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 RX and MF, thanks for answering the question MF asked.

These cheap brands are no different than buying a car that always breaks down, you know we call them 'a lemon', some are good and some not so good, I've got that problem with laptops, although a very good friend explains why this happens.

The very low price are always irresistible and why not if you need a back up.

A reciprocating saw is actually one tool I haven't bought, although there have been many times I wish I owned one, the only problem is they have a mind of their own and can cut at an angle, a jig-saw can cut colourbond but you will a metal blade, same as with a circular saw.

RX nothing better than having your own private backyard, it's like owning a Rolls-Royce, only joking.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[Music_Freak]

Thanks Geoff (again!),

I guess I'll buy a jigsaw then, still works out to the $100 mark or thereabouts, even with buying blades. A ryobi one has a guide to ensure straight cuts apparently...I don't want more wonky - particularly with the colorbond. Timber I can work around, with styrofoam (for the garden beds). Now to just find the money...

Do I need a horizontal surface for using jigsaws or can they be used vertically?

[Guest_1584]

hey mf , l was gonna say but wasn't sure if l should mention the brand because it ain't good. but whatever you do don't buy ryobi/man that stuff you wouldn't believe. they makem all pretty and stick lots of colorful buttons all over the place- which usually just fall off in a few weeks.

When they updated the brand and made them all flash and expensive, l thought they'd have to be ok now, ha, think again. Spent 400 on one of their packs, battery saw drill jig saw. they all worked lovely , for about a month, then all 3 literally started falling to pieces. Lost my receipt, couldn't even get my money back.

Hey geoff , man your not wrong, walked out this morning to total privacy, l'm still in shock. and the rolls feels better too .

Cheeers

rx

[geoff]

Hi MF, to get a straight line you can also clamp a piece of timber or metal to the colourbond which can guide you with a straight cut.

You can use jig-saws either vertically or horizontally, just a word of warning, the angle grinder is good but very dangerous, my son was using a big one, but was distracted for half a second and lucky to still have 2 hands.

The same goes with all power tools, use them wisely and be careful.

I had a couple of plumbers here yesterday (I rent) and all they were using were cordless tools, mostly they were Makita tools, I said to one of them how times have changed, got no response.

Isn't it amazing that tools, kitchen appliances, laptops or even cars break down one day after the warranty ends.

RX, enjoy your backyard, is it plain or does it have trees and need a ride-on mower, I hope you don't have to use one of those mowers you have to push, no petrol, just push it and then the blade turns over, boy they were hard work. lol

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[Music_Freak]

Rx,

Wow, ryobi certainly do sound like rubbish, thanks for the tip 🙂 I know my dad did buy a whipper snipper that was a ryobi a while back and it didn't even last 6 months. Must just be a crap brand all round, which is really bad. I only mentioned it because of the guide thingy having never used a jig saw before. Perhaps Geoff or yourself have some advice for a beginner jig saw user?

I'll probably go with ozito then, or that XU1 brand, but will have a proper look when I have more available funds.

[Guest_1584]

Hi geoff how you doin.

Ahhh yessa , the luxury of having a back yard now , it's quite bizarre. it's not that big push mowers would be fine but if you wanna mow everything need the ride on. Could do without but l already walk miles everyday , crazy to waste hours pushing a mower.

Never used one of those litlle no motor push ones , hard yakka l bet eh.

Funny about the plumbers yeah, tbh l don't think you can even trust most of the top brands now. My brother a builder of sorts, can't say here but a bit different to what you use to do but he's always buying one of the top shelf combo deals of something or another, you know the 3 or 4 in one pack stuff. oooo l cringe at the money he'll spend, 1000, 1500, 800. l always chuckle and think ahh lets see how long these ones last. l'm amazed . 6mths , a year. Well he was just showing me a markita kit he bout few mths back , l'm thinking these'll have to last surely, love markita stuff, anyway they're still going so far but l don't trust any of them these days so l 'll let you know in a few more mths if they're still kickin, he loves them so far.

Anyway need to ask you is there anyway l can dry out that lower wall around the bath l was telling you l have to reseal. l stripped all the old crap off 2days ago , which was only 12mths old, but it's still damp , we need the bath. Hopefully it's better tomorrow but seems like it'll need a week at this rate. Didn't buy the wet sealant so what l've bought is gonna have to do.

All the best

rx

ps , nice goin mf , you'll get there hey.

[geoff]

Hi RX and Mf and everyone else, with the jigsaw just practice on some soft wood, don't push the jigsaw too much let the blade do the work for you and know where you have to clamp any timber, so the saw can cut where you want it to.

RX I was actually referring to those old mowers that you had to push, no petrol, nothing just man-power, damn hard work.

I'm a bit concerned about this damp wall, do you know how long it's been like this and is it the side where the taps are on.

Best wishes.

Geoff.

[Guest_1584]

Actually Geoff , checked it this morning and the bottom of the wall sheeting is still damp after 3 days,

Think l'll have to lash out on the stuff that works on wet areas . Bugger. At this rate it's gonna need another week otherwise.

Cheers

[geoff]

Hi MF and RX, and anyone else who is reading this thread.

When you use the jigsaw try it on some soft wood, don't push it through the wood cutting, let the saw do its own work.

Make sure you have metal blades to cut tin/colourbond and different blades to cut timber, but it will have a tough time going through thick hardwood.

Hi RX, I love Markita always have and most of my tools have been that brand and I think my favourite was a small drop saw, cut any angle and I used so often, even at our previous home on acreage, where I laid 6000 or more pieces of parquetry, loved every bit of it.

The push mower was one of those you just pushed, no petrol, just hard work.

I'm concerned about this wet wall, do any pipes come out of the wall because it sounds as though water is getting to it from behind, so please let me know.

One way to determine is to turn off the water at the mains when you don't need it on, maybe overnight and see if the wall has dried up, even a little bit.

If it has then don't worry it's an insurance claim, love to hear back, and MF please ask anything you want.

Anyone else please ask a question.

Geoff.

[Guest_1584]

Hi geoff.

Well , l cracked , needed the bath. Spent 17 bucks on a tube of the wet or dry sealant, which would probably cost about 3 bucks in any other country, that's the part the really hurts. Ya just know how badly your being ripped off. Anyway , repaired it right round, see if it sticks this time eh.

Nah no pipes through that wall. Reason is you can't get the sun in to warm things up after cold nights, bathrooms only got a small window. lt's old cement sheeting too and the shower hit's it full on when we shower so it's always slightly damp, builds up. And l can't give it an enamel re coat because of damp from showers but that'd keep the damp out, should of done it in the summer.

Cheers