Home DIY

My wife did that when she became my wife

Nice progress, what's your provisional completion date?

I'm planning on making a whole load of cupboards in the new year. Does anyone have a plunge/track saw that they'd be happy to lend me (in return for beers). A table saw would be even better. Alternatively, does anyone have a recommendation for a hire place that carries those?

3d model it then blag a B&Q trade account and get it cut for free. Sadly I can't lend my tools as they are always in use. If you insist on cutting it on site I think most hire places do table saws, you might need to consider dust extraction too though.

It sounds like you're pretty handy if you're going to make a bunch of cupboards, a plunge saw with rails is in my top three best ever investments so if you think you can afford to purchase I don't think you'll regret it.
Another tool review for anyone who cares... the Titan 5kg Sds (next to my dead Bosch) is unbelievably good bang for the buck, £60 with blow molded case and a ton of bits. Time will tell if it survives but also includes a two year guarantee. Performs exactly the same as the £500 Makita version I had to borrow to finish a job. 10/10

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If you're gonna buy one, get the best. Mafell MT55cc*. Probably the best tool I own.

*Other, much cheaper saws exist.

Tool pron right there! How does it rate vs the Festool?

I haven't used any other brands to be honest. All the reviews / shootouts say Mafell though. The blade change and dust collection are worth the € alone.

My Makita has mediocre dust collection, isn't completely square and failed to cut off my finger last time I tried. Blade changing is quite easy though...

Radiators arrive tomorrow and to be fitted on Saturday - After the temperature drop over the past week or so, I'm pretty relieved.

That will be pretty much it for the major internal work - which will equal 9 months end to end. Not too bad.

Was talking to Greg on Saturday, it appears those coat hooks are pretty popular.

I'll need one of them and also can you think of a nice way to store knives without damaging the blades?

That's really good going. Pics when complete...

Still got odd bits and bobs to tidy up and fit but yeah not too bad.

February should see the external stuff kick off. Removing pebble dash, removing porch door and fit new front door, re-doing guttering, new front wall, re-doing front garden (need some inspo) and re-doing back garden + new shed.

How do people living in terrace houses deal with trying to make the ugly fucking bins look less ugly?

Ha! I'll check in, in 5 months time... :)

Question I've been asking myself

He mentioned it actually - I've made a batch that'll be finished today. You can pick it up at the weekend if you like.

Regarding the knife rack, I have exactly the same brief for my own knives. I'll be making a wood-fronted magnetic strip in the new year.

I've got the Festool and likey, better than the Makita but they're the only two I've tried. Has a blade brake which is handy.

I've got the festool and the mafell. The mafell is a little bit better and a little bit more expensive. They suffer equally from the hoover hose detaching, but I think festool have come up with a new connector for the hose which locks on.

I still recommend getting the bulk of it cut and delivered, if not all of it. It makes sense for a one off when you don't have the tools to hand.

They're all good really. I just get to justify expensive tool purchases by earning money with them. It's a perfect storm when you like nice things.

Quick question: anyone got a wallpaper stripper? Anyone want to give me some tips on how to prepare hall stairs and landing before:
1) my new child arrives
2) the decorator arrives
?

Answers including:
you'll need a ladder

Will be filed with "answers i could have predicted".

Depends what type of paper you are stripping really, and what you are replacing it with.
In the first room we used a steamer, but it trashed the ancient plaster as it seemed to be all patchwork.
In one room to start with we just picked a corner and pulled, and keep doing that until we only had the stubborn bits left. This was the most satisifying way.

IF you are re papering, we managed to separate the wallpaper from the lining paper in the hall by lightly scoring the top layer of the wallpaper and using warm water to soak and for us it split the wallpaper from the layer glued down.

If you can't be bothered with scoring the paper or you don't want to damage the plaster underneath with the blade, use a paper tiger. Wallpaper remover lowers the surface tension of water and helps the soaking process. There are a few products available that clean wallpaper glue residue from the plaster once the bulk of it is gone.

Steamers often cause more damage, mess and burns than they are worth.

Paper tiger looks good, i've got a garden sprayer (for cleaning my bike), i reckon this could be ok...

A 6" blade on a large handle is very effective too. Keep the blades reasonably sharp and you can slice most stuff off dry. You will occasionally gouge the wall with one though. It works well if you have soaked the paper though.

That could work. I might pootle over on Sunday, if you'll be around?