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Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 05 9:57 am Post subject:

The building's going well (or as well as it can go when there's one person doing it!). Sitting room is now plastered out and boasts a new box sash window, and now just awaits skirting board and finish coat of plaster, and the 10-year-old's room is approaching that state and now has new floorboards (and the new, draught-free window is much appreciated). Our bedroom still lacks a ceiling, but we've managed to hack most of the cement from the walls so plastering should begin next week.
It is so darned slow, however. Guaging out has to be done slowly because you need to fill every chink in the stonework properly, but the scratch and even float coats are equally time-consuming. Every bit of plaster has to be trowelled on, pressed home and then feathered in to what's already there, and I often dream of the lovely, sloppy modern pink thistle plaster; the stuff that can be smeared across a ceiling in minutes!
Then there's the bloody weather - you can't use lime externally if the temperature's likely to fall below five degrees while it's still wet. Every day I do a quick check on the forecast at Aberporth, just up the road, just in case a mild window is approaching. Thankfully one did between Christmas and New Year, so up went the scaffold tower and in went another window (with plenty of pozzolan in the mortar - mixed with hydraulic lime - to ensure quick setting and water resistance on the west-facing wall).
So, the work chugs on, but it's still satisfyingly cathartic to do (even if a daily dose of Jenni Murray does get me homicidal before lunch) and fairly bearable in the house now I've managed to fix every leak in the heating system and pressure-test it to 3 bar to make sure.
The one thing that has suffered hugely is my credibility. Nevermore will my child bride look at me with such wide-eyed optimism and trust when I blithely say: "Oh, in by Christmas, I'd say..."

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 05 10:54 am Post subject:
Reinstalling windows (one never can seem to escape the curse of Micro$oft!)

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28234
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 05 11:05 am Post subject:
Looks great Back on the topic of useful tools, been playing with my SDS Plus demolition drill today to remove tiles. That is definately a toy for the boys has done in minutes what would have taken a day. jema

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 05 11:07 am Post subject:
Does indeed look good, are you doing everything yourself?

Gervase

Joined: 17 Nov 2004
Posts: 8655

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 05 11:08 am Post subject:
Not entirely - I've got a good wife and four competent cats on the gang as well! Otherwise, every bloody thing with my own fair mitts. Very satisfying, though, especially when it comes to playing with all the toys! Last edited by Gervase on Thu Jan 06, 05 11:12 am; edited 1 time in total

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Thu Jan 06, 05 11:10 am Post subject:

Gervase wrote:

Very satisfying, though.

I bet it is, I'm bloody useless at that sort of stuff.

Guest

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 05 7:36 pm Post subject:

Gosh, you lads love your tools.

My hubby loves gadgets and tools, he can't pass a B&Q store without visiting the tool section and admiring them (tsskk).

My favourite gadget at the moment is my head torch (I'm sure it's got a correct name). Keeps my hands free when I'm out in these dark mornings with the wheelbarrow.

A close second would have to be the hubby's circular saw - I can't half make a mess with that!!

Gertie

Joined: 08 Jan 2005
Posts: 1638
Location: Yorkshire

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 05 7:41 pm Post subject:
Don't know what happened, had a technical problem there, where I was logged out. Gervase, nice cat, reminds me of ours. Also, wondering how you guys find the time to do things. You seem to be able to turn your hands to all sorts. Hats off to you.

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28234
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 05 7:41 pm Post subject:

tahir wrote:

Gervase wrote:

Very satisfying, though.

I bet it is, I'm bloody useless at that sort of stuff.

I ain't exactly great

but i think one of my news years resolutions is that you only get better by doing. Hence the bathroom rebuild.

jema

jema
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 28234
Location: escaped from Swindon

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 05 7:46 pm Post subject:

Gertie wrote:

Don't know what happened, had a technical problem there, where I was logged out.

Gervase, nice cat, reminds me of ours.

Also, wondering how you guys find the time to do things. You seem to be able to turn your hands to all sorts. Hats off to you.

time is always the issue

but then I think a lot of people do waste a lot of time in front of the TV!

jema

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 05 7:48 pm Post subject:

I'm trying not to sound like 'mines better than yours' but I can also recommend the LED head torches. OH got me a food one for Christmas and it has 4 LEDs. As bright as a normal torch, very light and the batteries should last many more times than a torch. I can recommend them and they should carry on going down in price so ideal for next Christmas.

The thing with tools is trying to only buy the necessary ones and not 'gadgets'. I did say trying...

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 05 7:49 pm Post subject:

Gertie wrote:

You seem to be able to turn your hands to all sorts. Hats off to you.

Not me, I'm interested in a lot of things but there's not loads that I actually do

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 05 7:52 pm Post subject:
I notice in the top pic the cat is saying "he's not doing it right, he's missed a bit" That also reminds me, I need to get a narrow tower for working on my roof this summer.

Treacodactyl
Downsizer Moderator

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 25795
Location: Jumping on the bandwagon of opportunism

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 05 7:57 pm Post subject:

tahir wrote:

Gertie wrote:

You seem to be able to turn your hands to all sorts. Hats off to you.

Not me, I'm interested in a lot of things but there's not loads that I actually do

Just get yourself the Screwfix and Machine Mart catalogues and leaf through for a few minutes. You'll get strange urges

tahir

Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 45669
Location: Essex

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 05 8:48 pm Post subject:

Treacodactyl wrote:

You'll get strange urges

I don't need any more strange urges, got three kids already

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