dscott
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Post by dscott on Oct 31, 2020 2:00:41 GMT
And so we begin our DIG FOR VICTORY deep into the clay subsoil to extend. Yes the seat did come in handy and all work was carried out during our WELL I Call it SUMMER HOLIDAY. The Skip Hire Company live just round the corner so came immediately. Repeat order as well. Then the FUN began. 60 feet of garden then 50 feet of cluttered utility room and long double Garage. Also cluttered. Buckets our only option! My first idea for the area was a storage for rainwater and above a greenhouse, which could be also used as a spray area. The first skips worth filled that up then we had to get one. David and a worn out Lily.
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dscott
Elder Statesman
Posts: 2,437
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Post by dscott on Oct 31, 2020 2:17:25 GMT
Upon ringing the company. They told me "That they had never been so busy due to everyone deciding upon a CLEAR OUT while they were ALL HOME!" So we made do with a smaller skip. TWICE. If you walk round it after a round of buckets it can hold more!!! Skip Dance anyone? Progress was slowed by finding a seam of stones that of course match the driveway. The original Workshop being built into the same bank 4 years ago and small stones sorted out for the drive there were so many. Also from the garden. Also in shot is my rebuilt Porch. So much for this modeling in 12 inches to the foot scale David and Lily.
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dscott
Elder Statesman
Posts: 2,437
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Post by dscott on Oct 31, 2020 2:37:57 GMT
During the concrete block removal from the front of the house during 2017 a breaker was purchased which comes in handy for a bit of gardening. I have met a couple who moved into an EX EXCHANGE of the Telephone variety with an EX Car park behind now a lovely garden. 1 foot down and 8 inches of concrete had to be dug through to plant anything. "The lawn never sank!" They joked. Meanwhile in Trench 2 an ancient Civilization emerged who in their wisdom had perfected the art of grand staircase making. I in the end made 4 of these side by side as progress continued. David and Lily.
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stevep
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Post by stevep on Oct 31, 2020 9:55:59 GMT
Thanks David - great to see what you were doing.
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dscott
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Post by dscott on Nov 1, 2020 1:17:23 GMT
At last THE GREAT WALL OF READING is reviled!!! Quite a lot of building and holding up the concrete fence posts which were once level with the garden. Just selecting the best for the top. Yes all second hand collected when neighbors did alterations. Remembering of course that access is needed round the building to build it and get to for maintenance. I had thought of making it bigger and going over the top with ladders and dropping down to the bigger space beyond. David and Brick carrying Lily.
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dscott
Elder Statesman
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Post by dscott on Nov 1, 2020 1:45:16 GMT
We had a small pond which under a Eucalyptus tree of grand proportions spent most of its time full of black rotting stuff. In spite of the wind blowing most of it into our other neighbors garden!!! Leaving the subsoil just under the level of the patio concrete was spread and the flags could be laid. AH on top of these go the blocks on an 8 foot by 8 foot square. Also bedded onto Concrete. The Story goes that because of all the stuff and the new Lathes clogging the garage. The mixer I have cant get into the garden. As soon as the Extension is built the Garage gets a wide path the concrete mixer can be got into the garden. Catch 22! Then it was on to getting the filling blocks level and in line. Then having some over these go in between. The weather still being hot during this time. David and Chief level checker Lily.
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Post by delaplume on Nov 1, 2020 2:18:25 GMT
Strewth David--------- you'll have to give Joyce and I a Grand Tour next time we visit you !!
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timb
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Post by timb on Nov 1, 2020 15:59:31 GMT
Are you having a timber floor David, and are the machine tools sitting on this?
Tim
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dscott
Elder Statesman
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Post by dscott on Nov 2, 2020 0:55:10 GMT
YES Tim. This time I am going for 22 mm boards which fit with the joins upon the joists. My original workshop has 18 mm boards and have worked well. There is some 100 mm insulation going in between which I will be doing when the walls are finished. Due to having a nice place to clamp the uprights.
David and Lily.
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timb
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Post by timb on Nov 2, 2020 8:27:11 GMT
Ahh I see, I was wondering if you had considered a solid concrete floor where the machines are going and an insulated wooden floor elsewhere, it seems you are at a stage where you could make that move if you wanted. My last workshop was an all wood construction and was fine for a year or two then the lathe started turning tapers. It was the wooden floor that had moved, I now have a concrete floor with rubber mats around to keep the chill away!
