Home DIY

How exact is exact?

I've got a not quite base model one from machine mart that is working pretty well, not used it a great deal though. If you need it really accurate and your holes to be properly round then use a mill.

You're free to come round and have a look/drill whatever holes you need to drill

Got a link to yours?

Pretty sure it's this one
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cdp151b-drill-press?da=1&TC=SRC-drill+press

I bought this:
http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/details/cdp101b-drill-press?da=1&TC=SRC-pillar+drill
a couple of years ago - guard and depth guage aren't up to much but it's been fine for DIY. It struggles with 8mm+ through steel in one go - patience and incremental increases in drill size works well enough for what I do...

Cheers both, might delay getting that until I've outfitted the garage as the workshop as I suspect it needs firmly bolting down.

Mine sits on a cork mat by way of noise reduction at Mrs.E's insistence, and gets G-clamped to the bench for larger work. The most of the time it is used free standing without problem and can easily be moved out of the way / stored elsewhere if I need more bench space...

Hmm, my "bench" is an old door on saw horses. It's not the most stable of platforms.

Dammit, did you ever get hold of that access panel you were after ages ago?
I think i'll spend a bit more for the quality of a plasterboard faced one (£45), rather than a cheaper plastic one (£12). I've got a door sized one that I hope to do eventually too.

I didn't get one- still need to, if you are going to buy one could you get me one as well?

I'm thinking about installing an electric towel rail/radiator in my bathroom. I'm happy that it falls outside any of the controlled zones and my plan is to fit the element, mount it on the wall, fill it and route the cable through the door frame to a socket located just outside on the landing. I'll then get an electrician to fit a fused spur unit, wire it in and do the necessary notification that it complies with building regs.

Has anyone done a similar job? Any pitfalls to avoid? Any recommendations for fused spur units with a timer preferably in stainless (I've heard stories about their poor reliability). How much should I expect an electrician to charge for the above? Can anyone recommend one who'll do this in South London for a reasonable price?

Quick question;

I undercoated all of the wood in one of our bedrooms yesterday. Prior to this the skirting was green (yuck I know!) anyway I checked this morning and it's still showing through a little, very faded but still there. Will the final coat of gloss cover this or do I need to do another undercoat?

Cheers

Spenceey, I imagine this will depend on your paint system. Gloss coat a small area and see if it still shows. If not then go ahead with the rest, if it does show then sand down and apply another undercoat. I doubt you'll need to sand the gloss off completely, just enough to take the shine off and give the paint something to key into so it shouldn't be too hard.

When we bought our place the wallpaper was falling off the walls, when we peeled it back the glue had become a food source for thick black mould.

This was all due to a relative humidity level that was above 90%, along with the heating being permenantly on (so far as we could discern when we viewed it prior to the sale).

Once we'd got the wallpaper off and down to bare plaster we could see that the plaster itself was saturated- it was a very dark slate grey.

So- we left the walls bare, which is why the place looks like such a ruin in many ways.

However- the walls are now bone dry, and I want to paint them to make the place look nicer, reduce dust etc etc.

I was thinking of using bathroom paint throughout, just incase the humidity issue returns in future (i.e. we rent it out to idiots).

Is this madness?

And a question of my own: I need to stick some timber to some steel. There appear to be many products that fit the description (Pinkgrip, Gripfill, Stixall ...) but I haven't used one ever. Is one by far the best or do all the branded ones tend to have pretty similar performance?

Spenceey, I imagine this will depend on your paint system. Gloss coat a small area and see if it still shows. If not then go ahead with the rest, if it does show then sand down and apply another undercoat. I doubt you'll need to sand the gloss off completely, just enough to take the shine off and give the paint something to key into so it shouldn't be too hard.

Thanks - I thought this might be the case. I'll trial a quick bit tonight. It's only the skirting as the rest of the wood was already white (window sill, door).

Then come the weekend I've got the joy of hanging lining paper. Absolute virgin to that so it should be fun.

Absolute virgin to that so it should be fun.
Isn't that part of the fun of DIY though? Going from "I have no idea what I'm doing" to "I can do that and I can do it properly". Gives you a good sense of satisfaction.

Too true - that sums up my whole experience of doing up this house so far.

My first house and my first time doing a lot of this stuff. Thankfully I have my father the fountain of all DIY knowledge to assist but the feeling from doing something yourself is great.

Pretty soon the first bit of decorating will be done and that's one room ticked off.

We've lived here 7 months now so making good progress I think.

I was thinking of using bathroom paint throughout, just incase the humidity issue returns in future (i.e. we rent it out to idiots).

Is this madness?

Not madness but may not be cheap.

http://www.dulux.co.uk/products/kitchen-plus-matt/

and

http://www.dulux.co.uk/products/bathroom-plus-soft-sheen/

both worked for me (two coats), the kitchen one being unbelievably easy to clean for a matt finish.

Anyone got a recommendation for insulation betwixt a solid concrete floor and engineered wood flooring?

Currently thinking abour expanded polystyrene rather than the fibrous stuff I have seen.

Budget, target insulation value, max thickness?

Hopefully not more than 5mm thick,
to avoid trimming too much from the lower edges of doors,
and,
willing to pay more for a better U-value.

I have to drill into bathroom tile this evening. I'm trepidatious. Any tips?

Use a glass drill bit if you can get hold of one.

Anyone got a recommendation for insulation betwixt a solid concrete floor and engineered wood flooring?

Currently thinking abour expanded polystyrene rather than the fibrous stuff I have seen.

expanded polystyrene as in Depron?

2, 3, 6, 10mm thick?

I have to drill into bathroom tile this evening. I'm trepidatious. Any tips?

I did this recently, used a masonry bit but - and this is important - NOT with the hammer function, only standard drilling action.

Worked perfectly.