The Cold
Over the last couple of weeks, the temperature here in Scotland has dropped below freezing. The coldest night was -6°C and it stayed below zero most days. On the plus side that has meant some snow to play in. But it has also introduced some challenges.
Bins
I hadn’t expected the wheelie bins to be an issue but the lids froze shut needing de-icer to open them. Also, the wheels jammed up which meant wheeling them out to the gate required a bit more effort than usual. However, the gravel on the drive did become more solid so it wasn’t all bad.
Gas box
Our gas meter is outside and like the wheelie bins that also froze shut. The catch also became brittle (that could be age too) and when I jiggled it to open it that broke off. I did think about 3D printing a new one but it’s a part with a lot of sheer strain and also the material seems to be something like polypropylene, the closest I have is PTEG which might have worked. So I needed to buy a replacement catch. I’ll give the box a good clean down too once the weather improves.
Car
The car also provided some challenges. The doors were a bit sticky and there was ice on both the outside and inside of the windscreen. We’ve now got a dehumidifier bag to reduce the internal condensation (you microwave it and it then sucks up moisture), apparently, a sock full of kitty litter works the same, thanks to the relatives for that tip.
The biggest issue was that the washer nozzles froze up. Retrospectively looking at the ready mix, I can see why. So I’ve got some ultra-low temperature screen wash to mix into that.
Several people suggested actually using my garage as car storage. That’s not so straightforward as there are still lots of boxes yet to be put away. Also, there’s a 3m ladder to the right of this picture blocking the entrance which I hope to store on the ceiling. Perhaps an option next year?
Timberkits – Magician
Possibly due to the trip to the Camera Obscura in Edinburgh or possibly the unfinished Dodo project inspired me to request a wooden construction kit as a Christmas present. It was a fun kit to assemble and the end results
Posted in: Kit
A year of change
This year started out quite similar to most, I made a medal for the PSTOIC dinner, was experimenting with stepper motors and wiring an extractor fan for the Workshopshed. Popular science had also published my article about making your own
Posted in: Inspiration
Renting A Self Storage Unit While Renovating Your Home in Essex
Essex is a popular area for first-time homeowners. While properties are priced higher than the national average, it is significantly cheaper than those in big cities like London. As a commuter town, the average property prices are around £345,000, with
Posted in: Guest
Tags: home renovation, Sponsored, Storage
Router jig finishing off
The last couple of steps for making the circle cutting jig was to drill some holes to mount it to the base of the router. I found I needed to counterbore the holes here as the screws were not very
Posted in: Circle Jig
Router Jig Pivot
For the next part of the router circle cutting jig, I needed to create a part that would slide up and down the slot and could be clamped in place. This provides the pivot for the jig. For this, I
Posted in: Circle Jig
Materials: Bronze
Drill reassembly
To get the router jig finished I need to drill and tap some holes. So it was about time I got the pillar drill re-assembled.
Router Circle Cutting Jig
The hallway of our new house is quite dark so we looked at getting some windows installed. My wife found some stainless-steel portholes online which fitted the style of the door. The challenge is to cut a big round hole
Posted in: Circle Jig
Materials: MDF
Tags: router, woodworking
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Metal sculpture in brass, mounted on an 1800s French Coin
