with electric start and all the goodies. PNP 55,000.00 but with the, to be expected Discount it was now PNP 49,000.00 Na Lang! I it pointed out to Mayang that in July I would be having a birthday and that was what I wanted. I call that particular desire, something in the wait and see column type of item.

Thursday morning 08:00 power washer set up on the roof, proper adjustments made and let the fun begin. Of course Mayang wanted to hire someone to do it, but I stood my ground and said in my best Taglish; “I’m the one, to be the one!” Discussion closed!

Here is my plan, everyday, I’ll do two hours of spraying from 08:00 until 10:00 hours and because when I built our house my front door ended up facing due west, so I’m shaded from the sun by the upstairs bedroom.
I found that I’m exempt from the rules of “Feng Shui” as my house was built before the unicorn petting and KUM-by-Yah singing liberals adopted this 3000 year old Chinese belief as their own.

Besides I’ve not had a project to do on my own within a year (Consuming adult beverages is not counted) and since it is relaxing to do it, and the only side effect is vibrating hand syndrome for an hour or so after you stop, but I’ll assume that is caused by the water exiting the wand under high pressure. The blessing for me is now I have a new debilitating syndrome that I can put in as a claim to my home owners insurance for.

Hey, it’s worth a try, in the states if I was employed in the fast food industry I could get 3 years workman’s Comp out of it.

Rules that one should follow after YOU get your own Power Washer. And after reading this missive I know you’ll want one.

  • NEVER lend your Power Washer to ANYONE!!!
  • If it’s a windy day, bring soap as you will be wet enough to shower
  • Wear steel toed flip flops, as the water under pressure will hurt your feet.
  • Oh and long pants for a similar reason.
  • Learn the proper use of the equipment so you can teach the kid you hire to finish the job for you.
  • DO NOT attempt to drink beer while operating the machine, as wet hands can cause you to drop the beer and you know people will laugh at you for that.
  • Stop, shut off the equipment, pull up a lawn chair and really enjoy that beer, as you know you’ve earned it. No one will laugh at you.
  • The above may also work if you are just watching that kid you hired do the work, but sit on his leeward side.

I did follow some of those rules, mainly the ones concerning beer. I checked the Philippine OSHA Website, but it wasn’t covered or very much else either so I used the experience I’ve gleaned over these many years to inform you, my fellow readers

Here are some of the DO NOTS listed in the Makita handbook, because they bothered to list them I’ll assume some knucklehead really tried to do it.

  • DO NOT attempt to spray flammable liquid with this machine.
  • DO NOT point the nozzle towards yourself, other people or pets.
  • DO NOT spray anything electrical including the machine itself.
  • DO NOT allow Children or any incompliant person to operate this machine (Or apply the lending rule from above)
  • To eliminate stupid people from your life, remove all warning labels from everything and let only the fittest survive.

So that’s my story this week on Power Washers, in last week’s article I broached the subject of the ATV Quad, I pointed out to Mayang as a Birthday Present for me. (I also noted that I was heavily insured) But that’s a story I hope I’ll be writing next July, right after I remove all the warning labels on it prior to my first ride.

The first thing I do with all new equipment that I can’t figure out is go to the trash bin and retrieve the instructions… And I swear and affirm that I was the only one to clean the mold off my roof. But I’ll not be the one to be the one to paint it next

Reader Interactions

Comments

  3. I would love to have a power washer as I love to do my own cleaning in things of this nature, but from an economic standpoint I also like the the like the traditional Filipino Power Washer of Bleach, Water and and good brush in the hands of a local person who needs the 400P for a days works of cleaning our algae laden cement walls and walkways.. By the way, nice physique going there Paul despite you sucking that gut in LOL

    • Corry;
      I figured flushing the toxic mold out of my yard to the street was enough, I didn’t want the add bleach to the mix. This is the one thing I really like doing, the guys will make the money by painting the Decks. Sucking my gut in, how dare you! Well a little.

  4. Another great article Paul, just for your info, the vibration in the spray wand is caused by lack of supply water pressure.

  7. Don’t want to borrow your power washer, but your beer . . . that’s another story. How about a case? I promise to return it to you – every drop – once processing has completed. 😆

  8. Good job Paul, now you have a way to earn some extra beer money, washing all the neighbors lawn furniture and decks off, although I figured you would have got a gas model instead of electric. I laughed when you mentioned about the Philippine OSHA, I figured you were for sure joking til I clicked the link. With some of the things I have seen people doing there in person and in pictures, I am guessing that OSHA there only has one inspector, and that inspector never leaves the office.
    So a ATV can be purchased there for around $1,200.00, just curious but what size and brand can $1,200.00 buy there. I had hoped to bring mine in the container, but am not sure if I can without paying a large duty on it. I know motorcycles are taxed at 100%, but since ATV’s arnt street legal, not sure what the ruling on the would be. Any info you have would be appreciated, mine is a 650cc if that matters any.

    • Bill;
      If you could sneak it in no one would ever know, but I’d tell everyone I bought it in Manila just in case. For $1,2000 you get a less than 100 CC made in America’s Bank. (China) But all I want it to do is carry me around the purok when I’m “WALKING” my dog.

  9. Dropping a beer is alcohol abuse…. St Michael may give you extra purgatory time for mistreating his beloved elixer.

    I don’t understand the flammable liquids bit…. Every homeowner needs a flame thrower to get rid of rats. The house is cement, for God’s sake! It ain’t burning down. For some reason that comment brought back an Army memory. I was a coxswain on an LCM. We were slacking off smoking, and the First Sergeant goes below… “Why are you assholes smoking in MY lazzarete… sitting on top of MY diesel oil?!”

