Home DIY

Probably not the sort of tools most people have in their sheds tbh.

They need bigger sheds then.

Don't we all Dammit, don't we all...

Ahem

I've got a Freud biscuit jointer which has given me no trouble and is accurate and easy to use.
Every time I have almost bought a table saw, I have read a bad review which has put me off it.
To be honest though, I just want one like Norm Abrams, fuck-loads of cast iron.
The pressed steel or aluminium contractor ones put me off from the start. You certainly don't want anything with a less than perfect mitre gauge on it. Or an under powered motor either.
bit of a minefield I think.

I keep thinking "I'll just get a second hand Wickes one and then make my own fence and table", then not doing it, and end up using my circular saw and lots of clamping a straight edge to the board.

Clamping a straight edge to the board works well for me too.
Hard to justify buying a table saw when I already have a radial arm saw which rips up to about 10". Then there's having to store it...

I have an entire kitchens worth of units to build, a table saw would be handy.

The other thing about getting a second hand Wickes unit would be a resale probably equal to the purchase price.

Does anyone know anything about it?

We live on the top floor of a 1920s 3-story block of flats. Currently all flats have no underlay and just thin carpet on top of original floorboards.The guy below us can hear everything we do (and vice-versa) and his neighbours can hear him.

We want to put in wooden floors.

Does anyone have experience of the various acoustic underlays out there? Acoustilay, Regupol etc?

Any information or pointers v gratefully received.

Garnett how long have you got?
As it is a 1920's purpose building are the floors timber all the way through? Often then they used timber on concrete which has pretty good soundproofing properties. Fibreglass/rockwool is next to useless by the way. What noises is your neighbouring hearing? Speach, creeks, footfall.

Do you already have a chop saw Neil? If not I'd recommend a flippable saw. I've used a makita one on site before, great thing, only took a minute to change it from a table saw to a chop saw.

What you could do so that you don't have to buy a table saw or measure every guide for a chop say is to use a template as a guide for the table saw. It's what I use at work as I don't have the space for a table saw. Hardly any slower than using a table saw really.

I've got a sliding/compound mitre chop saw - a DeWalt unit that I like a lot, it's seen a lot of use.

However one thing it can't do is take 1cm off the edge of a door frame etc.

I've got a Makita circular saw- I guess I could build it a table to go into.

Not so good for feeding through individual bits of parquet to skim the bitumin off though.

I had someone paint my front door and make a right hash of it. It has been painted with very long lasting outdoor paint.

I got someone else to look at it for me and they said it would probably be easier to buy a new door and start again. Not sure whether they were being serious but I don't have the cash anyway.

Basically, they took the door off to paint it all (why?), did at least two coats in quick succession, when this paint needs at least 16 hours to dry before a second coat, and then struggled to put it back because the paint wasn't yet dry, damaging the plaster indoors too and other paintwork. There is also a lot of paint on the concrete path, which is not solely my property, but part of a shared pathway, so ideally I would like to remove it.

I'm assuming I need to strip the whole door right back and sand it? Any advice appreciated, also the tools I am likely to need.

Can I knock out the damage to the pelmet and then fill it with polyfila before painting over, or does it need to be done properly?

Any advice as to what will remove the tough paint from the concrete, without damaging the path?

Some of the damage

The damage to the pelmet

Some of paint on the concrete

Whole set (but not all of the damage) is here

^ bugger. That looks well crap. Hope you didn't pay for it :(

I'm trying to drill some holes for securing windowbox brackets to our balcony. However I can't get a decent enough hole to pop a plug into.

Drill is a keyless hammer drill. Bit is masonry. It started off OK - through what I assume is plaster - but now refuses to go any further. Brings up small amount of grey dust, assume it's drilling into concrete. What am I doing wrong?

Unless you're drilling into rebar.
How deep is the current hole?

half inch tops. Which I assume has just cleared the plaster / finishing.

I suspect both my drill and bit may be crap.

Yah.
Also looks a little close to the edge, may chip out once you get deep enough.

Drill bit appears to be the problem. Larger bit cut a good hole reasonably easily.

You are right though - it's a bit close to the edge.

This is why I hate DIY. Fingers crossed it will be OK. It won't actually carry the full load - well, unless the bracket fails.

Pictures at eleven.

...with very long lasting outdoor paint....needs at least 16 hours to dry...

I'm assuming I need to strip the whole door right back and sand it?

Can I knock out the damage to the pelmet and then fill it with polyfila before painting over, or does it need to be done properly?

Any advice as to what will remove the tough paint from the concrete, without damaging the path?

Sounds like a spirit based paint, in which case white spirit, a rag, time and patience should bring most of the paint off the path. Similarly, many of the smears on the door glass could be wiped back, but the longer you leave it the harder this will be. Cheap nail varnish remover might also work, but only on the path: moisturisers in pound shop stuff will contaminate the door paint and cause problems with the next coat. Just watch out for solvents removing the bitumen binder in the path as well as the unwanted paint.

If you're lucky, the wrinkled paint surface will be a consequence of too much paint applied too quickly. If this is the case you could probably leave it a week (or longer) to harden then sand to a smooth surface (irrespective of colour) before repainting with the same type of paint- repainted by someone who can read and understand what it says on the tin. If you're not lucky it might be a reaction between different types of paint (e.g. spirit based applied over acrylic) in which case stripping right back is probably the best option.

The pelmet can be retrieved by knocking out the cracked parts as you suggested - just don't use a 'gap filling' / flexible polyfilla, often in a squeezy tube - it is overpaintable but doesn't sand well. I'd use something more like http://www.polycell.co.uk/product/polycell-plaster-repair-polyfilla-powder/ or one of the equivalent Tetrion products that can be applied in several layers and then sanded smooth before repainting.

Looks like an Easter project, requiring more time than money, and weather permitting...

Thanks for that. Yes a long Easter project I fear. Or a project that starts at Easter and ends in September.

Our immersion heater keeps tripping the thingie whatsit. I'm tired of it and would like a new system. What's the best unit electrical replacement available? The smaller and more efficient the better. Also, anyone have recommendations for people to install it (west)? Ta

Build-your-own barbecue time.

What mix do I need - 3:1 sand:cement, or 4:1 sand:cement?

I have a bag of the standard blue circle cement.

Neither of those options are half an oil drum :(

I'm building something a little more permanent, in this vein:

Our immersion heater keeps tripping the thingie whatsit. I'm tired of it and would like a new system. What's the best unit electrical replacement available? The smaller and more efficient the better. Also, anyone have recommendations for people to install it (west)? Ta

http://energy.gov/energysaver/articles/tankless-or-demand-type-water-heaters