# My home made portable wash station



## smisner50s (Jan 6, 2011)

here are a few pic of my wash station it works great under 150 dollers into it..works great for the cleaning of the taper and automatic tools:thumbup::thumbup:


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

that's odd, I was just holding one of those pumps in my hands today at a reno job I start tomorrow. It was just sitting there on top of their tool box.
Now I'm going to half to take a water hose into work with me to check out the pressure of it:yes:
Personally, That's a smart little idea, except I would skip the large bucket. I would be happy with just a 5 gallon bucket, just blast your tools off in another empty 5 gallon. It's portable too:thumbsup:


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## raven (Feb 17, 2011)

Great job Smisner your a genius drywaller who save himself a thousand dollors.


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## smisner50s (Jan 6, 2011)

I did the five gallon.not good water all over..its got about 40 psi.pretty good pressure I love it for cleaning my taper head mid day when its all muddy..all in all good set up.:thumbsup:


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## smisner50s (Jan 6, 2011)

O yeah use a washing machine hose there only 4 feet just the right length...remimber the longer the hose the more water to fill it and pressue will drop.


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

smisner50s said:


> I did the five gallon.not good water all over..


That's why god gave us labourers:whistling2:


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## rhardman (Jul 7, 2009)

That's clever as heck!!! :thumbup:

Well done!


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## STOTLE DRYWALL (Mar 22, 2011)

I have always washed up in a 5 gallon bucket or a tub i bring onto the jobsite from time to time. This looks much more professional and much less messy; perhaps i should take this page from your book.


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## D's (Jan 15, 2009)

Here's some pics of my homemade station too. I just ask the plumbers to plumb in a hose bib and I'm good to go. The compound naturally settles to the bottom and you just have to periodically bucket off the top. Once there's enough goo at the bottom I use it to first coat beads.


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## bevo (Dec 3, 2011)

smisner50s said:


> I did the five gallon.not good water all over..its got about 40 psi.pretty good pressure I love it for cleaning my taper head mid day when its all muddy..all in all good set up.:thumbsup:


Ive been looking at setting up a wash station similar to yours smisner. (mainly so my apprentices dont disappear for 20 min when i ask them to go outside to wash the boxes)

Ive tried a couple of things with varied success. Ive had a hose running in from a tap outside but this can be a bit problematic sometimes. The tap is not always close by so we need a long hose and we end up with a fair bit of water to get rid of after washing tools. Smisner could you explain how yours works. Does it use the water in the big tub or do you need water from outside?

Down here in sunny Sydney we use setting compounds for the first 2 coats so we need to get tools washed up straight away after each coat.

Also Ive seen this thing which at least would let you reuse the water 

http://www.hydrocellwasher.com.au/

Just looking for something a bit neater and quicker for the changeovers...something that even a 17 year old numb nuts can do quickly without flooding the joint


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

Bevo that one of Smisners as you can see has the pump inside to recycle the water through the hose, I like it. I also like the one of D's and think you could take the D's design and incorporate a pump into it as well. That way should never need to worry about overflowing the bucket.


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## bevo (Dec 3, 2011)

ok. thanks mudshark. Whats the advantage of having 2 levels like D's. Is it just to have somewhere to sit your tools when cleaning?


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

bevo said:


> ok. thanks mudshark. Whats the advantage of having 2 levels like D's. Is it just to have somewhere to sit your tools when cleaning?


D's system appears to be a recycled washtub sitting on a garbage bucket. Seems like a nice height to work with and the water drains into the bucket. Needs to have a water source somewhere else and runs the risk of overflowing. The electric pump and recycled water will prevent the overflowing problem.


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## gotmud (Mar 21, 2011)

Awesome thread Smisner! I too have always cleaned up in buckets, now with this thread and info Its got me thinking :thumbsup:


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

Me too, thanks Smisner


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

2buckcanuck said:


> that's odd, I was just holding one of those pumps in my hands today at a reno job I start tomorrow. It was just sitting there on top of their tool box.
> Now I'm going to half to take a water hose into work with me to check out the pressure of it:yes:
> Personally, That's a smart little idea, except I would skip the large bucket. I would be happy with just a 5 gallon bucket, just blast your tools off in another empty 5 gallon. It's portable too:thumbsup:


What is that blue pump called in the original post, can't see the label clearly. Looks like a great set up, Extremely easy to lug job to job. We do a little work for Reno down here as well.


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

I've been looking at a few submersible pumples to make a setup like this, anyone know what a good GPM rating would be, also as far as the cleaning, would water out the hose end need to running free to not damage the pump?


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

Philma Crevices said:


> I've been looking at a few submersible pumples to make a setup like this, anyone know what a good GPM rating would be, also as far as the cleaning, would water out the hose end need to running free to not damage the pump?


I think you would want to unplug it or have an off switch when not in use. My experience with other 110volt submersibles is that they will burn out if not moving water.


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## 2buckcanuck (Jul 9, 2010)

Mudshark said:


> I think you would want to unplug it or have an off switch when not in use. My experience with other 110volt submersibles is that they will burn out if not moving water.


Don't you own a BOAT, or,,,,,, maybe from the sound of this post,,,,, use to own a boat


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

Mudshark said:


> I think you would want to unplug it or have an off switch when not in use. My experience with other 110volt submersibles is that they will burn out if not moving water.


 I was thinking more the sparayer on the end, does pump get damaged if it's not constantly shooting water. Think 22 gpm would do the trick? Found a decently priced one Simer 2300 - 22 GPM


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## Mudshark (Feb 8, 2009)

Philma Crevices said:


> I was thinking more the sparayer on the end, does pump get damaged if it's not constantly shooting water. Think 22 gpm would do the trick? Found a decently priced one Simer 2300 - 22 GPM


If the pump is turned on you should be using the hose and moving water through the pump. 

You could get away with it for a short while but turn the pump off when you are not using it or else.


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

Thanks man, exactly what i was thinking. Gonna try it with a 7 gal bucket, found a plastics company that offers to send out sample buckets, jsut pay for shipping ^^ If they follow through I'll give the link, I'm trying to get a 6, 6 1/2 and a 7'er off of them


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## bevo (Dec 3, 2011)

Someone told me to try a bilge pump from a boat store. Any of you boat owners used one?


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## gazman (Apr 29, 2011)

Aldi advertise a submersable dirty water pump from time to time. I dont think that a bilge pump would have the pressure that is required at least not the ones that I have used.


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## bevo (Dec 3, 2011)

gazman said:


> Aldi advertise a submersable dirty water pump from time to time. I dont think that a bilge pump would have the pressure that is required at least not the ones that I have used.


Aldi sells everything.

There are a few different sized ones in the local Bunnings as well. They all seem to be a fair chance of dying if you limit the flow of water.


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## Philma Crevices (Jan 28, 2012)

I purchased a cheap used pump on ebay, we'll see how it goes when it gets here.


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## Amish Electrician (Dec 7, 2011)

I use a $75, 20-gal 'parts washer' from HF. 

For the clean-up, it's great. The metal hose delivers a pretty good flow with plenty of pressure for cleaning. 

I did supplement the drain plug with my own drain valve and short hose. Add another $25 to the cost.

I could use a better arrangement than the supplied bolt-on legs; just to make it more portable. I'd also like to get the bottom dished out a bit, so it will drain more completely.

I also toss in a jug of 'radiator treatment' to keep rust to a minimum.

Heck, I might go completely posh, and toss one of those bucket heaters in it, get the water nice and warm before cleaning


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