ARWadsworth coughed up some electrons that declared:


"Tim S" wrote in message
...
I fixed my firewall so you should all be able to see this:

http://www.dionic.net/Alveston/building-1/

Nice pictures.

Ta. Must get this stuff into a blog...

Did I forget to mention that 14m of 25mm 3 core armoured would be a
******* to install :-)

I can imagine.

Other things I learnt on Saturday:

1) No matter how long one can use fine wirewool barehanded, nothing prepares
you for the myriad skin abrasions caused by coarse wirewool. Gloves next
time.

2) Going well prepared is good - enough other stuff will go wrong without
setting yourself up for a fall ;- I have cheap stackable Tesco's toolboxes
(also in Wickes for more money) - 1 Plumbing, 2 Electrical tools, 3
Electrical odd bits (sleeve, earth blocks, random stuff), 4 Screws and
rawlplugs, 5 Screwdriver and power driver set. Means I can grab and stack
the right boxes for the jobs. I'm told buckets also work quite well.

3) 1950s paint on pipes is indestructible by both wirewool and flame - see
(1). Next time I'll just scrape it off and solder a cap on.

4) Subbing out select work is good if the budget permits. More happens at
the beginning when the destruction and partial reconstruction is happening.
Destruction is bad. Seeing stuff go back together is a great mood enhancer.
Also makes you do your jobs quicker, ie disconnect electrics and pipes so
real men with big tools can chop your walls to bits.

5) Communicate with often with anyone you invite to do work. I'd marked up a
wall for a 76cm door. I meant 76cm door which requires an opening of maybe
85cm. Men on job had read this as a literal 76cm cut which would take a
71cm door. I'd nipped down before work today so I was able to explain this.
Not their fault - we both read it in different but quite reasonable ways.

6) Give the men doing the work an outline of what you are aiming for, even
if it's not work they'll be doing. I'd positioned two drain pits to allow a
theoretical conservatory to sit between them. Because I'd pegged out the
corners of the conservatory and explained my plans to Pete the Builder, the
following happened:

He needed to bring the pits a little closer together to use a single 3m pipe
between them (less joints is good, especially if they are under a
building). However, because he knew what I was doing, he managed to bring
them together in a way that doesn't impede the conservatory. The
conservatory might never get built, but if it does, I don't have to mess
around with the drains - they are already correct.

7) I like JG Speedfit for quick jobs like the lashup to the bog. I can see
its merits and the fittings do feel very positive on both copper and
plastic. I may be converted. Jury's out. I tried it because Screwfix had
30m for 11 quid and bags of 10 fittings for 9-10 quid. Bending the coiled
stuff straight is a bit painful, but being able to run long unbroken
lengths is good.

8) Every tool I've bought for the job has been used in anger, except the
wall chaser and box sinking chisels. Although Saturday was a long day, it
progressed without the frustration of past jobs, because I had a means to
do most things directly to hand.

9) Can anyone recommend a good opensource blog system for Linux (ie runs
under Apache)?

Cheers

Tim