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Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 9:05 am
by Tony McC
I think you're being grossly unfair to Simeon from Ronacrete, who does offer a lot of advice both in the Brew Cabin and offline that is of no commercial benefit to him or his business.
If I thought for one second that Simeon was simply plugging product and not balancing it by providing advice, I'd block his account, but compared to the majority of suppliers, he always aims to help with courtesy and often with humour.
Myself and the other Mods are the ones that have to remove the really blatant posts from manufacturers, retailers, importers and scammers who want to flog their stuff via the Brew Cabin but contribute nowt in return. I spend around an hour a day deleting drivel and blocking accounts/email addresses, many of which come from dubious commercial parties trying to advertise themselves. When we get a commercial party who plays by the rules, by offering advice and then suggesting their own product, that's fine by me.
After all, how many of us contractors have picked up a job from here? If it's OK for us to benefit from the exposure which is provided by The Brew Cabin, why should that opportunity be denied to quality suppliers?
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 10:20 am
by Bob_A
I don't know what goes on behind the scenes, obviously more than meets the eye but I'm reassured that all is well.
But in defence of LPAD I got to say I was a little suspicious that plugging was going on.
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 1:13 pm
by glenne_n
Very interesting reading the tooing & froing between you pro's but spare a thought for humble DIYer, the post thread "What type of Mortar" I though was answered but it seems to me that some pro's are saying building sand while others and the commercial companies are saying sharp sand.
Nail your colours to the mast chaps and I'll go with the majority.
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 2:00 pm
by local patios and driveway
Personally ive not gained a penny from the brew cabin. I come here to try and genuinely help people out and stop them making mistakes. In fact we have now moved away from landscaping but its good to keep up to date with the guys here and i love the pics of work.
Tony you make a fair point and it is your forum and for you to make decisions. I just dont agree with rona doing what they do. The advice will always end 100% with "use our product"
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 4:23 pm
by lutonlagerlout
well he is not going to say "use cementone" is he dan
if someone comes on here and asks for a digger and dumper in surrey ,you wouldn't recommend a competitor would you?
we have deleted load that open an account then come on and wax lyrical about their product,but make out they are a consumer
its the email of "noddy @noddystone" that gives it away every time
myself dan pablo and careberry have all ordered from londonstone
I wouldn't have heard of him if it wasn't for the brewcabin
cheers LLL 
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:02 pm
by Bob_A
I like Steve at London Stone, he comes across very honest, very rarely knocks the competition and is more likely to be complimentary towards them which is why so many people buy from him.
As for sharp/building sand.
I'd go for the advice that's given on here.
The pro's on here often go against the companies, the reason being is that most of them have more hands on experience than the suited chap who writes company literature
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 11:03 pm
by r896neo
Glenn, remember the massive variation in terminology regionally.
Here in Northern Ireland what i call plastering sand is what many in england call sharp sand. What i call paving sand some others call sharp sand/ screeding sand etc etc. The examples are endless.
We call MOT type 1 'blinding' here which is very confusing to some seeing as 'blinding' is more a process than a material.
Building Control officer " So what is the concrete floor make up?"
Belfast builder " Oh Its 4 inches of blinding then an inch of blinding then DPM."
Building Control officer "Great spot on"
English onlooker "WTF?"
Posted: Fri Sep 21, 2012 11:41 pm
by lutonlagerlout
to me you have MOT = type1 crushed granite 35mm>
ballast =4 stone and 2 flooring sand
flooring sand= grit sand = river wash =5mm >
pratts yard sand = plastering sand = a sharp angular sand
soft sand = bricklaying sand
LLL
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 9:06 am
by glenne_n
When I go to the small builders yard that I use, there are two piles of sand, sharp sand (washed sand, I'm told and building sand (soft sand).
The former I've use for bedding paving or render, the latter for mortar for bricklaying or pointing.
Since subscribing to this forum and "googling things) I'm now aware of sharp sand, washed sand, plastering sand, rendering sand, grit sand, zone 2-4 sand, soft sand, building sand and yellow sand.
All very confusing. I would rather use my weekends, holidays and evenings to relax and pay someone to do the work but there are too many rip off merchants in your trade guys, hence the upsurge in DIYers like me.
I WILL BE USING SOFT SAND TO BED MY COPING BUT I'M STILL NOT SURE WHY SHARP SAND WOULD NOT BE AS EFFECTIVE
Posted: Sat Sep 22, 2012 11:20 am
by Bob_A
Carberry wrote:What Mick and Lpad said. Sharp sand won't bond properly and it looks crap. I put some SBR in the mix when laying coping too.
Here's the reason
lutonlagerlout wrote:prime the copings with it and add it to the water
i was using SBR yesterday
it does the job long term
that is how you should look at it
LLL
Use SBR in the water and coat the underneath of the copings
I'm also a diyer. When I've used sharp sand it ends up being with a coarse rough finish.
I've also used SBR on my sandstone steps and it really does work.
http://www.pavingexpert.com/bond_bridge_01.htm