Onoff

I've hived these Plumbing 101 questions off from my main thread as they might help others! So I'm taping these 1/2" BSP male fittings to go into my shower valve. The tape is wider than the male fitting is long. If I wind my 20 turns on it so as not to get any overhanging the end it encroaches on the hex bit that I need to get a spanner on to do it up: Then, what constitutes a "smear" of gloop? This much? On the tape? Doing it up and as it's so thick the flange doesn't sit down against the valve: The alternative being I guess to wind the tape on abutting the flange like this? But then it hangs over the end: Basic stuff I'm sure ( @Nickfromwales ) but which way is right, if any of them? Cheers

I must give Glasses Direct a go. If the current pair of specs break it's contact lenses until I get new ones. This pair were £300 'ish I think. Covered in weld spatter, grinding sparks and general building marks. Need to take them off to use the phone / read a paper / tape measure etc. On the plus side my vision is "improving" as I transition from short to longer sight with age.

"20 turns" he said. Had a practice, and he was right...as usual. In fact I reckon I could have got 3-5 more on. As the threads disappeared under tape I thought no way is that screwing in, but it did.

Build Swap...where two disheartened self builders swap caravans for the weekend and see they're not the only ones in that boat!

Question: Does self building age you? As in that look Blair, Obama etc develop after a few years in office. As in compare the before and after photo. Are you greyer? Do you look haunted? We all know it can make you put on weight... Of course if it went trouble free and you came out revitalised and in pocket I guess it could rejuvenate you...

I was going suggest exercise... I had this idea that going for a run would give me "me" time, alone to get my thoughts in order and I'd come back refreshed and raring to go! Total bollox, I was doing well if I could make the salt box at the end of the drive! Waiting for those feel good endorphins to kick in, still waiting... Never forget Leonard Rossiter died playing squash! I find a working beer helps...

Tidying up at the end of the day is good. I try and clear exactly where I've been working, all the measuring / marking stuff goes back in its dedicated bag. Boxes of screws put together, spirit levels stacked etc. A sweep up and quick vac. Much nicer to know you're going back to a clean workspace.

June being her best mate, sister?

Can't Debbie offer a rewards scheme?

Sketched out a bit of a plan of what I've got / propose: The upstairs ensuite grey soil runs diagonally across the eaves. A pita for access, storage etc. All push fit so I thought redo with a 90deg bend. Keeps everything parallel / square. Was even thinking to make it a branch, capped for now so I can add into it if I ever put wcs off the kid's rooms (though that would ideally mean converting the roof eaves to gable ends). I know I could put the basin & shower wastes into the soil there but I'd rather avoid that as it all runs into a cess pit prone to backing up. Planning to take the ensuite basin & shower waste vertically up the page then horizontally left and down the wall to tie up with the 2" bath waste from the new bathroom. Getting hot and cold feed to the new shower valve might be fun. Hoping to pass those pipes under the squared off soil run and tap off where the upstairs ensuite shower is fed from.

We've a cherry tree, probably 300mm dia. A beautiful tree tbh but planted too close to the house. It's roots are lifting the patio even. It's days are numbered though it provides great shade and when in fruit a buffet for the birds. Maybe then this is it's last year. The pressing thing is to prune some overhanging branches that I'm sure the squirrels are using it to get onto (and into?) our roof. I've read somewhere pruning cherry trees at the wrong time can introduce a disease of some type but not sure if that's only a particular type of cherry? Tbh I'm happy to take the chance and neatly trim some branches. Is there anything I can paint on the cut ends of the branches?

SWMBO said she would like something "bigger and wider, in black" in the kitchen. She says she means a fridge but really she means Dwayne Johnson...

Ta. So 20 turns and goop on top of the PTFE? That's the 1/2" male into the valve. On the 15mm compression just a smear of goop around the seat in the brass before the olive sits or seat the olive first then goop after round the outside of that? I must admit getting a dab of Jet Blue Plus on any compression thread seems to make them nut up much smoother and prevent any weeps. No squealing of brass on brass either! (It was you gave me that tip when I did my MDPE to brass stop cock on the water main though I think you favour another product). (Me, pedantic? )

88mph?

A227, just one. Come from the roundabout at the A20, go past Wrotham school on the left and camera is a bit further along on the left.

Only twice? The ones in Borough Green and Sutton at Home are more often (burnt) black than yellow! Think the Death Hill one has been done more than once!

Though it might not look like it I got more done than I thought I would in between washing cars and a beer! Fully nogged to take the Aqua Panels at 900mm high: Added timber full length next to the window to take a screen if we find it needs one. Glued, screwed and foamed in the board for the valve: The shallow pocket is bugging me though. Dimns in red are from the original wall to face of new timber studwork. Can't decide whether to scabble off some of the block where it's 90/92mm to the right of the laser line to get it down to about 120mm minimum? You can just see in the photo above how the breeze block projects into the space. It wouldn't take long with the SDS chisel would it? Maybe I'll start the PIR tomorrow...

For instance, I want to build some gate posts to match the garage. Not a clue what bricks they used. Tried taking a photo but...

Got 'em off a plumber I know. It's his thing when the clients go out..

Tbh I was looking at the top looking scoff and the BEER!

Thought I'd best get one in before she starts making a noise cutting the small lawn...

Ta. I presume the fittings don't wind all the way in quite because of the tape?

This is weird...the second steel wheel. The electrolysis has removed huge amounts of rust but the resultant surface is really rough, black and almost oily, stains yours hands like nothing else. I don't remember having the same amount of this stuff on the first wheel. It reminds me of when Jenolite converts iron oxide (red) to iron sulphide (black) but that I'm sure is like a hard substance. Thinking the only way to remove this black stuff is sand blasting of which I was hoping to keep to a minimum. Maybe it just needs to be left in the tank for longer?

@Nickfromwales, how many turns of PTFE shoul I apply to these 1/2" fittings into the valve? Cheers, I assume also it's OK to leave the 15mm copper overlength sticking up in the loft and solder my elbows on later? Or will I risk crap dropping down into the valve? But before all that I've a corner to insulate/foam up as well as making sure there's noggins in the right place to pick up the Aqua Panels. What a lovely day for cutting PIR on the patio!

Looks a nice shell to be getting on with that. Weird ref gables. It's mix down here, some places have gables viewed head on from the road. I understand it was a planning condition of our garage (we didn't build it) to have a hip facing the road. All that wasted space! Our ridge is parallel to the road and we have hips. I'd love to change to gables.