In article ,
Bert Coules wrote:
Incidentally, the sample double socket I got from TLC is nicely made and
seems perfectly usable. All the fixings are concealed: the bolts which
hold the actual socket inserts into the stainless steel housing are
hidden by the push-fitting black plastic surround - as someone surmised
earlier.

That's good to know as I have to fit some later on. Saves research. ;-)

--
*Born free...Taxed to death.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave,

That's good to know as I have to fit some later on. Saves research. ;-)

The weakest part of the design seems to me that the whole shebang is fixed
in place with just two screws, fitted through two fairly flimsy-looking
metal tabs in the stainless steel housing. Someone earlier mentioned that
these sockets are prone to wobble when fitted; I think this must be the
reason. If the angle between mounting surfaces isn't exactly 90 degrees, a
bit of judicious packing might be a good idea.

Bert
http://www.bertcoules.co.uk

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 16:13:44 -0000, "Bert Coules"
wrote:

Phil,

Thanks for confirming about the fixings.

Be careful - if you have worktop lights (highly recommended) under the
cupboards, and pelmets at the front (~3" deep), you will have to stoop
to see what you are doing when you plug anything into high level
sockets.

I'll be placing the sockets at a height where that won't need to happen.

If they are not right up into the corner won't they simply do the same
job as flush sockets, but stick out more? Or am I missing something? I
thought they were meant for use under a shelf fitted above a workbench,
where the user is sat down and so can see them.

I'm having lights but no pelmet: I've seen a rather stylish range of lights
in individual pyramidal housings, designed to go in the angle where the
base of the wall unit meets the wall.

Didn't someone else (andy?) say that putting them there causes
reflections off the worktop? That does sound likely to me. I have mine
as near the front as possible, just behind the pelmet.... err, just
behind where the pelmet will be when I get round to fitting it!

Phil
The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/
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Phil,

If they are not right up into the corner won't they simply do the same
job as flush sockets, but stick out more? Or am I missing something?

The pyramidal sockets can either go where you describe or lower, at the
angle between the worktop surface and the wall; but in fact I'm still
undecided between using them and conventional flush mounted sockets; hence
the discussion about false walls and hollow-wall mounting boxes.

Didn't someone else (andy?) say that putting them there causes
reflections off the worktop? That does sound likely to me. I have mine
as near the front as possible, just behind the pelmet...

That makes sense, but my units don't have a pelmet (and would look slightly
odd with one fitted, I think.) What about downlighters set into the base of
the wall units? Are there any shallow enough? I suppose I could fit false
cupboard floors to cover the lights and cabling.

.... err, just behind where the pelmet will be when I get round to fitting
it!

Sorry, that strikes no chord with me at all. I have absolutely no idea what
you mean... (g)

Bert
http://www.bertcoules.co.uk

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 20:24:41 -0000, "Bert Coules"
wrote:

Phil,

If they are not right up into the corner won't they simply do the same
job as flush sockets, but stick out more? Or am I missing something?

The pyramidal sockets can either go where you describe or lower, at the
angle between the worktop surface and the wall; but in fact I'm still
undecided between using them and conventional flush mounted sockets; hence
the discussion about false walls and hollow-wall mounting boxes.

Didn't someone else (andy?) say that putting them there causes
reflections off the worktop? That does sound likely to me. I have mine
as near the front as possible, just behind the pelmet...

That makes sense, but my units don't have a pelmet (and would look slightly
odd with one fitted, I think.) What about downlighters set into the base of
the wall units?
set into the base??? The bases of my wall units are only 15 or 18mm
thick, so can't se how that works - unless you cut right through and put
the light inside the cupboard.

Are there any shallow enough?

I think these are the ones andy usually recommends
http://www.heralighting.com/slim.htm.

I think mine came from B&Q. They look similar to the Hera ones, and they
have clips that allow them to be fitted either upright or flat. They are
18 x 45mm in cross-section, so can be fitted with the 24mm side
vertical, or horizontal. In the later case they have 12mm clearance from
the cupboard base. They really are a great boon as otherwise you are
nearly always in your own light. (Shouldn't that be in your own shadow?)

I suppose I could fit false cupboard floors to cover the lights and cabling.

.... err, just behind where the pelmet will be when I get round to fitting
it!

