Home DIY

Don't worry, everyone does that at Screwfix (orders online then picks up).

I wouldn't expect the staff to know the answers to my questions to be honest, I just research online then order on their website. The plus of Screwfix is generally pretty good prices and a good range of stuff in stock or available next day, the staff basically just pick it and pack it for you.

My local screwfix is ace. The manager smiles at people and says hello, and the tills are run by helpful teenagers and a very Bristolian lady who calls everyone 'lover' and males polite chit-chat.

boring but hopefully insightful walkthrough:

• when i press the buzzer downstairs, my glamorous assistant tells me that the handset in the flat rings loudly and the light on the 'privacy' button lights up green. this corresponds with what the document says ("if your handset rings and the bell on the privacy button lights up green then a call has been made to your handset from the door entry panel"). yay! a marked improvement on before when no sound or lights appeared.
  
• the issue is why the second button ('enter') doesn't work. even when he presses it (with cover off) after i've rung the buzzer, it doesn't let me in. no lights, and no action. ergo, not a problem with the button actuators on the fascia
  
• the phone sounds like it is connected to something (some buzzing/feedback) but we can't hear each other so evidently not working well/properly
  
• the 4 stripey telephone wires are intact and not dislodged. i checked carefully to see that they are secure.
  
  

i had a good look at the pictured setup (fig. 1) though and it does differ from mine (fig. 2) in one way - the part where the earpiece of the handset rests looks like it's supposed to have some kind of spring behind the grey plastic part (just below the 3 vertical slats), to stop it just resting backwards (as it does on mine) and presumably to tell the handset whether the phone is on or off the hook.

fig. 1

fig. 2

which lead me to think that perhaps there was some kind of spring missing from behind this little grey flap (it's impossible to keep the flap up like it is in the promo pics) (no euph etc). this was the best picture i could get with my crap phone camera of what's under it:

i'm kind of tempted to just buy a new one to see what happens but i am also keen on never spending any money ever and feel like this could potentially be fixed.... if only i understood what was wrong.

at least now when there's someone at the door the buzzer does make a noise which is loads better than before (total silence and us completely oblivious) even if we have to run down and let them in manually. not so bad

I know I've asked before but can someone please tell me what cordless drill to buy? Also what battery style? Brand?

Is there a reason not to buy this? http://www.lawson-his.co.uk/makita-8391dwpe-tk-18v-combi-drill-2-x-1-3ah-ni-cad-with-101-piece-accessory-set-in-carry-case?gclid=CjwKEAjwtr6sBRDv7uzB492H9XISJADj6aqbVGueGiEdFqnrIT6C8RUcjOmjXpn28zKTc4wsRjuRRRoC9Mvw_wcB

if so, pls help! sub £100 would be ace... sub £150 if there's a brilliant offer or a damn good reason to spend the extra cash.

Thanks forum <3

Cross post...

Decided to stick in my wee flat for another 2 years, with some improvements. Anyone know of a builder type who could take out a wall and refit a bathroom? @crimsonape ? It's a very small drywall wall.

@ObiWomKenobi

Really can't fault Makita, I would recommend getting the newer
Li-lon battery's. If it's not for trade then the 1.3amp slim pack battery's are fine.

Edit.

Also a 13mm chuck is a very wise choice

something like this then?

http://www.tools4trade.co.uk/Makita-DHP453RFTK-LXT-18V-Li-Ion-Combi-Drill-1-x-3ah-Battery-in-Case-p-157021

Hi lucy,

2 things:

• a pic of your spade crimping efforts for teh lolz.. and to see if there's anything readily amiss

  • the cradle switch is important. what happens when it is in depressed and released (even if manually, as you say no spring)?
    
    

this could be important as if you get a buzz request, lift the handset but the cradle switch doesn't open the pcb will always think it's closed (and no-one is picking up the phone)

also, what do the contacts look like inside of the cradle, damage, spider living inside?

Yeah I would take this over the first link you posted. The battery life is just a lot better.

Does anyone here have a jet washer that they'd recommend/be able to lend us? We need one to clean up some flagstones, remove dirt and possibly some paint from an extension before we repaint.

I'm currently trying to advocate buying a £37 B&Q model, the other half is convinced paying HSS hire c.£60 to hire a more powerful one for the day would be better.

Who's right?

I have a Karcher with a patio washing attachment* which you are welcome to borrow, however I'm a fair way away I believe?

*Used as many times as you might expect, given my lack of patio

a pic of your spade crimping efforts for teh lolz

/ okaymeme.jpg

i understand why crimping needs to be good and consistent to maximise contact and conduction but i did genuinely find it quite hard to use the crimp tool for this job as the wires are so much smaller than most of the options [/excuses]

re: cradle switch, there isn't the option of depressing and releasing - it is constantly depressed as there is nothing to provide a springback. nothing changes in the procedure if it is lifted. if you look v closely in the last picture i posted (previous post) it does look like, at the top of that little grey unit with the two sets of 3 metal slats poking out underneath the cradle switch, something has been snapped off (i can try and take a better picture if it's not clear).

ok lucy, thanks

like you say it appears from the rough top edge of that six pin block that something is missing.

last thing to try - just slip cellotape / insulatro tape around the metal crimps, so as to ensure no crimp to crimp electrical contact

i however think the key is the missing parts from the cradle switch - could be time to shell out £25 for a new unit :(

Sliding doors. They are a thing right?

I had to remove a couple from my Victorian house. What a bloody mess they made of the plasterwork and architrave when they were fitted.

Great for saving space if you don't want a door taking up half a small room when it's open. They can trap fingers easily when you close them though.

I have a 1975 maisonette. I think they will fit in...

sounds good. thanks for all your help!

Just went through the same buying process as you, with exactly the same criteria...

Some of the reviews I found for the 453 said it was a touch underpowered. If you can swing it you can get the much higher rated 456 for £135 delivered, in the anniversary edition from here, I literally bought this exact drill from them last week, and have since put down 500 decking screws, and done a shedload more on one battery charge, the 3 amp battery is brilliant.

http://www.fastfix.co.uk/cgi-bin/sh000009.pl?WD=bhp456&PN=Makita-BHP456RFWX-18v-LXT-Anniversary-Combi-Drill%2ehtml#aBHP456RFWX

fks sake, have i bought the wrong drill? i think it's fine for what i need it for, but can't help but wonder whether the link you posted was a better alternative? i don't know anything about the specifics and how they compare....just seemed like a good drill and it was cheap

http://www.diy.com/departments/dewalt-cordless-18v-li-ion-combi-drill-1-battery-dcd776c1-gb/765799_BQ.prd

I would say different rather than better! Obviously nearly double the price so going to get slightly better spec for that. Yours will be lighter, and for the majority of jobs would say they would be on a par, guess the Makita would win when it came to drilling into masonry or steel.

Yours looks a really good deal for the money!

.

Er bosch one from b&Q 2 year guarantee from bosch.

Thanks for your input...