Home DIY

I have a cheapo titan one and it seems fine. You need to push it pretty firmly against the work but do that and they go all the way in
https://www.screwfix.com/p/titan-ttb517stp-25mm-second-fix-electric-nail-gun-stapler-240v/71120

Highlight of my week..

My shower unit has been playing up for some time, finally packed in, build up of limescale, probably the cause.

Now electrically isolated. I’ve removed cover, on closer inspection the neutral feed has blown at the connector block, either the solenoid has seized or thermal cut off (TCO) switch has tripped. both completely sealed so can’t reset or clean out, given the age of the shower time for a new unit, at £60 not the end of the world to replace it. Can’t be arsed to order replacement parts.

Annoyingly there is no local water switch off in the bathroom.. is that even legal??, I will have to shut off supply at the water meter out front.

electrical feed will need testing, buried cable behind tiling, no sign of burn out at the isolator switch. Fingers crossed no major damage, otherwise it’ll be a chase out job as well. Wish me luck.

#firstworldproblems

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I do that but I have to use a dremel because I've been too tight to buy a triangular file. I might put one on my christmas list.

I've got 2 of the corded ones. I bought the latest low vibration ones having had the older noisier one for years. I got to the point where the noise would get to me so badly I hated using it. Later version cured that. The Fein ones are great.

In the picture it looks like your supply wiring is smaller diameter than the 'internal' wiring of the shower. Possibly your wiring is under sized for the shower ampage. Seems like the breaker should have been operating too, maybe borderline but you would have hoped the breaker would trip with damage like that to the cable.

@Airhead
thanks this doesn’t surprise me at all. The bathroom is a shocker generally, built for HMO purpose. Once I have funds to build first floor extension, the bathroom is going above the kitchen, so really don’t want to shell out major cost to fix a legacy problem. combi boiler sited in bathroom too, another cock up really..

combi boiler sited in bathroom too, another cock up really..

Why is this a problem? Just wondering as ours is there too.

I've got this wood salt grinder, that has developed a crack.

Is it worth preventatively fixing? And if so anything more than careful filling with wood glue?
Cheers

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Might be able to put a jubilee clip round it to hold the crack closed while the glue sets? You could protect the wood with some old inner tube and leave a gap at the glued bit so the inner tube doesn't stick to the tube.

That's a good idea.

I was struggling to work out how you'd clamp round something round. String maybe?

Cable tie it, a fold of kitchen roll under the cable tie will be enough to protect the wood while the filler sets.

Now down the rabbit hole of switching cordless tool brands. But unsure which way to go. Tempted by DeWalt if only for the option of the 54v flexvolt stuff

Ours was in the flat too. I think it's ok depending on which zone it is and if it's in a borderline zone, it can be boxed in. Going from what a plumber told me.

I’ve got all DeWalt and it’s never let me down.

Only thing I wish I’d not gone DeWalt for was the track saw. Their tracks aren’t as useful / capable as others. You can’t clamp squares to the etc so it’s just a little harder to use.

Ours is in an airing cupboard, bathroom seems like a good place for both.

Good to know. Still happy enough with my Titan corded track saw. Similarly doesn't clamp, but I've not had a problem with it sliding. Only time I wished it was cordless was ripping full sheets of ply and having to shuffle about "near" (within 10') of a socket. I suppose the dust extraction is actually a bit shit. Seems to fire the dust out the front even with a Henry fitted to the port. But it'll do for now.

The main thing I want first is a 2nd fix nailer. Then I would like to swap out my Bosch circ saw and jigsaw as they're shit. I could get a cordless multitool and get rid of the no name corded one I have. Then if I have flexvolt I can maybe get rid of the corded angle grinder.

I'd keep my Bosch drill as my dad bought me it, but I'm not attached to anything else.

ferstive20 for 20% off b&q at the moment.
Looking at getting a drill
https://www.diy.com/departments/stanley-fatmax-18v-1-3ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill-impact-driver-fmck465c2s-gb/5035048667279_BQ.prd

or

https://www.diy.com/departments/ryobi-one-18v-1-5ah-li-ion-cordless-brushed-combi-drill-r18pd3-215sk-2-batteries-included/4892210187468_BQ.prd

or https://www.diy.com/departments/bosch-power-for-all-18v-2-0ah-li-ion-cordless-combi-drill-0-603-9d4-172-2-batteries-included/4053423227536_BQ.prd

You're about a thousand times more professional than I was about my house renovation, I was just bumbling along reading from the Collins yellow DIY book when I came to something new, and using the same corded SDS/corded mitre saw/corded circular saw/cordless drill/corded angle grinder (which I think was ~£11) for everything. Killed the drill ultimately, and I wish I'd known how much better a driver was for, erm, driving screws, but there you go.

I made a few rails out of two bits of ply screwed to one another and just clamped them to the material I wanted to cut a straight line down.

I wish I'd known how much better a driver was for, erm, driving screws,

Not sure I understand... Is there something I should know? You mean an electric screw driver? I'm confused

The Bosch is the newer version of the one I've got. And it's great for everything except concrete. I've yet to have it stall in anything I've tried to put holes in. And I've got a 5kg SDS for that.

The only reason I'd steer away from the Bosch now is as I said before, the other tools in that battery range are very hit and miss.

Also, they're all brushed motors. Which is not necessarily a bad thing, but is likely why they are cheaper. Newer brushless are more compact, usually with more power or the same power for a smaller/lighter unit. Which is handy for a) reducing fatigue if you're holding them over your head or at a weird angle for any length of time or b) using them in a confined space.

Ah yes I remember you saying! Would you go for the Stanley one then? Can change my order (being rushed this morning!!!)

I wouldn't go based on what I'd do, I'm still trying to work it out myself!!! If it's just a drill and driver you're likely to use, then the Bosch ones are totally fine and have served me well as a hapless DIYer for 10 years. Plus, look less like a space laser gun.

Surely looking like a space laser gun is a positive?

Think it is for now. This is to put up shelves and stuff (bike hooks!) in my first place