I'm looking at the dates and seeing barely any activity in 2024 and many questions completely unanswered from 2023. I find myself wondering if I'm somehow not seeing the latest version of the forum. Is this forum still active? Has something taken its place?
Is this forum dying?
- Thread starter steambc
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Yeah, I see your point, have justices Ive replied to some ancient ones.
- Joined
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sorry "just replied"
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scrap that, is just gone to the funeral home. Why is there such little activity?No notifications for well over a year.
Just had to change password, not looking good.
A lot of the regulars have disappeared, probably because they spend a lot of time and effort on an answer to why is my wall damp and never hear from the poster again.
Rumours around that DIY is dead, killed off by legislation and the "I'll leave it to the experts" brigade.
Good luck to the last lot.
Just had to change password, not looking good.
A lot of the regulars have disappeared, probably because they spend a lot of time and effort on an answer to why is my wall damp and never hear from the poster again.
Rumours around that DIY is dead, killed off by legislation and the "I'll leave it to the experts" brigade.
Good luck to the last lot.
Hi,
Guys are too busy these days watching some overpaid fairy kicking a ball around etc; no time for DIY and no DIY skills; no incentive in the UK because the government wants money from those who graft to prop up immigrants. Sorry not really meant to be political but it's real life. Better and more profitable to be idle at home on benefits; DIY = DON'T INVOLVE YOURSELF; let your wife or partner do it.
I've been bogged down with jobs hence have little time at the moment for forum activities but I'll be back shortly. I've just removed our 150kg steel bath and installed a walk in shower for my wonderful wife Bron who is too ill to use the bath any longer. The shower is now in and today I'm painting the window frame then plan to make a curved end vanity unit with new basin and taps.
I don't seem to have a minute; on top of the bathroom there's everyday chores like doing the dishes; laundry; gardens with weeding; grass cutting and hedge trimming; I washed and dried the car last night; Superman couldn't keep up with work here.
Monday & Tuesday this week were two different hospital appointments and tomorrow is a GP appointment at the surgery for Bron; it never lets up. Bron will always come first and I have a few minutes each morning; Bron takes Parkinson's medication 30 mins before food so it makes breakfast a bit later.
I do wonder at times if it's worth replying to any member with less than 10 posts; I've often replied to a new member asking a question on their first post and not even receiving a thank you;
I hope to remain active on this great forum so please lets fully support it; stop watching sport and using mobile phones; do some DIY?
Kind regards, Col.
Steel bath after being attacked with an angle grinder. Boy it was heavy and difficult to get out on my own.
Beautiful walk in shower now installed.
Complications upgrading the waste outlet to 40mm taking two frustrating days.
Guys are too busy these days watching some overpaid fairy kicking a ball around etc; no time for DIY and no DIY skills; no incentive in the UK because the government wants money from those who graft to prop up immigrants. Sorry not really meant to be political but it's real life. Better and more profitable to be idle at home on benefits; DIY = DON'T INVOLVE YOURSELF; let your wife or partner do it.
I've been bogged down with jobs hence have little time at the moment for forum activities but I'll be back shortly. I've just removed our 150kg steel bath and installed a walk in shower for my wonderful wife Bron who is too ill to use the bath any longer. The shower is now in and today I'm painting the window frame then plan to make a curved end vanity unit with new basin and taps.
I don't seem to have a minute; on top of the bathroom there's everyday chores like doing the dishes; laundry; gardens with weeding; grass cutting and hedge trimming; I washed and dried the car last night; Superman couldn't keep up with work here.
Monday & Tuesday this week were two different hospital appointments and tomorrow is a GP appointment at the surgery for Bron; it never lets up. Bron will always come first and I have a few minutes each morning; Bron takes Parkinson's medication 30 mins before food so it makes breakfast a bit later.
I do wonder at times if it's worth replying to any member with less than 10 posts; I've often replied to a new member asking a question on their first post and not even receiving a thank you;
I hope to remain active on this great forum so please lets fully support it; stop watching sport and using mobile phones; do some DIY?
Kind regards, Col.
