Home DIY

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

I remember the Sunday my dad and our next door neighbor built one of these in our back garden. They were pissed before 1pm and it was at a slight angle from the very first brick.... Sausages had to be place on horizontally so they didn't roll to one side.

I remember the Sunday my dad and our next door neighbor built one of these in our back garden. They were pissed before 1pm and it was at a slight angle from the very first brick.... Sausages had to be place on horizontally so they didn't roll to one side.

I had EXACTLY the same experience in a garden in South Manchester around 1994.
I remember getting a shard of ceramic in my eye when my dad told me to set about a load of old roof tiles with a hammer to make hardcore for the concrete slab.

So far, it's not at an angle.

It's at many different angles...

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZOXRO71_HWI79gOkeYk-ewUsZ9guMZ8AFkIeRlW3v8E=w1043-h586-no

tiling. where does one start? as a complete novice. I plan to retile the kitchen and the bathroom, probably with trendy subway tiles. If tiling a bathroom do you need a special membrane underneath to make it waterproof?

Tiling? I did our bathroom and just sealed the bare plaster with some sticky priming paint and tiled on top of that. It's had several years of heavy use and no sign of any problems. To be honest, the tiles and their grout provide such a major barrier to water that I can't imagine a membrane of any sort is going to make a difference.

And a question:

I keep finding jobs around the house where I think a plane would help - shaving wood off doors where the wood has expanded, that sort of thing. Should I just get a basic block plane?

Electric planes are not too expensive and save a shed load of time

what about a mini electric sander? I recently bought one on a whim in homebase to sand down some window frames

If you need to take enough off to warrant a plane, a sander would be a backward step.

Should I just get a basic block plane?

Get an old Record (not Irwin Record) or Stanley block plane.
Make sure its got a bit of meat left on the blade.
Then buy an oil stone and learn how to sharpen it.
Look after it and it will never let you down.
It will also hold its value, unlike any modern Chinese shit you are likely to get hold of if you buy new.

i've got a 4 and a 4½ which are my Dad's really but he doesnt use them much any more. I've got a 5 which is mine (all stay-set) couple of block planes, plough plane,
rebate planes. I love em all, my oldest is from just before the war and my dad's are from just after. stay sets are great cus you can take the iron off, give it a quick touch up and put it back without having to readjust it.
I've got a few Record vices as well and some G cramps all proper Sheffield steel before it went to China.

Looking to buy a 18v cordless drill kit.

http://www.screwfix.com/p/makita-8391dwpetk-18v-1-3ah-ni-cd-combi-drill-101-piece-accessory-kit/83834#

suggestions for alternatives around this pricepoint? maybe something with slightly higher torque?

Nope, just buy that and stop thinking about it. They have a better rep than DeWalt and I don't think Bosch/Hitachi and so on compete.

I've got a Makita just like that, it's great. Have used mine loads since buying it just after we bought our flat.

I had the same drill, lasted about a year working on site before the gearbox gave up. But that was all day every day for a year!

Should be fine for home for a good while though!

Might be worth looking at one with lithium batteries as nickel cadmium's get very temperamental if they aren't discharged fully before recharging which in a DIY situation is going to be pretty often.

Unless you want to fork out for the Li-ion then that Makita will be decent. Last time I looked the Li-ion version of that was £250. My Li-ion combi has lasted me about 6yrs use at work and home. Only issue - slightly bent chuck from vigorous wire brushing. I have also dropped it from 6ft a couple of times with no damage.

New Bosch Li-ion is good but their old batteries didn't last half the life of the drill.

Think they've got that exact same one for £100 in Wickes at the mo.

http://www.wickes.co.uk/Makita-18v-Combi-Drill-8391DWPE-TK/p/215766?CAWELAID=120135120000017723&CAGPSPN=pla&tmcustom=mkwid%7CW5fPyZGt_dt%7Cpcrid%7C7531858372%7Cmatch%7C%7Cplid%7C&gclid=CLO-pYWG9b0CFXGWtAod52wAiQ

thanks for that, although the reviews are a bit mixed

Nope, just buy that and stop thinking about it. They have a better rep than DeWalt and I don't think Bosch/Hitachi and so on compete.

I got robbed at uni once. Quick smash n grab. Phone and Makita drill were all they took.

I got a DeWalt from (IIRC) Screwfix, on one of their seemingly constant offers- it's a decent enough little drill, came with two batteries which is a big plus as you can keep one in the charger all the time.

I think the key is to have realistic expectations- it's a small drill, and whilst there is a hammer function it's going to be well out of its depth with harder masonry.

thanks for that, although the reviews are a bit mixed

On wickes? There's some guy complaining that the batteries don't last a whole day.

What does he expect from a £100 drill with ni cad batteries?

DeWalt v. Makita has been covered here before. Nothing wrong with DeWalt, plenty of trade users, but the consensus seems to be that Makita has slightly more finesse and controllability.

When I looked earlier on Screwfix the Li ion version wasn't much more. I have read that the batteries are so expensive it is cheaper to buy a new drill, so the lithium batteries might be a better long term option.

Another vote here for the lithium batteries - worth it

you can keep one in the charger all the time

that's not a good idea. Li-ion cells store best about 70% full and trickling them so they're always at 95-100% will wear them out.

I have one of those Makitas. Get one if it's just for home DIY use, if you're out on site all day then obviously you'll want something better. One battery will be fully charged before you have run the other one down* so it shouldn't bother you so long as you remember to put it on charge as soon as it's run out.

*Assuming normal drilling/screwing use.

Very stiff mixer tap - time to replace the cartridge? What else could be wrong with it?