ToughButterCup

Thats the hook, right there. Perhaps it's because I really appreciate the hard work behind the design and coding the videos....

Sign of a healthy organisation: critical examination of what we all do is vitally important.

I dunno about you, but for someone like me who has never ever done much round the house - and now finds himself building a house (!) - the Knowhow videos provided by Geberit are very reassuring now that we're almost in First / Second fit mode. The production standards for the videos are very high indeed : just as high as their prices. My argument is that since we can't find reliable trades people operating at a fair price, having a company that takes online video support very seriously becomes a huge factor in the purchase decision. Starry-eyed I am. Dangerous. In the interest of balance, give me a healthy slap in the face with a wet fish. Tell me why I should NOT buy Geberit.

So, there you are @K78 , just buy one. You have my permission. Just a question of price now.?

I rarely pour cold water on any tool-related purchase discussion: buying one - even a simple thing like a plumb bob - is one of life's pleasures to be savoured, thought about, over-researched, talked about in the pub, dreamt about. But. Every chippie I know - and respect - says don't buy a first fit gas nailer unless its used weekly. They need too much love and care. Bit like a whiny child. Always catching colds. Damn Damn Damn. My sincere apologies. Ian

Whaaaasat? Whats the story about back boxes? Which should I fit?

You bad man, Ed.

400 centres... I thought there might be some sort of 'rool' about it Russ....

Yeah, just realised what I wrote there... Anyway... I have some stud walls that are over 3m high.... 2 noggins per vertical?

I've a good mind to - with BH permission - ask the author of the paper to review this thread and comment. I suggest this because - if the author of engages with us - we will all benefit. Does anyone mind if I email the author and ask for comment?

I would use the 10mm ballast - if you can trust it. There be sum shoit ballist roun' yur : ' happen 's wuy it cost £25 bagged and delivered. Loads a' glass innit.

" Thermal Mass mate? Wodja mean? " And then listen carefully That'll do for me. Is it a Unit of measure? (not yet) Is it a mess? (yes) Is it widely mis-applied and misunderstood? (yes) Well don't bloody use it then. Exactly. And sometimes they publish them.

The Poor Bloody Infantry in this discussion deserve better. How - with two apparently well qualified scientists (Competent Person(s) in the lingo) taking diametrically opposite positions - can we (the people whose bank balance takes the hit) make up our minds? There will be people - many I suspect - who invest large sums of money on the basis of reading the attached paper(s). In my old jobs (running Virtual Learning Environments inside three UK Universities) I would be delighted - because I'd see the opportunity to arrange a classic Disputation (defence of a Doctoral thesis) so that students could listen and read and perhaps watch well-regarded scientists put their case. That's never going to happen here is it? More's the pity. And it's our bank balances that take the hit Is that ( ' ...that can act as a buffer heat store .... ') , J, your way of saying Thermal Mass ?

In the pursuit of openness, balance and intellectual rigour I attach a serious and, apparently well-argued paper, explaining the concept of thermal mass. The arguments advanced appear to be properly referenced, but I haven't followed them through yet. ThermalMassExplained_Feb19.pdf Accessed April 1st. 2019 https://www.concretecentre.com/Search-Results.aspx?searchtext=thermal+Mass&searchmode=anyword This URL links to a download for a publication that explains the concept of Thermal Mass in the context of housing. (you'll need to register - hence comment below) [MB_Thermal Mass for Housing.pdf : I have uploaded this copy to our server to save you having to register - and be spammed] In the context of this tread, I find myself wishing I hadn't found this resource : my brain hurts enough coping with the build. (and @Onoff's tiling saga) This isn't an April Fool's joke. Ian

And I fought it wuz me. Yew shoor know sum stuff Russ! @MikeSharp01 thanks very much indeed!

I dug our hole wiv me leetle digga. (2.3 tonne) Sure? There are plenty of boats that are made from concrete (sometimes called ferrocrete). If it's empty, waterproof, and there's enough water underneath it, it'll float. Promise. Big fat smelly promise.

Smells like an old doorway - that was bricked up rather than allow it to become one of @ProDave's suicide doors

We're made from the same mold, then. Bosch 18 Volt cordless, and newish Bosch blade. But I did nick a nail or two the other day .... arggghhh? Trouble is, that some cuts are perfectly clean

Just interested... its CLS for studding: except I cant see the sodding line....

Is this tear out? I ask because this only happens occasionally, not consistently. Sometimes with the same blade I can get a beautifully clean cut. The big notch at the bottom left came with the length of wood.

Let me get this right. Your roof build up is ' normal ' and in the top-most photograph in the back of the photo, we can see the ridge beam? And above the OSB there is a warm roof? I think I may have a similar build up. My instructions are to tightly pack the gap with Kingspan or something similar and to foam the micro gaps. Tightly isn't easy. So I went through foam at a rate of knots. Most of it on my trousers, I think... ?

We bought BioPure. Nearly managed to fit it last summer (water table at it's lowest) , dug the hole, popped the digester in it went off on holiday. Came back, and there it was bobbing around on the surface like a starboard marker buoy: I hadn't concreted it in place. Eejit. We'd gone to Scotland - a hot dry week. It'd rained like mad in Lancaster.

Gary... you've got rid of the urinal? Bit mean that innit? ?

@Sue B wrote a post in this thread telling us that she was due to attend an ICF pour. It strikes me that it might be useful for us to make a simple list of the things that guests watching the concrete pouring process might look out for. This list refers to pointers to help guests - not the plot and building owner - because that is dealt with elsewhere. (here ) Get explicit permission to be on the property. Ask for permission to take photos Wear Hi-Viz Wear wellies Keep out of the way Note the access for the boom (if used) and concrete supply lorry. Note the shuttering arrangements (if any) Think about where you are going to store your shuttering before the build. Watch what happens if there is a burst: use that as the starting point for your plan for a burst If this pour is one of a series, have a look to see how previous bursts were repaired Make a detailed plan and preparation for a burst on your site. (we had several and became really efficient at reinstatement) Look at the number of people involved in the pour Note the arrangements for pipe flushing Where is excess concrete poured to? Be aware of the noise level and the difficulty that causes for communication If you can, note the level the pour at start and finish Look at the site in general: notice how many trip hazards there are. Try and reduce that risk before your pour. Ask how the builder checks the concrete slump Check the price of the concrete and the boom (delivery system) Offer to make a brew for everyone There'll be loads more; when the list is complet(ish) I'll edit and pin it. Ian

So do we. I wish you every success - admire the fizz of your creativity. Try it small first. See what works, what breaks, what can be improved. I have very clear memories of my father supervising concrete shutter builds during the M5 and M6 construction (last century). He was one of the bridging engineers. The shuttering installations he helped design were massive. Working with the architect, he used to run small trials with different shuttering material. Mostly WBP or planking. I remember one trial with raw planks of rough cut timber. Even the trial installations were (relatively) massive. To keep me busy he made me help shovel concrete into the 'mould' . H+S would have a seizure if that were to happen now...