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

[geoff]

Hi Elizabeth, the other reply hasn't been posted, anyway will continue.

Where you want the other screw to be drilled through the tile, put some masking tape or the electrical tape, which can get from a $2 shop on the place where the other screw needs to be drilled.

The masking is to make sure that the drill won't slip and scratch the tile and also make your drill stay steady.

Just lightly drill the hole, if you go 'hammer and tong' and put all your body weight on the drill it will make the tile crack, so just take it easy, remember Rome wasn't built in a day.

Once the hole has been drilled then insert the plastic plug in the hole, you may need to hammer it in, just be careful when it's almost in, then screw the screw in and you maybe able to place another plastic cup over the screw so it looks neat.

If for any reason you crack the tile then please let me know, it's not hard to fix.

Will continue Music_Freak, you've been very patient. Geoff.

[geoff]

Hi Music_Freak, thanks also for your query, as Paul says 'there is no dumb question no matter where you post' especially on Home Improvement and it's great to have you involved Paul, I hope others also participate.

MF can I ask if it is the whole handle you bought or just the D-handle the part where your hand grips onto the shovel, normally I have found it was cheaper just to buy a new shovel, fork or rake, that's what I have done.

Can you return the handle, I only say this because I remember having several shovels, fork, rakes etc heads without any handles lying around in my garage hoping that I could get a cheap handle, it didn't happen.

Have you got the receipt for what you have bought and if so please let me know.

I'm sorry I didn't respond first thing this morning but I will my reply first thing tomorrow morning.

My best wishes.

Geoff.

[Music_Freak]

It's my old shovel that's loose, but I think I might just replace it. It'll only be $20 or something. Unless I can fix it with twigs/matches/toothpicks and duct tape it will cost me.

[Birdy77]

Hi MF,

What about drilling through the metal shaft part of the shovel into the timber shaft, and then put a screw in so that it holds the timber part in place? Does that make sense? I will try again if what I said doesn't compute.

🌻birdy

[Music_Freak]

I get what you're saying Birdy, but can you drill through metal? I don't even know how...I'll have a look at it when this SA heat has gone (it's awful!)

GEOFF, WHERE ARE YOU?!?!

Yep, that's my attempt at being funny 🙂

[Birdy77]

Hey MF

You can drill through metal, but you probs need a metal drill bit (I bought a case of different bits for different purposes for not many dollars, comes in handy).

🌻birdy

[geoff]

Hi Music_Freak, no you're not 'worse than an amateur', all it takes is a little time and a little confidence, because if something does go wrong then there will be someone who can tell me how to fix it.

A glass and tile bit would be better because when people use a masonry bit, they tend to press too hard and crack the tile or even glass.

You could use a very small masonry drill bit then increase the size up gradually.

With the shower caddy the same as above the only difference is you may have to use a stainless steel screw which you can buy in a packet, or alternatively if you use just a normal screw it may tend to rust.

To overcome this replace the screw when rust appears, or place a plastic cap over the screw, the plastic caps are what the tradies use on a new kitchen, or paint the top of the screw with any oil based paint, the plastic paint will wash off quickly.

Good point MF, you will get more use out of a masonry drill bit rather than a glass and tile bit, so yes try doing it with masking tape. continue

[geoff]

Hi MF, all the drill bit has to do is go through the top part of the tile, the glazing part, once you have gone through that the tile won't crack.

A masonry drill bit maybe cheaper than a glass/tile drill bit and you can use it to drill through concrete, bricks and slate so I would be using it.

Don't feel silly, if you aren't sure what to do then that makes you nervous, but as soon as you try, it's not too bad, and remember there is always a way to fix mistakes so don't worry.

The drill has different speeds try and use a slow speed to drill through the tile, as I said all you have to do is drill through the top shining surface.

The twigs/matches/toothpicks won't last too long, if you hit a tree root it may all come apart again.

What Birdy said is what you can do, but maybe if you saw off an inch or so, which will give you a clean part to attach the shovel and by drilling though it is an excellent idea and I have done this many times.

Just a normal drill bit will go through the metal, don't use a masonry drill bit, it won't work, you may have to cool the drill bit down and you do this by stopping and dripping the bit in either oil or water, then start again, but the metal shouldn'tg be too thick and will likely go through the first time.

[geoff]

Hi Music_Freak, the previous reply hasn't appeared so this reply goes next after ' be too thick and will likely go through the first time'.

What I used to keep on me at all times was a 'double headed' drill bit, they are used for 'pop-rivets', they come in so handy for pre-drilling small holes in metal, timber and plastic, before you use a larger drill bit.

The other part I always kept was a 'phillips-head' that was used by my drill to screw-in and screw-out phillips-head screws.

You put it in the end of the drill, it saves you having to use a screw-driver, but there are different sizes, I think from memory it's a no. 2 size.

The normal single slotted part which is used for 'normal' screws can be tricky because it slips off the screw quickly and maybe hard to use.

Please keep the questions coming, I'm enjoying it so much.

Geoff.

[geoff]

this goes between these last 2 posts

Hi MF, all the drill bit has to do is go through the top part of the tile, the glazing part, once you have gone through that the tile won't crack.

A masonry drill bit maybe cheaper than a glass/tile drill bit and you can use it to drill through concrete, bricks and slate so I would be using it.

Don't feel silly, if you aren't sure what to do when you are nervous, but as soon as you try, it's not too bad, and remember there is always a way to fix mistakes so don't worry.

The drill has different speeds try and use a slow speed to drill through the tile, as I said all you have to do is drill through the top shining surface.

The twigs/matches/toothpicks won't last too long, if you hit a tree root it may all come apart again.

What Birdy said is what you can do, but maybe if you saw off an inch or so, which will give you a clean part to attach the shovel and by drilling though it is an excellent idea and I have done this many times.

Just a normal drill bit will go through the metal, don't use a masonry drill bit, it won't work, you may have to cool the drill bit down and you do this by stopping and dripping the bit in either oil or water, then start again, but the metal shouldn't be too thick and will likely go through the first time.