what jobs are we getting done due to lockdown - no necessarily bike related

Joined
Feb 7, 2008
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Nottinghamshire England
Hi all
lets look on the bright side what are we getting done that would otherwise be ' forever waiting ' ?



3 or 4 years ago I removed a fence panel between my neighbours house and mine as I wanted access down the side of my house.

I built him a gate , the one on the left ' he was chuffed as before he had to move the stuff behind the fence through the shed that had doors at both ends a real pain.

I put wood to one side to build my gate and it has cluttered the bike shed up every since.

So day one on the job a couple of hours built the 2" x 4" frame , next clad the front with 1" x 4" , then added some braces as I noticed his gate had dropped a little [ added to his as well ] and this afternoon got to hang mine.



So one job done , more room in the bike shed and feeling pleased to have done it.

Other projects will be added as they get finished.

Anyone else done the same ? added to this thread would be nice
 
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Joined
Oct 19, 2012
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Wakefield, UK
No lockdown here though I would be repairing my garage roof next week only I haven't bought the roof panels and I can't claim it as a vital journey to get them now even if the supplier was open.
 
Joined
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South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
Nothing substantial to report at all, just lots of minor jobs. I do need the timber to make a new side-gate with, but the builders yard is shut.
Small stuff I have attended to since lockdown.
  • Cleared the blocked utility room sink drain finally and for good today with the aid of a little Roto-Rooter gizmo (well worth the £10.99 I paid for it).
  • Lifted the jammed drain-cover in the garage and cleaned out all of the slots it is meant to sit in and set it back down now un-jammed and sitting evenly in its housing (it has been a 10 year wait for that one).
  • Fixed the AV amp remote where the volume-UP button was not responding, a 7 year wait for the fix.
  • Repaired a long redundant garden bird-feeder station for her with some spare tube and some welding last week. Birds have found it this week and are now feeding from it.
  • Mowed the grass for the first time this year. Moved some plants for her.
  • Swept up the tide of debris and grinder/flap-disk dust that is all over the workshop floor (shouldn't let the place get so filthy really.
  • Dusted off the tow-bar mounted bike rack I made last year and checked it is all OK still and not bent/broken (it is perfect).
  • Bought more steel for more bike frames. 🤪
 

Radical Brad

Garage Hacker!
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Kakabeka Falls, Ontario, Canada
My work is deemed essential, so I am still at my day job.
I am also working as part of a team developing an N95 mask sanitation system, in hopes that some agency will put in some funding.

Other than that, I do finally have new direction on AZ in general. it has been on life support since 2010 really.
As of last month, the self-sustainability projects have put some real life back into this old place, dwarfing all other DIY plans by a huge margin.
When I built the PortaPen and YardMule, I did them because I needed them, and would have never though they would be the hit singles.

This is really promising, as my DIY career has had to take a very far back seat over the last 10 years.
If this continues, I will be able to push out a lot of new self-sustainability DIY plans soon.

Working on a Modular Greenhouse DIY right now, and hope to have it online by the weekend.
So, if self-sustainability is what the world want, I am all game to deliver it!

Brad

 
Joined
Sep 12, 2012
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3,058
Location
Apple Valley, California, USA
You ask what are we doing to keep busy,
anything to keep from getting into a tizzy.

They say we're having a lockdown,
to stay home, and don't go to town.

There are times when it's just boring,
so I settle in and start my snoring.

I have three doors, they're squeaking,
and a long hose that's leaking.

There's the grass that's always growing,
so I best get to mowing.

The place is overrun with the tall weed,
I best get out there and pull that rabbit feed.

Yesterday I had a bit of gas,
which reminded me the car needed gas.

Each day I make my way to my shed,
I work on my project trying to get ahead.

Molly and Willow like to nuzzle,
while the wife works on her puzzle.

There's the gate that I should mend too,
an idea that I really should attend to.

I rise each morn, checking my emails,
and decide which is first to receive my tales.

