Small one but no one else was going to do it, new brushes on the washing machine motor. 15 mins had it done and begrudgingly got some praise. Got to love living with a wife and 3 daughters, they wont do it themselves but don't appreciate someone else doing it neither.
What "man jobs" have you done today?
- Thread starter jaybee
- Start date
I scrubbed the outside upvc of all my windows with Cif and a non scratch scourer and then washed the windows which I hardly ever do. Good fun using the squeegee. I learnt about always having the leading top edge angled forward which lets the water trail drip down instead of leaving a line of water behind on the glass. I think I could make a living cleaning windows. 
Had a slow drain on the only toilet in the house, read horror stories using chemicals so opted for the plunger route, a bit of pushing can't be that hard.
(not a picture, I'm not that cruel, but not pleasant reading either)
(not a picture, I'm not that cruel, but not pleasant reading either)
Unfortunately the one at the DIY shop wasn't the best fit and there is apparently a wrong way to do it which brings most of the waste backwards... Then clogs completely.
6ft of horizontal pipework from the pan to the stack, that's a lot of blockage which I'm not even going to describe. Already full of it so it can't get any worse, now the pan is full I can get a decent seal on the plunger so I continue slowly, only to find the sink is now a rather unpleasant fountain with every push. The blockage is past the sink and I'm just pushing liquids between the basin and the pan.
Sink plugged, overflow sealed off with wet tissue and a silicone flat jar opener I can just about reach to continue pushing fluids with the plunger, then it finally dislodges and starts to flow.
It was going to be chocolate custard for dessert tonight but I think that's off the cards, along with tea, coffee, hot chocolate... Actually I think I might skip food for a few days. I don't know if I should be proud or horrified with what just happened.
6ft of horizontal pipework from the pan to the stack, that's a lot of blockage which I'm not even going to describe. Already full of it so it can't get any worse, now the pan is full I can get a decent seal on the plunger so I continue slowly, only to find the sink is now a rather unpleasant fountain with every push. The blockage is past the sink and I'm just pushing liquids between the basin and the pan.
Sink plugged, overflow sealed off with wet tissue and a silicone flat jar opener I can just about reach to continue pushing fluids with the plunger, then it finally dislodges and starts to flow.
It was going to be chocolate custard for dessert tonight but I think that's off the cards, along with tea, coffee, hot chocolate... Actually I think I might skip food for a few days. I don't know if I should be proud or horrified with what just happened.
Soldato
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Why on earth is your sink connected in any way to your toilet?
Soldato
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Applied a couple of coats of white metal paint to the fire surround (still needs one more) and polished the insert with grate polish. Still have the hearth to do with some honed slate and 40mm ash surround.
Soldato
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AHH a Yankee driver, probably the most dangerous tool I've ever used prone to randomly popping out and almost stabbing you. They also have a knack for slipping off heads and chewing up whatevers nearby. I'm not a fan incase you can't tell
. I use a bit and 1/4 inch drive. I don't use an electric driver unless I'm doing a lot or its a long screw.Been on the roof -fortunately we have a bungalow.
Found the SS chimney cowl and soil waste pipe cover up the garden - Soil pipe was ok but I am to long in the tooth to hop skip and jump along the ridge tiles.
Cowl won't come off again as I cleaned and straightened out the jubilee clamp.
Found the SS chimney cowl and soil waste pipe cover up the garden - Soil pipe was ok but I am to long in the tooth to hop skip and jump along the ridge tiles.
Cowl won't come off again as I cleaned and straightened out the jubilee clamp.
Soldato
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AHH a Yankee driver, probably the most dangerous tool I've ever used prone to randomly popping out and almost stabbing you. They also have a knack for slipping off heads and chewing up whatevers nearby. I'm not a fan incase you can't tell
Ah, you've not lived unless you can attest to a Yankee blood blister. I picked up a PZ2 bit so no issues with it slipping off the screw. Keep it well oiled (with graphite grease) and the chances of it popping out are greatly reduced. It's easier to gauge screw depth too as I find drills tend to push the screw too deeply into the timber at times.
I have lazy drains - Old pitch and asbestos which I have had lined - when he put the camera up you could still see a short length where the solids had come to a halt - he said when you flush the first bit runs off the front and so on - I now have a habit of tipping the used washing up water down the pan and the volume of water takes it all away - I would assume you have these latest small flush cisterns - I think my drains were ok for years with the old 2 gall flush.
I didn't have them dug up as they are about 4ft down and the mess and upheaval would have been horrendous.
