Getting Handy in 2013 - Man Skills

[leethefish]

Lee, you'd be impressed (or not) as we built a kitchen table tonight with some reclaimed scaffolding wood!

Would be more impressed with pics !

[kinboshi]

Lee, you'd be impressed (or not) as we built a kitchen table tonight with some reclaimed scaffolding wood!

Would be more impressed with pics !

OK will do.

In the meantime, I've been trying to sort a very small problem on my car - one of the registration plate bulbs isn't working. This wouldn't really bother me, except the MOT is due at the end of the month and this would count as a test fail.  Now, this should be a simple task you say, just change the bulb.  However, it's not that easy.  On the Mini, BMW has used a terrible design for the plinth that holds the reg-plate lights and the boot-switch mechanism. Basically, it lets water in.  So the holders of the bulbs corrode over time, and that's what's happened.

I've managed to take it all apart, bodged a fix to replace the corroded holder, and put it all back together.  The bulb now lights up!  But the bulb on the other side now doesn't work, and I've swapped bulbs over and it's not a problem with the bulbs but somewhere in the electrics.  Unfortunately, I don't have anything I can use to check the connections and see where the problem is, and so I'm going to have to get Lyndsey's brother to have a look at it (as he's a mechanic).

#manskillsfail

[RED-DOG]

Invest £3 in a 12 volt tester Kin, or make one from a bulb.

[kinboshi]

I've got a voltage tester, but the batteries are dead

I've ordered a new boot plinth that contains the boot switch and reg plate lights as I'll need it to be working for the MOT. Before I went out this evening I had another tweak, still no joy. Drove home, and had a look, and it's all working! So I'm not as useless as I thought.

Still gig to keep the new plinth though, as the existing one is still unreliable and with the water ingress,it's only going to get worse.

#notacompletemanskillsfail

[outragous76]

nearly on page 3! wtf!

[leethefish]

Lee, you'd be impressed (or not) as we built a kitchen table tonight with some reclaimed scaffolding wood!

Would be more impressed with pics !

Not very impressed !

[kinboshi]

Lee, you'd be impressed (or not) as we built a kitchen table tonight with some reclaimed scaffolding wood!

Would be more impressed with pics !

Not very impressed !

My photos are with your diet it seems...

[ScottMGee]

I'm generally pretty handy but lack a good eye for detail (plus lazy).

We're thinking of changing all the door handles (including latches and hinges) in the house to a more modern style.

Should I do it myself or just get someone like leethefish to do it properly?

[kinboshi]

If the plates and fittings are the same or similar,  it's easy doing it yourself.

In the last house I owned, I replaced all the doors and fittings. Was a big job for a noob, as hanging new doors into old frames serves up all sorts of treats.

[leethefish]

As boshi put it changing to doors is a tough job for DIY but just changing the ironmongery for any half decent DIY person is easy!
Just remember if the holes don't line up you will need to pilot the holes first

[Delboy]

Bleeding radiators!

I know how to, but require guidance on :

how I find the radiator at the top of the system?

and, should I do it when the heating Is on or is it ok to do it when the system is off?

[outragous76]

Bleeding radiators!

I know how to, but require guidance on :

how I find the radiator at the top of the system?

and, should I do it when the heating Is on or is it ok to do it when the system is off?

Read first few pages of this thread! Finding absolute top doesn't matter

[DaveShoelace]

Good news Man Skills fans. Don't worry, I haven't abandoned this, far from it, I have just had an offer accepted on my first house so you can look forward to two or three months of calamitous DIY from yours truly. I've got plenty of stuff to do to get my current rented place tip top so the fun starts here.

[Acidmouse]

Moved into our dream home last year, problem is couple we bought it from were there 50+ years and everything needed doing. 2nd problem is I am a reet lazy twat and skint, so its going to be a slow process doing everything.

New electrics and Bolier system + plastering done just the rest for me.

Any suggestions on Apps or books that are a good general guide for most DIY stuff? I reckon I will be putting in an hour to two night for the next 5 months to finish the lot.

Landing needs all floorboards sorting, bathrooms need updating, 3 bedrooms need stripping redecorating, 2 of them all fine and sorted.

[leethefish]

Moved into our dream home last year, problem is couple we bought it from were there 50+ years and everything needed doing. 2nd problem is I am a reet lazy twat and skint, so its going to be a slow process doing everything.

New electrics and Bolier system + plastering done just the rest for me.

Any suggestions on Apps or books that are a good general guide for most DIY stuff? I reckon I will be putting in an hour to two night for the next 5 months to finish the lot.

Landing needs all floorboards sorting, bathrooms need updating, 3 bedrooms need stripping redecorating, 2 of them all fine and sorted.

good luck with this it took me 5 years and i am a tradesman!!