I finish with thoughts for the next day,
then take my meds and hit the hay

As a new day appears and without missing a beat,
our routine is destined to be a total repeat.
 
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Joined
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Location
Nottinghamshire England
So always wanted a way of welding small items without using the clumsy 160amp clamp/cable that comes with my TIG welder.



So a piece of worktop about 24" x 18" I cut two slots one in the long and one in the short side for the clamp and then faced it with some 1.5mm steel



First time in my 65 year life I bought some WD40 !

Now despite everything written and believed I have not used it to clear acne or treat piles or anyone of the other About 7,830,000 results (0.56 seconds) that come back on Google when you type ' WD40 fixes '...

I have used it to keep this rust free , there's a novelty :D
 

Radical Brad

Garage Hacker!
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We are certainly a great krew here, that's for sure!
Must be one of the aspects of the creative DIY mind.... positive outlook!

Since 1998, I have only banned 3 people, which is just incredible, and in each case, they came here to push their beliefs on others.

Considering the 23,896 registered members, this speaks volumes to the quality of this community!!

Brad


It's certainly better and nicer than some of the hate and anger I see on other forums.
 
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Wakefield, UK
Since the updated guidance on home repairs during covid-19 I can now get my garage roof panels, so it will be off with the asbestos and on with the galvanized.:)
 
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Nottinghamshire England
That should last a good few years , well done.
 

Twinkle

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Apr 14, 2013
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Peacehaven nr Brighton, Sussex ,UK
We are having a good time , currently sorting all the previously " noted " outstanding jobs on the to do list.
The Danny WD2 Tadpole is now back on its 3 wheels and awaiting replacement seat clamps before its strip and paint . Luckily we had the paint before this lockdown started and have not run out of supplies. Last little joblet was the replacement of the 7s 11-28t freewheel with an 8s 11-32 which gives 26 - 80" inch gearing.

The garden gates and shed have been painted along with planting some vegetables and wild flowers. , weeding still needs doing but we still have 8 weeks of isolation left and hope to finish more jobs .

With only a total of half a dozen walkers or cars seen during a normal day we are lucky we can carry on a reasonable normal life while self isolating. With over a month of good weather and clear skies we are very lucky so far . Keep safe everyone.
 
Joined
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Nottinghamshire England
Glad you are well Emma and living the good life , lockdown is not necessarily boring but as well as the 2 do list there is a equal list of things that need doing that currently can't be done so frustrating ...

So next almost finished project is ...



a wheel truing stand , loosely based on the wooden one shown in Roger Musson's book Wheel building



The plate on the front is non standard and will allow a magnetic gauge for radial and lateral trueness [ still to be made ] and of course allow DannyC to fix his dial gauge if needs be.



I know DannyC uses a piece of angle iron in his vice and stands to do it in the open garage door....

I sort of see wheel building and truing as a winter/rainy day job where I want a chair and a cup of tea whilst not able to work outside ?

ps why does gloss white paint take forever to dry , even sat in the strong sun and breeze all it seems to be doing is collecting insects :mad:
 
Joined
May 31, 2013
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South Benfleet, Essex, England, UK
Oh dear.... herself has seen a "grand-design" type program with a clever upgrade to a conservatory that makes it look very appealing.
My neighbour has a planning application in that if passed will put a 2-storey wall flanking 60% of my conservatory's depth so the conversion is as good way to hide their extension out of our sight.
I am being asked to consider this as a project. The sweetener is that I am being offered some of her "garden-space" for a bigger/better shed to empty my workshop of "clutter" & general DIY stuff and make it into a proper little workshop. Quid pro quo as it were. ;)
 

Radical Brad

Garage Hacker!
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Joined
Mar 13, 1999
Messages
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Location
Kakabeka Falls, Ontario, Canada
Although I did start this job in a month ago, I did manage to get my new desk frame completed.
Here is my basement lab before the upgrade...

4892

And during...

4893

And After...

4894

I will do the arborite and custom front desk trim later. I needed to move back in for now...

4895

Home renos... never ending works in progress!

Brad
 
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