Well after my disappointing Saturday efforts trying to sort leaking toilet, I revisited it today.....& success.
Managed to gain access to the offending pipe without resorting to dismantling half the bathroom.
Now just need to reboard the kitchen ceiling & plaster it.
Managed to gain access to the offending pipe without resorting to dismantling half the bathroom.
Now just need to reboard the kitchen ceiling & plaster it.
Yup I used the washing up water trick a few times when it first started to slow down but the 90deg bend after the U bend pretty much kills off any force in the flow. Years ago in student halls they had a block where a lot of the toilets had this issue and in some of the rooms they raised the whole toilet up by an inch (bolted to a slab of wood). Just have to make sure the toilet is doing the full flush instead of the eco 1/4 flush it prefers to use. Once it hits the stack I'm assuming it's all fine as it has to drop from first floor to under the house then a short run back to the street.
Painting, painting and more painting. Glossed my lower staircase, 5 door frames and skirting on the middle floor. Second coat of undercoat on the banister.
Wifey want's the hand rail painted grey. That's gonna be fun.
Wifey want's the hand rail painted grey. That's gonna be fun.
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Soldato
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If the rail is screwed or nailed to the wall it might be easier to remove it and paint it separately.Painting, painting and more painting. Glossed my lower staircase, 5 door frames and skirting on the middle floor. Second coat of undercoat on the banister.
Wifey want's the hand rail painted grey. That's gonna be fun.
I can't see any way for it to easily come off unfortunately but thanks for the suggestion! I am quite neat when it comes to cutting in, just my brush doesn't want to get on the inside curve so might have to resort to using something else like a microfibre cloth unless anyone else has any bright ideas 
P.S the top rail had a lot of what looked like normal filler falling out the joins on the corners / change of angle etc so I have used wood glue and sawdust to fill it.
P.S the top rail had a lot of what looked like normal filler falling out the joins on the corners / change of angle etc so I have used wood glue and sawdust to fill it.
I imagine the hand rail is screwed to the wall from the outside and then the screw heads and been counter sunk, filled and painted. Good luck getting that off.
What about a small make up brush? You could also cut the end off so it’s only an inch or two long.
What about a small make up brush? You could also cut the end off so it’s only an inch or two long.
A large glass panel in the middle of the lean-to roof exploded the day before storm Francis brought it's amber warning for wind and rain. I wrapped the lean-to up as best as I could (tarp, rope, ladders tied on the roof etc which was fun on my own - I may have sworn once or twice) and hoped for the best. Thankfully it survived the storm.
Fitted a replacement panel yesterday and all is well again.
Fitted a replacement panel yesterday and all is well again.
I had not thought of that! I think that is what will be done, thanks!
Soldato
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- 25 Mar 2004
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I had my bathrooms done almost a year ago along with other stuff in the house.
Today decided it was finally time to clean my tiles properly as the fitters had only done a cursory job.
Went over every tile in both bathrooms with hot water and a micro-fibre cloth, got as much of the leftover grout and things off as I could. Wish I did it sooner really as the result is even better than before!
Next up will be installing the blinds, can't easily drill through those tiles so I'm hoping I can affix to the window frames instead.
En-suite:
Main Bathroom (weird shape hard to get in 1 pic):
Some of the grout in the main bathroom appears to be discoloured, not sure how to fix it. It's meant to be quite a uniform light grey colour like the ones on the floor.
@fobose nice work on the painting! I need to do a bit of touch up work still. The inside of the en-suite door + frame is a funny yellow colour where it looks like the previous people have painted over it with some rubbish paint, but the doors aren't technically meant to be painted (pre-finished).
Today decided it was finally time to clean my tiles properly as the fitters had only done a cursory job.
Went over every tile in both bathrooms with hot water and a micro-fibre cloth, got as much of the leftover grout and things off as I could. Wish I did it sooner really as the result is even better than before!
Next up will be installing the blinds, can't easily drill through those tiles so I'm hoping I can affix to the window frames instead.
En-suite:
Main Bathroom (weird shape hard to get in 1 pic):
Some of the grout in the main bathroom appears to be discoloured, not sure how to fix it. It's meant to be quite a uniform light grey colour like the ones on the floor.
@fobose nice work on the painting! I need to do a bit of touch up work still. The inside of the en-suite door + frame is a funny yellow colour where it looks like the previous people have painted over it with some rubbish paint, but the doors aren't technically meant to be painted (pre-finished).