Tuesday 29th of November 2016
The hardcore was due for delivery this morning but I didn't know when - so we started other jobs.
Jackie had asked me to take out the big gas cooker in the kitchen so that we could clean it and the recess that it fits in.
I also had a job - testing Zoie's gas cooker from Nether edge - the tenants said it would not get hot enough - so I bought a new one which they say works better.
Zoie's cooker has flame failure fitted - better for Jonathan than the one he has at the moment.
Once checked - I plan to swap it.
I pulled out the cooker - we cleaned the recess - Jackie emulsioned the wall to freshen it up - lovely.
Then it all went a bit pear shaped !
Zoie's cooker was in the summer house - I used the heavy sack barrow to move it into the kitchen but on the way up the path I didn't realise that the mains cable had grabbed the new path edge lights and broke two of them - plus it ripped the connection to the back of the cooker !!
The connection box was really fiddly to work with so it took a while to sort the connections.
I installed the cooker - all cleaned up - repaired the lights with epoxy glue.
All set for testing !!
Toad in the hole for tea - that should test it !!
The truck turned up at lunch time - a different driver - he said - I have brought you a good 10 tonnes !!
ARGHHHH !! - I said that I didn't want more than I ordered - half a load - 9 tonnes ?
The truck appeared to be 3/4 full !! - he said that they had no way of measuring the weight - just guess work - so they guessed heavy.
Then he started to grab it off it looked like soil !!! - but when I checked it - it was full of crushed stone / brick.
In no time at all - I had an enormous pile on the drive that looked just like the pile that they took away !!!
A sit down with a pint of tea to reflect for a bit - then up and at em !
By 4pm ( getting dark ) - I had moved about 15 barrow loads - the hardcore should be OK - it is full of stone - I felt a lot better about it.
I have moved a corner of the pile and not filled the base area very much at all - so - I will wait and see how much I have left over - then puzzle how to get rid of it - Scott might use it at the lake - I could gradually move it with the trailer I suppose.
The wacker plate compactor arrives tomorrow for a week so I will see how much it packs down.
Toad in the hole was a good test - the Yorkshire Pudding didn't cook as it should - even with the cooker on number 9 - Houston - WE HAVE A PROBLEM !!
Mike.
Wednesday, 30 November 2016
Monday, 28 November 2016
Orders Placed
Monday 28th of November 2016
Fiona and family left, for Cornwall, at 10am today after a big get together at the carvery for breakfast.
They will be back at Christmas.
We walked Penny in Bluebell woods - fantastic - leaves slowly falling all around - no wind - bright sunshine - lots of colour - amazing !!
Maddie was with us - putting wild bird food down at every possible spot !!
Back home - I set about removing one of the misted up double glazed units in the conservatory - there are three.
In no time - the beads were popped out and I could measure the clearance to the frame - 6mm.
I found Abbey Glass in Derby that actually make the units themselves - got a reasonable quote - £210 for the three ( toughened glass ! ) - I double checked the sizes - ready on Thursday - Great.
I will swap the units myself and I have earmarked two of the misty ones for the new workshop - one big window on the front - facing the house - the two units - one in front of the other with a three inch air gap between - great sound proofing - plus recycling !
Then I ordered the hardcore - half a load - ( 9 tonnes I hope - I don't want more than that ) - in bulk - tipped on the drive - tomorrow !!! - from the grab truck company - recycled concrete / brick - 40mm to dust.
Not a bad price - £210 cash.
Next - I called Hire Station - for a wacker plate hire- A Derby number but sounded like a call centre - they quoted prices much higher than the website but I got cut off.
I called the same number again and got straight through to the hire desk - they had no knowledge of my first call and quoted much lower prices than the website - WHAT'S GOING ON !!!
They will deliver on Wednesday - great.
I'm all set - settled weather - material and tools - just got to get some fuel ready.
We walked Penny again in Mark Eaton Park - bright sunshine still - the other side of Derby city centre - my first visit - a very big park - well maintained - well funded by the look of it - lots to do for children.
They have craft workshops with two woodworking companies and a company up cycling things - brilliant !!!
Back at home - nice to have the house to ourselves again.
Big day, moving hardcore tomorrow !!
Mike.
Fiona and family left, for Cornwall, at 10am today after a big get together at the carvery for breakfast.
