Home DIY

E14, just off the A12 @6pt

Tap question. I’ve ordered a new cartridge for our dripping tap. It said it a Hot cartridge, the taps are mixer taps - is there a cold cartridge? I have ordered it in a bit of a rush.

I've just ordered three of these new, damnit.

Electrics question. My tenants informed me that the pull switch in the bathroom was not working so went to replace it. When I took the old one off I found that the neutral had a brown live sleeve over it see pic. Is there a valid reason for this or should I be worried about the state of the electrics in a ~ 15 year old flat?

1 Attachment

It's just a switched live isn't it?

(So sleeving the blue wire that was used as a switched live is/was the right thing to do if using twin&earth cabling.)

Is the right answer. See how easy it is to confuse people when you follow the regulations!

Hah yeah just make sure the circuit is off at the consumer unit before you dick with it.

Cheers.

Was just a case of replacing like with like but it did confund me a bit.

Presumably you have a hot and cold tap and they rotate in opposite directions?

Nope. Hot and cold handles. Both operate in the same direction. Pic to follow

Pic

1 Attachment

How do the handles operate? Out to the sides or down towards the sink?

Pull forward. They are off in the pic. 90 degree movement.

So the valves do open in different directions of rotation. Because they are attached to either side of the tap they have to. Right hand side opens by turning anticlockwise, left opens turning clockwise.

Yes. It appears you are right. Left hand is clockwise and right hand is anti.

Bin store/pergola/place for future climbing plants. Not totally finished but the main structure is done.

1 Attachment

Lovely bin shrine that😉

Another Pinterest "can you make this" scenario. Will have planters on either side with something climby going up and over.

Also, fuck me timber is expensive. Each length of 2x3 was nearly a tenner.

Height has been dictated by the trellis panels. Going to live with it for a bit before deciding if it needs lowered.

You could have saved a bit by using c-16 over c-24 you just have to be a wee bit more selective when buying as it's a bit more prone to going banana shaped. However this is the way things are going at present, make be slightly worried about the prospect of doing a large part of my extension as timber frame (whole 1st floor).

Ribbing aside looks to be a good job.

c-16 over c-24

Croydon didn't have any C16 and the window of getting shit done with a toddler was "today, just after getting the weekly shop in at the Asda next door to the Wickes".

Ah yes, there's a reason why I have yet to build the wendy-house my kids "designed" in lockdown #2. It's mostly because I find it hard to cope when they are doing what my wife optimistically calls helping. Well, that and figuring out how I'm supposed to build crenellated turrets without pissing off the neighbours.

I had her for an hour during this construction. Thankfully she was happy to play the "cover your ears" game when I needed to bust out the angle grinder to take 20mm off the screws I realised were breaking out the other side of some of the joints. Although the neighbours probably have something to say about the chap at 120 who uses power tools up a ladder while his daughter runs around with her hands on her head in just a t-shirt and nappy.

How do toddlers' socks manage to transport so much sawdust throughout the rest of the house?

Does anyone know where I can get a couple of those big pulleys for a looped clothes line? The only ebay sellers I can find are based in the US, or look like they wouldn't last a year in the UK's wettest city.

Was thinking of making something from 4 smaller surface mounted pulleys but not sure it'll work well with the smaller radius.

This kind of thing:

Have you looked for generic block and tackle?

Anything from a chandlery would last a long time inland.

chandlery

Good shout, can't see anything big enough immediately but it's another avenue to explore.