What I Did This Weekend - In Pictures!

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I got most of one side done yesterday.

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At that point, I realised that I probably ought to get my little work table out, whilst I still could.

Today, it's got to this stage - basically usable now, when the plywood for the tops arrives. It's not quite as solid as I would like at the far end, but I have scope for some additional struts and it will be usable enough as it is.

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It was much more intricate a job than the first greenhouse was, but I managed it without any mistakes in the end - handy, because I only had the right amount of material in stock for the "long parts". There were two very near misses, but I spotted them at the marking-out stage - phew.

As in the first greenhouse, there will be slatted shelves just off the floor, salvaged from the wooden benches, as supports for firewood as it dries.


I've just cut the grass now, as darkness commences, and I'm trying to convince myself that I'm not too tired to actually eat something.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I finally did the plywood for the benches and shelves today.

I had thought that I could, if I made no mistakes, just about do the whole job from two 8'x4' sheets.

I did make a mistake - but, it was in the thought process beforehand. The short eaves shelves were not 2' long as I thought - they were 2' long at the back, but the front edge needed to be 3', to reach the angled corner braces that support them - so I was only able to do one side.

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So, I did the left-hand side, as that side holds the electrical nerve centre.

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I will be having some more plywood at some point and I can do the missing shelf sections then - I intend to box in the lower shelf at the far end, to protect the propagator insulation from the UV this time, but that is not a priority on the long list of Things To Do.

Getting the 6'x2' bench tops into the far end proved a challenge - I thought I might have to remove some glass and come in through the side, but I was just able to turn each sheet round by putting one corner out through the open louvre window - phew...

The old slatted bench tops are supported a few inches off the floor, so the timber for the fire can be ventilated as it dries in there - I may get a new load shortly - I have the first half of next winter in store in the other greenhouse now.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Intermittent showers today, so weeding interspersed with odd small jobs.

A couple of good bodges (subject to further testing).

An electric shaver's trimmer attachment had ceased to function - it was clearly not meant to be dismantled, but I managed to get it open and discovered that a short steel pivot pin had gone missing. That appeared to be all that was wrong and I had a length of hard steel wire about the right diameter, so I cut a piece with an abrasive disc on the Dremel and then pressed everything back together - it seems to work OK, but time will tell.

The other one was easier to photograph - the guard ring on the bike is plastic and was secured to the large chain-ring by plastic "rivets". These were hollow pins, moulded onto the ring, then 'heat-formed' to hold the ring in place. Four out of the five had failed, lost their heads. I didn't really want to run it without the ring, so I found some small woodscrews that fitted nicely - they provide a 'head' and the also slightly swell the hollow pin.

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The original formed plastic head on the left - two of the four new woodscrew fittings on the right.

Time will tell...

Again.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
I found an old radio that still seemed to work, although it had lost its telescopic aerial. I was able to attach a wire, via the screw that still held the last vestige of the aerial base, and this seemed sufficient to get the reception that I needed.

When I made the electrical nerve centre, I left space for additions to happen, so I've fitted the radio in there and connected the aerial to the greenhouse frame - reception seems perfectly adequate.

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From left to right, switch for the LED strip, switch for the 'proper' light, remote-controlled socket for the garden floodlight, power supply for the LED strip, spare space, radio, unswitched socket for when the propagator becomes functional again.
 

Stoofer34@

Active Member
Intermittent showers today, so weeding interspersed with odd small jobs.

A couple of good bodges (subject to further testing).

An electric shaver's trimmer attachment had ceased to function - it was clearly not meant to be dismantled, but I managed to get it open and discovered that a short steel pivot pin had gone missing. That appeared to be all that was wrong and I had a length of hard steel wire about the right diameter, so I cut a piece with an abrasive disc on the Dremel and then pressed everything back together - it seems to work OK, but time will tell.

The other one was easier to photograph - the guard ring on the bike is plastic and was secured to the large chain-ring by plastic "rivets". These were hollow pins, moulded onto the ring, then 'heat-formed' to hold the ring in place. Four out of the five had failed, lost their heads. I didn't really want to run it without the ring, so I found some small woodscrews that fitted nicely - they provide a 'head' and the also slightly swell the hollow pin.

View attachment 12490

The original formed plastic head on the left - two of the four new woodscrew fittings on the right.