    • John;
      I am using both hands so I won’t drop it
      My first couple of years in the Navy I was the coxswain on the ship’s 50 foot Utility boat and the Captain’s Gig we had no lazzarete on either, but then we were Navy. John; “What’s a lazzarete?” (LOL)

  10. LOL Paul, you made me laugh so hard with the expression, “I’ll be the one to be the one”. When I hear a Kano talk like that, I am convinced his Filipinization is total and complete! Do you also say to Mayang, “let’s have an ocular inspection of the menu” when you’re at Texas Joe’s? If you do, you’re not only Filipino in every sense of the word, you had been Filipino since the days of the American era! LOL

    • John;
      I also have learned to “Avail” myself of things. And as to not correct Mayang or my friends I will always now say “paperworks”, as English teaches about the plural and then fails to teach all the exceptions. When we eat Shrimps, I enjoy them!

      • Don’t forget to accomplish the BI form for this year, so that you will not be the one to be deported, and will you please kill the lights when you are done? 🙂

        • John;
          Ah you’ve not read “My Taxing Week” here on LiP two weeks or so ago. The BI. I came, I saw, they beat me! But they will let me visit a little while longer.

  11. Nothing about Power washers from me…that’s work :ATV, that’s the thing: I really like to have one, but now the deal is over – i got a motorcycle. Anyway, when we were at Boracay I rented a ATV..Yeah fun, to some point. We were forced to drive in line – about 10-15 ATVs – and at a speed that even couldn’t move my hair (as if there was some). No overtake allowed, well i did anyway, let me fall back and speed “into place in line again, but even the lack of speed, i find it fun to drive that ATV. I a remote area with no good roads i think it must be great. Go for it – your asawa should really buy that little present for you 😉

    • Alex;
      Riding in a line would defeat the purpose of the ATV, like when I took my granddaughter horseback riding and some guy walked beside the horse to guide the beast. Next time we’ll ride the two rocking horses in front of Texas Joe’s on Subic.

  12. I bought one of those very pressure washers Paul…made in China…lasted for precisely one driveway cleaning and one car underbody wash and the impeller failed thereafter to impell the water. Hope yours does better.

    J

    • Jim;
      Makita a brand from Japan, as I looked at the other power washers I was thinking about that very thing. I still follow what my father told me. Buy the best one. (If I could have found that no name French one that lasted so long the first time I would have got that one.

  13. In Japan, they sell the German power washer, Karcher, or something like that. That is the one that I bought many moons ago. It’s pretty nice, too.

  15. It is a good thing you wore your T shirt at rout 66. If the girls had seen that pose you would have got stuck with more than green drinks.

  16. Makita brand power tools have been in stores here for many years and seems to be of good quality. I’d say it may be a step above Black and Decker. In the off-season, I wonder if you could use it as a high pressure beer tap in the man cave ?

    • Bob (NY);
      Yes Makita is a good brand, and since beer is not really flammable I see no reason that it would void my warranty. If I remember not to point it at my guests face. (LOL)

  17. I would not buy an electric ATV. Definitely not one made in China. It will not last. A gas powered one is much better. The electric ones tend to be made cheap – bushing instead of bearing, weak steel,etc. Get a Honda, Kawasaki or a Suzuki. It will cost more, but last. I have a 700 hp Suzuki King Quad that I got up to 55 mph on the ice before my lungs started to freeze and I backed off. I also have a 400 Polaris that I won in a contest. I would not recommend it because of poor design and no pull start in case of emergencies. I guess it comes down to price. If you can get an electric one for 20% of the cost of a gas one and it will get light use, that may be the way to go. As long as you are ready to deal with the repair issues. Here in Canada it usually costs more to repair them than they are worth.

  18. Allan;
    By all that’s holy and good I dearly hope your Suzuki King Quad is 700 CC and not 700 HP. because one false twist of the throttle and you’d be on the tundra in the far, far North, looking eye to eye with a Polar Bear and be out of fuel. (LOL)
    I just want one small enough to poke around my purok with my dog Coco, Electric wouldn’t work as the extension cord would have to be too long. (LOL).

    • You’re right, I meant cc. I use it more for plowing snow than fun rides. My kids give it a good workout though. So far the Polaris went swimming in the lake and hit a tree, shearing off the A frame front steering arm. I don’t think you will be plowing much snow, so an electric may be fine there.

      Put a little platform on the back behind you and Coco can ride in style too. You may get a few comments like “Look at that crazy Kano chauffeuring his dog around.”

      • Allan;
        That is a machine that would conger bad memories for me, snow plowing!!! But the cart on the back for Coco I think is a great idea, damn what anyone else thinks.

  19. Paul,
    Wish I could have sent my Honda pressure washer over to there as I knew it would be hard to find one of that quality there. Will have to purchase one after we first make a house purchase. Looking forward to getting back to the Philippines in a few weeks. But first we have to go back to cold Ohio before our flight back.

  21. Randy;
    They have a lot of uses here, aside from busting mold. Heading to OHIO the place that’s OH on both ends and High in the middle, do go I’ve been watching the weather reports.

  22. •DO NOT attempt to spray flammable liquid with this machine.
    I was thinking, before you posted this, that if you use a gasoline/soap mixture, you can use it for weed control. Maybe thats why its got a warning label?…lol