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We may open our garden to the National Garden Scheme next year. (at their request and it's been approved). It is not necessary to provide toilet facilities, but in order to avoid awkward refusals (house and outbuildings all out of bounds) I am considering a chemical one or ground compost one...

As a (very rare) paid job I have been asked if I will make a chair out of Laburnum. There is no rush. It is to replace one of a pair of 17th century laburnum chairs, one of which was very badly damaged in a fire (and which will be given to me as a template in due course). For reference it is...

I have been given, after some begging, two pallets of oak whisky barrels (12 barrels). These are in very good condition and each holds about 40 gallons. They are fully intact (lids and bottoms secure). There is a stoppered bung hole half way up, which is not much use. I intend to use them...

I intended to install a pellet burner for heating my new kitchen (presently in an outbuilding that I will connect to the house). I am having second thoughts and may use large vertical radiators as elsewhere in the house (I have replaced practically everything) like this: I don't do central...

I have a heavy, studded oak door to my utility room external entrance. It opens outwards and is in a corridor with another building of mine adjacent, and tends to catch the wind. I need a means of keeping it open, without using a hook and latch (veto from Mrs AJB). The ones with a piston...

10% off if you order using the code SALE. Go on, you know you want to. It will be insanely good. 4kg of joy.

I am finally getting round to fitting new guttering to my newish buildings. Obviously I chose a time to do this when summer disappears and we get daily deluges. Today was great - it started with the cats and dogs just as I was fitting my first downpipe and S bend. I wanted copper, but the...

I need to do quite a bit of edge banding of hardwood onto 24mm and 18mm BB ply. I am looking for advice on clamps. This is a job I rarely do, and so I have tended to use G clamps and knock in a wedge as the third leg. However, I now have quite a lot of edging to do, with thicknesses from 5mm...

I am now contemplating lighting for parts of my new kitchen and general lazing about room. The below photos are several weeks old and wiring and decor has moved on somewhat, but these are the snaps I have. The lights dangling from chains came from a decommissioned church (I snaffled 4 for a...

My kitchen build having progressed to near completion, I have sadly had to move my temporary workshop into one of my oak outbuildings that I built 3 years ago. This one has been used as a quite large double garage and log store, and has loads of power as it is home to a Tesla charge point. I...

I have refurbished an 1886 (it is date stamped and signed) French, very nice commercial butchers block, all solid maple end grain. Having been in storage in a Chateau for over a century it has had minimal use (no dishing) and the sides surrounding the end grain blocks are beautiful birds eye...

Yesterday I ordered 10 packs of red 25mm by 50mm rated roof battens (this being the only ones they sell in Kent) on line via my trade account. And various other things that you would expect to be readily in stock at a builder's merchant, like 25kg bags of cement and sand. I have at least 4...

After much excitement seeing my first Swallow again earlier this year, I sit out in the garden even day and wonder where on earth they are. As I write it's a warm evening with clear skies and it must be three weeks since I have seen a swallow. Also - despite having a very nature friendly...

Amazing. Truly historic moment seeing that launch and the incredible camera footage.

Bought one of these as shop soiled (light rust) off the bay to use for current project alongside my Starrett gear. I wanted to use it as a square depth stop. Just checked it using the draw a line then turn it over test, and over 300mm it is 2.5mm out of true and the sprung spindle when...

Intstead of doing what I was supposed be doing, I watched this. I had no idea that spokes on wooden spoked wheels had a bend in them, and the skill in remaking the spokes, getting the wheel remade and getting the solid rubber tyre on with welding inside of it (!) is fascinating. These skills...

Was going to put this in my silver lining thread, but it will get lost there. I rarely do tool reviews unless I have had extensive use, so I am breaking the mould a bit here as it is pertinent to my projects currently. Cost about £240 on line. 7” or 180 mm width. 240V. I bought this...

Couple of days ago a MCB tripped. MCB runs the boiler circuit and a few other bits and bobs. Its a 32amp B rated Hager MCB. CU is in my old kitchen (one day to be decommissioned) and is Hager and installed in 2018. Part P compliant etc. No idea why 32amp was fitted as the load is just a...

I'm still not allowed to post on the kitchen build thread I started. Wife still not happy. However, work proceeds and I continue to keep a record and photos as that version of lockdown will end. This is a different thing. I have some very old furniture, a few pieces dating back to Henry...

I have four cast iron tables, all absolutely dead flat. They came from a foundry I think. They are 2 feet square, about 5" deep including the legs and the tops are at least an inch thick. It is a struggle for my wife and I to lift one of them. Seriously heavy. With appropriate painting (I...