Sorry, that strikes no chord with me at all. I have absolutely no idea what
you mean... (g)

:-)

Phil
The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/
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Bert Coules wrote:


That makes sense, but my units don't have a pelmet (and would look slightly
odd with one fitted, I think.) What about downlighters set into the base of
the wall units? Are there any shallow enough? I suppose I could fit false
cupboard floors to cover the lights and cabling.

IK*A do some very shallow fittings, with a 10W capsule lamp in 'em,
total thickness round about the 18mm of yer typical bit of IKEA
chipboard. Being IKEA, they sell them for 8? 10? quid a pair, under some
pronounceable-after-a-few-aqavits couple of vaguely Scandinavian
syllables. If you used them in/under kitchen units, you'd need to think
a little about where the little bit of heat goes - at 10W it's not a
lot, but your idea of false floors might be desirable, more so if you're
storing food right above the lamps.

HTH - Stefek

Phil,

Under-wall-unit lights...

set into the base??? The bases of my wall units are only 15 or 18mm
thick, so can't se how that works - unless you cut right through and put
the light inside the cupboard.

That's pretty much what I was visualising, though I wondered if any fittings
existed which were indeed 15-18mm thick in total. From your response, I
imagine not.

In the absence of a custom-made pelmet I suppose I could produce my own,
possibly using a cut-down plinth. But it's a very exposed component and I
doubt if I could cut the material as accurately and neatly as I would like.

Thanks for the link but that sort of fitting - however neat in itself -
would look rather untidy without a pelmet to hide it, I think.

Bert
http://www.bertcoules.co.uk

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 09:49:09 -0000, "Bert Coules"
wrote:

Phil,

Under-wall-unit lights...

set into the base??? The bases of my wall units are only 15 or 18mm
thick, so can't se how that works - unless you cut right through and put
the light inside the cupboard.

That's pretty much what I was visualising,

Won't that mean you can't put much, or anything, in the bottom half of
the cupboard? I would be concerned about weakening the bottom shelf,
given the heavy pile of crockery we have stacked in ours. Or are you
thinking of boxing it in making a false bottom shelf? That will still
waste valuable storage space.

though I wondered if any fittings
existed which were indeed 15-18mm thick in total. From your response, I
imagine not.

In the absence of a custom-made pelmet I suppose I could produce my own,
possibly using a cut-down plinth. But it's a very exposed component and I
doubt if I could cut the material as accurately and neatly as I would like.

I'm not sure if it's still the case, but MFI stocked only a very small
number of pelmet styles to go with their multitude of cabinet styles,
and they sold all their components separately too, though that's not
obvious from the catalogue. You might find one of those suitable, and I
daresay the other sheds policies are similar.

Thanks for the link but that sort of fitting - however neat in itself -
would look rather untidy without a pelmet to hide it, I think.

Agreed.

Phil
The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at http://www.diyfaq.org.uk/
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In article ,
Bert Coules wrote:
In the absence of a custom-made pelmet I suppose I could produce my own,
possibly using a cut-down plinth. But it's a very exposed component and
I doubt if I could cut the material as accurately and neatly as I would
like.

2" architrave can make a decent pelmet. Depending on the style of your
doors etc.

--
*The statement below is true.

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave,

2" architrave can make a decent pelmet. Depending on the style of your
doors etc.

My cabinets are (or will be) very plain and rather hard-edged in a sort of
silver-grey finish. I think that only a strip of the same material would
really look right as a pelmet, though another possibility might be to use
the metallic-finish edging strip that goes on the worktops, if that's
available separately. It's the kind of thing that can't be properly
assessed until it's actually in place, unfortunately.

Bert
http://ww.bertcoules.co.uk

Phil,

I would be concerned about weakening the bottom shelf...

I didn't think that a couple of small holes per cabinet would weaken the
structure significantly, but I wouldn't want anything protruding into the
cupboard space. So yes, I did consider constructing a false base, though I
accept that this approach would cut down on storage.

I'll have a hunt around for potential pelmet material; one possibility, as I
said to Dave, is to use the metallic-finish worktop edging sold for the
range.

Bert
http://www.bertcoules.co.uk

"Bert Coules" wrote
| My cabinets are (or will be) very plain and rather hard-edged in a
| sort of silver-grey finish.

If you're going for the techno look, what about narrow beam walk-over LED
clusters mounted in the worktop along the back wall, pointing upwards, with
a reflective coating to the soffit of the wall units.

Owain

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 09:49:09 -0000, "Bert Coules"
strung together this:

That's pretty much what I was visualising, though I wondered if any fittings
existed which were indeed 15-18mm thick in total.

