Home DIY

I’ve these canvas stretcher pliers. I need a bit more leveridge so considering extending them but no idea how, any suggestions?

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Take an [old] inner tube and stretch/wrap it very tightly around the handle. Like the trick you can use for a stubborn crank bolt: https://youtube.com/shorts/MCzxEarjkfU?si=Hqlm8KKeBblYGKk8

Not quite what I mean.

I need to make the handles longer.

Same outcome.

you don't need them, your fingers are fine - they are more tactile to judge the pull amount and you're only firing a staple in, the pliers are cumbersome

Our tv reception is crap. As I see it the bad reception might be the ancient, loosy goosy cable, or the ancient, equally slack socket, or internal wiring, or (we live on a council estate) wherever that cable goes after, presumably some kind of antenna for the block? we don’t have our own antenna/dish.
Given all these possibilities, is it worth me trying a new cable?
Can someone who has experience of council estate tv connections tell me I am wrong/right about my assumption about a block antenna? Many thanks!!! ps. This is not an invitation for people to tell me get fancy tv. We have freeview and are happy with the minimum, just not nothing 🤣

the antenna sockets in my mums block of flats had been disconnected from any kind of aerial a long time ago apparently when i asked the workman about it because she couldn't tune any of the channels when they swapped the broadcast signals around a few years ago in her area. she just makes do with what channels it can find now.

our house has no antenna as there was a rusted sky dish up when we moved in that we binned only to find out we can't get reception on an indoor antenna because apparently most modern windows have a film coating on them these days that block the signal. we just stream and download everything instead.

I ripped a dish off the balcony wall because it was unsightly but don’t think it was connected to anything. i’ll ask the caretakers, thanks

My MIL has a couple of aerial sockets in the living room. One doesn't get anything, the other gets HD Freeview so assume parts of it must be relatively recent.

It won't be anything she did herself so must be some kind of communal thing.

ok, so possible - thanks

It might also be worth looking at this
https://www.freely.co.uk/
Freeview through broadband rather than TV.

Thanks

Seconding Fox's B&Q MacAlister recommendation, had one for a couple of years and it's done a solid job.

Would really recommend a pair of clamps that fit the rails as well, makes it much more comfortable cutting straight IMO, something like this

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/145845414249

If i wanted this freely situation where and what would i search for a second hand freely compatible tv?

It's pretty new so I doubt there would be much second hand apart from happening on it by coincidence. Plenty of stuff at the cheaper end of the market though
https://www.freely.co.uk/products/televisions
Probably some of those would be available as refurbs on ebay or similar

Thanks @Fox and @branwen !! I have just ordered a new blade for my circular saw, will do a couple of test cuts and see if I can get a good straight cut with a guide. I'm reluctant to buy new tools when its only several doors. But, doors do need to be straight so if I need to, I will go down this route.

As Mr Smyth says, a plunge cut with an oscillating multi tool would be easier and give a neater finish. They're super useful to have anyway if you're doing bits and pieces of DIY.

The multi tool linked to was excellent (once I put some earplugs in) made it a really easy job . Possibly not the neatest cut but it's going to be covered so I was a bit slapdash

Clamp a straight edge such as a long spirit level to the door with two clamps, at the required distance from your cut line to allow your circular saw to run along it nice and straight. And buy a decent, high tooth count, circular saw blade for nice smooth cuts.

No outlay on spenny new tools, upgrade of your existing circular saw, win win...?

But you miss out on the plunge capability, the strip on the track that prevents tear-out, and the ability to perfectly line your track to your cut-line without needing to clamp it.
I've owned a circular saw for 8 years and a track saw for 6. I have never used the circular saw since owning the track saw. It is that much better.

How difficult is it to fit an interior door? I have to replace a bathroom door. I only have a jigsaw, hand saw (reasonably fine toothed and a multi tool.
Have one chisel and one auger bit that may be a bit too wide for a lock.
I don’t own a plane so will have to measure the existing door but it’s an 80’s build so should be a standard size as it’s built to a price and they didn’t pay people to fuck about and make things fit.
I don’t mind buying a smaller chisel or a correct size auger bit but not about to splurge on power tools beyond that.
Have built stud work that’s actually straight and level and all the corners meet where they should and have done loads of skirting and fitted a few locks and a London bar but not done much else apart from things that involve a breaker bar and a hammer or stuff that gets covered in plasterboard.
My scribing and ‘fitting’ is pretty good though just not fine woodwork.
Am I going to end up paying double to fix my fuck-up?

Unfortunately fingers aren’t fine.

Fair enough, I hope you don't mind the new reply in the art club

It's fairly easy. One of those jobs with several steps, each of which has to be done right, but each is fairly straightforward. Do some you-tubing for how to fit the hinges and handles and, if it seems ok for you, would give it a try. Only thing I would do is hire or buy a circular/track saw for it, think it would be hard to get a good finish with a handsaw.

A good carpenter can hang a solid door with all hand tools. But that includes a plane and a set of really sharp chisels.
It’s quicker and more precise with a router for the hinges and a power plane if the door frame isn’t Bob-on.
Don’t underestimate how long it will take!

Loft legs. Any reason why I should use the 175mm instead of the 300mm legs?

Loft is boarded, but straight onto joists, then previous owners had a company in who just threw insulation on top of boards. The plan is to lift boards and reinstall insulation (buying more), with legs and then board, creating usable storage.

Surely more insulation = better.

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As much as you can cram in.

Don't actually cram it, needs to be nice and puffy, but yeah, 300mm much better. It's cheap so might as well go all in while you're doing the work anyway