What "man jobs" have you done today?

PermaChanged · 28 Oct 2022 at 20:05

PermaChanged said:
Far from a days work, and far from being a job solely done by me - but we've resized and steeled our gable end ready for sliding doors with triangular pitched window. Vaulted ceiling kitchen will be in this space alongside a mezzanine level set further back to overlook the whole area.

6040mm of sliding doors have since gone in (the roof has been repaired too where it took some collateral damage when knocking out the gable end and replacing those last rafters, but that's not pictured) Still waiting for the triangular window above it to be manufactured, the aluminium is with the window company, and they've templated it in roofing batten to build it to.

All UFH has been laid now too

Ready to be screeded with 5.6t of sand and god knows how much binder on Monday!

Roll on Wednesday when we can finally start emptying that storage container and van of all our wordly possessions

This post sums up just how big of a deal this is for us to finally be getting the floor in - https://www.instagram.com/p/CjgK5xELZCk/?hl=en

dlockers · 28 Oct 2022 at 22:36

Chaps,

2 questions -

1. is this sufficient for terminating aerials for televisions using euro modules?
@Feek ?

Time RG59 Black 1-Core Round Coaxial Cable 100m Drum - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

2. if I am sinking cables in the wall, what is the best method? I have an angle grinder on order - but do I need plastic covers to fix the plaster afterwards?

Feek · 28 Oct 2022 at 22:45

For a standard freeview tv aerial? Yeah, that’s perfectly fine.

Sin_Chase · 28 Oct 2022 at 23:32

dLockers said:
Chaps,

2 questions -

1. is this sufficient for terminating aerials for televisions using euro modules?
@Feek ?

Time RG59 Black 1-Core Round Coaxial Cable 100m Drum - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

2. if I am sinking cables in the wall, what is the best method? I have an angle grinder on order - but do I need plastic covers to fix the plaster afterwards?

What type of walls? It matters as to technique.

If its solid rendered/plastered wall then hire a channel cutter. Cut channel edges at desired width, knock out channel (SDS tool will be eaiser than by hand) and space for backbox. Place appropriate conduit in and fix at reasonable distance, run cable, mostly fill with deep fill multipurpose or similar, complete with a fine finish coat.

Consider running ethernet at the same time.

LuckyBenski · 29 Oct 2022 at 00:48

To add to the above, you *will* make a mess. Fine dust will get everywhere. Use goggles, put a grotty old jacket on, close doors, wear a decent mask (P2 or P3).

If you want to have an easy time pulling the cables out next time and replacing them, consider using plastic piping or conduit/trunking.

For the antenna cable that will be fine but my favourite is Webro WF100 and quality Kabelcon connectors (push fit not crimp). Mind you this is for connections I fiddle with a lot at work - if you're just hooking up a few plugs and hiding them away anything will do if you're careful to fit them nicely.

aVdub · 29 Oct 2022 at 04:47

dLockers said:
Chaps,

2 questions -

1. is this sufficient for terminating aerials for televisions using euro modules?
@Feek ?

Time RG59 Black 1-Core Round Coaxial Cable 100m Drum - Screwfix

Order online at Screwfix.com. FREE next day delivery available, free collection in 1 minute.

www.screwfix.com

2. if I am sinking cables in the wall, what is the best method? I have an angle grinder on order - but do I need plastic covers to fix the plaster afterwards?

Been using this for years now and you could almost buy 200m for the price of SF.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01JIWN57U/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&th=1

theone8181 · 29 Oct 2022 at 08:12

If you're cutting a wall. Might be worth getting an assistant to try and vac at the same time, as others have said cutting plaster board is very messy.

dlockers · 29 Oct 2022 at 09:23

Sin_Chase said:
What type of walls? It matters as to technique.

If its solid rendered/plastered wall then hire a channel cutter. Cut channel edges at desired width, knock out channel (SDS tool will be eaiser than by hand) and space for backbox. Place appropriate conduit in and fix at reasonable distance, run cable, mostly fill with deep fill multipurpose or similar, complete with a fine finish coat.

Consider running ethernet at the same time.

It's a 1930s semi that has been replastered at some point. When I mounted the television it reminded me of drilling breezeblocks in my mum's 1950s semi.

I suppose I'll still need the angle grinder for the backbox even if I buy a channel cutter? I've only got one chase greater than 50cm (approx 1.5m) so need to weigh up whether a dedicated channel cutter is worth it.

dlockers · 29 Oct 2022 at 09:36

Feek said:
For a standard freeview tv aerial? Yeah, that’s perfectly fine.

Follow up if you don't mind - if I put a decent aerial on the roof and take it into the attic, can I split it 2 ways and then split it further X2 and x4?

I need 2 upstairs outputs and 4 downstairs outputs. However downstairs I only really need 1 connected at a time?

LuckyBenski · 29 Oct 2022 at 10:30

dLockers said:
It's a 1930s semi that has been replastered at some point. When I mounted the television it reminded me of drilling breezeblocks in my mum's 1950s semi.

I suppose I'll still need the angle grinder for the backbox even if I buy a channel cutter? I've only got one chase greater than 50cm (approx 1.5m) so need to weigh up whether a dedicated channel cutter is worth it.

