Who Gets the Edger?

Wayne Lee Headshot

Well, today was a great day of edging; I just put my head down and did not stop until the first floor was done. Joey ran the big machine final cut while I went right behind him from room to room.

It was not that long ago that I was told, "The edger man needs to keep up with the big machine," and my first reaction was... you are nuts! The edger is so hard to master and doing it that fast is not going to happen. Well, I do, and yes, it can be done with some time and as your skills get better. We do not give the new guy the edger. Joey or I do the edging because more mistakes are made with that than with the big machine. Almost everyone we know gives the new guy the scraper and edger. We give them the scraper, file, broom and vac. It is so fun to give them the buffer, I know that is mean, but you know it is funny.

Jeff got the tile done and is off this job. We have a few lined up, so it feels great to know we have work, and just when we need it the most. Now I have a hard decision to make: Do I go to the NWFA convention or not? Money is tight-I mean tight as the bark on the tree-so what to do? I want to go, but it will be hard to give up the money that can be made on a job. I do enjoy getting to see the new products and the insight of the training classes, and, most of all, the people. The network is by far the greatest of any as well as where can you go to be with people that have a real desire to be the best they can be on every job. My kind of show and my kind of people-I just wish the funds were easy to come up with.

Well, anyway, we hope to get this maple stained Friday and come in Monday and get the first coat on; I only have the second floor to edge and final buff in the morning, and that should go fast. Joey is going to vac and wipe down the walls, clean, clean and then clean some more. We do our best to remove any dust that might find its way to the finish, I dislike it when you work your tail off and then from nowhere you see something in it: hair, dust, lint, dog/cat fuzz and anything that finds it way to the middle of the floor. And oh yeah, the fly! I hate the dead fly in the finish... Well I am going to hit the rain locker and rest for the night. Be safe!

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