Steel bath after being attacked with an angle grinder. Boy it was heavy and difficult to get out on my own.
Beautiful walk in shower now installed.
Complications upgrading the waste outlet to 40mm taking two frustrating days.
i did join but rarely come to this forum , other very active diy forums around
in fact i think this is the first time i received a notification about the weeks entries - only reason i came here again
yep, just checked inbox, spam and deleted and 1st time for a while
i also answered 3 question and never got a reply from the OP
in fact i think this is the first time i received a notification about the weeks entries - only reason i came here again
yep, just checked inbox, spam and deleted and 1st time for a while
i also answered 3 question and never got a reply from the OP
Last edited:
Thanks for the replies guys. Does anyone know of any diy forums that are thriving? I mistakenly thought that diy was bigger than ever due to YouTube, but I suspect that guys are getting a sense of satisfaction watching other men doing things, and therefore are less motivated to do things themselves.
Hi Colin
Busy as ever.
I'm coming to the conclusion that being retired, i.e. not paid for labour or anything else is harder than being in full time employment.
I can concur with the list of chores.
At least your lady is in good hands and your skills will come to good use.
What is actually going on is that more and more of the things that used to be done by banks and so on, are craftily being turned over to the customer or user to do instead. It's called the digital revolution. I must say that bits and pieces are a whole lot easier to get hold of and I think nothing of getting stuff from USA or China.
I'm no fan of Chinese goods or British companies that trade as the old company and it's reputation, only to stick their name on a Chinese generic item.
It's easier now to get stuff from far away than risk Royal Mail.
I discovered some old bank notes the other day, not under the floorboards, and found they weren't legal tender any more.
Instead of nipping into the local bank branch closed 6-months earlier, it involved quite a few hours of bus travel and using Google maps to find a branch that was open.
The bus was the only option as the city is pretty much off limits to private vehicles, clagged up by bus lanes and cycle routes. In any case, there's nowhere to park.
Years ago, I thought nothing of driving one side of London to the other. No chance now.
The bath does look a beast. How did you manage to dispose of it?
Our local tip gets ever more difficult to access and the guards on the watch towers even fret if you go into the parking bays the wrong way round.
The years are taking their toll on joints etc, so I'm mighty glad I did the big jobs years ago.
All the roofline stuff, kitchen, bathroom 13 new windows and doors, converted the roof to a warm roof and a lot more.
Not one tradesman involved.
The three T's
Time, Tools, Techniques.
Take care Colin
Regards
- Joined
- Oct 7, 2018
- Messages
- 5
- Reaction score
- 1
It's crap comments like this: " Guys are too busy these days watching some overpaid fairy kicking a ball around"
that drive me away. Really unnecessary in a DIY forum... stick to DIY questions and answers.
that drive me away. Really unnecessary in a DIY forum... stick to DIY questions and answers.
Hi,
Many thanks piglet11.
We have a retired lady friend who is so lonely; she keeps moving house in the hope of meeting people; she lived next door to us and spent over £70,000 improving her detached bungalow even to the point of installing a lift from the garage to her bedroom this costing £12,000 for when she gets older then four years ago she moved to be near her son. She's spent another fortune improving the bungalow she now lives in but it's up for sale; she wants to move again. We visit each other and we feel very sorry for her; she's so lonely; many of her friends have died or are now confined to their homes due to ill health. Becoming old is bad for so many.
People dream of retirement whilst at work but retirement can often quickly bring serious problems. No longer can I get out of bed very early morning and get cracking on a project; it was after 9:30 this morning I got into the workshop and I knocked off at 10:30 to come up to the bungalow to check on Bron and make her a mug of tea. It's a case of making the most of life whilst we're here.
Yes these days it's easier and often cheaper to buy online; many items are free postage and in my case it saves driving over the obstacle course of speed calming and many red traffic lights; driving past our local schools add to the problem. Just visiting Screwfix or toolstation takes a lot of time; we have an easy to get to Screwfix in Honley but the last time I tried to visit it involved a long detour due to extensive roadworks closing the road for 4 weeks. I find when I have to pay for delivery on large items it's usually cheaper than paying for diesel and spending time driving.