Nice brick laying by the way, looks very proffessional!
Tim
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barlowworks
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Now finished my other projects, Britannia here I come
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Post by barlowworks on Nov 2, 2020 15:50:37 GMT
+1 for the brickwork David, very hard to do curves without making it look like a dogs breakfast, I should know, I've built one or two manholes in my time.
All the best
Mike
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dscott
Elder Statesman
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Post by dscott on Nov 3, 2020 1:59:39 GMT
A wonderfully placed difficulty in construction is the Flowering Cherry half of which would vanish if not kept ready to drape over the new roof. It is to have the guttering water from the back directed towards eventually. A distant Chimney which I rebuilt 3 years ago. It is a shared one, so upon completion. I called round to our neighbors informing him that I had spent £10 on materials and we may go halves... He works in construction and was very happy when I told him "IT WAS ON THE HOUSE!!" Yes they have to put up with us as Neighbors. So we start the roof and the sections are lifted and screwed in place. Then a beam is positioned and after fixing 100 mm of insulation is jammed between. I was lucky to have 4 days without RAIN to be able to do this. Covering the wall first with board which would make hiding joints easier. This is what we get in this part of the garden so every care is taken with the tree. There brightening up this area of the forum with a bit of sunshine. Dull but warm wind today and cleaning up a second hand window frame. New glass ordered The special stuff of course. David, and Lily chief clamp hander toer.
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Post by delaplume on Nov 3, 2020 14:03:13 GMT
An oasis of calm and beauty in the maelstrom that is Tilehurst.......From what I have gathered it's you two who have to put up with some odd neighbours !!..LoL !!! When you've finished there's a nice little "Contract job" waiting for you in the form of a much-delayed Victorian Conservatory ...... Current score is}---- Weeds 3, Alan 0....and now playing in extra time... We have a builder/friend who will be helping when we eventually get started next Spring...Incidentally both my workshops are on 2" concrete pads and have proved very stable over the last 10 years.... I think Lily deserves a medal !!
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Post by coniston on Nov 3, 2020 21:26:08 GMT
Nice bit of civil engineering there David & Lily, interesting diversion from mechanical engineering, like it.
Chris D
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dscott
Elder Statesman
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Post by dscott on Nov 4, 2020 1:41:07 GMT
IN THROUGH THE OUT DOOR.
Much watching of the computer over breakfast yesterday and the projected rain from Wales. The clear weather was coming in a giant V so all tools gathered by what we may be calling THE ENGLISH GARDEN DOORS From the 31st of December. Lots of preparation but they still had to be got out. It was also warm for November the 3rd. What a day to VOTE to destroy the house and a misplaced block took some time to remove*. It was going to be in the way for my carefully measured and ordered new set.
OH DEAR. 1974 was a bad year for building extensions and replacing the roof 3 years ago had seen the place grow in warmth. Scatter cushions describing the ceiling insulation nicely. It was leaking badly when the wind was from the west. I had put the current £400 set in 7 years ago and they with 2 hinges had sagged and were not quite up to House quality. BUT FOR THE WORKSHOP EXTENSION, Perfect. Indeed the original set are the main door to the current Summerhouse and workshop. These are to be the door and long window. The door gaining 2 more hinges in the move!!
The new set SET us back £700 from Reading Trade Windows. Also the source of mismatches on the original build.
*I then set off investigating the state of the other side... This was worse as once the job was finished no one can tell the extent of the cheat on material. I was planning a cover of the walls to combat the cold but this is now a serious job. One piece of toolkit I love is the detail sander or Multi tool. I love them so much I have 2 of them. With a carbide sander in place the pointing that was sticking out soon vanished as did the white silicone from the first set of doors. A job I eventually got round to.
Then the day began to get dark and Lily assisting in a strange subject of moving and sliding a doors assembly in place. Now we have lovely neighbors, blasting doorbolts into brickwork as they relaxed after work was not on so out with the tape and sheets to put over the doors. Held in place with a slight interference fit via a da twe twe, (Big Hammer) beat that.
David and Lily.
