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| UK diy (uk.d-i-y) For the discussion of all topics related to diy (do-it-yourself) in the UK. All levels of experience and proficency are welcome to join in to ask questions or offer solutions. |
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#81
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"Bob Eager" wrote in message ... On Sat, 9 Apr 2005 14:20:35 UTC, Rob Morley wrote: In article , "Dave Plowman (News)" says... In article , Mary Fisher wrote: Did you know you can make your won Swarfega from paraffin and washing up liquid? the BEST ever way to clean oily grime off things... Is that what it's based on? That's interesting. It's not, the diy recipe was suggested to us in the late 1960s. We tried it, it stank and wasn't as efficient as the proprietory stuff. Spouse prefers Manuka (?) now anyway. I like the 'rough' Swarfega. I've found it dries your hands if used frequently. Manista is good. I use some oil of Ulay (sorry, Olay, another name change) afterwards... After what? Oh, using Swarfega. Spouse prefers Manista because it's kinder to his hands. Not that he has soft, white, deskbound hands ... Mary Mary -- Bob Eager |
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#82
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"Huge" wrote in message ... For the last five or so years I've kept saying that I was becoming mellow in my dotage. Every single person I've said it to has used the same words: "Good God, don't do that!" Oh. I'll stay angry, then. Can't do my blood pressure any good, though. No, it's not worth it. Anger is destructive. There's no point in losing your temper with inanimate objects. ObDIY: Just cut myself getting open the elderly NiCD battery pack on my 144MHz handheld, so I could put new cells in it. Aw, baby, let Auntie Mary kiss it better :-) Fank Ooh, Auntie Mary. There, I knew it would get better :-) Mary -- "The road to Paradise is through Intercourse." [email me at huge [at] huge [dot] org [dot] uk] |
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#83
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Andy Dingley wrote:
On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 13:22:32 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote: Also good for removing surface rust! Phosphoric acid probably then. Phosphoric acid won't remove rust at all. Instead it converts it to phosphides. If you've already wire brushed it to remove the bulk, then this might give you a useful surface for painting, but it's _stabilisation_, rather than removal. The best acid for careful de-rusting is citric. Sulphamic acid, as used in most descalers, isn't bad either. Hydrochloric (aka muriatic or brick acid) is pretty lousy in comparison. But if you really want to de-rust, use electrolysis. Easy and the results are vastly better. That's very likely to be based on relative concentrations though, HCl is a strong acid compaired to phosphoric which is a weaker acid. However at an increased concentration H3PO4 will have and increased amount of H+ ions and therefore will be more reactive with limescale. You could use Ka values and such to work out how reactive things are but I can't be bothered to rememeber my A-Level chemistry at this hour :P. -- Regards, Aaron. |
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#84
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#86
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes I like the 'rough' Swarfega. Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What's NS? New Scientist -- geoff |
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#87
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes "Huge" wrote in message ... "Mary Fisher" writes: I like the 'rough' Swarfega. Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What's NS? New Scientist Ah of course! Thanks. Which reminds me - I have a great pile from the 70s. That would be "Old Scientist" now then -- geoff |
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#88
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In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes In article , raden wrote: I like the 'rough' Swarfega. Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What are they? I'd assumed something like ground up walnut shells. Plastic granules, which are not very healthy for fish (as they get washed out to sea) If I'd paid more attention to the article, I could give you more info -- geoff |
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#89
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In message , The Natural
Philosopher writes Aidan wrote: The Natural Philosopher wrote: Did you know you can make your won Swarfega from paraffin and washing up liquid? the BEST ever way to clean oily grime off things... I think you may mean "...you can make your won Gunk/Jizer from paraffin...". Gunk and Jizer are for cleaning oily grime off things, Swarfega is a hand cleaner, I believe. Paraffin & other such oil fuels are absorbed through the skin and you should avoid skin contact. Yawn. I shouldn't indulge in most things I indulge in. Everything is absorbed through the skin. I wouldn't shake hands with the prime minister either. Not even if it was on TV and you had one of those buzzers which gives you an electric shock ? -- geoff |
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#90
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In message , The Natural
Philosopher writes Huge wrote: The Natural Philosopher writes: [35 lines snipped] Did you know you can make your won Swarfega from paraffin and washing up liquid? the BEST ever way to clean oily grime off things... As long as those things don't include skin; hydrocarbons are carcinogenic. Yup. Don't handle those candles folks, or touch that butter or margarine. Or in fact handle any part of the organic world at all, all of which is hydrocarbons of one sort or another. Sometimes people make idiots of themselves don't they? Know what candles are? Paraffin wax. Why is it called paraffin wax? because its made of long chain paraffins. You can almost eat the bloody things. Almost ? They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) -- geoff |