Our local Aldi has now gone electronic self checkouts which I actually enjoy using now I've got used to them; I'm no longer in a queue being rushed through a checkout; it works for me but I fully agree with you jobs are now being pushed more and more onto us; the personal touch is being replaced by self help in many instances; local bank branches as you rightly say are disappearing at a rapid rate involving traveling; I drive 23 miles to the bank in Meadowhall it isn't a five minute job and those who don't drive or live in the clean air zones find extra problems; the country appears to be winding down; most of our heavy industry is gone and places like China are massive polluters so where is the clean air benefit. It's depressing to have watched our once thriving industry close down with first class machinery either scrapped or shipped abroad; it really upset me years ago to see piles of smashed cast iron looms in our local scrapyard; now the scrapyard too is gone; I used to love visiting our local scrapyards for useful items for just the cost of weight; I once stripped a huge hospital machine of it's starters/contactors which I still have.
Getting rid of the bath was very easy indeed; I phoned a scrap dealer living less than a mile away; by the time I put the phone down and put on my old clothes to wander down to the workshop; I was amazed to see the back of the pickup driving away with the bath; the bath weighed over 150kg and I'd cut it into three sections; I had to move each section using a sack cart I'd no chance of lifting them; the scrap man must have been Superman; he was on his own?
Well done piglet11 in sorting your home out whilst you remained fit enough to do the work; I'm still doing this because now at 76 the time will come when we need to get someone in which I know I'll dread. There are still some of us left who aren't scared of heavy work.
I'm making a 4' long vanity unit and this morning cut the 18mm thick ply for the top; it's going to have nice Formica laminated to it; I'll post about it when I have time.
I hope you're keeping well piglet11 in spite of the usual wear and tear as we age.
Kind regards, Col.
Many thanks piglet11.
We have a retired lady friend who is so lonely; she keeps moving house in the hope of meeting people; she lived next door to us and spent over £70,000 improving her detached bungalow even to the point of installing a lift from the garage to her bedroom this costing £12,000 for when she gets older then four years ago she moved to be near her son. She's spent another fortune improving the bungalow she now lives in but it's up for sale; she wants to move again. We visit each other and we feel very sorry for her; she's so lonely; many of her friends have died or are now confined to their homes due to ill health. Becoming old is bad for so many.
People dream of retirement whilst at work but retirement can often quickly bring serious problems. No longer can I get out of bed very early morning and get cracking on a project; it was after 9:30 this morning I got into the workshop and I knocked off at 10:30 to come up to the bungalow to check on Bron and make her a mug of tea. It's a case of making the most of life whilst we're here.
Yes these days it's easier and often cheaper to buy online; many items are free postage and in my case it saves driving over the obstacle course of speed calming and many red traffic lights; driving past our local schools add to the problem. Just visiting Screwfix or toolstation takes a lot of time; we have an easy to get to Screwfix in Honley but the last time I tried to visit it involved a long detour due to extensive roadworks closing the road for 4 weeks. I find when I have to pay for delivery on large items it's usually cheaper than paying for diesel and spending time driving.
Our local Aldi has now gone electronic self checkouts which I actually enjoy using now I've got used to them; I'm no longer in a queue being rushed through a checkout; it works for me but I fully agree with you jobs are now being pushed more and more onto us; the personal touch is being replaced by self help in many instances; local bank branches as you rightly say are disappearing at a rapid rate involving traveling; I drive 23 miles to the bank in Meadowhall it isn't a five minute job and those who don't drive or live in the clean air zones find extra problems; the country appears to be winding down; most of our heavy industry is gone and places like China are massive polluters so where is the clean air benefit. It's depressing to have watched our once thriving industry close down with first class machinery either scrapped or shipped abroad; it really upset me years ago to see piles of smashed cast iron looms in our local scrapyard; now the scrapyard too is gone; I used to love visiting our local scrapyards for useful items for just the cost of weight; I once stripped a huge hospital machine of it's starters/contactors which I still have.
