Home D.I.Y.

[Profpointy]

A coupleof boxes.

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This one is based on a traditional joiner's chest. It's mostly the sides of an old, cheap pine wardrobe. It's a lot smaller than a real joiner's chest but it does contain a sliding, removeable till just as theirs would. I use it to hold those tools I can't do without but seldom use.

View attachment 580608
This one is to hold my bike tools which are currently in a plastic box with a large split in the lid. It's a practice piece on cheap pine before I move onto something a bit more ambitious in American white oak. The plane is helping to hold the lid down as it won't close properly because the hinge screws are impinging on each other. Despite being sold as specialist hinge screws they are standing proud of the countersunk holes in the hinges.

Very nice work. I love the through dovetail on the lid of the top one.

 

[Profpointy]

One trick told me by a former industrial chemist was to weigh the paint to compare quality. Just picking up (same sized) tins in your hand is good enough. The heavier one has more titanium dioxide, the lighter one more water. This is totally reliable for white paint anyhow, but I'm not sure if it's same for colour (probably also applies)

And as someone else mentioned I too am now a Farrow and Ball convert. I had thought you were just paying for poncy branding and a posh shop but it is a superior product and I tend to buy it now at least for woodwork. Had great results re-doing my kitchen cabinets with F&B paint. Slightly watered down paint and a mini foam roller, and judicious use of a hand spray bottle of water, whilst doing the job. Presumably spraying would be better and quicker, but I'm very pleased with the result by hand, and I've still got the £700 in my pocket that I nearly talked myself into paying for a HVLP pro grade sprayer

 

[MrGrumpy]

It’s all gone a bit wrong summer house is worse than I thought . Rotten right round the bottom. It would it cost a fortune to buy as it’s made with tongue and groove flooring . Thick stuff ! However I’m not sure I can recover this ?

 

[gbb]

As good as finished the kitchen diner decorating, just a few bits to rehang etc tomorrow,
Leyland trade emulsion, glossed the woodwork, ceiling painted.
Its occured to me, I'm a fairly competent DIYer but a reluctant one if im honest and as I look at the room as a whole, it's been done in parts and pull everything out...it shows in minor details. Theres no substitute for emptying the room and doing the lot in one go. As it is, the flooring is ok but needs replacing. The kitchen was refurbed with new cabinet doors, worktops, sink and trim earlier this year, the woodwork door frames, skirts etc could do with replacing, the walls could do with re skimming....so while it's fine, clean and ok...it doesnt bear close inspection.
But then, I couldnt put a week and a half into it to rip it all out...four days on any job and I'm done.

 

[gbb]

One trick told me by a former industrial chemist was to weigh the paint to compare quality. Just picking up (same sized) tins in your hand is good enough. The heavier one has more titanium dioxide, the lighter one more water. This is totally reliable for white paint anyhow, but I'm not sure if it's same for colour (probably also applies)

.....

Ever picked up a can of Galvafroid zinc rich paint.... its heavy...and chuffin expensive. Good info re the weight of quality vs cheap paint, I will try that next time.

 

[cosmicbike]

Well the washing machine has new bearings, and a test spin is all good. I'll leave it a couple of days for the sealant to set and then see if it's worked..

 

[MrGrumpy]

Gordon’s Alive !!! All is not lost !! Actually have the roof on now as well! More pictures tomorrow. Need to buy some more framing as the roof is not sitting where it should be and needs secured ! However it’s looking not bad . Son No1 and me been at this all day ! Knackered now.

 

[Mark Grant]

We visited my in laws today. When we got there they had an electric heater on in the hallway, their heating had packed in this morning.
A quick look and off to buy a 3 port valve.
All fitted and system bled by lunchtime!

 

[gbb]

We visited my in laws today. When we got there they had an electric heater on in the hallway, their heating had packed in this morning.
A quick look and off to buy a 3 port valve.
All fitted and system bled by lunchtime!

Heating ? What is this heating ?...its April
Only joking of course, if you have kids or are of a certain age , heating is a must for some. Ours only ever goes on if the grandkids are here or if its flippin cold (house below 14c)
The 3 port valve is a good spot...a little knowledge can go a long way.

 

[cosmicbike]

Grrrr. Simple task, fit new washing machine bearing, done it 5 or 6 times over the years, easy job. Open the machine and find a sealed drum, which is apparently the norm nowadays. Since I already have the bearings and the machine is kapput anyway, I decided to cut the drum on the weld line. So far so good, need some bolts to out it back together and then we'll see.......

I'm not beaten by Zanussi. All new bearings, seam line stuck/sealed with Everbuild Stix and 14 or so M6 bolts. Left 3 days to set, a test run yesterday was quiet and no leaks, happy days.

 

[MichaelW2]

Dad's old workshop completely dismantled and transported to the recycling centre by van or scrapped for firewood and corrugated sheets. It was built to last and most of the 6" nails on the floor beams would not budge.

Loads of new garden space freed up in a small garden and I can now see my new shed from a new angle. I still have too much stuff.

I can now finish the new fencing. I need to attach wooden gate post/baton (75mm or thinner?) to concrete end fencepost. I gave lots of Thunderbolts left over and they should be OK if I can drill a 5mm hold into the concrete. All the guides recomend 10mm gap both sides of gate for expansion etc. This determines post location.

 

[MichaelW2]

With the help of a neighbour I put the concrete fence post in position for the gate, then remade the curved trellis top fence panel to fit the gap. A very fiddly job getting it to fit back together the right width.

 

[Hicky]

Fitted laminate to the living room over Easter, having known the spark I used for the rewire(he was here doing the loft anyway) wasn't of the standard I know my instructors would of accepted in my apprenticeship I wasn't surprised his subbies were to be short, shiote!!!!!

I've uncovered one snapped board, two floating on fresh air and one having the joist padded out with....trunking held on by 3x 40mm screws!
Phones the builder as he's still using the spark to warn him to keep an eye on him. It turned a simplish job into a two day mare.
I also cut the confer hedging, unfortunately I spotted a nest too late however left the hedging alone in that area and hope for the best

 

[MichaelW2]

We removed the wallpaper and plaster from one exposed external wall to fit foam 10mm multi board for insulation with minimal change in thickness.
The doorbell wires go everywhere. Wireless doorbells look really cheap and plasticky. Are there any classy (brass) non smart wireless doorbell buttons with a slim profile for fitting to wooden frame porch? The main wireless company make them only for wired system.

 

[fossyant]

The wonky greenhouse has been moved and turned through 90 degrees. It's been at our house about 20 years, and was previously my dads, and he must have had it at least 20 years. Over the years at our house, as the land to the side of the garage was built up, it's subsided, so the front was at least 6" higher than the rear. I've got 14 panes of glass on order £126 and should hopefully collect them tomorrow - we lost a few taking them out to enable moving, and a few more clipping back in.