Home DIY

So I'm going to build myself a corner desk. To that end, I'm going to buy a couple of planks of wood, and I've been looking into how to join them.

I watched a youtube video, so now I'm an expert on mitre vs butt joints. I'm planning to go for a butt joint because I think it'll be more forgiving of my non-existent carpentry skills. I'm planning to use biscuits and a couple of dog bone fasteners to allow a bit of movement.

For the biscuits, do I need to get a biscuit joiner, or can I just use router?

Also, if the desk is supposed to span the whole room, do I need to leave gaps on either end, and maybe plug them with cork or something?

I want to put a vermin grill over what I thought was an air vent in our outhouse, but have recently realised was for the previous owners tumble dryer.

However, at Xmas I do use the hole to run an extension lead for outdoor lights for a conifer.

Can I just punch out one of the holes in the back of this and squeeze an extension lead socket in?

https://www.directelectrical.co.uk/products/Switches+%26+Sockets/Weatherproof/Outdoor+Weatherproof+Enclosure+For+Nexus+Single+Plates+IP66/3024611414

Then I could have a length of cable running to it inside that I plug in to a timer at Xmas.

Or will they be funny sizing or create some issue I'm not seeing?

Wiring a proper plug seems overkill for once a year. As well as being a more involved job I could fuck up, whereas I can make up an extension lead.

Cheers.

I don't think that box will be big enough. You can get bigger ones though which should also have room for things like low voltage PSUs and other bits Christmas lights night have. Eg https://www.homebase.co.uk/masterplug-weatherproof-box-with-4-socket-extension-lead-8m-black/12815966.html

Don’t see why it wouldn’t work.
My advice would be to make sure the circuit the extension cord is on has a RCD protection if you’re running the extension in the garden, or buy an extension with built in RCD if you don’t have one in your fuse board.

Cheers.

Jellybaby, I actually have one of those boxes that sits next to the conifer to house and protect the plug, etc for the lights. But would rather not have something so visible and bulky for such limited use.

Alternatively can you run an extension cable into a proper one?

Would it act like a spur?

Ultimately its just 3 cables, right? Or is there something intrinsically different about the functioning of a wall socket vs an extension socket

It'll be cheaper and less faff.

Again its going to be unplugged on the inside end the majority of the time and I can have an rcd on the plug inside.

Also I hate the way my home projects seem to run into some sort of critical path analysis fuck up.

I just wanted to stop the mouse going in the outhouse.

Any thoughts?

How would the air that sucked in get into the cellar, are you saying under the door?

Did you ever get to the bottom of where the water was coming from? Is it just the water level rising?

If not and there's any risk of surface water coming in through the air brick I'd replace it with one of these (or similar, alternative models are available for about the same price):
https://www.m3floodtec.com/shop/products/anti-flood-airbrick-m3afa

I'd probably do that with any air bricks if there is a risk of surface water but I'm particularly thinking about what happens if water goes down your pipe and into your fan.

Fundamentally a good idea though I'd say as Victorian cellars normally rely on ventilation to keep them dry.

Initially the air would come in through gaps in floorboards and mainly through or under the basement door (opposite end of cellar). It could be supplemented by another fan sucking in if necessary.

From what we, a couple of experienced neighbours, a basement tanking company and a builder can tell, the ingress is ground water coming in at weak points such as the join between floor and brick walls. It's not the whole water table being above the floor level, just excess water finding a way out.

Would it act like a spur?

My guess is it would act just like an extension cable, just one bolted to the wall and waterproofed. All other previous caveats would still apply (it's what I would do, but I am not an electrician). I had a single one (a proper socket on the kitchen ring) and bought a double that I got the electrician to fit when he was doing the EICR. Suuuuper handy.

I have done exactly this to run an extension out for use when we have the pool up during the summer, for extra protection I whacked the cable in a bit of ducting I had lying round. I just then unplug it when the pool is not in use.

My guess is it would act just like an extension cable

Ha! I meant from the socket's pov.

Cheers all. Will. Probably go this route then as I can just grab everything from tlc quickly.

Finally stuck the telly on the wall. Only 5 months after buying the bracket.

Need to find a nice wooden thing to go in the space under the telly to hold:-

• BT TV box and DVD player (need open front for IR receiver access plus hole for wires at the back)
  
• That shit old hifi (it's the only thing left in the flat that can play tapes)
  
• A few photo frames and other bits on top to help collect dust
  
  

Also need to hide the cables somehow, can't be arsed to get them chased into the wall, and conduit looks uglier than bare wires, may just leave them tied up with some black spiral wrap. It'll help when everything else is put away in something below.

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There are wall mounts that do all you need.

But, alas, too late.

https://www.tv-wall-brackets.co.uk/vogels-next-7840-cable-column/

Nice fireplace tho

Trying out some art line long nibs. They’re about £2.50-3 each, so way more than a sharpie, but half a tracer.

https://www.zoro.co.uk/shop/office-supplies-and-stationery/marker-pens/long-nib-marker-710-black/p/ZT1049551X

Also I hate the way my home projects seem to run into some sort of critical path analysis fuck up.

Every. Fucking. Time.

"Sorry - this is going to take a lot longer than I thought, because some minor X Y Z detail."

And I'm a project manager by trade...

need open front for IR receiver

There are plenty of IR repeaters out there for not much money (or remotes like the Harmony ones with a base station).

Don't mind having them open, more technology (like IR repeaters or special remotes) just complicates matters.

I don't live in a modernist show home so I don't really give a shit how it looks.

If one had a radiator that continually required bleeding, would one be correct in assuming the fucking thing is leaking under the floorboards somewhere?

I can't use a marker for a lot of stuff as it isn't as easy to wipe away for like rads I just use a pencil usually.

Is the boiler losing pressure

It's an oil-fired boiler, it just keeps chugging along

Is the radiator the highest one in the house?

And idea what kind of paint to tidy this hearth stone up?

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No, just one on the ground floor that doesn't appear to be any different from any of the others