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dscott
Elder Statesman
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Post by dscott on Nov 6, 2020 1:32:53 GMT
A slight step back to the wall covering which will provide much storage floor to ceiling except where the window is. The first idea was to have a door in this place but the clutter the other side AND the main steel rack being well established and full... Soon stopped these thoughts. The roof just about ready for THE RAINY SEASON (my time out in Africa in the 1960s rubbing off) Followed by some of my favorite insulation. Take some of this car camping and you can sleep in anything. Sadly car camping not taking place at the Rugby Club this year. Now if the house gets too cold!!! First one to enlarge the view into the workshop!! Looks lovely doesn't it. 3 lathes the back of the drill and Jessie parts just painted. The West Wall in place plus donated from the house a Bedroom window an early conversion to Argon filled. Then replaced. One of the long patio doors will be going in the space above the Jabfloor stack. The end now being reinforced by a much bigger bit of timber. Shame as I have used a pair of these to get the machinery down the old steps into the workshop. David and Lily who has bagged her bed under the Cherry window.
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dscott
Elder Statesman
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Post by dscott on Nov 6, 2020 1:55:54 GMT
Today saw the sunshine and a final adjust into place the frame for the new doors. In fact the doors were firmly attached and I had to clamp in position and drill into the steel Lintel. This is why I am tired. Then one into each corner where the bricks are fully up against the frame. 1974 saw some bowed timber obviously and this needed filling later. WOW the luxury of having 5 drills ready set to do some damage. SDS at the last blast. 2 corded 3 borrowed from the strange locomotive.
This Hour has messed up outside projects and the final blows of soft hammer on the beading were inside as it got dark. Sounds more like a Dylan song!!! I banged more blocks out of the way of the gripfill gun, and tackled the radiator abandoned on the wall in the way. I thought it was stuck but this DESIGNER version was incredibly heavy. 6 feet tall it seemed to defy the logic of rising heat and bung it all at the badly insulated ceiling.
David and superb assistant Lily.
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dscott
Elder Statesman
Posts: 2,437
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Post by dscott on Nov 9, 2020 2:12:26 GMT
NICKING SOME ODD WINDOWS IN THE HOUSE. Yes and once started you are committed for the whole day and into the night!!! You could use Credit cards for this but as I only have one a bit difficult. These are OO gauge stone sheets. Glass out doors lifted off and the frame banged out. Taking the screws out the previous day helped. Detail Multi Tool to clean up the Brickwork. LILY HELP!! And we do a dry run Funny that overnight rain has found its way into the new frame. And the new one bangs into place and lifts up to meet the lintel just as it is going dark!!! Careful measurement coming in handy. We stuck insulating blanket for the overnight warmth! The main delay during the day is that I wanted to recess the doors more and as blocks were removed the reason that the Kitchen extension being so very cold uncovered itself!!!! Built in 1974 means that for 46 winters the reason was hidden. Most of the walls are without insulation above waist height! Another job to add to my list but I do have a mini hammer drill SDS which did much damage on the blocks shown. In place and you can see the extent of the damage to the sides. This will be removed and 100 mm of insulation put in place to bring it all up to date. The roof I did in 2017. Which made it a bit warmer. David and Lily.
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dscott
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Post by dscott on Nov 9, 2020 2:41:21 GMT
Such useful stuff I seem to use it all the time so must make a coat out of it! But planning a pair of slippers as my supplier from Wales has stopped he jokes. The better view from outside and almost ready for the Winter. Only 3 tubes of Gripfill were harmed during this operation. And a Radiator off the wall. A heavier item they couldn't have made and yes it was not full of water!!! Sealant to do outside. David and Lily.
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dscott
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Post by dscott on Nov 10, 2020 1:07:19 GMT
Here we go with an Engineering solution to the not quite Square end!!! My fault as the pressure to get a roof in place in 4 days of DRY weather this time of the year. The Cramps came with pips to stop the sliding thing going missing. But you can make them into spreaders. And using the floor which is not going anywhere build up the pressure. Using 2 clamps as they have a limited amount of screw. The short handles give an indication of strength. Looking more like a home with 2 of the 4 floor panels in place. And a bench of sorts so we are getting more ORGANISED. And the result of the TWO days off the site! Yes a superb window which gives the garden a superb view while looking up from assembling something upon the bench planned. David, and Lily now an expert in different lengths of screw's.
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