Onoff

I'm not a scheme member and tbh only dabble. I know absolutely jack about solar either. Would @Binky know of someone this neck of the woods?

Such a shame this, I was due to come over to the IoW last week and could have brought my lengths of Unistrut and £29.99 laser level! 😂 (Was coming over seriously but cancelled due to father's ill health then my lot got Covid the week we'd have been there).

My slab was that flat with my diy screed rails it didn't need SLC. Most people other than some on here wouldn't take the time to do what I did. I'd hazard the majority of bought in contractors certainly wouldn't.

I could lose that on my plot no problem.

Right, stainless tubes cut. I'd cut slightly over length with the intent of turning them dead square on the BiLs lathe. Then realised we're a Covid household at the mo so probably not very sensible to go over to his place. Thus I've cut them on the bandsaw, dressed the ends with a flap disc and gotten rid of the internal burr as best as with a countersunk bit. They are square enough for whet you're doing. Length is 48/49mm. Shown on an M12 stud: Then I've sorted 20 flat round washers, 10 spring washers and 10 full nuts. All stainless but a mix of A2 and A4 grade. I'll try and remember to give you a small tub of anti seize paste. Messy stuff you smear on the stainless stud itself or inside the nut, that stops it locking up. Stainless, especially low grade A2 is notorious for it (locking up) if using nyloc nuts. No nylocs here, instead use a full nut and spring washer. Shown here on a genuine, M12, resin anchor stud. Has the hex drive one end and chisel point the other. For what you're doing just use stainless studding, cut to length. Anti seize paste is belt and braces. I'd have carried on and cut the square washers but it was making SWMBO's post Covid headache worse. I'll try and cut the square washers tomorrow.

Less inter seasonal but more out of hours but there were some projects over in the now defunct US solar forum (can't remember the name but a "Gary" ran it). A few people were using bfo, homemade ST panels to heat large, insulated volumes of sand or I think gravel under their house or in their basement. They then released this overnight i.e when the Sun wasn't shining.

Mine do, well on here anyway.

Haven't forgotten about this. The tubes should be quick to cut, might do them in a mo after a coffee. The square stainless, plate washers, a bit longer. The sooner I start I suppose! Standard M12 washers, just a case of digging them out. So spacers at 45mm for definite?

Wtf? You sketch it we'll CAD it / print it. I'm a 🐒 see 🐒 do kinda guy.

The garage door, a reclaimed aluminium front door has always been a pita. Traversing the threshold with things like mobility scooters, always a mission resulting in it being bent over the years. I'm wondering can I do away with the wooden sill and just drop the ali frame down onto the black DPC? Ideally I'd like a level threshold. Not quite sure what the clear plastic is, the DPM maybe? View from inside: Then from outside: Header detail:

Let's be honest, they're usually epic and worth the wait!

When, on a 3 1/2" mile country lane the w**nkers just look over their shoulder at you and pedal harder, passing multiple lay-bys, then I wish all and every bad thing upon them. Why shouldn't I, on my way to the hospital when my Dad suffered heart failure not be able to toot them up as an emergency? C**nts should pay road tax too. They add to pollution by making car drivers go slower.

Maybe even A4 at that!

I just can't catch a break! I got a good deal on an expansion tank, pump and solar thermal controls on Gumtree. Chap collected for me and was holding onto it until a mate down here visits rellies near Edinburgh. He's just messaged to say given the cost of fuel he's now going to bus/ train it up rather than drive.

Made a jig, fired the router up and let in some totally unnecessary, Chinesium stainless, pull plates, just for effect. I've a price for a couple of laser cut stainless surrounds to bling them up a bit but they're a bit spendy for me at the mo so will have to wait. Rough draft, I'll draw as a DXF if I go for them.

Stoned?

@nodjust wondering if you've ever come across this stuff? I had a strip of render to do in the garage and have run out of my favourite admix. I can't remember whether this stuff came with the house here or I picked it up on site. Anyway, me being me and liking to experiment I thought I'd use it. It was still liquid so... 3:1:1 builders, opc, lime wetted with this stuff 1:1. Oh sweet Jesus the smell! Like the worst pi$$ ever, meets drains meets...I don't know what. The resultant mix isn't nice to put on tbh and has a very short working time. Will I learn...probably not!

You mean you don't have Korean bamboo salt, especially imported?

I'll send you a selection. I'm doing all sorts of cutty, grindy things today so may get them done.

As I said earlier.

Yes, they are weak points in terms of potential water ingress, that's a given. Earlier in the thread I mentioned CT1 around the spacer I think and if going for big washer at the back, like being discussed now, suggested Sika EBT (as a high quality, gap filling, flexible sealer that will last).

Washers I have to hand are M16 and M20. ID/OD is 17/30mm and 21/37mm respectively. Forgot to measure the thickness but would guess 1.5. - 2mm

Of late I've only ever used the Fischer resin in tubes, FIS V 360 S I think it is. I last used glass capsules in the mid 80's from memory. "Special" chisel pointed studs with a turned down end that accepted a hex bit...again from memory!

The thoughts up to now weren't to have a washer here, just tube bearing against block. It's a fair comment though. Imho I don't think it will be an issue. If you are worried you could buy, quite cheaply, half a dozen large dia stainless washers. You will of course need a correspondingly larger hole. This could be made with a sacrificial flat wood bit. There would then be a gap around the spacer you would need to fill of course. Something like Sika EBT I would for piece of mind. I'll have another look for large OD round, stainless washers. I could tack them onto the spacer tubes...reminds me I asked laddo to buy more 316 stainless rods, I wonder if he ordered them as he's suffering quite badly from the Covid?

Microwaved croissants. They hold scalding steam for ages. Scars to prove it.