Home DIY

Very slow progress on the stairs, perhaps as I only just remembered paint scrapers were a thing.

Also looks like the previous owner was very much aware of the fucked joists, given I’ve just found this ‘solution’ to a rotten end.
Don’t actually mind having to replace this kind of thing - somehow more annoyed how blaisé people can be with bodging this kind of thing.

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They might not really know. They might have had a problem and got a builder in who made the symptoms go away.

Anyone moved a range cooker for repair and cleaning...

...how did you do it?

Had a stove /range (1960s Stanley No8) refurbished and re-enameled a few years back,get someone else to move it is my tip, that or don’t bother.

In seriousness ours could break down a bit to reduce the weight - doors off, top off,etc but there’s still a fair old bulk. Ours also burns turf so there was no CORGI or sparks needed to disconnect it from a fuel source.

Do the people repairing it not offer collection?

in seriousness ours could break down a bit to reduce the weight - doors off, top off,etc but there’s still a fair old bulk. Ours also burns turf so there was no CORGI or sparks needed to disconnect it from a fuel source.

Yep. Everything comes off it. But there's still no obvious way to move it. Looking at the parts diagrams, it seems to have adjustable feet and no rollers which gives me the fear of god.

Do the people repairing it not offer collection?

Well, it 'just' needs a fan motor replacement, which in theory is DIYable, which is good because the repair people are like 'nobody for three weeks'.

Presume I'd need a gas / sparks engineer to shut it off & cap the supply before it's moved enough to be worked on...

Ballache. Ballache squared.

Gonna grab one, thanks! And some specific masonry bits that have good reviews

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Edit: scratch that a t-slot/keyhole bit should make some nice hidden fixtures.

Keyhole openings on the reserve of the uprights?

some specific masonry bits that have good reviews

Dewalt DT6952-QZ DT6952QZ Masonry Drill Set of 5 4 0-10.0mm, Multi https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0013LEMT0/ref=cm_sw_r_apanp_KxMP7xzarAue4

These seem to be doing OK. Plus having them go down to such a small size has helped me to reduce wondering by starting with a really small pilot hole.

Obviously they're not SDS drill bits - which in case you didn't know have a totally different fitting. So worth factoring if drill bits are Inc. on any deals on SDS drills you see.

Yeah, that makes sense. Same idea came to me just after posting.

Yes ours is on legs so it was carried out and then put on a pallet and trollied / loader action it is indeed a ballache to move them.
Have you researched whether it actually needs to be moved out - can the motor be reached through the from ? I’ve done heating elements in ovens and that wasn’t too bad.(Not trying to teach you to suck eggs)

Have found some of these kits are a poor quality, some of the drill bits weren't even straight.

Does anyone have any tips for tilting over a radiator to paint behind it? One side is very reluctant to lift off the wall hanger as feels like there's not enough 'slack' in the pipes under the floorboards. Reluctant to remove the rad/refill the system if possible.

Remove / refill is really the best way.

You can get thin pads for doing behind radiators which are better than mini rollers if you're really not keen.

Have you researched whether it actually needs to be moved out - can the motor be reached through the from ? I’ve done heating elements in ovens and that wasn’t too bad.(Not trying to teach you to suck eggs)

The bastard things are mounted from the rear I'm afraid. Elements are easier, as you don't need rear access.

Thanks a lot, I need to remove wallpaper behind the rad first so having more elbow space would be useful. Will get searching how to refill the system.

Rent a hand pallet truck?

Can it wait till after the heating goes off?

Actually do you have a combi boiler and what are the taps either side of the rad like?

I have the larger version of that, the bits are unfortunately dogshit (esp the shiny masonry ones). I got the masonry only (still Bosch green, confusingly) set and they've been fine for any plaster/brick/block work. Don't ask me why they're different, maybe the big packs use lower spec ones for cost saving. But I would likely go for the pro ones mentioned up thread when I need to restock.

It might not be the same issue for stone, but one word of caution if you're going to use an SDS and start with a small pilot and work up the sizes. I did that to go through brick fitting an outside tap (started 8mm then 16mm). The 8mm went fine, but then the 16mm couldn't give two fucks which way the pilot hole was going and came out about 4" away from where the 8mm had gone!

I'd also use the depth stop for the first while until you get an idea of how easily it drills otherwise you could end up with a 6" deep hole putting up pictures..... ask me how I know....

Can it wait till after the heating goes off?

As in spring/summer? If so, yes it can wait. We have a conventional system boiler with thermostatic valve one side and drain off the other.

Anyone moved a range cooker for repair and cleaning...

...how did you do it?

Offer to use said range cooker to prepare greasy greasy food for your local rugby / tarck cycling club once it's fixed.

So I was back at the house that cowboys built today (the one I moaned about before Christmas). Just when I thought it couldn't get any worse........ It leapfrogged past bad to catastrophic.

I was there today to install some fibre cement cladding on a small dormer. Started putting my battens on the dormer to fix the cladding to, got halfway through and realised that whoever built the fucking thing had only sheathed approximately 1/2 the structure with osb.

At this point I decided to have a closer look at the rest of it. Ridge tiles not bedded on or pointed, the only thing holding them on the roof is their own weight. The pointing on the gable end verges between the undertiles and the slates has been knocked up with too little sand so it has cracked and shrunk and is now falling out. There are other problems further down the roof including missing tiles and very poorly dressed lead flashing. The worst part about all of this? Building control have already signed it off. Because of this the client who is already in denial about how bad things are says he just wants to leave it alone. I.fucking.despair.

This worked well for us. Just don’t be phased by mild pissing of water.

Think of it like mechanical disc brakes - unscrew til it’s really shit then screw in a tad more til it’s not pissing out so much and twist the rad down. Tighten the nuts whilst you’re doing your thing, then reverse proceedings.

https://youtu.be/SdAzP5GkfUc

we removed ours and it wasn't too hard and I'm really not that good at diy - just make sure your thermostatic valve is working (or replace it for a decorators cap before closing the valve). We spent a good hour waiting for the radiator to drain before realising the valve was still open

Speaking of which, thermostatic valves - we have one that doesn't seem to work. At the moment we are removing it completely to get heat and putting it back to shut off the radiator. The pin in the radiator goes up and down ok. The pad inside the valve goes up and down with some effort but it seems like the radiator pin can't push it enough. New valve time or can they be lubricated with a squirt of WD40 or similar?