Brandane
Legendary Member
- Location
- Costa Clyde
What have you failed to achieve today?
- Thread starter KneesUp
- Start date
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OP
OP
KneesUp
Guru
Oh God! I had to change the light bulb in the aforementioned toilet once. The 'spring' in the pins in the fitting wasn't enough for them to reach the contacts on the new bulb, and what with the fuse box being in the same cellar as the stop cock (i.e. under a heavy display you can't move in business hours) we had a battery lantern in there for a long time, waiting for me to change the fitting - until it occurred to me I could make the contacts on the bulb bigger by putting some more solder on them. It had been so long without a proper light that at least one member of staff didn't even know where the light switch was.As a fellow "not so handyman" at work, you have my sympathy @KneesUp . Every 2 minute job in our place ends up being hours of fun and lots of sweary words.
Change a bulb? No problem - until the light fitting crumbles in your hand getting the old bulb out!
OP
OP
KneesUp
Guru
A full update on the plumbing:
Initial problem - the 15mm copper pipe that runs along a wall to the toilet had been damaged and was leaking c. 2l a day into a plastic box placed under it.
Steps taken:
1) Turn of water using in-line valve under kitchen sink leading to total failure of control valve so water gushing into under sink cupboard. Contents of cupboard all over office floor.
2) Water off at fortunately fitted extra control valve.
3) Cycle to Wickes. But new control valve and new grips.
4) Remove waste pipes from sink so broken control valve can be removed.
5) Remove control valve. Realise that olives wont' come off so cut back pipe. Now new control valve won't fit.
6) Cycle back to Wickes. Swap control valve for flexible connector because I'm not prepared to measure anything
7) Fit flexible connector.
8) Turn water back on next morning. Check new connector. All good. Do some actual work in another room.
9) Staff member starts, tells me that toilet floor is sopping wet.
10) Discover toilet cistern - which hasn't been touched - now doesn't fully shut off when cistern is full. Also notice for first time that overflow is not connected to anything so overflows onto the floor.
11) Turn off water at control valve hoping it doesn't fall apart. Luckily it doesn't
12) Cut out broken pipe (the original job) with hacksaw (now retrieved from home)
13) Clean x decades of paint from pipe end
14) Realise that I will have to replace the section in two parts because it passes through a door frame and there isn't enough room to put in one piece. (Discover on removing old pipe that the join was hidden by the frame, and that was what had failed)
15) Cut two sections of pipe. Connect one to the sawn off end, and the other to it. On a roll at this point although I did lose an olive somewhere.
16) Go to local hardware shop to get replacement ball cock thing for cistern
17) Return with what looks like an identical ball cock thing only to discover that the bit the float attaches to is very marginally wider than on the old one,. so trim that down with a box cutter. Attach float. Offer up ball cock thing. Discover that the whole assembly is imperceptibly wider than the previous one and the float gets stuck. Try to use valve from new one with the rest of the old one, but the arm attachment is also different.
18) Go to Wickes again as they do another ball cock thing that looks like the one that was fitted originally, and because I also need a bit of flexible pipe to attach ball cock thing to the new pipe - hardware shop didn't have any. I do like a flexible pipe as it saves measuring - did I mention that? Determine that ball cock thing need a 1/2 inch connector. Buy it, and connector.
19) Back to work, try and fit new ball cock thing. Discover it has an entirely different float connector to the original that no amount of adjusting with a box knife will make work, but fortunately I am able to fit the 'arm' from the old one. Assemble it, fit it. Get flexible pipe. Discover that despite knowing I wanted a 1/2 inch one, I have somehow brought home a 3/4 inch one that presumably was on the wrong bit of display.
20) Return to Wickes, swap flexible pipe. I know a this point from measuring the gap with the wrong pipe that a 500mm one is not quite long enough to reach the end of the pipe, but a 1000mm will be far to long and end up being kinked. As I am going to need to put in a bit more pipe (coming up from the end at right angles toward the cistern) but have no pipe left, I look at their pipes. Decide that for the short amount I need it's not worth buying a full length section, but that's all they have. Buy 300mm connector with correct 1/2" / 15mm fittings.
21) Attach flexible pipe to ball cock device. Attach right angle fitting to end of pipe. Fish removed pipe from bin, cut out c25cm of good pipe away from the damaged area, remove x years of paint and attach right angle fitting to flexible pipe.
22) Turn water on and retire a safe distance.
It all seems ok this morning ...
Initial problem - the 15mm copper pipe that runs along a wall to the toilet had been damaged and was leaking c. 2l a day into a plastic box placed under it.
Steps taken:
1) Turn of water using in-line valve under kitchen sink leading to total failure of control valve so water gushing into under sink cupboard. Contents of cupboard all over office floor.
2) Water off at fortunately fitted extra control valve.
3) Cycle to Wickes. But new control valve and new grips.
4) Remove waste pipes from sink so broken control valve can be removed.
5) Remove control valve. Realise that olives wont' come off so cut back pipe. Now new control valve won't fit.
6) Cycle back to Wickes. Swap control valve for flexible connector because I'm not prepared to measure anything
7) Fit flexible connector.
8) Turn water back on next morning. Check new connector. All good. Do some actual work in another room.
9) Staff member starts, tells me that toilet floor is sopping wet.
10) Discover toilet cistern - which hasn't been touched - now doesn't fully shut off when cistern is full. Also notice for first time that overflow is not connected to anything so overflows onto the floor.
