Home DIY

I don't do that because we like to preserve the zero VAC properties of pure oil.

Tung actually will polymerize on it's own unlike other other oils which only get absorbed, but you can add a solvent to aid in penetration or polymer to speed hardening.

Yes that is the point. The fine dust (500 grit or even steel wool) in combination with the oil brings it to a high sheen. Using pure oil is a time consuming process but it's rewarding in the end.

Definitely the former.

Just waiting for the final coat of varnish on the new top to dry then joining the two.

As I said above, get a tool to suit what you’ll use it for. Having a reasonable battery combi drill and impact driver are invaluable around the house IMO, covers so many bases.

I have ~800 decking screws to remove in a few weeks. The battery in my ancient B&D cordless drill lasts about 20 screws before it's dead (which is no great surprise, it's probably 15 years old and rarely used). Similar for my cordless screwdriver.

Was hoping there was such a thing as a cheap corded electric screwdriver but all of them I can find are cordless. Any form of a drill seems to be overkill with the extra handle.

Do I just get the cheapest corded drill I can find (Screwfix do one for £25) and be done with it? I've lasted 15 years here without the need for a higher quality drill (e.g. SDS) and I could probably borrow one from a neighbour should I need something better. I don't want to borrow a heavy duty thing for the decking screws as the extra weight would be an arse for over an hour of decking screw removal.

I think that's the one I have. It's not light.

Having got lost in all the drill talk will this enough for DIY jobs ie putting up shelves and that sort of stuff. Will look to do work round the house soon like plasterboarding etc etc £200 is probs my budget here
There were a few others recommendations

An impact driver is what you're after.

Get this (or a better kit if you can afford either of these)

That will definitely do. There's a perfectly serviceable dewalt kit for £140 too...

I think I've mentioned this to you before, if not to someone with a similar problem. Possibly in an overly brusque manner, if so apologies.

You are better off forgetting taking the screws out if the decking has been in for more than a year. The chances of you managing to remove more than 3 in 5 screws are slim to none.

The big question is are you trying to save the frame of the deck?

If not then cut the whole thing up with a reciprocating saw the one I've linked to is good quality for a cheap tool and will come in useful for other things.

If you're trying to save the frame I'd probably still use the recip. Cut between the joists to remove the bulk of the decking then slide a metal blade between the joist and the decking to cut the screws flush (you may need to loosen the decking a bit first with a hammer or a pry bar).

Thank you certainly seems it will do what I need

@tbc @lynx thanks. @nefarious took me a while to figure out what body parts I was looking at! Didn't use one of those saws unfortunately, just a regular one.

@Soul that is f@cking amazing work, well done.

As I’m not in a rush, is it worth me doing a few more coats (with sanding)? Have I left it too long since the last one?

Could a sparky shed light on this?

We've bought a Bosch PUE611BB1E induction hob, which is rated at 4700W. That's more than 2 phase 220 is going to provide, no? It only comes with a 3 core cable, and the provided installation manual only goes into 2 phase installation. Yet the installation manual linked here does list wiring for a 3 phase installation: https://www.rdo.co.uk/bosch-built-in-induction-hob-pue611bb1e-black.html

The provided cable is too short, so I'll need to get a longer one anyway. What are the chances I'll kill myself / the hob when I get a 5 core wire and wire it up to be 3 phase?

Heh, no problem.

I could saw it up but I've got time on my side and I want to dispose of it nicely. That means separating wood from metal (screws). Smashing/sawing it would make it harder to dispose of at the local tip as they're pretty picky about rejecting wood if it's filled with screws/nails, it just goes in the 'general waste' bin instead. It's 15' x 20' so a fair amount.

Initial attempts at getting the screws out shows I shouldn't have much of a problem. In the 50 or so I've taken out already there was only one that I stripped the head, and I was choosing some of the nastiest looking ones too, the vast majority will be very simple. I did the first 30 odd by hand with a screwdriver with a square head bit, then 20 with the drill before the battery died. The decking was here when we moved in 13 years ago and it's rotting in various places (and I've never powerwashed it) enough that I've put my foot through a couple of times.

The frame might be a different story as it is nailed together from what I've uncovered so far, but if those nails are just at the ends of the main runners/joists then I can deal with those bits separately with a saw or a big fucking hammer.

I was more surprised that there doesn't seem to be a concept of a corded screwdriver. I get that cordless is great for most applications but I guess 800+ screws is a bit niche and any battery solution is going to struggle with that. I also don't want to spend £100 on a cordless solution where a £25 corded solution will work fine. I don't need to use this as a starting point for acquiring a large good quality power tool selection.

I hope you don't live in Newham.

I very diligently took a lot of screws out of an old wooden frame to put it in the wood "recycling" at Jenkins Lane. I threw in a bit with a bracket on by accident and then asked if I should get it back, and was told "don't worry, it all just gets burned anyway."

Fair play I'm surprised that the screws are coming out so easily.

Basically the last corded screwguns that were commercially available were collated ones for drylining, even these are mostly cordless these days. Sites don't like cables trailing everywhere. Contractors don't like corded because every corded tool needs pat testing every 6 months, with battery gear it's just the chargers. Tool manufacturers have realised that if you can get a consumer to buy into a battery platform then they are less likely to switch to a competitor.

I'm contemplating a garden office/studio approx 3x2.5m at the rear of the garden.
The problem I have is that I have a drain cover in the area that I would be wanting the studio to go. I need to check exactly what the drain is for, but I am assuming that decking would be ok (with a access hatch), what about a timber structure with some kind of access built in?

I don't think its the main public water pipe/surface/foul sewer as they run in front of my house according to the sewer map, and its made of plastic.

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Pretty pleased with this.

Installing a monitor arm tomorrow for a USB C power delivery monitor which should make things nice and clean. Also got a new power strip coming on Wednesday which should sort out the cable situation.

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Where did you get the sit/stand base from? Was it spendy?

Flexispot directly. £330 ish. It's the E5 in silver.

That's pretty good. Desk looks fantastic by the way.

Decking with an access point is fine

I too want to build a bigger outhouse we got a shed at the mo. If it was out of brick would you need planning permission

Thanks. Really pleased with it.

I'm having second thoughts about drilling for the monitor arm. I can either drill through (cleanest look) and fix from the bottom or c-clamp it to the back of the desk.

The second option is obviously much less permanent but nowhere near as clean looking.

Decisions...

Always nervous about clamping things to desks vs permanent - down to bad experiences with lamps and such.
Great project, well realized.