Recent content by Setch

The MDF has split, so you need to address this before trying to get the screws to bite. You could try flooding the split with thin superglue, then squeezing it shut, ideally with a clamp. Fundamentally, it's a poor choice of hinge for this application, as MDF has very little stregth in this...

The problem here is that dunster cabins are specifically sized to meet roof height limits so they don't require PP. Adding even 1 row of bricks would raise the building above permitted height. I guess you could omit some of the logs from the walls to compensate.

I opted to position mine so the bearers were essentially flush with the back and side nearest my neighbour. The step this created at the front is mostly sheltered by the overhang above the double doors, and is quite nice to sit on in good weather. I also assembled mine differently to the...

When I erected my Dunster cabin I had a paint kettle of clear wood preserver on hand, and each timber got a generous application along the grooved joint surfaces as it was assembled. Once it was completed I used a garden sprayer to treat the inside, and painted the outside with a dark...

I got this second hand, probably 20 years ago. It's missing a few bits and pieces, but it's still in good working order. For the last 10 years it's been mostly tucked under a bench in my workshop, as the tracksaw had really replaced it, and it's too heavy to get out and setup unless I...

At 165mm I'm guessing this is a tracksaw? I've found the Dewalt extreme blade I'm using very good - it seems to be lasting better than Trend blades I've used in the past, and you can get a three pack of 2 x 24 tooth and 1 x 40 tooth for about £35 quid.

I get the trend square drive screws from screwfix or toolstation.

That's a great price. The quick clamps are head and shoulders better than the knockoffs, even if they don't have the grunt of larger heavier clamps. The relatively light weight makes them great for working away from the workshop, as a comparable quantity of proper clamps would give you a hernia!

Butt joint for square edged solid wood worktops.

The pews in my local Methodist church were mahogany, and I've got a couple of loooong boards stashed away in my parents garage, and lots of smaller bits in my garage wood store. The Church dates back to the sixties, and the bits I've played with look and behave much like genuine, rather than...

A double whammy of kitchen organising and clearing space in the garage. About 5 years ago I built this breakfast bar type thing so we would have somewhere to eat meals in a relatively civilised fashion. Note the rounded corner on the RH end, this is because the unit next to it has been...

This is a bit close to the bone, and I'm not even 45 yet!

Thanks for the heads up - I took my Dad today and we had an enjoyable mooch around. You did better then us with the swag - I think it's a smart tactical move to go on the 1st day when everyone is flush with goodies!

I've been cleaning up a shed-load of teak finger-parquet blocks for a project, and thought the jig I came up with might be useful to others. It's an offcut of 2"x6" with a shallow mortise the size of a single parquet block chiselled into the top face. A hole suiting my 35mm vacuum hose was...

Have you searched eBay for an original eclipse jig? I bought one a few years back to give as a gift, in pretty much mint condition, and IIRC quite reasonably priced.