six-point socket's tidbits of Home Improvement, small projects and other stuff.

[six-point socket II]

Good morning everyone.

Neil, I learn something new everyday. I had no idea Tanos made these or that they would fit a Systainer V. I bought them locally, long ago, originally had them inside my toolbox, in fact I still have one inside my toolbox, to sort some tools ... These were sitting idle and I re-organized & placed the installation materials in them only a few days ago.

Alex, Bert, I'm using leftovers. In this case, the first layer I applied was "Akurit SK Grau" it's an adhesive and reinforcement mortar/ "filler" and adhesive mortar. It can be used to fill/ smoothen a surface per Akurit.

The last layer will be some leftover plaster, I'd have to look what I have.

Sorry for using a maybe wrong/ or too general term.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[AlexThePalex]

Cement has its uses — and seeing how it was applied plaster will be applied soon enough after this…

Cement has its uses - for laying bricks, but not for filling holes in plaster. From the photos you can see the cement lies on top of the plaster also, and that's not smooth. Cement does not lend itself well to sanding as it's too hard and the grains of sand are too big.

Just a tip from someone who's filling holes all day - use a plaster like Rotband and you're ready in one go.

 

[six-point socket II]

Three Days of the Condor (Political thriller from 1975 with Robert Redford/ Faye Dunaway. Book: James Grady; Director: Sydney Pollack)[/size] ? No, more like the day of the three minor injuries ...

The day started out great, demolished the last couple of bits that we wanted out and replaced.

While removing the last bit, I slipped with the pry bar and removed a layer or two of skin from my pinky finger. I "love" this type of injury, as they tend to burn like heck. (1)

Put a band aid on it and continued.

2nd layer of Akurit SK Grau.

Then adding a few tiles to the floor, underneath where the radiator will be hung. First I needed to cut them to size.

What is tickling my neck? And why did it sting me? (2) Was a wasp ...

Some cooling and an hydrocortisone ointment later, I was back cutting tiles.

Then I laid them. Still very, very happy about those Klein Tools knee pads, they enable me to do this after all.

Then it was time to call it a day.

But hey, just add a few spots of adhesive to one of the posts as it had become somewhat loose. Go get and use the cordless caulking gun? No, those 3 drops needed from an already open cartridge are quicker pressed out and spread by hand.

Well, I needed a "bit" of pressure, and it went only "crack". (3)

I finally had enough for the day.  [big grin]

Tomorrow I will do the grouting. And the project got a little expanded again. On Monday I'll call the plumber, since everything is "open" now anyway, it's the best time to exchange the second last bit of the original water pipes. The very last bit is going to be exchanged when the other basement project is done.

Now I ain't the sharpest chisel
That your hands have ever held
But darlin' I could love you well
Til' the roll is called on high
I've seen my share of trouble
And I've held my weight in shame
But I'm baptized in your name
Lovely Lady May

Now I ain't the toughest hickory
That your ax has ever felled
But I'm a hickory just as well
I'm a hickory all the same
I came crashin' through the forest
As you cut my roots away
And I fell a good long ways
For my lovely Lady May

Songwriter: Tyler Childers  Song: Lady May

(C) BMG Rights Management

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[sancho57]

Looking good Oliver, Looking good

 

[six-point socket II]

Thanks! Yeah, we're getting there, slowly but at least constant.  [big grin]

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[grobkuschelig]

Great progress on the project!
...no doubt with the good music selection churning you on!

Kind regards
Uli

 

[six-point socket II]

Thanks, Uli!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[six-point socket II]

"If it looks stupid but works, it isn't stupid."

The last time I had to stop when I wanted to stabilize/ fix a smaller piece of substructure with some construction adhesive.

So that was the first thing I tackled yesterday. Sadly none of my regular clamps would fit in between, so I had to use extra small ones. One of them gave up immediately. Pieced it back together, used some glue to keep an important part in place, and obviously I had to clamp that as well, so I could continue without delay ...

Besides that I finished the wall behind the future radiator, did the grouting (silicone still to be done), and also painted the wall where all the electrical stuff is on.

Since the other basement room will get a separate mains feed, I checked if an existing through hole would accommodate another wire. It does, which is great.

Now I'm waiting for a plumber to replace the old main water pipe, it's perfect timing to do that. You can see the old main pipe in the first pictures of today's post.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[six-point socket II]

Just finished the appointment with the plumber. We'll need a bit of patience, then the old pipes will be removed and new ones installed. Sadly he had to agree with my gut feeling that all of the pipes that have been exchanged to new ones in the past were not in the best possible dimensions, but rather thin/ on the lower end/limit. He will try to make up for that as far as possible, and dimension the pipes he is going to install larger/better, than the plumber I had before him.

