Home DIY

Maybe I’m missing something but why is the radius important? As long as the block will take the line’s diameter you should be OK?

The spacing allows you to hang your washing on the lower line and also to use something like this to spread the tension across the two wires to avoid the bottom one sagging and the top becoming really taught. Although in fairness I'm sure once you have a couple of items hung it would create a gap anyway no matter how close the ends are.

Anyway, you're probably right, gonna crack on and give it a shot with what I can cobble together from UK eBay and stop procrastinating about it.

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With some yachty bits and some ingenuity you should be more than able to replicate that (probably with less friction and more longevity than the original)

I’ve run out of patience waiting for plumbers to come and put new rads on - even though multiple had quoted and given dates (which have since passed).

So, in the spirit of DIY how hard is it to remove and refit a new rad with some pipe work needing altered? My process might look like:

1. Drain system
   
2. Remove old rads and try not to spill the dregs
   
3. Alter pipe work using copper 15mm with JG Speedfit couplers/elbows where needed.
   
4. Make new holes in the floorboards for the pipe work
   
5. Fit new rads and pray I measured everything right
   
6. Connect new pipe work to TRVs
   
7. Put inhibitor in bathroom towel rad (has the bleed valve on top rather than on side)
   
8. Refill system and pray nothing goes pop
   
   

Anything I am missing?

Borrow a pipe bender to save on joints? If you can pre form the bends and joints save the last one to connect to existing, then copper soldering is pretty easy.

@Kurai Thanks! My place is littered with speedfit joints and they’ve held up. Is there thought that they are not that great?

One potential issue with plastic pipes and fittings is rodent attack. Neighbours have just had a nightmare with a squirrel eating some plastic elbows. Apparently the bigger rodents are attracted to the warm pipes.

When I was researching it for plumbing to upstairs, people's mileage varies. But if you are able to just bend the copper rather than use an elbow, well that's fewer potential leak spots either method.
I bought the cheapest blowtorch, some flux and some solder, and did the pipe work for the shower.

Yaughty bits = expensive, but you're correct, worth doing it right once.

Not always possible to get a bent pipe in soldering is easier or run it in microbore and do it in one length nearly(10mm is its a big run)

There's lots of 25mm and 50mm cheap stainless pulleys on ebay etc. Without the yacht tax.

You could use a pair either end, spaced apart to give similar separation to the big wheeled one you originally pictured.

I'd Avoid any with chords for attaching the block, as UV/weather will perish most cords.

I hate sanding. I despise spending a whole day doing it, the fact that I'll probably have to spend at least half a day tomorrow doing it can get in the fucking sea.

Thisisall

Speaking of sanding, I've spent the last 3 days stripping and sanding my ebay purchase. Speed heater made the stripping a bit easier though. It'll be my new kitchen door. Need to shave a little off. A few more hours on the back and it'll be at a stage where I can take it to the glass shop to get it glazed and new beading strips installed. Had to remove all the old broken glass and putty which is an absolute nightmare.

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Nice job though. It seems worth it for that design too. I like the suns rays getting wider, that's a nice touch.

I've been gradually accumulating enough tools to get to the point of setting up a small hobby workshop. Most recently I have made a small CNC machine (3018 type but on roids).

Now I'm messing about with CNC, my dust production has gone through the roof and I'm going to kill the old Bosch home vacuum that I have been using.

Does anybody know if there is such a thing as a handheld "shop" vacuum? Looking for something pretty small and rechargeable that has adequate filtration to handle CNC generated dust. Failing that, something mains powered and small is fine too. I don't have too much space to play with.

Love that door, especially as the sun is glazed as well. Red and yellow glass or gtfo.

Not really what you asked for, but could you make a small cyclone box (which you can but in a convenient location) and then run a hose from that?

That way you can still use your home vac, or possibly buy a small 2nd hand one?

Not really what you asked for, but could you make a small cyclone box (which you can but in a convenient location) and then run a hose from that?

Now that is actually a very good idea. Wonder if I could 3d print something? I've already got enough hose somewhere I think. I'll give it some thought. Thanks.

Actually, fuck making one, you can buy a pre-made dust cylinder on the cheaps.

Thanks @hugo7, I think I've found my solution.

Feels like it's been a long journey to get to this stage, but can actually envision the living room being finished now. After removing all the ancient textured wallpaper, which probably lost us an energy efficiency star, it's amazing what smooth surfaces do to the feeling of a room. Also chuffed how the fireplace has turned out considering it was blocked up a few days ago. Now to decide on the colour...

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Snagging question: this cracking has appeared on the concrete render outside our house. The builder responsible for it says it just needs some masonry paint, and that will seal it up.

An independent builder says the mix was probably wrong and it should be redone...I would love to get some input on here!

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I don't think paint fixes cracks in mortar

No worries.

I want a shop vac, but realised I'm a bit tight on space to store it, so wondered if I could do something similar using the dead space at the back corner under my work bench for the cyclone. Then I could have the hose coming up through a hole in the bench which I could attach a hose to as and when, plus it would be easy to connect to machines.

I was inspired by a upright bagless Vax in a pile of fly tipping. From a cursory look I think a lot could be cut off / removed leaving me with a fairly compact upright vacuum that could be wall mounted out the way. Because there would be a cyclone it doesn't matter that it's bagless.

#workshopgoals

Also @hugo7

Home vacs and shop vacs are not really dust extraction systems. They will be very good at cleaning up the mess but the filters will not be sufficient to capture the fine dust that is over time has the potential to kill you in pretty painfull and unpleasant ways. You really should be looking for an m-class extraction system the will retain ~ 99.9% of the dust it captures.

For limited storage scenarios festool make one that is the size of a systainer (although I think it may be L-class so will only retain 99% of the dust) and there are several other compact options.

The cyclonic separator will prolong filter life and will help but still won't collect the fine stuff.

It's also worth looking at air cleaners for workshops as a belt and braces approach - even the best extraction system won't capture everything. This is especially true when it comes to router based tools like CNC machines.

Yes, when using my Miele home vac connected to my sander it would still let out a load of super fine dust from the exhaust the next time I turned it on, obviously the filter wasn't fine enough.