Getting rid of the bath was very easy indeed; I phoned a scrap dealer living less than a mile away; by the time I put the phone down and put on my old clothes to wander down to the workshop; I was amazed to see the back of the pickup driving away with the bath; the bath weighed over 150kg and I'd cut it into three sections; I had to move each section using a sack cart I'd no chance of lifting them; the scrap man must have been Superman; he was on his own?
Well done piglet11 in sorting your home out whilst you remained fit enough to do the work; I'm still doing this because now at 76 the time will come when we need to get someone in which I know I'll dread. There are still some of us left who aren't scared of heavy work.
I'm making a 4' long vanity unit and this morning cut the 18mm thick ply for the top; it's going to have nice Formica laminated to it; I'll post about it when I have time.
I hope you're keeping well piglet11 in spite of the usual wear and tear as we age.
Kind regards, Col.
5 comments in as many years isn't exactly active.
What really kills these things off are the people who say they need help, others put a lot of time and effort in to help them and you never see them again and certainly not as much as a thank you.
Hi Colin
If we had a strong economy, we could afford stuff like the NHS.
I bought a new garden trowel recently, went to a lot of trouble to get a decent one so chose Spear and Jackson.
100 years of traditional tools and established 1760.
You guessed it Made in China. It's nothing short of deceipt to use an old brand name and get cheap labour to make it.
I'll give this much to the Chinese. They have filled the gap when it comes to getting hold of things you can't get hold of locally.
I find it's cheaper and quicker to get things from China and USA than get them here.
The 1927 Singer sewing machine I'm doing up has been saved by Chinese parts like motors, pullies and belts.
Even double decker electric buses are made from imported complete chassis's from China. All we do is fit the seats and paint it red.
We must be mad to rely to on imported basic stuff from a hostile regime.
Best wishes.
Hi,
There's little incentive to do any work or to improve your lifestyle here in the UK piglet11. Our coal mining industry is gone; lots of our heavy machinery which was branded as unsafe by the H&S is now being used abroad making things we now import and they have no worries about atmospheric pollution. Pride in oneself or jobs done has changed so much; years ago a job took as long as it took and was a job done once to a high standard; we see lots of tradespeople working on neighbours houses and it's difficult to understand how they can work with a mobile phone in one hand.
As highly skilled pensioners die they now take their skills with them; younger generations don't want to get their hands dirty or do any manual work; kids are busy being nasty with knife crime and online bullying; kids are in charge of the schools; teachers daren't raise their voice to a little brat unlike when I was a kid when six of the best sorted unruly kids out and teachers were respected; the headmaster was feared; now even the police are treated like dirt. We have successive governments all without a backbone so what can we expect.
On a happier note I like to shut the world out and crack on with projects and looking after my wonderful wife Bron; in spite of Bron being so unwell we do have a lovely lifestyle; we trust very few people and spend most of our time enjoying each other's company; people usually mean trouble; gone are the days when everyone helped each other; a few still exist who aren't selfish and self centered.
Our lady neighbour next door who's husband sadly passed away has a son; the son has tried unsuccessfully four times to sort out her hut roof felt; once again the felt had rolled up in the wind so I took pity on them. Over the last day and an half I've been working on the hut; what should have been an easy job bit me; the hut back panel is made of OSB which is horrible stuff; nothing to nail to?
The hut now has a heavy 18mm exterior grade plywood roof and good quality tear resistant felt; screws used throughout apart from the clout nails to secure the felt. I've not seen our neighbour and think she must have been away over the weekend due to it being a bank holiday today; she's in for a nice surprise and a £30 charge for materials only; my labour is free; I can't afford to charge for labour because I already pay tax on my works pension so it saves a lot of hassle doing such favours. As I say there's little incentive to work in the UK the government want to rip workers off and support foreigners who haven't paid a single penny into our system but yet they are housed in hotels totally free of charge and receive spending money; we've got lunatics in charge of the asylum.
23 years ago when I left my hugely stressful job of 24 years I wanted to start up my own solid oak furniture company; all the government help I was to receive was how many I would employ from the dole queue; there were so many restrictions thrown my way so I gave up in disgust; I've always been a hard conscientious worker so now I'm working hard around home and gardens knocking off many days after 8pm tired out.