So patience is a virtue, let's see what I can do meanwhile.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Cheese]

Oh, that Coke thingy. That is not a screwdriver. That is for when I get my 70ties on ... That is an original bar room ice pick w/ bottle opener! It's only missing the front cap/ferrule.

I remember the Coke ice pick. My father and grandfather would hold a pig roast every year roasting a whole pig on an outdoor fireplace/smoker/rotisserie for all the neighbors. For refreshments, a huge metal tub was filled with soft drinks and lots of beer and the Coke ice pick was used to break the 20# ice blocks into smaller sizes. The ice pick was then plunged into one of the larger pieces of ice so that it was always at the ready. That was over 60 years ago.  [smile]

 

[six-point socket II]

Sounds like great memories, Cheese! It's remarkable what a single, little item can trigger, memory wise.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[six-point socket II]

Wow! You have the lot.. almost! [blink]
I remember the jigsaw, but it’s not around anymore. I recognise the table saw attachment, that one also gone. So yes I remember. AEG had (maybe first) similar to Festool CMS system, all high quality.

I used to use that particular drill to polish my cars, my first encounter with constant speed electronics - it was in fact THE only drill I found which was controllable with the constant speed control when polishing at lower speeds. And the sound it makes , it oozes quality.

When I bought my house, I was among many other things left with the AEG sander attachment - I’ll post a pic tomorrow  [wink]

Edit: Pics of the missing Schwing-schleifer:
[attachimg=1] [attachimg=2]

Wow, only saw the added pictures as of now. That is amazing, Stig! I've never seen that one before, as we always had the sander I provided the pictures of.

Thanks for sharing!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[six-point socket II]

So today, I picked up my GRK Fasteners FIN/TRIM from customs.

And I had to drain the air from part of the heating system, as it had some air inside that was impossible to drain over that little valve. I needed to remove more water from the system in order for the air to get out. I improvised with some 1/2" screw fittings and a garden hose connector ... Worked miracles, now the bathroom radiator is getting warm again.

And, since I broke my last manual caulking gun - as pictured - on Saturday, I got a new one.

It makes a great first impression! Very balanced, sturdy and smooth action.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[six-point socket II]

Yesterday and today I did some cleaning, so the plumber won't have to wade through spiders and spiderwebs behind the oil tank.

Perfect time to illustrate what will be done.

You have seen these pictures before:

That's the main water line, coming from the left, and goes into the boiler room, where everything is distributed.

This is what it looks like from inside the boiler room, before it is distributed into the already renewed composite pipe system.

So everything steel/zinc will get replaced.

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[sancho57]

Curious Oliver, what are you going to replace it with?

 

[six-point socket II]

[member=10147]jobsworth[/member]

Composite pipes (in the right dimension, 25 or 32 probably) by "Fraenkische" -> Alpex F50 Profi

Link:https://www.fraenkische.com/en/product/alpex-f50-profi-presssystem

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Bob D.]

Is that a crimp type fitting similar to Viega Pro-press or toolless connection like a Shark-bite?
https://www.viega.us/en/products/innovations/viega-propress.html
https://www.sharkbite.com/

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi Bob,

it's a crimp type fitting comparable to Viega ProPress.


Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[MikeGE]

Oliver, that looks like the same system my plumber used when he installed the water softener.  The tooling looks identical.
I asked him about the tubing and fittings that the Toom sells, which I thought was form, fit, and function the same as what he used.  He smiled and told me he gets a lot of business redoing the plumbing installation to replace the DIY work, but wouldn't elaborate on whether it was the quality of the material or the workmanship.  He told me the basement of one house, not far from mine, looked like a U-boat that had been hit when every joint started leaking the day after the homeowner installed the lines.

 

[six-point socket II]

Hi Mike,

Toom sells Wiroflex/WiroPress. I have never used that. But as with all of those crimp type fittings, you need the right tool. So if a homeowner cheaps out, renting or buying the "wrong" type tool and/or insert(s)/die(s), he won't get it to seat and seal properly. It might work at first, but with a sudden surge of pressure (closing a valve) or even closing a single lever faucet (which are notorious for this) it might rip apart. Also if the flexible composite pipes are not cut to a precise 90° degree, it might not seat and seal properly. Not to speak of people trying to improvise the tool and or die.

That's why I like to have a plumber do it. He has the right tool(s), die(s) and knows when something feels "off" while crimping.

I thought about renting the correct kit, but it's not worth it if you really flood your basement. I mean a heating system has a couple of liters water in it, once it's out - it's out - and it still would be a mess but manageable. But the main water line, under constant pressure. That's food for a great movie if one gets it wrong while DIY'ing. lol. So yeah, I fully side with your plumber. As I hired one to do this as well.

Kind regards,
Oliver