Something similar to these?
http://www.greenbrook.co.uk/catalogue.htm
Click on the lighting cat on the left, lighting, under cabinet
fittings, cabinet fittings.
The y can be surface as the pic or the rear part removes and they can
be recessed.
I've fitted quite a few of theses.
--

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd
Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject

Owain,

If you're going for the techno look, what about narrow beam walk-over LED
clusters mounted in the worktop along the back wall, pointing upwards,
with
a reflective coating to the soffit of the wall units.

An intriguing idea, but wouldn't items on the worktop obscure the lights at
source?

Bert
http://www.bertcoules.co.uk

Lurch,

Thanks for the reply.

Something similar to these?
http://www.greenbrook.co.uk/catalogue.htm

They look interesting but it's a pity there's no technical spec or
dimensions. How big are they?

Bert
http://www.bertcoules.co.uk

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 18:48:10 -0000, "Bert Coules"
strung together this:

Lurch,

Thanks for the reply.

Something similar to these?
http://www.greenbrook.co.uk/catalogue.htm

They look interesting but it's a pity there's no technical spec or
dimensions. How big are they?

From memory, about 50-60mm in diameter and about 20mm deep. Without
looking at one I can't be anymore specific than that but I think that
for recessing they require appx. 15mm depth.
--

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd
Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject

Lurch,

From memory, about 50-60mm in diameter and about 20mm deep...

Thanks very much.

Bert
http://www.bertcoules.co.uk

Not quite the same issue -
but someone told me there were kitchen switch/sockets now
which fit exactly into the space of 2 tiles
(each 10cm square in my case).

I looked around but didn't see any in the shops here.

Incidentally, what is the "stylish new design"
that this thread is concerned with -
I went back as far as I could
but never found the answer.





--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

Timothy,

Incidentally, what is the "stylish new design"
that this thread is concerned with -
I went back as far as I could
but never found the answer.

Take a look he
http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...ets/index.html

Bert
http://www.bertcoules.co.uk

"Bert Coules" wrote
| If you're going for the techno look, what about narrow beam
| walk-over LED clusters mounted in the worktop along the back
| wall, pointing upwards, with a reflective coating to the
| soffit of the wall units.
| An intriguing idea, but wouldn't items on the worktop obscure
| the lights at source?

Well, there is that. But it would be an incentive to keep the place tidy.

Owain

On Sat, 27 Nov 2004 20:47:48 +0000, Timothy Murphy
strung together this:


Not quite the same issue -
but someone told me there were kitchen switch/sockets now
which fit exactly into the space of 2 tiles
(each 10cm square in my case).

That's a fair sized socket! Can't say as I've ever seen one anywhere.
--

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd
Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject

Lurch wrote:

Not quite the same issue -
but someone told me there were kitchen switch/sockets now
which fit exactly into the space of 2 tiles
(each 10cm square in my case).

That's a fair sized socket! Can't say as I've ever seen one anywhere.

I probably didn't explain myself properly.
The standard cooker switch + socket presently in my kitchen
measures 11.5cm x 17cm, so 10cm x 20cm is quite plausible.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

Bert Coules wrote:

Incidentally, what is the "stylish new design"
that this thread is concerned with -
I went back as far as I could
but never found the answer.

Take a look he

http://www.tlc-direct.co.uk/Main_Ind...ets/index.html

Thanks.
I think I prefer sockets on the wall, though!
It must be quite awkward plugging into sockets underneath cupboards,
if I understood the idea correctly.

--
Timothy Murphy
e-mail (80k only): tim /at/ birdsnest.maths.tcd.ie
tel: +353-86-2336090, +353-1-2842366
s-mail: School of Mathematics, Trinity College, Dublin 2, Ireland

On Sun, 28 Nov 2004 00:46:17 +0000, Timothy Murphy
strung together this:

I probably didn't explain myself properly.
The standard cooker switch + socket presently in my kitchen
measures 11.5cm x 17cm, so 10cm x 20cm is quite plausible.

Ah, the Crabtree 4520/1, 168mm x 114mm. Entirely coincidental I think,
they've been around for years and I've never seen one smack in the
middle of a set of tiles.
The sizes are nowhere near 2 tiles, if that's the size they were meant
to be then they would be, not miles out as they are. I think someones
been making up the idea of why it is that large!
--

SJW
A.C.S. Ltd
Please reply to group or use 'usenet' in email subject