Beyond Blue Home Improvement Thread

[geoff]

Hi everyone. I'm Geoff and have been a dedicated Volunteer on the forums for 13 years. I am proud to have stopped some of the stigmas that are associated with mental health as well as doing my best to help others too

Before my health went south I was a builder in all aspects of home construction and renovation. If you don't have a handyman around I hope I can offer you some tips that may be of help. I have had many years of experience in home renovation and will do my best to help you out if you are stuck and need some advice

I hope my experience may be of help to the people on Beyond Blue and make their life a little bit better. Even if you need help with the most basic painting job or putting up a shelf I can help there too with some tips

I will do my best to get back to anyone that has a question when I can as this is social yet important thread

Geoff

[Guest_1584]

Gday again Geoff.

my trailers pretty old , all steel , great trailer though, few little rust holes in the floor.

Might not be your area but what could l bog the holes up with ?

l was thinking of just a good quality no gaps or something.

It's a thick floor , plenty strong, so l'm thinking of just cleaning it all up bogging the holes and respraying the old girl.

[white knight]

Hi random. Geoff has logged off I think so I'll give it a go.

any llarge hardware will have marine ply say 12mm thick. The rust holes will just get bigger and plugging them up wont last long.

Cut the ply to fit across the trailer and use round head bolts to secure it to the strong part of the floor..

Youll get many more years out of it. Drill holes in the corners for drainage.

Tony WK

[Guest_1584]

ha , well that's an idea , thanks Tony , l really don't wanna go cutting the whole floor out and replacing it , lotta work on this trailer and it's still strong anyway, so that could work out well.

Cheers

[Mathy]

I agree with plugging the holes could lead to failure. If you chose to go the marine ply path, then make sure you use some waterproof coating on the marine ply - especially on the underneath, because the damp will creep in under there. You can buy bitumen paint (I think the brand is Betta) which will do the job. It’s water based and can be over painted with something else. That should see you right 🙂

[geoff]

hi Randomx, marine ply will work only if you're moving furniture, however if you want to cart sand, screenings, rubbish, then the ply will only get damaged by shovels, rakes and still doesn't like a load of sand sitting in it for a long time, however if you don't or won't be doing this then ply will be fine.
What I would do is take the trailer to a metal shop and get them to cut out a new floor and then weld it in, it may have to be in two pieces, but this depends on how good they are, you can paint it but it will get scratched.
You're not sure what other people might use the trailer for if you lend it out, and remember a shovel will always get caught in a bolt. Geoff.

[blondguy]

Hey Geoff

No hurry on this inquiry. Since I am handy as a rubber shovel.....seriously....I just wanted to ask about demolition hammers.....Bunnings want silly high prices for Bosch (made in China) which I cant afford so I have 2 alternatives....with all the bells and whistles without the brand name (even though the units are identical)

My retaining walls need new uprights...... will a 1600 Watt unit for $200 do the job or would you go for a 2400 Watt at $340 ? (the 2400 Watt hammer has a 3 year guarantee)

I will be hammering 3" concrete at the worst and maybe clay and rock fragments to re do the sleeper uprights and maybe some tiling in my home just for your information

Only when you get the time Geoff

Paul

[geoff]

hi Paul, good question, the brands without the name tag on maybe good for about 2 or 3 hits, but normally the handle breaks, they may look the same but in actual fact it's not the same timber.
I wouldn't go and buy a screwdriver set from K-Mart or at a $2 shop, they are cheap, but useless, the tips don't hold their shape, they break at the handle, and especially if a screw is screwed in so tight they will do more damage than Mandrake, so you are wasting your money.
If you are going to use that area as a BBQ with a table and chairs then I would use the 2400 Watt, especially as it's got a 3 year warranty, however if it's just to highlight your work then save electricity and use the 1600 Watts.
A long crowbar or digging bar which is long and made out of steel will come in handy also to break up concrete rocks, you can hire these.
You can also hire a 'jack-hammer' for half a day, if you feel it will quicker and less energy, but having a sledge hammer may come in handy another time.
Digging through clay is b*****y hard work, but you can always leave a tap dripping where you want to dig, it will be softer but messy, there is also a post hole digger, manual or petrol operated.
Before you want to dig a hole in hard soil leave the tap on, just dripping, it will also soften the soil.
Use 'rapid set' concrete when the holes have been dug, the concrete 'goes off' much quicker.
Good luck but hard work. Geoff.

[Guest_128]

Hi Paul,

Have a look on Gumtree,there are always all sorts of different tools for sale, also apparently on fb.

Geoff I will come back later and give you more info on what I am going.

Dory

[white knight]

Tips

Painting and you want to take a break? Wrap your brush in gladwrap instead of rinsing it in water or turps.

Drill bits- generally the smaller the bit the faster the speed to use with your power drill. Many vheap power drills wont have a sliw enough speed for larger bits. This forces you to having high speed with large drill bits and that damages the bit (too hot). So when choosing a power drill make sure it has a variable speed switch with very low speed for large drill bits.

[Guest_1584]

Thanks for that Geoff but ahh , that job might have to wait then l think , too many other more important fish to fry right now haha. She could get anything thrown into it from rocks to building stuff to scrap metal . Fantastic old girl though , best trailer l've ever had actually , she cold use some love though .

Ah hu WK , so that's how l always stuff the bigger drill bits , they always end up ruined. l know ya can't run them too fast but l probably still run them a bit too quick.

l often try a smaller pilot hole first but then that still seems to ware out the outer edge of the bigger bit , does get through quicker though---- what not to do haha.