They will be back at Christmas.
We walked Penny in Bluebell woods - fantastic - leaves slowly falling all around - no wind - bright sunshine - lots of colour - amazing !!
Maddie was with us - putting wild bird food down at every possible spot !!
Back home - I set about removing one of the misted up double glazed units in the conservatory - there are three.
In no time - the beads were popped out and I could measure the clearance to the frame - 6mm.
I found Abbey Glass in Derby that actually make the units themselves - got a reasonable quote - £210 for the three ( toughened glass ! ) - I double checked the sizes - ready on Thursday - Great.
I will swap the units myself and I have earmarked two of the misty ones for the new workshop - one big window on the front - facing the house - the two units - one in front of the other with a three inch air gap between - great sound proofing - plus recycling !
Then I ordered the hardcore - half a load - ( 9 tonnes I hope - I don't want more than that ) - in bulk - tipped on the drive - tomorrow !!! - from the grab truck company - recycled concrete / brick - 40mm to dust.
Not a bad price - £210 cash.
Next - I called Hire Station - for a wacker plate hire- A Derby number but sounded like a call centre - they quoted prices much higher than the website but I got cut off.
I called the same number again and got straight through to the hire desk - they had no knowledge of my first call and quoted much lower prices than the website - WHAT'S GOING ON !!!
They will deliver on Wednesday - great.
I'm all set - settled weather - material and tools - just got to get some fuel ready.
We walked Penny again in Mark Eaton Park - bright sunshine still - the other side of Derby city centre - my first visit - a very big park - well maintained - well funded by the look of it - lots to do for children.
They have craft workshops with two woodworking companies and a company up cycling things - brilliant !!!
Back at home - nice to have the house to ourselves again.
Big day, moving hardcore tomorrow !!
Mike.
Sunday, 27 November 2016
Another Day Off
Sunday 27th of November 2016
No progress on site today - Time spent with our visitors from Cornwall - Fiona and family - Plus more work on engine parts.
All useable small parts are now stored in a big steel box - the cylinder head has now been stripped - looks a bit grim - lots of pitting - it must have been seriously overheated for a long time to get that bad !
I will get an estimate for testing and refurbishing.
The starter motor and alternator are in my car - ready to go to MAES in Rotherham for servicing.
The workshop bench is now free of engine bits - washed down with acetone - amazing how it clears the oil stains - I wish it could clean my hands - lol.
Just wondering if I should strip out the camshaft from the dead engine before it goes - the one on Blazer has some wear evident, according to the mechanic that checked it, - a biggish job ???
Next engine job is to clean and repaint the spare gearbox - it appears to be in great condition - I already have a spare - One recently sold for £395 on ebay - not overhauled !!!
That would be nice - there are currently none for sale - must get cracking.
Monday - must order hardcore and wacker plate - the weather looks dry for a few days - great !!
Mike.
No progress on site today - Time spent with our visitors from Cornwall - Fiona and family - Plus more work on engine parts.
All useable small parts are now stored in a big steel box - the cylinder head has now been stripped - looks a bit grim - lots of pitting - it must have been seriously overheated for a long time to get that bad !
I will get an estimate for testing and refurbishing.
The starter motor and alternator are in my car - ready to go to MAES in Rotherham for servicing.
The workshop bench is now free of engine bits - washed down with acetone - amazing how it clears the oil stains - I wish it could clean my hands - lol.
Just wondering if I should strip out the camshaft from the dead engine before it goes - the one on Blazer has some wear evident, according to the mechanic that checked it, - a biggish job ???
Next engine job is to clean and repaint the spare gearbox - it appears to be in great condition - I already have a spare - One recently sold for £395 on ebay - not overhauled !!!
That would be nice - there are currently none for sale - must get cracking.
Monday - must order hardcore and wacker plate - the weather looks dry for a few days - great !!
Mike.
Busy Week
Saturday 26th of November 2016
A busy week but little progress with the workshop !
Jobs completed this week -
A day spent in the office at home sorting all sorts and listing 10 items on Ebay.
A visit to IKEA, Nottingham, for a small chest of drawers for Nether Edge.
Trip to Sheffield to turn 5 big post for Bramhalls.
Stripped parts from the spares engine in the trailer and cleaned them up.
