Cheer of the Day!

[plasticpigeon]

A lovely Ewardian corner shop with amazingly intact stonework and windows was driven into at some speed by a late night taxi doing a bit of off roading a few months back. It was ruined, the wall below the window was knocked down, stonework broken and the wooden windows with stained glass pushed out of place and broken in parts. It sat for perhaps 6 months boarded up, I assumed waiting for the inevitable plastic crap and rubbish cheap wall to be built, but today I drove past and it has been restored back to how it was with new stonework, repaired woodwork and stained glass, and decent looking brickwork. A miracle, I shall post a pic tomorrow.

Before damage

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.45676 ... 312!8i6656

After damage

https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@52.45676 ... 312!8i6656

[a twig]

Today I found a sprayer that is compatible with limewash (i.e. doesn't clog) and best of all is cheap! Did my entire second coat of a room (walls and ceilings) in just under half an hour!

Sprayer can be found at Screwfix for £20 if anyone is interested - make sure you have the flow setting on max as it is more likely to clog otherwise. Linky:
http://www.screwfix.com/p/energer-enb55 ... 240v/11919

It is somewhat noisy - but at that price point it seems rather churlish to compain. Obviously get yourself a decent mask when spraying Got a lovely smooth and even coverage, no running. Accurate enough pattern to be able to spray around sockets.

The only times I resorted to the brush was when there were a few hairline cracks that needed attention.

[Flyfisher]

Wow - really? How thin/thick was your limewash?

I've got a lot of external lime washing to do as soon as the weather warms up enough and have wondered about spraying but have always assumed it would quickly clog. The attraction of spraying, for me anyway, is more to do with avoiding splashes. Maybe it's just me but the stuff seems to flick everywhere when using a brush and I end up spending almost as much time cleaning up than actual limewashing!

For £20 I'll probably give this sprayer a try. My only concern is the size of the container. How many m2 were you getting before having to refill?

[a twig]

My limewash was fairly thin. As I was doing it just for one room, I bought a tub, the particles in it were pretty fine, and by the smell and lack of dust afterwards I think that there might be a bit of linseed or casein in it, from here:
http://www.limestuff.co.uk/paints-limew ... off-white/

I was getting about 3-4 sq m per refill. The kit with the gun gives you a handy viscosity test to make sure that your wash is liquid enough for the gun to cope with. A quick filter with an old pair of tights is enough to remove any particles that are too large. Although I'm pretty sure you could get/bodge a bigger bottle on, it starts to get quite heavy after a while, allied to the vibration of the gun I probably wouldn't want a bigger tank to be honest.

I'm pretty sure the room I'm doing will take three coats - so no more than to be expected with a brush. Like I said it is worth keeping a soft block brush handy just to really work it into the odd crack if needed.

[Flyfisher]

Thanks for that. I'll give it a try later in the year.

[Feltwell]

today I drove past and it has been restored back to how it was with new stonework, repaired woodwork and stained glass, and decent looking brickwork. A miracle, I shall post a pic tomorrow.

Hurrah! Obviously a decent owner with proper insurance who wasn't fobbed off by the insurance company no doubt trying to sell them the benefits of "lovely" UPVC for a repair. I wonder if they had to double glaze it though, for Building Regs?

There's not many original Victorian / Edwardian shopfronts left - amongst those that are there are still some being ripped out every year

[angrybird]

Looking through some old photos I found this ,it's my Great Uncles shop. He worked there 7 days a week until he was 89. He knew where every nut, bolt and piece of nicknackery was kept. I don't think he did an annual stock take

Johnny & Betty

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[Feltwell]

I think I've just seen a picture of the future of my garage.....

I love shops like that, as you say usually staffed by an old boy who knows where everything is and refuses to change. It's a hark back I guess to the days where you didn't serve yourself in a shop, you stood in front of the counter and asked. Alas they are both nearly extinct

[Feltwell]

Central heating boiler fan starting to get noisy, sound like it's rubbing on it's case. Take the boiler apart this morning, the rubber mounts the fan motor sits on are ever so slightly worn, just enough so the fan has enough movement to catch the case when it starts or stops. Can I buy the little rubber mounts that must cost about a ha'penny? No, of course not, that'll be £110 + VAT for a complete new fan assembly Sir .

A red fibre washer under each mount to pre-load them ever-so-slightly and stop the excess movement and all is fixed for a good few years to come

[DJH]

Just finished the leadwork on a hay barn....yippee (not mine I hasten to add!!)

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The ventilator for the top...

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one of the eight leadwelded roll ends.

2017-02-09 14.23.40.jpg (177.32 KiB) Viewed 902 times

[paulc]

Central heating boiler fan starting to get noisy, sound like it's rubbing on it's case. Take the boiler apart this morning, the rubber mounts the fan motor sits on are ever so slightly worn, just enough so the fan has enough movement to catch the case when it starts or stops. Can I buy the little rubber mounts that must cost about a ha'penny? No, of course not, that'll be £110 + VAT for a complete new fan assembly Sir .

A red fibre washer under each mount to pre-load them ever-so-slightly and stop the excess movement and all is fixed for a good few years to come

I have used rubber grommets in the past when needing to mount equipment sensitive to vibrations. Also used rubber widgets & wotnots from various cars/bikes when something a little more substantial was required - Exhaust mounting rubbers & battery tray mounts are very useful.

[Feltwell]

Just finished the leadwork on a hay barn....yippee (not mine I hasten to add!!)

Lovely job as ever Doug but, erm, what happened to retirement? That doesn't look like a quick 5 minute easy job as a favour to someone! That's one serious ventilator, I trust the farmer has a telehandler!

[Flyfisher]

Hear hear. Wonderful work Doug and thanks for posting the photos, it's always a pleasure to see such skilled work, even if it does make me a little depressed when I compare it with my own leadworking efforts. All your projects seem to be properly creative works rather than simply functional and are lovely to see. Marvellous!

[Flyfisher]

Can I buy the little rubber mounts that must cost about a ha'penny? No, of course not, that'll be £110 + VAT for a complete new fan assembly Sir .

Yep, standard practice these days.

Well done for subverting this accursed trend with a bit of initiative, and saving a handy sum into the bargain.

[paulc]

Nearly one year on from getting a new stove for the drawing room, I am in a position to fire it up and start using the room. Carpet was fitted earlier in the week, so it no longer looks like a building site in there, and the sofa is finally where it belongs. Still have wallpaper to put up along with the picture rail (which needs painting)...

With the fire running all day, the temperature in there is a comfortable 21°C, and the cat is content to sprawl in front of the hearth - If she is happy, so am I