Onoff

So far I've just sat the 4 (softwood) legs in little tins of genuine creosote. Not sure how far they'll draw it up. The whole frame is nom 46x46 timber. Plan is to clad in pallet wood both sides with 40mm Celotex in between. I just want a preserver that won't off gas and poison the cats.

What are folks thought's on this preservative stuff, safe & effective still or snake oil? I want it for a cat "kennel": https://www.gardening-naturally.com/eco-wood-treatment

Why have they left it unfinished? What was the original plan to fill the hole?

I asked ChatGPT the likelihood of a borehole hitting water giving it my address and postcode. Reckoned 70-80%.

Bloke from the water board came out when I had a leak. East European lad. Whipped out some divining rods but said the water board frowned upon them so I'd best not mention it. He located the leak within 10' over about 50m. Said he couldn't be 100% as there was a concrete path alongside the house. The leak was under the path. The path had been reinforced with old chain link fencing. Guess that masked his divining a bit.

That's me and I'm constantly stressed and on edge.....except when I'm drunk.

I'm building a gothic inspired, TF tree house for our cats...from lumber mill offcuts, free timber yard packing and pallets... I'll get me coat...

Any stainless brackets I used to have made, I'd ask for them to be "pickled". An acid was applied to remove discolouration and any scale from the welding pieces. Back in the day the part was dumped on the ground and nitric or hydrofluoric acid poured over it. Soaked up by the dusty yard and neutralised when it rained. Happy days!

Gumtree, FB Marketplace etc.

Tanking, tanking and more tanking. Geberit wall drain in my case. It just "works":

I just need some women's tights for support now.

At last! Soon @Pocster, soon.

Easy to upset it too:

Let it get soaked then try.

Just tried this myself asking it for a supporting document ref bringing our dormers forward and changing from hip to gable ends. Needs some tweaks but really impressed.

I used the blue ones and looked like a Smurf afterwards.

Bfo ratchet strap(s).

The screws will come with one of the correct driving bits.

You can make your own: https://www.canada.ca/en/conservation-institute/services/conservation-preservation-publications/canadian-conservation-institute-notes/tannic-acid-rusted-iron-artifacts.html

I'd paint it with phosphoric acid. 24 & 48% solutions readily available as descaler. https://www.redlabelabrasives.com/blogs/news/mill-scale-what-it-is-how-to-remove-it#:~:text=Phosphoric Acid Treatments%3A Unlike the,provides some resistance to rust.

NanoCAD 5.0 has a free version that's pretty good.

First thing check your LA's site. Then find one of his mates who'll know what the crack is locally. Preferably a practising, scheme member sparks. Some are happy for you to do all the hard graft, chasing cables and back boxes in then they'll make the final connections. Some will just come in chasing the £ and give you a cert with only a cursory inspection.

This is why SDC employed external scheme members to act as council inspectors for electrical work. They didn't have the in house expertise. There were major ructions when Part P came in. Officious inspectors, used to measuring footings with a yard stick inspecting electrical work. Folk having a small extension and the inspector insisting the extension along with all the house sockets and switches be put at the new heights & that it was "the law".

What some (most?) sparks baulk at with "signing off" other people's work is they generally won't have a clue as to your FiL's competency. Has he run the cables you can't see properly, are they of the right current carrying capacity throughout, has he tested properly or even fudged the written results. Are his terminations done properly etc. It's to do with 3rd party liability. They can do an EICR but an Electrical Installation Certificate can be a different matter. However as money talks I guarantee you'll find somebody who'll sign it off. I'd be surprised if he hasn't got a mate still in the trade who knows his work and is a scheme member. Some people take that route 😉

I had two 3Ah clones (Floureon make?) back when clone batteries were first a thing and they were spot on. Lasted for years. One still going I think. Bought two 5Ah clones from elsewhere and they died inside a month with no comeback on the waste of space eBay seller. Genuine all the way now. I print Lidl to Makita battery adapters and vice versa.