Sorry for the gloomy tale but I'm happy in my own little world doing my very best to support Bron whilst getting stuck into so many jobs I don't know which way to turn first; I was shopping at 7:00 this morning and now I'm heading into the workshop to resume work on a bathroom vanity unit I'm making; the new walk in shower is fully working but still lots to do as well as keeping on top of grass cutting; grass edging; hedge trimming; trimming lots of laurels; weeding and so many other jobs in the garden; I've not touched my violins for many weeks I'm too busy and by 8:30pm when I knock off from the days hostilities I'm far too tired but I'm pleased I'm still fit enough at 76 to bounce around like a young lad.
Enough for now I'd better get off my backside before another day slips quietly by.
Kind regards, Col.
There's little incentive to do any work or to improve your lifestyle here in the UK piglet11. Our coal mining industry is gone; lots of our heavy machinery which was branded as unsafe by the H&S is now being used abroad making things we now import and they have no worries about atmospheric pollution. Pride in oneself or jobs done has changed so much; years ago a job took as long as it took and was a job done once to a high standard; we see lots of tradespeople working on neighbours houses and it's difficult to understand how they can work with a mobile phone in one hand.
As highly skilled pensioners die they now take their skills with them; younger generations don't want to get their hands dirty or do any manual work; kids are busy being nasty with knife crime and online bullying; kids are in charge of the schools; teachers daren't raise their voice to a little brat unlike when I was a kid when six of the best sorted unruly kids out and teachers were respected; the headmaster was feared; now even the police are treated like dirt. We have successive governments all without a backbone so what can we expect.
On a happier note I like to shut the world out and crack on with projects and looking after my wonderful wife Bron; in spite of Bron being so unwell we do have a lovely lifestyle; we trust very few people and spend most of our time enjoying each other's company; people usually mean trouble; gone are the days when everyone helped each other; a few still exist who aren't selfish and self centered.
Our lady neighbour next door who's husband sadly passed away has a son; the son has tried unsuccessfully four times to sort out her hut roof felt; once again the felt had rolled up in the wind so I took pity on them. Over the last day and an half I've been working on the hut; what should have been an easy job bit me; the hut back panel is made of OSB which is horrible stuff; nothing to nail to?
The hut now has a heavy 18mm exterior grade plywood roof and good quality tear resistant felt; screws used throughout apart from the clout nails to secure the felt. I've not seen our neighbour and think she must have been away over the weekend due to it being a bank holiday today; she's in for a nice surprise and a £30 charge for materials only; my labour is free; I can't afford to charge for labour because I already pay tax on my works pension so it saves a lot of hassle doing such favours. As I say there's little incentive to work in the UK the government want to rip workers off and support foreigners who haven't paid a single penny into our system but yet they are housed in hotels totally free of charge and receive spending money; we've got lunatics in charge of the asylum.
23 years ago when I left my hugely stressful job of 24 years I wanted to start up my own solid oak furniture company; all the government help I was to receive was how many I would employ from the dole queue; there were so many restrictions thrown my way so I gave up in disgust; I've always been a hard conscientious worker so now I'm working hard around home and gardens knocking off many days after 8pm tired out.
Sorry for the gloomy tale but I'm happy in my own little world doing my very best to support Bron whilst getting stuck into so many jobs I don't know which way to turn first; I was shopping at 7:00 this morning and now I'm heading into the workshop to resume work on a bathroom vanity unit I'm making; the new walk in shower is fully working but still lots to do as well as keeping on top of grass cutting; grass edging; hedge trimming; trimming lots of laurels; weeding and so many other jobs in the garden; I've not touched my violins for many weeks I'm too busy and by 8:30pm when I knock off from the days hostilities I'm far too tired but I'm pleased I'm still fit enough at 76 to bounce around like a young lad.
Enough for now I'd better get off my backside before another day slips quietly by.
Kind regards, Col.
)With you all the way Colin.
Stick to your principles and beliefs.
Nothing wrong with honest work.
I'm afraid that our generation of self help and making ends meet is becoming a distant memory.
