Miscellaneous DIY Projects (or bits of jobs)

[Stanley]

"Kitchen looks a lot fresher for a new lick of paint. "
That's exactly what I thought after the kids had given me a touch-up!

[PanBiker]

Getting to the end of the kitchen refresh. I gave the two window bottoms two coats of paint yesterday. Dried off nicely so I cleaned both windows inside, I need some white sealant now for the back edge of the window bottom, I'll nip down to Merrit's to get that. I'll put the brackets back up for the blinds before I run the sealant along. Will just have the blinds to clean then before they go back up. I need the whole of the dining table clear to do that though, It's presently holding stuff that we have had to move about!

[Stanley]

I've just completed a mini-task. A mere nothing to Ian and Ken but a significant thing for me to undertake....
I had a hook missing and one not connected on my kitchen curtain and the pole wasn't letting the curtain rings slide easily. My balance felt fairly good today so I got the steps out popped up on to the work top and sorted them out.
And I was doing a load of washing as well.....

[Big Kev]

I have decided to put a metal arch in the front garden here at Chez Kev. There are a few climbing rose plants which grow around some low level canes but you can't really see the roses too well. I've ordered a heavy duty, powder coated, arch from eBay, it'll give us something a bit different to look at out of the window.


I'll post some more pics once it arrives and I put it in the ground

[Big Kev]

Royal Mail delivered the arch this afternoon, it feels reasonably robust. I'll put it together in the morning and, weather permitting, set it up around the roses. Pictures will follow.

[Stanley]

The weather gods will stop heavy rain just for you Kev at around 09:00....

[Big Kev]

That'll do the job. It was a bit awkward pushing it into the ground without bending it, it claims to be heavy duty...
I just need to train the roses to climb up it now.

[Big Kev]

I am considering getting some heavier tubing to knock into the ground and secure the arch to it, it is 'flexing' a bit

[Stanley]

Think about a couple of wooden stakes Kev, rigid and easier to fasten the metal arch to....

[Big Kev]

Think about a couple of wooden stakes Kev, rigid and easier to fasten the metal arch to....

Good idea, I have some pressure treated timber in the cellar

[Big Kev]

I bought a mixer from a local charity selling page, still boxed and PAT tested, for £3. I used the dough hooks today (homemade focaccia) and the 'hooks' are oriented wrong. The spiral twist, in the hooks, should move the dough downwards (pushing it back into the bowl when kneading). These don't, they pull the dough back up towards the mixer and make a right old mess.

Looking at the mixer the hooks rotate in opposite directions to each other

IMG_20250705_130229~2.jpg

so the simple fix would be to swap the hooks into the opposite holes, unfortunately there is a fixed washer on one of the hooks so it only fits on one side (one hole is bigger)

IMG_20250705_130144~2.jpg

a few minutes with the dough hook in the cordless drill and a flat file it's sorted.

IMG_20250705_130207~2.jpg

The hooks now fit in the opposite holes and dough kneading is restored mess free. I'm presuming it's a manufacturing error, the washer was fitted on the wrong hook.