11) Turn off water at control valve hoping it doesn't fall apart. Luckily it doesn't
12) Cut out broken pipe (the original job) with hacksaw (now retrieved from home)
13) Clean x decades of paint from pipe end
14) Realise that I will have to replace the section in two parts because it passes through a door frame and there isn't enough room to put in one piece. (Discover on removing old pipe that the join was hidden by the frame, and that was what had failed)
15) Cut two sections of pipe. Connect one to the sawn off end, and the other to it. On a roll at this point although I did lose an olive somewhere.
16) Go to local hardware shop to get replacement ball cock thing for cistern
17) Return with what looks like an identical ball cock thing only to discover that the bit the float attaches to is very marginally wider than on the old one,. so trim that down with a box cutter. Attach float. Offer up ball cock thing. Discover that the whole assembly is imperceptibly wider than the previous one and the float gets stuck. Try to use valve from new one with the rest of the old one, but the arm attachment is also different.
18) Go to Wickes again as they do another ball cock thing that looks like the one that was fitted originally, and because I also need a bit of flexible pipe to attach ball cock thing to the new pipe - hardware shop didn't have any. I do like a flexible pipe as it saves measuring - did I mention that? Determine that ball cock thing need a 1/2 inch connector. Buy it, and connector.
19) Back to work, try and fit new ball cock thing. Discover it has an entirely different float connector to the original that no amount of adjusting with a box knife will make work, but fortunately I am able to fit the 'arm' from the old one. Assemble it, fit it. Get flexible pipe. Discover that despite knowing I wanted a 1/2 inch one, I have somehow brought home a 3/4 inch one that presumably was on the wrong bit of display.
20) Return to Wickes, swap flexible pipe. I know a this point from measuring the gap with the wrong pipe that a 500mm one is not quite long enough to reach the end of the pipe, but a 1000mm will be far to long and end up being kinked. As I am going to need to put in a bit more pipe (coming up from the end at right angles toward the cistern) but have no pipe left, I look at their pipes. Decide that for the short amount I need it's not worth buying a full length section, but that's all they have. Buy 300mm connector with correct 1/2" / 15mm fittings.
21) Attach flexible pipe to ball cock device. Attach right angle fitting to end of pipe. Fish removed pipe from bin, cut out c25cm of good pipe away from the damaged area, remove x years of paint and attach right angle fitting to flexible pipe.
22) Turn water on and retire a safe distance.
It all seems ok this morning ...
OP
OP
KneesUp
Guru
I can't see them on Wickes website, but the cistern is now attached to the new 15mm pipe with one of these
https://www.screwfix.com/p/flexible-tap-connector-15mm-x-x-300mm/6768g
(Screwfix is significantly cheaper for this kind of stuff, but the cycling there and back would have added even more time)
Fraudulent post..
I almost failed to cut the grass today.
From drought to 4” long in a week or so, the grass was getting out of hand. After precipitating it down last night, and intermittent showers today, I doubted I’d be able to cut it.
But I decided to mow the meadow, and it’s looking good.
I almost failed to cut the grass today.
From drought to 4” long in a week or so, the grass was getting out of hand. After precipitating it down last night, and intermittent showers today, I doubted I’d be able to cut it.
But I decided to mow the meadow, and it’s looking good.
Joey Shabadoo
My pronouns are "He", "Him" and "buggerlugs"
The threat was enough
Vantage
Carbon fibre... LMAO!!!
- Location
- Behind everyone else, Bolton
Failed for the 5th day running to fill in an ESA form.
Failed to wash the doggie...she stinks.
Failed to walk the doggie...can't be arsed.
Failed to fix a slow pu**ture in the back tyre that I've known about for near two weeks...I reeeaaally can't be arsed.
Failed to fit a pair of curtain poles in the livingtoom and as such, the curtains that'll hang from them.
Failed to remove a load from the washing machine that I didn't fail to start. So I've only half failed there really.
Failing to find the will to do anything today.
Failed to wash the doggie...she stinks.
Failed to walk the doggie...can't be arsed.
Failed to fix a slow pu**ture in the back tyre that I've known about for near two weeks...I reeeaaally can't be arsed.
Failed to fit a pair of curtain poles in the livingtoom and as such, the curtains that'll hang from them.
Failed to remove a load from the washing machine that I didn't fail to start. So I've only half failed there really.
Failing to find the will to do anything today.
irw
Quadricyclist
- Location
- Liverpool, UK
I'm starting to pick things off the maiden to wear them,so putting the in cupboards and drawers is a bit too late now i suppose.
Poor maiden! Shame on you!
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
I failed in my epic attempt
to do 50 laps (32 miles) round my local park,due to me bumping into a parked car and falling off.
By the time i'd sorted myself out it was too cold,so i settled for 41 laps.
to do 50 laps (32 miles) round my local park,due to me bumping into a parked car and falling off. By the time i'd sorted myself out it was too cold,so i settled for 41 laps.Was it not there on the previous 40 laps?I failed in my epic attempt
Accy cyclist
Legendary Member
- Location
- The hills of Accrington
Yes it was. I did the same about 4 years ago,in the same spot I was tiring a bit and maybe daydreaming as well. The last one i bumped into was a VW camper van,this time it was a Fiat 500 which was black in colour as well as being small,so i suppose i have that as an excuse. Unlike the VW van which was large and fluorescent green in colour.
