Home DIY

My wife stopped losing her keys once she got a wallet (from Pacsafe) that has an integrated chain which she always attaches to her satchel.

Thanks, that’s very helpful as usual!

@Arducius
Just go to the pub?

under a plant pot or bin or in the wheel arch of a car etc

Even better is hidden inside somewhere locked - bike shed / similar, then hide the spare key to that in one of those places. Or ideally have the first locked hiding place have a combination lock.

No problem, there is a call out fee depending on the distance. :)

Does this liquid sanding stuff work? Is it any less messy/hard work than normal sanding. I've got a load of gloss stuff that needs painting and sanding down window frames and shit is a ballache.

Never used it, I doubt it's easier than the best techniques but the best techniques require experience, tools and materials that you're unlikely to arrive at by chance. It's the kind of thing you might keep in a box for odd occasions when it's easier to use than the alternatives.

If you need to key gloss surfaces to paint them, get some of the sanding pads (foam with grit embedded) in different grits (60,120) and maybe some cloth backed non clogging sandpaper around 100 grit. You only need to knock the gloss off the paint and de nib it. Then use Zinsser 123 (blue tin) primer, a thin coat should do it (mix it well with a stick before and while using it). That is the easiest way I've found to do it. There are still lots of things that can go wrong but it's a very big subject.

Cheers. I've been using a multitool with a sanding head on which is messy work (and seems to go through the sanding sheets pretty quickly, anyone any suggestions for reasonable priced replacement sheets?). I'll have a look at the sanding pads.

I'm thinking mainly of doorframes, window frames and the like with lots of mouldings where sanding is a bit awkward and thought that stuff may be easier to slop on.

Ah OK thanks @Hovis basically do whatever seems to work. It looks OK though!

As someone who has experienced this problem from below, I can tell you that fixing it for real does help promote good relations with your neighbours!

Fortunately/unfortunately it’s our ceiling below as well!

We also have another leak due to a slightly insane design but I’ll wait till I have pics to share...

I've given you the answer for mouldings :) A Multitool is not good at the job you're using it for. If you get some non clogging, cloth backed sand 'paper' (emery cloth) you can use it on the multitool too.

I have made inverse mouldings to use with emery cloth and it's quick once they're made, just not very effective because it's not easy to get the thickness of the block+emery cloth into tight spaces.

The best machine I've found for the job if you insist on a machine is the Festool LS130 (Linear Sander). I have one but the emery cloth on it's own is still very good almost as fast and much less money for setup. Some people make inverse mouldings with foam by sticking some sandpaper to the moulding, sanding the foam then putting sandpaper on the foam. It's probably the only technique I've not tried.

If you are trying to sand too much off you may as well use an IR stripper. For example when the paint is damaged or breaking off the substrate when you are sanding it.

We all lock ourselves out from time to time

I don't.

Good luck keeping your perfect record!

I really wouldn't get a key safe in London. I can just about see their benefit for holiday homes in the country, but they are a gift to burglars otherwise.

Yeah, nah

Just hide a key with no identification somewhere that you both know the location of and can get at discreetly.

Combination key boxes are rather easy to open, so I woudn't rely on one to keep a spare key safe. With 5 minutes on Youtube, you could probably do one in under two minutes... Its not much harder than actually having the code!

A waterproof case and a non obvious hiding place would be way more secure.

I know this is London, but do none of you have a friendly neighbor with whom you leave a key for reciprocal cat feeding/plant watering purposes?

Aforementioned bonkers guttering arrangement - a hole in the roof of the bay window leads to a plastic drainpipe that goes through the house and out a side wall. I had wondered what the boxing was for...

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I'm just imagining her rage when she realises I've paid someone to come and tell her!

Thanks for all the spare key suggestions folks. Taken on board. Time to get another key cut and hide it at the bottom of the pond.

I can be discreet for a extra fee :)

Is there any reason stuff is still sold with flat head screws? Other than cheap shitness?

2nded

I guess some people find they look better than the Phillips. The Canadians are fans of square drive and Torx is becoming more common. If you are putting hinges on a box though the slotted are still fine. They do look prettier in cabinet door hinges.