Recent content by boggy

When I try to login I get a message saying that my account has been locked; send us your phone number and we will send a code to restore access. I do this and nothing happens. The password is unique to hotmail and I have not found any problems with other sites. How can I contact whoever operates...

I have used hotmail for about 20 years without problem but my access is now blocked. The de-blocking instructions do not work and I do not know how to contact anyone to ask for help. Anyone know?

Worth a look at at Jay Leno's car blog. He has a Doble steam car similar to the one owned by Hermann Goering. Years ago I subscribed to 'Light Steam Power' mag. I still have some which are for sale if anyone is interested.

Lillicrap's Hone was a device for sharpening razor blades available during and after WW2. It was during WW1 that soldiers were sharpening blades on the inside of broken bottles so Lillicrap captalised on this with his invention. I have one made of uranium glass but have never used it. I am...

Yes, tallow is animal fat. My daughter is a vegan and will not use soap or candles unless made from olive oil such as savon de Marseilles. Candles are a problem as although they can be made from beeswax strict vegans will not use it. Wool grease is also known as lanolin which I find very useful...

These come up quite often in '.vide greniers' (Boot sales) here in France where they are clled 'valets' and can be bought for one or two €'s.

It is a rouanne de sabotier, AKA une langue de chat (Cat's tongue), used by a clogmaker to hollow the inside of a clog after opening the interior with an 'alesoir', a sort of side cutting bit.

The word croze has always puzzled me as the French equivalent tool is the 'jabloir'. Croze must be derived from the French 'creux' which means a hollow. Any etymologists out there?

Here in France I have had the same problem. I planted my tomatoes about 50cm apart but in the allotment other gardeners who spaced their plants 1 metre apart have had little or no disease.

Yes, the Irish walking stick/cudgel or shillelagh was traditionally made from blackthorn. Wikipedia has a description and details of how to make them.

It is always the practice to mount the face vice on the left of the bench, but why? When I made my bench, I mounted the vice on the right with the vice jaws outside the edge of the bench surface so you can saw through wood in one operation. It also means that the main work area is in natural...

I would like to make the same complaint to the BBC Radio 4 coverage of cricket. This bizarre sport is declining in popularity as it is too complicated and takes too long. Who can imagine a sport which can be played for 5 days and not have a definitive result? Fortunately I have an internet radio...

I would like to find a piece of Brunel's broad gauge rail, known as 'bridge' rail or 'top hat' sometimes found supporting fences or notices. I suppose a battery powered angle grinder and a quiet night would be essential.

Women have the habit of measuring with a cloth dressmaker's tape. These stretch after many years of use so never rely on a dimension measured with one of these.

My parents when first married just pre-war, bought Utility furniture which was all that was available. My mother denied that it was Utility but the mark was visible when the piece was upended. I inherited most of it but disposed of it all mainly due to the smell of the wood, but it was well put...