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#91
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"Aaron" wrote in message ... Andy Dingley wrote: On Tue, 05 Apr 2005 13:22:32 +0100, The Natural Philosopher wrote: Also good for removing surface rust! Phosphoric acid probably then. Phosphoric acid won't remove rust at all. Instead it converts it to phosphides. If you've already wire brushed it to remove the bulk, then this might give you a useful surface for painting, but it's _stabilisation_, rather than removal. The best acid for careful de-rusting is citric. Sulphamic acid, as used in most descalers, isn't bad either. Hydrochloric (aka muriatic or brick acid) is pretty lousy in comparison. But if you really want to de-rust, use electrolysis. Easy and the results are vastly better. That's very likely to be based on relative concentrations though, HCl is a strong acid compaired to phosphoric which is a weaker acid. However at an increased concentration H3PO4 will have and increased amount of H+ ions and therefore will be more reactive with limescale. You could use Ka values and such to work out how reactive things are but I can't be bothered to rememeber my A-Level chemistry at this hour :P. Apparently not. To say that hydrochloric acid is a 'strong' acid and phosphoric is 'weak' wthout stating relative concentrations is meaningless. Mary -- Regards, Aaron. |
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#92
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"raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes "Huge" wrote in message ... "Mary Fisher" writes: I like the 'rough' Swarfega. Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What's NS? New Scientist Ah of course! Thanks. Which reminds me - I have a great pile from the 70s. That would be "Old Scientist" now then Just had a look, no, after blowing off the dust is still says New. Mary -- geoff |
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#93
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"raden" wrote in message ... In message , "Dave Plowman (News)" writes In article , raden wrote: I like the 'rough' Swarfega. Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What are they? I'd assumed something like ground up walnut shells. Plastic granules, which are not very healthy for fish (as they get washed out to sea) If I'd paid more attention to the article, I could give you more info You mean you pay for a journal then not take full advantage of it? You're not aYorkshireman then! Mary -- geoff |
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#94
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"Rob Morley" wrote in message t... In article , "Mary Fisher" says... "The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message ... Know what candles are? Paraffin wax. Only some candles. And it's paraffin, not wax. Why is it called paraffin wax? It shouldn't be. It's just a paraffin. The British Pharmacopoeia lists the different forms as liquid paraffin, soft paraffin and paraffin wax. That's for non-chemists. |
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#95
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"raden" wrote in message ... They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) Evidence? Mary -- geoff |
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#96
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On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 11:51:10 +0100, "Mary Fisher"
wrote: To say that hydrochloric acid is a 'strong' acid and phosphoric is 'weak' wthout stating relative concentrations is meaningless. No, the notion of "strong" and "weak" as an acid is well established as a characteristic of the type of acid. Of course the overall "ability to cause corrosion" depends on the concentration too. |
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#97
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What are they? I'd assumed something like ground up walnut shells. Plastic granules, which are not very healthy for fish (as they get washed out to sea) If I'd paid more attention to the article, I could give you more info You mean you pay for a journal then not take full advantage of it? You're not aYorkshireman then! Hardly ... Being a thrifty northerner yersel' , I would have thought you would have recycled those old NS's of yours by now -- geoff |
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#98
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes "raden" wrote in message ... They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) Evidence? Blists Hill museum at Ironbridge -- geoff |
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#99
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"Andy Dingley" wrote in message ... On Sun, 10 Apr 2005 11:51:10 +0100, "Mary Fisher" wrote: To say that hydrochloric acid is a 'strong' acid and phosphoric is 'weak' wthout stating relative concentrations is meaningless. No, the notion of "strong" and "weak" as an acid is well established as a characteristic of the type of acid. Of course the overall "ability to cause corrosion" depends on the concentration too. That, to most people, would be what they meant by strong. I'd rather be splashed by a very dilute hydrochloric acid than by a concentrated phosphoric one. Either, in a sufficient dilution, can - and are - consumed. |
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#100
