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

[Bethie]

Hi Paul

Swivel brackets that can be tensioned. Any loose thread burn with a lighter that seals them of as well. Just be sure to blow the flame out and wet your finger tips to pinch it. On your pine post use a stainless mounting bracket. If you carnt find swivel tensioners get Polly properline rope and use that. It's UV proof so works just as well.

[blondguy]

Hi Bethie and thanks heaps for the help

I have two ends of the triangular shade sail attached to the fascia board under the gutters using marine grade stainless steel fittings. The 3rd point of the triangle is mounted to a treated pine post that breaks the concrete footing and starts to move....(the post itself)

How many bags of Rapid set concrete would you use to anchor the treated pine pole in the ground?

I thought one bag would be enough......Doh! Looks like I was very wrong....

Any more help is appreciated 🙂

Thankyou so much. Paul

[Bethie]

As a guess without seeing the ground 2. It's doing that because the shade sail isn't tensioned right. If it' bagging a bit try putting a few guide ropes under it to increase stability . Will help even the weight ratio out

[blondguy]

Thankyou Bethie for that. I am as handy as a rubber shovel and I appreciate all the help I can get

I think the post moved in the clay and broke the concrete foundation....my error as I should have put more concrete around the treated pine pole to start with instead of just one bag of rapid set

Have a great day. Paul

[geoff]

hi Paul, probably dig the hole about 1200 mm deep and 400mm wide would be better at a slight angle or about a third of the length of the pole, and put some gravel just to cover the foor of the hole about one to two inches, the gravel could be broken bricks, broken tiles or anything like that, then put enough water in it as per instructions, in other words don't fill the hole the more water you put in it the longer it will take to dry and it won't be as strong, then put the bag or as much as it comes to the top, then get a stick and press around the hole, just to get rid of any air bubbles, if you need 2 bags then it will be stronger, and try not to fiddle with the pole for half the day.

Some rapid sets say to put concrete in first so read the instructions and wait a day or two, especially if the pole will be under pressure from the sail, and you don't have to trowel it smooth.

Remember to attach the turnbuckles or clicks to the top of the pole before you put it in the hole.

Elizabeth will answer your comment after this one. Geoff.

[geoff]

hi Elizabeth, I can understand that brown bricks wouldn't be very nice to see in your loungeroom, and in regards to the hole are you capable of bricking it up with bricks, it wouldn't have to be a good job, because once it's done and painted, you will not notice it.
It sounds like it was a chimney.

You could leave the chipboard, but for me, I wouldn't be happy with that, the hardware stores have premixed bags of mortar, but a local handyman might do it cheaper for you or a friend who is handy, because the premix mortar has never been the best when I used it for small jobs.

If you move the benches then the tiles on top of the benches will have to come off, but I need to know what type of floor tiles you have on the floor.

If you have ceramic tiles they may come off easily using a chisel, or if the tiles are cemented onto a false flooring such as 'hardiplank' or 'masonite', then you maybe able to lift the sheeting, but it's not going to be easy.

There would a false cover at the bottom of your cupboards which may pull off.
The flooring needs to be pulled up first, and you can do the painting without the new floor, when everything has been put in place, plus the hole has to be fixed before any painting is done.

If you do the painting and everything is in place get some covers so that nothing will get paint on it. Geoff.

[stevexr]

hello, if you want to lean (less fuel) out the fuel mix turn the mixture screw in clockwise and out anticlockwise for richer (more fuel) you can read the spark plug to know if it is some whare near right after some running, black sooty = rich white/ orange = lean

there maybe 2 screws for fuel mixture one marked H for the high (open throttle) and one marked L for low (idle) there will also be a screw on the out side that is the idle bump screw, it stops the cable connected cam at return, screw it in clockwise to raise the idle (faster) and anticlockwise to lower the idle (slower)

when tuning, turn the mixture screws slowly and in small amounts, when leaning out, the revs will rise to a point of bog and a little more the engine will slow and stop, if this happens turn the screw out half a turn odd and re start. when making more rich the revs will drop and will sound burpy to the point of engine stop. you want to lean the mix and the revs to rise to the point just before bog and then turn back a small amount (1 8th of a turn) to slightly richen the mix this should be the optimum tune point. if you get lost screw the mix screw in to lightly seated and then turn out 1.5 turns this should be enough to get it started again. I hope this makes sence.

I assume it has a 2 stroke "whipper snipper" style engine with a diaphragm carburettor?

if you like post the name and model of the unit so I can look it up to know what im dealing with so I can assist you further. good luck I hope it goes well if you need let me know and il try to explain it all better..... hello

[Elizabeth CP]

I presume they are ceramic or possibly porcelain. Unsure if this makes a difference. Ideally I hope to remove the cement sheet & then sand & polish floor to match adjacent rooms. The cupboards sit on plastic legs. Thought we would place wood under them to choc them up while we try to remove tiles from underneath. Then will try to cut the cement sheet near edge of cupboards so it can be pulled up from rest of room & then adjust legs on cupboards to suit changed floor height. I have a jimmy to lever up tiles & cement sheet & just bought a brick bolster to use as well. Issues are a couple of cover sheets sit on tiles & can't be moved without major issues. Hope we can knock out tiles from underneath. The other problem s the dishwasher. Do we need a plumberr& or electrician to disconnect & reconnect so it can be moved so tiles can be removed.

[geoff]

hi Stevexr, I can't thank you enough for replying to Bethie, it is really good to have someone who knows what he's talking about mechanically, only because I'm a rubber spanner. Geoff.

[geoff]

hi Elizabeth, the dishwasher should be attached by a pipe that will just unscrew by hand, you shouldn't need a plumber and just unplug the electrical cord, won't be too hard at all.

Sounds exciting to get rid of old tiles under kitchen cabinets, I would have volunteered without any doubt.
Without seeing it makes it difficult to answer, but yes I would choc the cabinets up, but remember to tape up cabinets because it's going to be dusty and then try and pull up the tiles, not all the tile under the cabinet needs to be taken up, just enough so the floor can be sanded.

The cement sheet may break up or it could be hit with a sharp chisel to begin the break and then pulled up, all the nails will need to be removed otherwise the sandpaper will get holes in it and then break up.

As I say it's hard for me to comment as I haven't seen it, but takes me back to my old days which I loved doing, now I'm too old, nut please keep me informed. Geoff.