Colin
Retired.
- Joined
- Sep 17, 2017
- Messages
- 1,663
- Reaction score
- 2,541
- Location
- Huddersfield.
- Hardiness Zone
- 7
- Country
Hi,
I'm making the most of this very rare beautiful weather.
Our Skoda Yeti has full leather interior and as it sleeps out on our driveway I'm a bit concerned about the scorching hot sun causing damage to the leather; I treat the leather with a proper leather cream; I know blinds are available to shield the screen and windows but a few days ago I decided to try using an old double bed sheet; I secured the sheet which I had neatly folded in half to both front door handles using thick string draping the sheet over the front of the roof just above the windscreen; the bottoms of the sheet I placed under the wipers; this worked so well that yesterday I bought cotton tape and replaced the string with this; I tie the tape tightly around the corners then the free ends in a bow around the door handles allowing quick release; it only takes a minute or so to put the sheet on and remove it. it cost nothing other than for the tape and once Blackie and Gale return I can store the sheet it taking little space. Just a simple job but worth the bit of time to do.
Our rear door started to stick; I made the door 31 years ago when we moved here; I had added card shims under the hinges so all I needed to do was to shuffle the card shims lifting the bottom corner where it was sticking; at this point the door handle spring decided to break which after so long was expected and it owed us nothing; I ordered six new springs through eBay but then decided to replace the handles and also the mortice lock. I visited three local stores to buy suitable replacement handles without success so I browsed eBay and bought both the handles and lock; these are now fitted and another job sorted for many years yet to come.
Every year I've been troubled by water and snow blowing under the bottom of the workshop doors and I've been using strips of wood placed on the concrete floor against the door bottom to reduce the amount of water and also to reduce the icy blast; yesterday I decided to sort this out; I had made both doors years ago leaving only a small gap all around but living here on the exposed valley side the doors are subjected to driven rain and snow. I machined a couple of strips of Meranti hardwood adding a drip groove to the bottom of each by just running each through the saw bench; I fully sealed these using expensive American Benjamin Moore paint the paint I had used to give our bungalow exterior a comprehensive makeover so the colour was perfect as to match. Holes were drilled and the strips were secured to the doors but this time I used 1/16" thick card spacers to just lift the strip off the concrete before fully driving the screws home; a second coat of paint completed this little but important job.
Whilst I had the paint out I decided to freshen up the exterior cold water tap backing board and also the waste outlet plastic pipes from our kitchen; Please note how the pipes are now arranged to run into the drain; they used to run into an exposed hopper that constantly filled with debris; I installed flood defences years ago and sorted out the drains replacing clayware with new 4" plastic; I capped the drain end just cutting out for the waste pipes; a very neat solution and another of my ideas; I love improving things around home. I did the usual supermarket shopping first thing this morning then watered the rear garden this job alone taking an hour so this is how I pass my time in retirement whilst dreaming of doing a bit of woodturning. If I'm busy then I'm happy; little jobs have a habit of piling up if not dealt with immediately; tomorrow morning is Rufforth Auto Jumble which takes care of another morning; I wonder what job will crop up whilst I'm away; a very nice spalted beech turning blank has just arrived so I'm looking forward to a bit of woodturning.
Bron's next door babysitting our neighbours cat Max who is unwell and Bron also enjoys her hobbies; she made Max a get well card and I hope he appreciates the time and effort gone into creating the card.
Time now to get off my backside and stop being lazy.
Kind regards, Colin.
Door bottom drip strips just machined and painted. Please note shallow drip slot run in on the saw bench.
Drip strips secured to doors and given final coat of paint. Doors also made and painted by me.
Double bed sheet as sun shield; works a treat and cost very little indeed.
Cotton tape used to attach corners of sheet to front door handles.
Bron made Max a get well card; he's one spoiled little cat and we love him to bits.
Plastic waste pipes given a fresh lick of paint; this Benjamin Moore paint is expensive but it's absolutely brilliant.