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"raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What are they? I'd assumed something like ground up walnut shells. Plastic granules, which are not very healthy for fish (as they get washed out to sea) If I'd paid more attention to the article, I could give you more info You mean you pay for a journal then not take full advantage of it? You're not aYorkshireman then! Hardly ... Being a thrifty northerner yersel' , I would have thought you would have recycled those old NS's of yours by now I waited until they had a rarity value ... But in truth I'm not good at selling. If I buy something with print on it every word is read though. Mary -- geoff |
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#101
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"raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes "raden" wrote in message ... They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) Evidence? Blists Hill museum at Ironbridge That's one source and not authoritative. I'd want to see the contemporary records. At Killhope lead mining museum they talk about miners's lives being saved by eating their tallow candles while waiting to be saved after cave-ins. Think of it, the candles were to provide a working light. The addition of anything would cost the mine owners money. They weren't going to do that ... and the miners won't going to eat the candles and have to work in the dark. Mary -- geoff |
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#102
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes "raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What are they? I'd assumed something like ground up walnut shells. Plastic granules, which are not very healthy for fish (as they get washed out to sea) If I'd paid more attention to the article, I could give you more info You mean you pay for a journal then not take full advantage of it? You're not aYorkshireman then! Hardly ... Being a thrifty northerner yersel' , I would have thought you would have recycled those old NS's of yours by now I waited until they had a rarity value ... But in truth I'm not good at selling. That's not exactly what I was alluding to -- geoff |
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#103
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes "raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes "raden" wrote in message ... They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) Evidence? Blists Hill museum at Ironbridge That's one source and not authoritative. I'd want to see the contemporary records. Well go there and watch them making them and explaining it then At Killhope lead mining museum they talk about miners's lives being saved by eating their tallow candles while waiting to be saved after cave-ins. Think of it, the candles were to provide a working light. Exactly - not an awful lot of use for that once they've passed into the digestive tract of a miner are they ? -- geoff |
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#104
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Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What are they? I'd assumed something like ground up walnut shells. Plastic granules, which are not very healthy for fish (as they get washed out to sea) If I'd paid more attention to the article, I could give you more info You mean you pay for a journal then not take full advantage of it? You're not aYorkshireman then! Hardly ... Being a thrifty northerner yersel' , I would have thought you would have recycled those old NS's of yours by now I waited until they had a rarity value ... But in truth I'm not good at selling. That's not exactly what I was alluding to Then you'll have to be more explicit. Mary -- geoff |
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#105
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"raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes "raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes "raden" wrote in message ... They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) Evidence? Blists Hill museum at Ironbridge That's one source and not authoritative. I'd want to see the contemporary records. Well go there and watch them making them and explaining it then Ironbridge has no more authority than Killhope and other museums I supply with tallow candles. At Killhope lead mining museum they talk about miners's lives being saved by eating their tallow candles while waiting to be saved after cave-ins. Think of it, the candles were to provide a working light. Exactly - not an awful lot of use for that once they've passed into the digestive tract of a miner are they ? You've snipped the rest of my post. They were made to last a working day to provide light for a miner. If he ate his (why should he?) he'd have been left in the dark. And it would have cost the owners to add any other substance, they weren't likely to do that. What's more (I didn't say this before) if you add minerals to tallow they sink to the lowest part of the candle so aren't going to be a danger for the rest of the candle body. Mary -- geoff |
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#106
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What are they? I'd assumed something like ground up walnut shells. Plastic granules, which are not very healthy for fish (as they get washed out to sea) If I'd paid more attention to the article, I could give you more info You mean you pay for a journal then not take full advantage of it? You're not aYorkshireman then! Hardly ... Being a thrifty northerner yersel' , I would have thought you would have recycled those old NS's of yours by now I waited until they had a rarity value ... But in truth I'm not good at selling. That's not exactly what I was alluding to Then you'll have to be more explicit. What do you need, an advert for Andrex or Charmin ? -- geoff |
