Miscellaneous DIY Projects (or bits of jobs)

[Big Kev]

I don't think an engineer designed that......

Me neither, it'll do the job with a few modifications. I have a cunning plan to extend it so I can fix it to the lower level, just need to find somewhere local to buy 4 of these

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[Big Kev]

I got some galvanised flat bar and made some angle brackets, it's very stable now. I doubt I'd risk the canvas roof on it if it was windy but the frame will be staying up. It's powder coated but a coat of Hammerite, after a summer of use, should stop it rusting.

[Tripps]

Those pictures reminded me of the poem -

If it wasn't for the houses in between

[Big Kev]

You can see for miles out the other side

[Big Kev]

The 'feet' of engineering on the gazebo at Chez Kev. It started as a 1M length of galvanised flat bar but a hacksaw, flat file, club hammer and a block of hardwood and 4 brackets emerged from the cellar. I'm torn between encasing in leftover decking or just painting them black.

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[Stanley]

Or bed them in concrete....

[Big Kev]

Or bed them in concrete....

Possibly overkill there

[Stanley]

[plaques]

Any framework that relies on a 'square' structure for its strength is generally doomed to failure. Unless it has triangular bracings it will wobble and wave about.
It may be that the top unit has enough rigidity to hold it together. I hope I'm wrong but it does no harm to think about these things in advance.

[Big Kev]

I doubt it would hold up to high winds with the canvas top on but, now it's bolted down to the ground, it's fairly rigid. There's some 'decor' pieces within the square uprights and it's definitely a lot stronger than the previous one which relied on 20mm tubular poles (that one blew away in 2021).

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[PanBiker]

Speaking of things blowing away. Our Jack reported that his beehive had been blown over in the recent blustery conditions. He has posted a successful recovery and some very busy bees on his Instagram account. One of the perils of having your hive on the moorside I suppose. There are ways and means available of course, I have the wherewithal to provide guy lines for future use if required.

[Big Kev]

It's not a bad spot for a coffee, I will be extending the picket fence to enclose the sides and to give it a bit more support. The eventual plan is to encase the 'uprights' in treated timber to give it a feel of permanence

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[Big Kev]

Picked up some sharp sand and cement today, it's on with relevelling (is that a real word?) the flags in the back yard. There's only 6, that have settled, over the trench I dug for the new water pipe last year. Should keep me out of mischief for a couple of hours.

6pm update, all sorted. It looks much better now.

[Stanley]

You remind me of a technique I saw in Minnesota Kev. They have very cold winters there and frost routinely penetrates more than two feet into the ground. Paths through the college grounds at Carleton were poured concrete six feet square slabs and in Spring any that had settled too far after frost heave were levelled up by drilling holes and pumping grout in. Never seen grouting used routinely like that before.

[Big Kev]

Extending the fence around the decking today, was surprised at how much timber prices have gone up. Paulette has been on painting duty.

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There's a bit for the other side which will be fitted tomorrow, a bit more paint should see it all done ready for afternoon cocktails in the sunshine.

[Tripps]

They have very cold winters there and frost routinely penetrates more than two feet into the ground.

Brave to do this then. Carleton College ground sourced heat.

Some of the bore holes are 520 feet deep.

[Stanley]

I'd forgotten that Tripps. Impressive isn't it..... Far ahead of our government! I've just been complaining about our national energy policy in 'Medical Matters'.

[Big Kev]

All done, painted, swept up and a quick damp down with the hose. Time for a shower, on with the shorts and it's milk shake time

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[Cathy]

Milkshake’s ? … Hmmph.. I was looking forward to a Cocktail.

[Big Kev]

Milkshake’s ? … Hmmph.. I was looking forward to a Cocktail.

So was I but I have to drive to Harrogate this evening.

[Stanley]

Funny isn't it. After all those years of driving so many miles 'driving to Harrogate this evening' would be the last thing I would want to do.....

[Big Kev]

It was daughter-in-law's birthday soiree, it's only a 45 minute run over.

[Big Kev]

Milkshake’s ? … Hmmph.. I was looking forward to a Cocktail.

Made up for it with a jug of Pimms today

[Cathy]

[Big Kev]

A decision was made that the deck needed to be bigger. Three extra deckboards and it's now18 inches bigger, just needs a coat of stain but a jug of Pimms took priority.

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