Tap mounting board given a lick of paint too.
New door handles and mortice lock; ready for another 31 years trouble free service.
I'm making the most of this very rare beautiful weather.
Our Skoda Yeti has full leather interior and as it sleeps out on our driveway I'm a bit concerned about the scorching hot sun causing damage to the leather; I treat the leather with a proper leather cream; I know blinds are available to shield the screen and windows but a few days ago I decided to try using an old double bed sheet; I secured the sheet which I had neatly folded in half to both front door handles using thick string draping the sheet over the front of the roof just above the windscreen; the bottoms of the sheet I placed under the wipers; this worked so well that yesterday I bought cotton tape and replaced the string with this; I tie the tape tightly around the corners then the free ends in a bow around the door handles allowing quick release; it only takes a minute or so to put the sheet on and remove it. it cost nothing other than for the tape and once Blackie and Gale return I can store the sheet it taking little space. Just a simple job but worth the bit of time to do.
Our rear door started to stick; I made the door 31 years ago when we moved here; I had added card shims under the hinges so all I needed to do was to shuffle the card shims lifting the bottom corner where it was sticking; at this point the door handle spring decided to break which after so long was expected and it owed us nothing; I ordered six new springs through eBay but then decided to replace the handles and also the mortice lock. I visited three local stores to buy suitable replacement handles without success so I browsed eBay and bought both the handles and lock; these are now fitted and another job sorted for many years yet to come.
Every year I've been troubled by water and snow blowing under the bottom of the workshop doors and I've been using strips of wood placed on the concrete floor against the door bottom to reduce the amount of water and also to reduce the icy blast; yesterday I decided to sort this out; I had made both doors years ago leaving only a small gap all around but living here on the exposed valley side the doors are subjected to driven rain and snow. I machined a couple of strips of Meranti hardwood adding a drip groove to the bottom of each by just running each through the saw bench; I fully sealed these using expensive American Benjamin Moore paint the paint I had used to give our bungalow exterior a comprehensive makeover so the colour was perfect as to match. Holes were drilled and the strips were secured to the doors but this time I used 1/16" thick card spacers to just lift the strip off the concrete before fully driving the screws home; a second coat of paint completed this little but important job.
Whilst I had the paint out I decided to freshen up the exterior cold water tap backing board and also the waste outlet plastic pipes from our kitchen; Please note how the pipes are now arranged to run into the drain; they used to run into an exposed hopper that constantly filled with debris; I installed flood defences years ago and sorted out the drains replacing clayware with new 4" plastic; I capped the drain end just cutting out for the waste pipes; a very neat solution and another of my ideas; I love improving things around home. I did the usual supermarket shopping first thing this morning then watered the rear garden this job alone taking an hour so this is how I pass my time in retirement whilst dreaming of doing a bit of woodturning. If I'm busy then I'm happy; little jobs have a habit of piling up if not dealt with immediately; tomorrow morning is Rufforth Auto Jumble which takes care of another morning; I wonder what job will crop up whilst I'm away; a very nice spalted beech turning blank has just arrived so I'm looking forward to a bit of woodturning.
Bron's next door babysitting our neighbours cat Max who is unwell and Bron also enjoys her hobbies; she made Max a get well card and I hope he appreciates the time and effort gone into creating the card.
Time now to get off my backside and stop being lazy.
Kind regards, Colin.
Door bottom drip strips just machined and painted. Please note shallow drip slot run in on the saw bench.
Drip strips secured to doors and given final coat of paint. Doors also made and painted by me.
Double bed sheet as sun shield; works a treat and cost very little indeed.
Cotton tape used to attach corners of sheet to front door handles.
Bron made Max a get well card; he's one spoiled little cat and we love him to bits.
Plastic waste pipes given a fresh lick of paint; this Benjamin Moore paint is expensive but it's absolutely brilliant.
Tap mounting board given a lick of paint too.
New door handles and mortice lock; ready for another 31 years trouble free service.