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#107
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) Evidence? Blists Hill museum at Ironbridge That's one source and not authoritative. I'd want to see the contemporary records. Well go there and watch them making them and explaining it then Ironbridge has no more authority than Killhope and other museums I supply with tallow candles. At Killhope lead mining museum they talk about miners's lives being saved by eating their tallow candles while waiting to be saved after cave-ins. Think of it, the candles were to provide a working light. Exactly - not an awful lot of use for that once they've passed into the digestive tract of a miner are they ? You've snipped the rest of my post. They were made to last a working day to provide light for a miner. If he ate his (why should he?) he'd have been left in the dark. And it would have cost the owners to add any other substance, they weren't likely to do that. What's more (I didn't say this before) if you add minerals to tallow they sink to the lowest part of the candle so aren't going to be a danger for the rest of the candle body. No, they're repeatedly dipped, layer on layer http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/pano...s_hill_06.shtm l for a panoramic view -- geoff |
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#108
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"raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes Bad for the environment, those micro granules (NS a couple of weeks ago) What are they? I'd assumed something like ground up walnut shells. Plastic granules, which are not very healthy for fish (as they get washed out to sea) If I'd paid more attention to the article, I could give you more info You mean you pay for a journal then not take full advantage of it? You're not aYorkshireman then! Hardly ... Being a thrifty northerner yersel' , I would have thought you would have recycled those old NS's of yours by now I waited until they had a rarity value ... But in truth I'm not good at selling. That's not exactly what I was alluding to Then you'll have to be more explicit. What do you need, an advert for Andrex or Charmin ? Oh I see. Tinted toilet tissue of yesteryear! Haven't used that since the 1940s. I was reading by the time I was four years old and used to spend hours in the outside lavvy on the wooden bench seat reading fragments of News of the World and News Chronicle on the nail behind the door. There was never a complete report ... and it was always monochrome. My mother disapproved (quite rightly!) so when we moved to a council house with an indoor lav (as well as a bath! and hot water!!) we always had the hard shiny stuff which wasn't anything like as interesting. Mind you, by that time I'd discovered Captain Marvel comics and the like so I still spent time with my little fat legs hanging down ... When Spouse and I married and we bought a one up one down with cold water and lav down the street for £350 it was always either so cold or there was a baby in the house to get back to so no time was spent on the throne, no matter what paper was being recycled. Now we're frightfully posh and buy proper recycled paper on a roll. And there's a selection of books and magazines in the smallest room but not NS. Modern mags are all so shiny, aren't they! If I ever get round to reading old mags I'll start with about thirty years' worth of Punch. Mary -- geoff |
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#109
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"raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) Evidence? Blists Hill museum at Ironbridge That's one source and not authoritative. I'd want to see the contemporary records. Well go there and watch them making them and explaining it then Ironbridge has no more authority than Killhope and other museums I supply with tallow candles. At Killhope lead mining museum they talk about miners's lives being saved by eating their tallow candles while waiting to be saved after cave-ins. Think of it, the candles were to provide a working light. Exactly - not an awful lot of use for that once they've passed into the digestive tract of a miner are they ? You've snipped the rest of my post. They were made to last a working day to provide light for a miner. If he ate his (why should he?) he'd have been left in the dark. And it would have cost the owners to add any other substance, they weren't likely to do that. What's more (I didn't say this before) if you add minerals to tallow they sink to the lowest part of the candle so aren't going to be a danger for the rest of the candle body. No, they're repeatedly dipped, layer on layer I know that, Geoffrey, I'm a candlemaker. I make tallow candles for museums. And if you put any mineral into the dipping pot it sinks to the bottom. Mary http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/pano...s_hill_06.shtm l Page not found |
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#110
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes Exactly - not an awful lot of use for that once they've passed into the digestive tract of a miner are they ? You've snipped the rest of my post. They were made to last a working day to provide light for a miner. If he ate his (why should he?) he'd have been left in the dark. And it would have cost the owners to add any other substance, they weren't likely to do that. What's more (I didn't say this before) if you add minerals to tallow they sink to the lowest part of the candle so aren't going to be a danger for the rest of the candle body. No, they're repeatedly dipped, layer on layer I know that, Geoffrey, I'm a candlemaker. I make tallow candles for museums. And if you put any mineral into the dipping pot it sinks to the bottom. Ah but they've had an industrial revolution over in Salop They've obviously found the secret Mary http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/pano...s_hill_06.shtm l Page not found That would be because I seem to have wordwrap on Do you see that extra "I" on the next line, you need that -- geoff |
