Home DIY

Also trying to pick up some 150mm duct to feed out from my extractor today - manrose ok as a brand?

edit: the brand I was looking at all have comments both in the kit version and the standalone ducting saying that the pipe is actually 160mm+ and won't fit in a 152mm hole. Thoughts? The kit version can be crunched down to size but risks damage, the standalone version is much tougher and can't easily be shrunk:

https://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-aluminium-laminated-flexible-ducting-hose-silver-10m-x-152mm/86676
https://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-extractor-fan-wall-fixing-kit-150mm/12523

Where should I look for proper 150mm ducting?

I used a fine tooth hand saw to do mine and went slowly and carefully.
doesn't always have to be power tools.

My pull saw would be fine - it's my wonky wrists I'm worried about. Is there any way to guide or just going slow is the answer?

You can get a saw guide for pull saws.
https://www.workshopheaven.com/z-saw-japanese-free-angle-saw-guide-set.html
I have a much cheaper version but I can't seem to find it online.
If you have a circular saw, just clamp a straight bit of wood to whatever you're cutting to use as a guide, or buy a dedicated clamp guide. You just need to measure the offset of the blade from the edge of the base, so you know where exactly to clamp the wood/guide.
https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/clarke-cht684-50-clamp-guide/

Thanks - want to do it today really so I suspect a bit of straight wood is the best bet. Maybe use a square and screw a second piece running perpendicular so it can sit on the edge of the workpiece? Will experiment this morning.

In the near future I'll also need to scribe some other boards against a wonky wall.

Compass and a hand saw would be my recommendation. I normally use a handsaw to make a scribe cut (unless speed is of the essence) as it's much easier to cut accurately to the waste side of the line. Back when I regularly taught apprentices I wouldn't let them near a jigsaw for a scribe cut until the could do it near perfectly with a hand saw.

When I have time I'll write up my process for scribing and post it.

Thanks. I'll wait to read but don't rush. Not in a hurry to mess it up :)

Interior brick & dust sealer with brush. 4L left. Free - collect SE15. Please PM!

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Unopened Mapei ultra colour plus grout. Jasmine colour. 5kg. Free - collect SE15. Please PM!

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Today I learned there is more than one type of cabinet hinge. Took a good ten minutes of staring at the built in cupboard door I'd just hung to work out why it was sitting outside the frame. Off to B&Q for some inset hinges.

The new garages have at some point been used as a very amateur spray booth, with evidence of lots of gun-clearing on the walls.

I would like to whitewash the walls- will a standard paint for this sort of thing be able to cover over lines of red and green car paint, or will some sort of puissant undercoat be required?

curren fireplace status

I think next steps are bonding plaster to fill in the gaps of the surround, remove old tiles on the hearth, then get some plasterboard and adhesive for the brick interior? Then tile over the hearth and plasterboard interior with new modern tiles - maybe something geometric

For anyone who has done similar - does that seem about right? Will get a nice timber beam to sit above the opening for some decoration/plants.

I presume no plan to light a fire in it? Sounds about right if so

On the subject of ducting again - I picked up these despite reading reviews that though advertised as 150mm, they come out as 160mm. They do indeed come out at 160+mm.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-alumi­nium-laminated-flexible-ducting-hose-sil­ver-10m-x-152mm/86676
https://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-extra­ctor-fan-wall-fixing-kit-150mm/12523

Are you just supposed to squish them into place? That doesn't seem correct but happy to be told otherwise before I return them. Where can I get actual 150mm ducting?

Built in cupboard 90% done. Door panel is annoyingly warped but nothing a catch to hold it closed won't sort. Have since shifted the door a few mm to the right which evens out the top and left gaps.

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Looking good

Your ducting ^^^ would be 150mm internal. Slip it over a connector which would give you 150mm external.

https://www.screwfix.com/p/manrose-round-connector-white-150mm/145gy

correct - and thanks!

Thanks - how does this work exactly? I can't fit the ducting through the hole. So ducting from extractor to hole, into connector, then what, some other piping through the hole (I saw some hard PVC one in B&Q which is 150 external), then out to the exterior grill? Seems odd that the standard coring bit in that size range (152mm) isn't big enough to fit the standard size ducting ("150"/160)

And is there a better brand to look for? As I'm not in the 'get it today' rush I'm happy to order something from somewhere if it comes within a week or so - I saw this for example which seems more solid than the cheapo plastic thing that came with the Manrose kit - is there much benefit? https://www.toolstation.com/stainless-steel-bull-nose-vent-grill/p87963

Regarding fireplace we are doing the opposite and opening up for a Parkray Aspect 5 burner...... I'd rather have your spend lol :)

Ah. I was imagining you having issues fitting it onto a fan spigot. Not through a bored hole.

The rigid 150mm od from B&Q that you mention above should take the flexi duct over the end of it, from the fan. You'll probably have to get slightly creative to join onto the outlet grill which will have a 150mm spigot.

i'm sure it has been said here before but worth being aware of their impact (even the ecodesign ones!) on the lungs of you and your neighbours

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2021/oct/09/eco-wood-stoves-emit-pollution-hgv-ecodesign

Decorating, hopefully somewhere I can save some money on renovating my flat. The lining paper was coming off but it is underneath this picture rail. So not sure if I need to try and pry the picture rail off and glue/screw it back after..
Also the skirting boards aren't in good shape. are these gaps repairable or do I need new boarding? Cheers!

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how bad is the lining paper? it may be hiding some serious sins beneath...

Not too bad I don't think. Bit of air behind in one spot

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