Another trip to Sheffield to repaint the bathroom ceiling at Nether Edge and cut 40 steel bars at the unit.
The site was gradually drying out nicely - so on Saturday I laid out the corner pins for the base.
Nice and square - a good access space at the fence side for painting - a generous space at the rear for storage and a good six feet between the workshop and summerhouse - perfect.
String lines all round show the valley that has to be filled with hardcore and compacted.
It is hard calculate the volume needed so a rough guess at eight tons ?
The grab truck can deliver it in bulk - a reclaimed, crushed brick / concrete 50mm to dust called reclaimed no. 1. - more barrowing !!!
It's a shame that I can't use the pile of slate chips that we raked up at the start but I'm sure that it won't compact down like hardcore - we will use it for top dressing at the end.
Better guess how much hardcore I need on the low side - I don't want any left over !!
It should be easier to shovel and rake into place than the muck - we will see !!!
I have found the best value wacker plate hire in Derby at £50 per week - not bad.
The rest of the heavy steel bars ( 24 inches long ) are to support the shuttering for the base once the site has been leveled.
Again - I have found a good value supplier in Ilkeston for plywood and external cladding - I will go and collect next week.
Today - I finished stripping the spares engine and draining the sump ready to take it to the scrap yard on Monday - messy job - then I washed all the oily parts in paraffin ready for repainting and storage - my hands will never be clean again !!
At least I will get my trailer back in service when the scrap has gone.
Mike.
A busy week but little progress with the workshop !
Jobs completed this week -
A day spent in the office at home sorting all sorts and listing 10 items on Ebay.
A visit to IKEA, Nottingham, for a small chest of drawers for Nether Edge.
Trip to Sheffield to turn 5 big post for Bramhalls.
Stripped parts from the spares engine in the trailer and cleaned them up.
Another trip to Sheffield to repaint the bathroom ceiling at Nether Edge and cut 40 steel bars at the unit.
The site was gradually drying out nicely - so on Saturday I laid out the corner pins for the base.
Nice and square - a good access space at the fence side for painting - a generous space at the rear for storage and a good six feet between the workshop and summerhouse - perfect.
String lines all round show the valley that has to be filled with hardcore and compacted.
It is hard calculate the volume needed so a rough guess at eight tons ?
The grab truck can deliver it in bulk - a reclaimed, crushed brick / concrete 50mm to dust called reclaimed no. 1. - more barrowing !!!
It's a shame that I can't use the pile of slate chips that we raked up at the start but I'm sure that it won't compact down like hardcore - we will use it for top dressing at the end.
Better guess how much hardcore I need on the low side - I don't want any left over !!
It should be easier to shovel and rake into place than the muck - we will see !!!
I have found the best value wacker plate hire in Derby at £50 per week - not bad.
The rest of the heavy steel bars ( 24 inches long ) are to support the shuttering for the base once the site has been leveled.
Again - I have found a good value supplier in Ilkeston for plywood and external cladding - I will go and collect next week.
Today - I finished stripping the spares engine and draining the sump ready to take it to the scrap yard on Monday - messy job - then I washed all the oily parts in paraffin ready for repainting and storage - my hands will never be clean again !!
At least I will get my trailer back in service when the scrap has gone.
Mike.
Monday, 21 November 2016
Lazy Weekend
Saturday 19th and Sunday 20th of November 2016
No progress this weekend on the workshop site - attending to little jobs that were mounting up -
Two trips to the tip with the roots and grass sods that the grab truck wouldn't take ! - messy.
Vac and wash the inside of my poor little car - now back to normal.
A long walk with Penny along the canal at Shardlow - very nice - sunny.
A big sort out in both of my tool sheds / workshops - I can get in them now - just.
Strip spare parts from the dead Bukh boat engine that I bought cheaply on ebay and is now occupying the trailer - lots of spares for Blazer - one small part was worth the effort and expense - the engine block and flywheel will go for scrap locally when I have finished stripping it.
Install path lights in the garden ready for Christmas.
The weather does not look good for Monday ( rain ) and I am working in Sheffield Tuesday - Woodturning !!
Plus I have maintenance work to do at my house in Sheffield - so the next post will be towards the end of the week.
Mike.
No progress this weekend on the workshop site - attending to little jobs that were mounting up -
Two trips to the tip with the roots and grass sods that the grab truck wouldn't take ! - messy.
