Onoff

What size//thickness slabs?

Try white vinegar and a plastic scourer?

Best tenant I ever had was a bankrupt builder, had CCJs against him etc. Genuine guy, down on his luck through circumstances. The huge cash advance he waived was a factor... ? Saying that, thereafter paid on the dot and did all repairs needed as his way of saying thanks for giving him a second chance.

I wish!

Now an offence btw...ask me how I know...

Would plastic trouser shims be no good for this? https://www.screwfix.com/p/broadfix-assorted-plastic-shims-medium-200-pcs/80408? Easy to cut, waterproof. You can glue them together with mitre bond to get them thicker. Thickest in that pack is 10mm btw. Thank God for long nose pliers eh?

If you say had a bit of spare glass you could drill two holes in it and have that as the back plate. Just thinking it'd show off the care and attention that went into cutting those tiles...back board...

Sleeveless muscle vest?

If I've a fair few bits to cut, I'll cut with thin slitting discs in a 110 or 230 grinder but de-burr the cut parts with a flap disc in a cordless grinder. I even de-burr off cuts ready for the next time "they'll come in handy".

Both jaws are nominally 610x120mm.

This helps:

Nope! ? Not burnt yet, just broken up. I reckon it's a WM 536: https://www.google.com/search?q=black+and+decker+536+workmate&client=ms-android-motorola&prmd=sivn&sxsrf=ALeKk00QWpAVWSzx1AtaRpp8py4dkU_Tuw:1618774975541&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiWp43bxojwAhXCQkEAHfPaBzgQ_AUoAnoECAIQAg&biw=360&bih=512#imgrc=hfddGmTdErKvgM

Possibly though though this suggests different width jaws for the 800: https://www.partshopdirect.co.uk/black-and-decker-wm800-type-1-workmate-spare-parts-s1359/ The one I have here had both jaws the same width before I took them off to burn.

Does anyone have an idea what model Workmate this might be? Mid 80s to early 90s I think. Original colour blue. It's not the aluminium framed one. Thanks.

I you leave a bag of lime long enough it reverts to a sort of limestone i.e hard. Interesting reading here: https://www.buildingconservation.com/articles/cement/cement.htm I'm still waiting to grow a pair and do the flint infills in my brick pillars.

I've dabbled with sand blasting. WHEN it worked this Parkside gun was alright. Random video on it: It kept jamming and before I knew where I was I got the hump and tried to "fix" it. No good now! ? I tried making a sand blasting gun too...FAILED! I've then bought an eBay gun that sucks up the blasting sand from a barrel (btw, any sand, grit, crushed glass, soda crystals, walnut shells etc used for blasting is called "media" or "blasting media"). That too started off great then clogged. My problem was moisture in my air supply or sand or both I think. Don't btw use builder's sand, play pit or block paving sand etc. You risk developing silicosis! ? Only use proper blasting media. I bought 50kg from a commercial blaster's I've used for work and private, paid for jobs. Even then, wear a mask!

Sandblasting is quite controllable over a small area tbh. Like this? https://www.screwfix.com/p/crimped-wire-cup-brush-50mm/843jg Goggles and gloves, goggles and gloves!

He can't solder!

Cup brush in a 115mm angle grinder would get that paint off I reckon. Googles, mask, gloves a must and a handle on the angle grinder. One stone at a time. Could look superb. You never know, you might meet a 21 year old nympho into oddballs who owns her own sandblasting company! ?

'Kin lucky you can't solder and hadn't done it all in copper. Job for the pros that... ?

How strong...pretty damn strong! For example:

I seem to recall @Jeremy Harris was an advocate of copper sulphate solution, certainly for keeping moss down. I actually got a load but didn't use as I was worried about the effect on "aquatic" life. Newts, slow worms, lizards etc here.

We've some ABS filament here which would do I reckon. We need to crack printing in it anyway!

Could I 3D print something?

Is there any merit in standard cheapo cat flaps with a slightly too tight, tinfoil tunnel. The cat has to squeeze its way through. You could recover the heat as it struggles through, to offset the losses...