Recent content by Terry - Somerset

How frequently do you need to use the garage door - there is effectively 2.8m of usable "wall" space there. Even if used daily, do you need a 2m opening, or could you place machines and storage to limit access to (say) 0.9m wide. Also be aware that the door opening mechanism may eat into wall...

It is good to expose the young to a diversity of ideas and experiences (practical, intellectual, physical etc). It is our job as adults to equip them for their life ahead. as a child I don't recall any real constraints - I could use whatever tools I thought appropriate. Power tools were...

Police take their orders from central government/home secretary who understandably prioritise issues like terrorism, hate crime, mass events (protest marches, football etc), media sensitive etc. The general public want day to day relatively minor crime dealt with swiftly and effectively -...

We had a decayed old shed in the wrong place. It appeared (before demolition) to sit on a gravel bed - I assume good good for drainage. When the old shed was removed I found slabs beneath. These had been laid on a compacted 4" concrete base. I have now removed the old slabs, partially...

Perhaps the forum could automatically recycle jokes from the JOKES 1 thread. With a bit of luck "goldfish syndrome" will kick in. They do say the old ones are the best - and if lucky we may laugh again at that which amused us first time around. The hybrid regenerative braking issue...

You could contact your local woodturning club. Some members are likely to have workshops similar to your father, be able to provide some guidance as to the best way to proceed, and may even have members who would be happy to buy some of the kit. Although there are no guarantees, my experience...

What is it about old steel that makes it better than even respected modern brands. I accept that, in pursuit of lower costs, the quantity of expensive elements like chromium, nickel, tungsten etc used by quality manufacturers may be compromised - the result sometimes being close to ferrous...

Walking past the bathroom display in B&Q this afternoon was surprised to see a toilet seat rise as I came close. Obviously has a motion sensor attached to some kind of seat raising gizmo. Perhaps I'll check whether it differentiates between male and female seat raising needs, or simply...

Assuming the existing flush button is level with cabinet (thus requiring strong fingers to depress) you could turn a small cylinder and stick it with hot glue to the existing button. Easy to use as it would then stand proud of the cabinet, and easy to remove when she leaves.

I fully appreciate vulnerability to systems failure etc, but adoption is about the point at which the benefits of the change outweigh the risks. Concerns can be a product of job loss, uncertainty created by change and a focus dominated by negative not positive consequences of change. That...

I've now joined the smartphone remotely controlled lighting app crowd. Needed to install some outside lights (side, drive, back garden). Power supply no problem. Switch(es) - outside the back door lighting the rubbish bins?, outside the garage door (back or front?), by the power supply...

It seems like a very good sense idea. At the moment we have two choices: common battery packs for cordless tools all from the same manufacturer different battery packs having chosen cordless tools best suited to the task The first exposes the buyer to variable quality and possibly excessive...

I recall taking apart a qualcast mower many years ago. Oil "circulation" (splash) was by way of some "paddles" fixed to the big end bearing - there was no filter and no pump. Similar was occasionally the case with much older cars which were relatively very unstressed and machined to far less...

Many high traffic commercial buildings including retail now install (LVT) vinyl which tends to have a much thicker wear layer than normal laminate flooring. Best known, but also premium priced, is Karndean and Amtico - there are other equally good cheaper alternatives. It is also completely...

The issue needs much bigger thinking than some of the narrow views being expressed here. Net zero is an aspiration in 2050 - 26 years away. We need to consider what needs to change, not regard apparent existing barriers as somehow insurmountable. They are not! Key issue - the variability of...