Vac and wash the inside of my poor little car - now back to normal.
A long walk with Penny along the canal at Shardlow - very nice - sunny.
A big sort out in both of my tool sheds / workshops - I can get in them now - just.
Strip spare parts from the dead Bukh boat engine that I bought cheaply on ebay and is now occupying the trailer - lots of spares for Blazer - one small part was worth the effort and expense - the engine block and flywheel will go for scrap locally when I have finished stripping it.
Install path lights in the garden ready for Christmas.
The weather does not look good for Monday ( rain ) and I am working in Sheffield Tuesday - Woodturning !!
Plus I have maintenance work to do at my house in Sheffield - so the next post will be towards the end of the week.
Mike.
Friday, 18 November 2016
Tidy Up Day
Friday 18th of November 2016
A lovely dry - sunny day today - time to sort things out.
As I said before, the site is wet and sludgy and our dog Penny loves to sniff out trails and she couldn't care less about getting muddy and then going straight indoors onto the white settee !!!
The Plan - To erect a simple light weight fence, the full length of the site with a wide, hook on, gate for wheel barrow access.
So I dug out some long lengths of reclaimed timber - plus some new - for the hand rail @ about 45 mm x 32mm.
I cut 6 uprights from 63 x 38 CLS timber and drove them into the ground along the path edge as uprights.
Nailed on the handrails - leaving a four foot gap for access.
Jackie helped me to staple on the barrier mesh - a roll of orange safety barrier we bought for £10 years ago - for keeping chickens off freshly sown grass seed and similar jobs.
It is very flimsy - but the wind goes straight through it without putting pressure on the fence.
I cut thin strips of 20mm wide pine and stapled it on to trap the thin mesh along all edges - it worked really well !
I dug out a wire mesh and timber door that I made for the potting shed to make it into an isolation cage for sick chickens - I fashioned two flat metal hooks from thin angle brackets - then hooked it on - great !
The gate is not as high as the handrails - I will extend it for neatness.
Jackie is pleased - Penny is not pleased - she can not get to sniff out the trails from any night creatures we get ( there is a fox sett in the field behind our house ) !!!
Hopefully - no sludge in the house or on furniture now - I hope !!
To help a bit more - I relocated the boot scraper to a position near the gate.
The rest of the day we spent on domestic stuff and walking Penny in Bluebell woods - she loves it.
Mike.
A lovely dry - sunny day today - time to sort things out.
As I said before, the site is wet and sludgy and our dog Penny loves to sniff out trails and she couldn't care less about getting muddy and then going straight indoors onto the white settee !!!
The Plan - To erect a simple light weight fence, the full length of the site with a wide, hook on, gate for wheel barrow access.
So I dug out some long lengths of reclaimed timber - plus some new - for the hand rail @ about 45 mm x 32mm.
I cut 6 uprights from 63 x 38 CLS timber and drove them into the ground along the path edge as uprights.
Nailed on the handrails - leaving a four foot gap for access.
Jackie helped me to staple on the barrier mesh - a roll of orange safety barrier we bought for £10 years ago - for keeping chickens off freshly sown grass seed and similar jobs.
It is very flimsy - but the wind goes straight through it without putting pressure on the fence.
I cut thin strips of 20mm wide pine and stapled it on to trap the thin mesh along all edges - it worked really well !
I dug out a wire mesh and timber door that I made for the potting shed to make it into an isolation cage for sick chickens - I fashioned two flat metal hooks from thin angle brackets - then hooked it on - great !
The gate is not as high as the handrails - I will extend it for neatness.
Jackie is pleased - Penny is not pleased - she can not get to sniff out the trails from any night creatures we get ( there is a fox sett in the field behind our house ) !!!
Hopefully - no sludge in the house or on furniture now - I hope !!
To help a bit more - I relocated the boot scraper to a position near the gate.
The rest of the day we spent on domestic stuff and walking Penny in Bluebell woods - she loves it.
Mike.
Thursday, 17 November 2016
End Of Phase One !!
Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th of November 2016
What was forecast as a dry day turned out to be showery !!
I got set up early to finish the last 15 or so barrow loads when Scott turned up and we polished them off in no time !!
The site clear at last
Scott with the last barrow load !!