When you can make millions as an "influencer" on YouTube or Tiktok without actually doing anything, you know the game's up.
You can get your revenge by charging them £1000 to put a shelf up or £500 to change a washer.
I daresay it already happens.
Keep on trucking or bashing nails, whatever takes your fancy.
You are not alone.
All the best
Hi,
Not knowing what you're doing diybob is and excellent qualification for being on this forum. Of the many forums I subscribe to I used to post on the largest practical engineering forum in the world located in America. I'd just bought a Hydrovane compressor that didn't shut down once pressure was reached it carried on into the dangerous red zone. I requested help/information on the forum. One member replied I shouldn't be on the forum if I needed to ask such a question; he must regard the forum as for experts only who have huge workshops crammed with all the latest CNC machinery; in America the way they knock a nail in is to fire up a huge compressor and use an equally huge nail gun; money or space no problem; no offense meant to our American friends but here in the UK if we sneeze we get taxed on it; our UK workshops are often no more than a garden shed but we still do top class work. If we had big workshops our government would want to flog them off because they are asset strippers. Not political just fact; no encouragement from the government to better oneself.
In reply to the member being so rude and hostile I stripped and repaired the Hydrovane myself and I posted the repair on the American forum so now the world has access to it; encouragement and help; nil.
Nice one piglet11; yes I agree there are few of us left who can still use both hands at once whilst putting in an honest day's hard work. Pity Guy Fawkes had wet matches.
I've been working flat out again this morning bagging up garden debris ending up with two really big bags I could hardly lift and now I'm enjoying a mug of well deserved tea having returned from our local tip. This week was forecast dry which in itself is a massive joke knowing our Yorkshire dire weather; the forecast is more accurate this morning with lots of heavy rain due hence the panic garden clear up.
Neighbours new hut roof of 18mm thick exterior grade plywood with proper wood perimeter; this will accept clout nails; these were the only nails used the rest was screws.
Our neighbour is delighted with the new roof and was happy to refund the £30 I'd paid for materials; no labour charge; the job took a day and an half working on my own.
The new vanity unit I'm making; it's just under 48" long and will be floating secured to the wall. I've used recycled timber where it's hidden from view.
Front view; the curved end proved a big problem in how to make it; I bought a sheet of 6mm thick bendy MDF from Wickes and it's terrible stuff being very weak indeed. I had lots of assorted options but all would take valuable time; then I realized I still had lots of red Formica so as an experiment I actually used EvoStik exterior wood glue and laminated three pieces together bending and clamping them around the curved end of the cabinet leaving it over night for the glue to set; not an easy job but but amazingly it worked; to use contact adhesive would have prevented each lamination from sliding; using the wood glue worked perfectly.
The two curved rails took a lot of work on the big saw bench cutting thin strips at 2.5mm thick; these were clamped to a strong wooden former; I wasted lots of material and found it highly frustrating but as seen it was worth it in the end. The Formica is Amberwood Burl left over from when I made my office desk years ago.
Ideally I'd like to add threads covering the bathroom makeover and making this vanity unit but as ever I'm stuck for time so better adding it here than not at all. The new marble basin is with us and will be installed after the old basin is removed; the plastering needs to be done and the pipe work rearranged.
I'll do anything I possibly can to help my lovely wife Bron; the new walk in shower and the vanity unit are specially for her.
Dinner time rapidly approaching then back to doing something useful before another day disappears at an alarming pace.
This forum isn't dying it's just been having a snooze. C'mon everyone please get posting if you have a few minutes spare.
Kind regards, Col.
Not knowing what you're doing diybob is and excellent qualification for being on this forum. Of the many forums I subscribe to I used to post on the largest practical engineering forum in the world located in America. I'd just bought a Hydrovane compressor that didn't shut down once pressure was reached it carried on into the dangerous red zone. I requested help/information on the forum. One member replied I shouldn't be on the forum if I needed to ask such a question; he must regard the forum as for experts only who have huge workshops crammed with all the latest CNC machinery; in America the way they knock a nail in is to fire up a huge compressor and use an equally huge nail gun; money or space no problem; no offense meant to our American friends but here in the UK if we sneeze we get taxed on it; our UK workshops are often no more than a garden shed but we still do top class work. If we had big workshops our government would want to flog them off because they are asset strippers. Not political just fact; no encouragement from the government to better oneself.
