Home DIY

It depends what we find underneath, it's had the front bay taken out so I imagine it's a horror show under there. Ideally we'll leave the brick but if not then perhaps lime render. It's the front, side and back so too much for me to take on... Were you able to chisel that off? It looks thick enough to get underneath it?

Ah I'm glad - good price? He's a bit slow but does a nice job.

Looks great, we looked at hexagon tiles, I like them there

High rpms alone do not a good drill make.

True but watts cost money. My SDS only goes to 900 rpm and that wasn't enough for the wood jobs I come across (router bits in a lock morticing jig). A high watt percussion drill (2500 loaded rpm) was a revelation.

try this link: http://reedsrenovationsltd.org.uk/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=joetVGrMfAY

vs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VwosZUJM63U

and
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ka1gmz4Ga2s

I'm out of the loop on SDS (had to look it up) but router bits in a drill seem like a fairly specialized application to me.
Some of the prices for those drills are astounding.

Our house was built in '58 and they obviously knew they were going to render the top half because the underlying brick laying is 'functional'. The render is about 12mm thick, where the weather had ingressed it flew off, further up it was stuck like shit to a blanket. It'll do more damage to attempt to remove than making good. Used a chisel in the Sds drill, you could just hammer and chisel it but having a spare hand to catch the debris is useful.

Great vids.

He's a character, that one.

Over the years I've had a few drills and settled on 3 that get used most of the time:-

SDS hammer & chisel action. You should get one that you can stop the rotation to chisel off tiles, chisel channels in walls etc. Drills large holes in plasterboard and occasionally wood with a hole saw. The bits including hole saws will end up costing more than the drill.

Heavy duty non-hammer drill and hammer drill/wood bits will put a few plasterboard plugs in most wall substrates without a hammer drill and can drill and screw in most materials with the right drill bit. Can handle small hole saws (up to around 44mm). (Festool C12)

Lightweight (sub-kilo) drill/screwdriver that gets used all day everyday, can still drill into bricks for rawl-plugs, screw and unscrew anything and drill holes into and through wood all day. By far the most used drill. (Festool CXS)

A similar but less expensive set would cover pretty much everything you need but I wouldn't look for an SDS drill to do your wood work.

Before I engage with former timeshare salesmen, has anyone got any recommendations of firms for double glazing replacement?

http://www.theecoexperts.co.uk/double-glazing

;)

Cheers 'Loin.

Oh lordy, had the plumber round to install a new kitchen tap - long story short he can't install the one I've got in the granite worktop I have. mountings are inaccessible, and holes will be too small and impossible to drill out any bigger. He advises getting a new bit of worktop - luckily it's only a small bit in the corner - and a new sink.
That's fine - but where do I find really nice looking laminate worktops? Went to B&Q and they are nasty.

worktop-express.co.uk has been mentioned before I think. Not used them myself

Worktop express look like they're purely solid wood worktops - would love that, but since it's around a sink I think that would be a terrible plan.

My current googling tells me Duropal make some of the best laminate worktops.

Accidentally came on the aesthetic solution - laminated birch ply.

Now just gotta find somewhere that will do the size and thickness I need.

If anyone wants some S/BB grade baltic birch ply I have some sheets of it. I'll do it for a good forum price as I want it going.

Five full 8 x 4 sheets - which is the right quality to make furniture.

@Tenderloin what thickness and where would pick need to be?

Let us know the thickness and I could be interested in a couple of sheets, depending on where/how much it is.

@Zebra_Cyclist @Airhead

15mm thick
Pickup from Leyton
£40 per sheet

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I'm insulating and boarding the inside of my shed. The boards are 6mm plywood.

I want to paint them white to brighten it up...

A quick google suggests i can use smooth masonry paint as it's cheap and covers well but this seems odd.

True or should i use trade matt?

Ditch the whole door.
Undoing any fixings could release asbestos dust.
One asbestos fibre +40 years + bad luck = mesothelioma.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mesothelioma

(Father, electrician, died of mesothelioma, 44 years after incidental exposure to asbestos fibres).