Home DIY

Rep

Am the same, the bathroom, halls and core of the house are on all the time on regular TRV's (one isn't as its the heatsink/always on radiator for the boiler so it doesn't go boom...?). Then each of the bedrooms, study and front room is on a tado. With an extra tado plate on the wall in the hall which we use as a kind of master 'make all place warm now please' button.

Works really well, though you will notice that if you've got anything at all near your tado TRV it will affect the readings it gets. Offset sort of works, but would maybe put another thermometer in room about a 1m off the ground and see what it says after a few hours, adjust vs that to get it right. You can also sort of use some 'smart life/tuyo' approved wifi thermometers to feed tado with information in a sort of a round about way.

What's the recommended (and cheap) method for cutting paving stones? Only have one or two to do (just a straight cut) so would prefer to avoid buying anything to do it if possible.

Angle grinder and a stone cutting disc.

Look for the cheapest angle grinder with a disc and take your time?

https://www.screwfix.com/p/hyundai-hyag900e-900w-5-electric-angle-grinder-240v/171tf#product_additional_details_container

Snap

My turn...

I want to fill in a section of this Cherry wood knife handle. When I mix the saw dust from the wood with my epoxy I get a very dark brown colour (see pic - it's been smoothed and lightly buffed).

What can I do to get it lighter?

I just mixed it by feels, rather than any logic - would more saw dust be a better?

I recognise its not going to have the same richness, but right now it looks too much like brown plastic.

Cheers

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I’d go some kind of polished resin if you want a cherry-like lustre.

I'd imagine resin will always give a dark "wet" look. Maybe try woodglue? But yes, always as much sawdust as you can get.

Dont forget the handle will darken with whatever glue/oil/varnish/wax you use to finish it.

Good points. Cheers.

polished resin

Do you have an eg?

Google just throws up polishing resin.

Bodge by stitch drilling, then tidying with a bolster.

Or super bodge, depending on the hardness of the stone - score with a multitool & sacrificial blades, then use the bolster.

I've done the first with concrete slabs - It's rough as, but was fit for the purpose I had (a circle around a drain. I have a 10" grinder for the other stuff).

No eg, just an image in my head 😂

Just clear or maybe amber resin, sanded and polished same as the wood. Maybe have to go down to wet and dry to get the surface clear.

Interesting, I’ve been looking for a cheaper room stat that will talk to they system. Any pointers on how to get started would be very useful.

EPH is ok, but a hive mini is like £40 extra so may swell get that.

To clarify, I’m after wireless temperature sensors to act as a master for a room or zone, controlling the Tado TRVs.

The hive mini and eph seem to be master controllers which I already have (Tado)

I sometimes use Home Assistant to control my Tado system, based on non-Tado sensor inputs - including zigbee temperature sensors,

It works, but it is fragile - Tado has an API, but it is not open, and it can be changed with no notice.

Also, Home Assistant is not as plug & play friendly as the Google / Amazon / Apple home systems - though I have no knowledge of how well Tado plays with them.

Tado has an API, but it is not open, and it can be changed with no notice.

If you have the V3 bridge you can use the WebKit integration and don't need to go near the API. Also makes it work if your Internet connection is down.

And now I have a rabbit hole to go down, involving Webkit / Homekit / Homebridge and Matter. Bang goes my weekend.

I'm setting ebay reminders for for tado temp sensors.

I needed 3 tiles cut a couple of weeks ago. Didn’t want to buy a tool. Rang a local tiler, agreed to take them to where he was working and he’d cut them for ‘a drink’. Took him <5 mins. I tried to give him £20, he thought that was too much and have me £10 change.

I know this is the DIY thread, but can someone give me a ballpark figure for the cost of a timber double garage built with a poured concrete floor?

I want one, I'm looking a house with one, I want to know what that adds to the value.

Anything from £20k to £120k, hugely depends on actual spec... basic flat roof versus oak framed pitch, etc.

If you need some doors for your garage I know a guy.

thanks!