You'll still need the angle grinder yes, although you could use an SDS back box sinker. If you can get near Bedford or London SE4 I can lend you the one I just bought for a single job

Angle grinder even messier than the channel cutter as it won't have inbuilt extraction. But for the little stretch down to the skirting it's oft needed too. Personally I bought my channel cutter used for £30 as I'll only be selling it on once I'm done. Same for the SDS box sinker but I bought the nicer branded one used... https://www.armeg.com/EBS?ver=2

dlockers · 29 Oct 2022 at 12:42

LuckyBenski said:
You'll still need the angle grinder yes, although you could use an SDS back box sinker. If you can get near Bedford or London SE4 I can lend you the one I just bought for a single job

Angle grinder even messier than the channel cutter as it won't have inbuilt extraction. But for the little stretch down to the skirting it's oft needed too. Personally I bought my channel cutter used for £30 as I'll only be selling it on once I'm done. Same for the SDS box sinker but I bought the nicer branded one used... https://www.armeg.com/EBS?ver=2

Did you buy the full kit? That is a tempting proposition - but I'd need it for a fair while as I've got the whole house to do. Would you sell it or are you still needing it?

Feek · 29 Oct 2022 at 12:46

dLockers said:
Follow up if you don't mind - if I put a decent aerial on the roof and take it into the attic, can I split it 2 ways and then split it further X2 and x4?

I need 2 upstairs outputs and 4 downstairs outputs. However downstairs I only really need 1 connected at a time?

Each time you split by two, you’re going to drop the signal by 3db which is 50%. If you’re splitting by four then each leg of that four will get 25% of the signal which has already been cut by 50%. I wouldn’t do this. You’ll be better off with a distribution amplifier which although it will introduce some noise, it won’t be attenuating the received signal each time.

dlockers · 29 Oct 2022 at 13:03

Feek said:
Each time you split by two, you’re going to drop the signal by 3db which is 50%. If you’re splitting by four then each leg of that four will get 25% of the signal which has already been cut by 50%. I wouldn’t do this. You’ll be better off with a distribution amplifier which although it will introduce some noise, it won’t be attenuating the received signal each time.

Thanks Feek, much appreciated. I think my best approach then, is to run the aerials as per green, but at the RF terminating block (represented by RF on the diagram) - I'll just connect the aerial I need to be live (i.e. 3 disconnected at any one time). Then from the attic I'll come in and split two ways, one to do the downstairs (the RF block on the diagram), one to do the upstairs.

If this doesn't work then in the attic where I do the first split I'll put a distribution amplifier.

Am I nuts or should that be OK?

Also is the copper shielded cable better than what someone else posted (which wasn't copper shielded?).

Edit: also I think I'll put my mini media server in the same location as RF and Patch. Can anyone advice on HDMI runs?

PermaChanged · 29 Oct 2022 at 18:42

Is there a particular reason you want so many aerial points? I'm quite green when it comes to what's best for home entertainment, and haven't had an aerial feeding a TV since the original Chromecast came out!

All of our television watching has been Internet based since.

dlockers · 29 Oct 2022 at 18:53

PermaChanged said:
Is there a particular reason you want so many aerial points? I'm quite green when it comes to what's best for home entertainment, and haven't had an aerial feeding a TV since the original Chromecast came out!

All of our television watching has been Internet based since.

Purely because I will literally go postal and burn this house down if in 2...3....5...10 years someone asks to move the telly to another alcove :cry:

I may temper it a bit and just do 2 instead of 4, but it's basicly just to future proof Room plans. Especially as there may be a full length extension at some point that could swap dining and living...

Edit: and ethernet will be going there anyway so a single modular socket can take an aerial and an rj45.
Edit2: you're right though, haven't had an aerial since moving in thanks to internet television.

aVdub · 30 Oct 2022 at 07:54

dLockers said:
Purely because I will literally go postal and burn this house down if in 2...3....5...10 years someone asks to move the telly to another alcove

I may temper it a bit and just do 2 instead of 4, but it's basicly just to future proof Room plans. Especially as there may be a full length extension at some point that could swap dining and living...

Edit: and ethernet will be going there anyway so a single modular socket can take an aerial and an rj45.
Edit2: you're right though, haven't had an aerial since moving in thanks to internet television.

Job I just done had an aerial fitted into the loft from which I used the 8 amp to reach all rooms, but it is just as easy to add two or another aerial + amp into the loft and run them separately for each floor.

dlockers · 30 Oct 2022 at 08:05

aVdub said:
Job I just done had an aerial fitted into the loft from which I used the 8 amp to reach all rooms, but it is just as easy to add two or another aerial + amp into the loft and run them separately for each floor.

Ah you reckon see if I can get away with antenna in the attic?

aVdub · 30 Oct 2022 at 08:58

dLockers said:
Ah you reckon see if I can get away with antenna in the attic?

How many RF sockets are you running in the house.
If more than 8 I would be inclined to add another aerial outside or inside and split the distribution between 2 - 6/8 way amps.
This is just the way I would go.

LuckyBenski · 30 Oct 2022 at 09:37

dLockers said:
Did you buy the full kit? That is a tempting proposition - but I'd need it for a fair while as I've got the whole house to do. Would you sell it or are you still needing it?

I bought the kit used and it's missing the double box (has 2x single box). But yes I'll sell it on once we're done with it. Which MM category will it fit under

dlockers · 30 Oct 2022 at 09:49

LuckyBenski said:
I bought the kit used and it's missing the double box (has 2x single box). But yes I'll sell it on once we're done with it. Which MM category will it fit under

Ah that's a shame! Expensive gear - I think just the double chisel is 90 quid. Do you rate them?