In reply to the member being so rude and hostile I stripped and repaired the Hydrovane myself and I posted the repair on the American forum so now the world has access to it; encouragement and help; nil.
Nice one piglet11; yes I agree there are few of us left who can still use both hands at once whilst putting in an honest day's hard work. Pity Guy Fawkes had wet matches.
I've been working flat out again this morning bagging up garden debris ending up with two really big bags I could hardly lift and now I'm enjoying a mug of well deserved tea having returned from our local tip. This week was forecast dry which in itself is a massive joke knowing our Yorkshire dire weather; the forecast is more accurate this morning with lots of heavy rain due hence the panic garden clear up.
Neighbours new hut roof of 18mm thick exterior grade plywood with proper wood perimeter; this will accept clout nails; these were the only nails used the rest was screws.
Our neighbour is delighted with the new roof and was happy to refund the £30 I'd paid for materials; no labour charge; the job took a day and an half working on my own.
The new vanity unit I'm making; it's just under 48" long and will be floating secured to the wall. I've used recycled timber where it's hidden from view.
Front view; the curved end proved a big problem in how to make it; I bought a sheet of 6mm thick bendy MDF from Wickes and it's terrible stuff being very weak indeed. I had lots of assorted options but all would take valuable time; then I realized I still had lots of red Formica so as an experiment I actually used EvoStik exterior wood glue and laminated three pieces together bending and clamping them around the curved end of the cabinet leaving it over night for the glue to set; not an easy job but but amazingly it worked; to use contact adhesive would have prevented each lamination from sliding; using the wood glue worked perfectly.
The two curved rails took a lot of work on the big saw bench cutting thin strips at 2.5mm thick; these were clamped to a strong wooden former; I wasted lots of material and found it highly frustrating but as seen it was worth it in the end. The Formica is Amberwood Burl left over from when I made my office desk years ago.
Ideally I'd like to add threads covering the bathroom makeover and making this vanity unit but as ever I'm stuck for time so better adding it here than not at all. The new marble basin is with us and will be installed after the old basin is removed; the plastering needs to be done and the pipe work rearranged.
I'll do anything I possibly can to help my lovely wife Bron; the new walk in shower and the vanity unit are specially for her.
Dinner time rapidly approaching then back to doing something useful before another day disappears at an alarming pace.
This forum isn't dying it's just been having a snooze. C'mon everyone please get posting if you have a few minutes spare.
Kind regards, Col.
Last edited:
Nice woodwork Colin.
You didn't fancy a nice Homebase unit then.
All of two years before the doors drop off.
No chance of tightening before those special screws make themselves an oversized hole. And aren't those lay on hinges a sod.
A younger neighbour was digging in the front garden of his mum's house and hit a steel pipe about 2" diameter
Was it gas, water, was it dangerous?
One end of it has been flattened?
1957 house
Could it be a putlog?
Most likely. He must have thought I was delirious.
Put log in the hole while building the cathedral.
Why do bricklayers never throw old galvanised bucket handles away. Saves buying a pointing trowel
Trouble is it's difficult to find a bucket now with a decent handle.
Rain's started, need to get the climbing beans in.
You didn't fancy a nice Homebase unit then.
All of two years before the doors drop off.
No chance of tightening before those special screws make themselves an oversized hole. And aren't those lay on hinges a sod.
A younger neighbour was digging in the front garden of his mum's house and hit a steel pipe about 2" diameter
Was it gas, water, was it dangerous?
One end of it has been flattened?
1957 house
Could it be a putlog?
Most likely. He must have thought I was delirious.
Put log in the hole while building the cathedral.
Why do bricklayers never throw old galvanised bucket handles away. Saves buying a pointing trowel
Trouble is it's difficult to find a bucket now with a decent handle.
Rain's started, need to get the climbing beans in.