We checked a few high spots with the dumpy level trimmed off a couple of inches - ALL DONE !!
Ready for the grab truck - or so I thought !!
A phone call to a local grab truck company - Yes we can take away your pile of muck - are you sure that there is no wood or plastic in it - NONE.
That's good.
Are you sure that there is no grass or plant roots in it - ITS FULL OF IT !!
The tip will not take it as landfill - sorry.
OK - I will just have to pick it all out then, before your truck arrives !!!
That's OK then - he will be there first thing tomorrow - £180 per load - cash.
What a bombshell - my fault - I should have called them before we started moving the stuff - WOW.
So I spent the afternoon raking and picking out grass sods and root balls galore until the neat pile was scattered all over the drive.
My plan was to make the pile appear to be free of grass and roots and to convince the grab truck driver it was OK to take it. To clear the whole pile in a few hours was impossible.
I did manage to pull out a size able pile of roots and sods before dark.
Thursday
The truck turned up a bit later than they said - No Problem.
The driver took one look at the pile and said - I can get rid of it for you - It Worked !!!!
The first bite !
He was very skillful with the grab and soon gobbled up the pile in one load.
The website said that the truck was 15 tonnes capacity but what turned up was 18 tonnes capacity.
I was expecting to have two loads but the driver said - I'll get it all on this load - possibly a bit overweight.
Clearing up the bits.
Nearly gone !
All gone in 20 minutes - One load - only two bucket fulls to clean up plus a scrape up with the shovel, a brush with the stiff yard brush before the rain at 11 am !!
I did beat the rain - clearing up the dry muck just in time - then waterproof gear on - long hose right through the house ! - cleaning up all residue.
It took all the rest of the day to get cleaned up - all the roots bagged up and loaded into my poor little car - the retaining boards dismantled - drain gully emptied everything put away like it never happened.
All there is to show on the drive are the scratches on the concrete from the grab - no bother.
End of phase one - the excavation - next - set out the base - calculate the quantity of crushed brick required for the sub base - have that delivered in bulk - then barrow that round - level it out - rent a Wacker compactor plate and when that's done - build the base former.
All for now - Mike.
What was forecast as a dry day turned out to be showery !!
I got set up early to finish the last 15 or so barrow loads when Scott turned up and we polished them off in no time !!
We checked a few high spots with the dumpy level trimmed off a couple of inches - ALL DONE !!
Ready for the grab truck - or so I thought !!
A phone call to a local grab truck company - Yes we can take away your pile of muck - are you sure that there is no wood or plastic in it - NONE.
That's good.
Are you sure that there is no grass or plant roots in it - ITS FULL OF IT !!
The tip will not take it as landfill - sorry.
OK - I will just have to pick it all out then, before your truck arrives !!!
That's OK then - he will be there first thing tomorrow - £180 per load - cash.
What a bombshell - my fault - I should have called them before we started moving the stuff - WOW.
So I spent the afternoon raking and picking out grass sods and root balls galore until the neat pile was scattered all over the drive.
My plan was to make the pile appear to be free of grass and roots and to convince the grab truck driver it was OK to take it. To clear the whole pile in a few hours was impossible.
Thursday
The truck turned up a bit later than they said - No Problem.
The driver took one look at the pile and said - I can get rid of it for you - It Worked !!!!
He was very skillful with the grab and soon gobbled up the pile in one load.
The website said that the truck was 15 tonnes capacity but what turned up was 18 tonnes capacity.
I was expecting to have two loads but the driver said - I'll get it all on this load - possibly a bit overweight.
All gone in 20 minutes - One load - only two bucket fulls to clean up plus a scrape up with the shovel, a brush with the stiff yard brush before the rain at 11 am !!
I did beat the rain - clearing up the dry muck just in time - then waterproof gear on - long hose right through the house ! - cleaning up all residue.
It took all the rest of the day to get cleaned up - all the roots bagged up and loaded into my poor little car - the retaining boards dismantled - drain gully emptied everything put away like it never happened.
All there is to show on the drive are the scratches on the concrete from the grab - no bother.
End of phase one - the excavation - next - set out the base - calculate the quantity of crushed brick required for the sub base - have that delivered in bulk - then barrow that round - level it out - rent a Wacker compactor plate and when that's done - build the base former.
All for now - Mike.
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