Time will tell...

Again.
Mucky chain and chainring ! Clean and lubricate it will make sense????

S
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
Also now 20cm higher, and built a headboard.

And today I need to take 6cm back off, turns out whilst getting in is easy getting back out his feet don't quite reach the floor! My wife has just sourced a second hand electric recliner too, that should help.

Gotta say I really like the whole attitude over here to making things work for you rather than just replacing, a proper 'can do' spirit. I think this is what brexit is meant to bring back to the UK, and as Latvia is poor with little resources I think I now understand better our governments decisions!
 
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Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
And today I need to take 6cm back off, turns out whilst getting in is easy getting back out his feet don't quite reach the floor! My wife has just sourced a second hand electric recliner too, that should help.

Gotta say I really like the whole attitude over here to making things work for you rather than just replacing, a proper 'can do' spirit. I think this is what brexit is meant to bring back to the UK, and as Latvia is poor with little resources I think I now understand better our governments decisions!
I did quite a bit of DIY-type stuff in Prague about fifteen years ago. On the whole, I found it easier and less awkward than the same jobs would have been in England. The B&Q type shops, Hornbach, etc, were far more 'real' than the UK variety and people in general had a more practical attitude.
 

tek-monkey

wanna see my snake?
I did quite a bit of DIY-type stuff in Prague about fifteen years ago. On the whole, I found it easier and less awkward than the same jobs would have been in England. The B&Q type shops, Hornbach, etc, were far more 'real' than the UK variety and people in general had a more practical attitude.
They have a shop here called Depot, think B&Q but it also sells pet rabbits and rum. They have a pick and mix for screws, bolts, that sort of thing. Each bin has a price code, just chuck any from the same price code into a bag (or separate bags I guess) and drop on the scales for it to print you a bar code. Only buy exactly what you need, and the variety is insane. For that matter many shops are the same for fresh produce, weigh and get a barcode which also conveniently seals your bag, and then you can use self service to pay.

We also bought a cheap jigsaw as I didn't pack one, comes with spare brushes for the motor despite being less than 20 euros as people here don't throw away stuff. That is seen in the second hand sector too, pretty expensive to buy stuff thats not local.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Having the backless stool in the 'first' greenhouse is handy. It's there when you want it and can be shoved largely out of the way, up against the pressure washer shelf, when 'standing up' stuff is to be done.

However, leaning back against the edge of the end bench is less than comfortable. My Lidl foray today found that they had pool noodles available.

So, I have cut one slightly overlong and notched the ends, and also cut a quadrant out along the length. It holds itself in place OK and is a lot more comfortable as a 'back rest'.

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We'll see how it survives the UV...
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
The wood delivery arrived yesterday - nice stuff again, burnable now, on a fire that was already going, but some time in the 'solar kiln' will really push the moisture content down.

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The hope was to get it all in the 'new' greenhouse and I did about three-quarters of it last night, finishing it off this morning, before the 30% warning of rain came into effect around now.

All the "lumps" went in nicely, in the end, without occupying much bench space.

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The smell when I opened the door this morning was pure aromatherapy stuff. The glass was running wet, even with the automatic window open. All the three louvre windows are open now, and the door, unless is rains. A few days will drive out a lot of the remaining water and the next few months will finish the job. The remaining wood from last year is in the other greenhouse, and should last to around Christmas.

Only the "tinder bits" to collect up off the sheeting now and it's all done.
 

Gramaisc

Forum O. G.
Having had a couple of days of "big tasks", today has been defined to be a day for "small tasks".

One of the big tasks was the cutting back of branches overhanging the shed roof, this was done by running a pole trimmer from the roof itself, access being gained by a ladder. The ladder used was one of those "three-point folding things" - very handy and just the right size for shed roof access.

It does/did have an annoying feature, though.

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As delivered, the stales are square-cut, as seen on the right, and this makes them remarkably efficient at snagging clothing when descending. After several years of being annoyed by this, I have finally got round to the small task of chamfering them a bit, as seen on the left.

I've done all eight ends that suffer from this feature, so the ladder can be used in any of the four identical symmetries.

A trial ascent and descent, with attempts at provoking snagging, have proved the modification to be very effective. It will have no discernible effect on the structural integrity.
 
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