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#111
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"raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes Exactly - not an awful lot of use for that once they've passed into the digestive tract of a miner are they ? You've snipped the rest of my post. They were made to last a working day to provide light for a miner. If he ate his (why should he?) he'd have been left in the dark. And it would have cost the owners to add any other substance, they weren't likely to do that. What's more (I didn't say this before) if you add minerals to tallow they sink to the lowest part of the candle so aren't going to be a danger for the rest of the candle body. No, they're repeatedly dipped, layer on layer I know that, Geoffrey, I'm a candlemaker. I make tallow candles for museums. And if you put any mineral into the dipping pot it sinks to the bottom. Ah but they've had an industrial revolution over in Salop They've obviously found the secret Mary http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/pano...s_hill_06.shtm l Page not found That would be because I seem to have wordwrap on Do you see that extra "I" on the next line, you need that I tried that but it looked like a1 (one), it could be an l (ell). It certainly doesn't look like an I. Mary -- geoff |
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#112
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"raden" wrote in message ... In message , Mary Fisher writes They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) OK, I got the link. It looks OK. It also says: "The Madeley Wood Company used specially-made green candles for its miners at work, which meant that anyone found with green candles at home was in deep trouble." I can believe that but it's nothing to do with stopping miners eating them! It probably had more to do with the law at that time which forbade anyone making their own candles. The colour wasn't necessarily a poisonous copper salt. Facts become contorted when passed from mouth to mouth ... Mary |
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#113
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In message , Mary
Fisher writes They used to put a poisonous copper salt in candles for mineworkers especially to stop them eating them (when they were made of tallow) OK, I got the link. It looks OK. It also says: "The Madeley Wood Company used specially-made green candles for its miners at work, which meant that anyone found with green candles at home was in deep trouble." I can believe that but it's nothing to do with stopping miners eating them! It probably had more to do with the law at that time which forbade anyone making their own candles. The colour wasn't necessarily a poisonous copper salt. Facts become contorted when passed from mouth to mouth ... Well ... it's what they said, who am I to argue candle making isn't something I've ever really had any inclination to try and make -- geoff |
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#114
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In message , "Dave Plowman (News)"
writes In article , raden wrote: That would be because I seem to have wordwrap on Do you see that extra "I" on the next line, you need that Stick it in brackets thus:- http://www.bbc.co.uk/shropshire/panoramic/blists_hill/blists_hill_06.stml Any newsreader worthy of the name should then ignore any word wrap. Good tip - ta -- geoff |
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#115
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Mary Fisher wrote:
Which reminds me - I have a great pile from the 70s. You should have seen a doctor years ago... |
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#116
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Mary Fisher wrote:
Which reminds me - I have a great pile from the 70s. You should have seen a doctor years ago... |
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#117
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Rob Morley wrote:
In article , "Mary Fisher" says... "The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message ... Know what candles are? Paraffin wax. Only some candles. And it's paraffin, not wax. Why is it called paraffin wax? It shouldn't be. It's just a paraffin. The British Pharmacopoeia lists the different forms as liquid paraffin, soft paraffin and paraffin wax. Thats right. The one you drink is liquid paraffin isn't it? Must be hugely carcinogenic if you arer supposed to drink it. |
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#119
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The Natural Philosopher wrote:
The British Pharmacopoeia lists the different forms as liquid paraffin, soft paraffin and paraffin wax. Thats right. The one you drink is liquid paraffin isn't it? Must be hugely carcinogenic if you arer supposed to drink it. Maybe the 'liquid paraffin' in the BP isn't quite the same as the Pink Paraffin ... Although coming in smaller bottles and costing more might be the only difference. Owain |
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#120
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The Natural Philosopher wrote:
Thats right. The one you drink is liquid paraffin isn't it? Must be hugely carcinogenic if you arer supposed to drink it. However, 'they' stopped allowing dried fruit (raisins, etc.) to be coated in some form of liquid paraffin some time ago. Not sure whether the danger was cancer or something else. |
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