Recent content by Stuart Moffat

Making bows and arrows with my dad worked for me! In the late 50s cowboys and Indians were in and boys had cap guns. At the house we lived in till I was seven I could find suitable branches nearby to work with, and as a seven year old could make ones that could shoot over the house into the back...

Our village church, which doubles as a village hall is heated by 6 electric radiant heaters that have been in use for about 15 years. They are switched on from a dedicated distribution box which has an 80 amp master switch and 6 trips/switches. The total draw is not much under the 80 amps. They...

I wish I’d thought of that use for the wide number three setting (which I’d never used till yesterday). I’ve never been remotely inclined to make my own domi’s either, but it gave me a very quick and easy solution to a problem yesterday.

The idea that the best place to put light switches in a house …. Is on a mobile phone, which may or may not be in the room, or even the house. They might be away and ask you to feed their dog/cat, and you can’t work the lights. Maybe some bright young thing will come up with the idea that...

As a kid, there was always paraffin to hand (same stuff really) and I was taught to use it for cleaning bike chains,gears and ball bearings etc. my dad used it to flush diesel engines. We have oil central heating and I have been known to scoop a litre or so out of the tank!

the section with lead inserts look very similar to components in a piano action. But possibly someone who has dismantled a piano repurposing the hammer action? Stuart

I have 4 vent axia silent fans (about a year old now). They come with two speed options. If set at the higher speed, they are not silent. Not bad but not silent! If set at the slower speed they are really quite close to silent but shifting less air. But if you get the option that turns on and...

I built a rather large front ported reflex speaker ai 1971. My woodwork teacher was very supportive, and the blockboard carcass was beautifully veneered. Sad thing was I couldn’t afford to make the second one at the time, and it years before I had shed space. I bought a pair of AR3 imp speakers...

The front half of my house was built about 1890 and was plastered straight onto a 9” wall with various repairs before I moved in had been done with inappropriate materials. About 8 months ago I had damp problems in 2 rooms, and bit the bullet. I took all the plaster off back to the brick. Put...

One dimension that I don’t think has been mentioned is the space between the toilet once fitted and the door, which is crucial when alighting from your seat! One leans forward as part of the motion as you need to put the centre of gravity above your feet, and to start off your big fat bit is...

Welcome! (From another originally Scottish Stuart M) !

Gavin (OP), I was intrigued by your question as I have a son, 32 years old, who I have just helped move into a new house, and looks to me to help get the place how he wants it. We are both musical. He is nerdy about sound. I am not. One major attraction for him was a garage that had already been...

If you are still in or around St Neots, you are welcome to try out a > 10 year old record BS350 bandsaw. I also kept my baby Delta bandsaw, which still gets very regular use as I have a 1/4 inch blade on it and can quickly saw tight curves without placing around changing blades on the bigger...

Reminds me of Blaster Bates (who had a very large posterior) saying “a big nail needs a large hammer!”.

If there is a bedroom on the other side of the stud wall, do put sound insulation in, especially if you plan to fix a toilet wall holder on that wall!