Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “Maintain”
Holding a cycle whilst trying to repair or maintain it is a pain. But not any more for me though, because today I made myself a quick and easy tool to hold a bike steady whilst I do what needs to be done. For example; this week I’ve been repainting and re-purposing my daughters old bike for my younger son. A ‘rat’ bike he wanted, as ‘black as your hat’ he said… I’d seen cycle maintenance stands in the store of course, but found it difficult to justify the outlay …
Using a Wire Brush to Really Clean the Base of the Brush (water based paints) This is a tip I got years ago from a pair of old painters in London called Tom and Jerry (no really!) and it’s one I still use today. Instead of just using your fingers to manipulate the bristles of the brush under running water try using a wire brush as well. Use the wire brush just like a hairbrush or comb. Holding the paintbrush steady in your left hand (if you’re a righty) and …
But first, let me tell you a little “how not to treat damp” story….. A few years ago I issued a £5100 invoice to a client of mine for a leaking gutter. Shocking huh! £5,000 and before you rush off and tell everyone I must be one of those cowboy builders you hear about, let me explain how ignoring damp cost him so dearly. My client had lived in his lovely old period cottage for many years but slowly the ingress of water turned his “shabby chic” cottage into, well, …
Or Your House is Plant Food… It’s not paranoia if it’s true, and believe me, mother nature is out to get your stuff. It wants to turn it into plant food and it’ll succeed unless you stop it with regular maintenance. For example, three weeks ago I received a call from a regular client who wanted me to look at the trims around the balcony on his house. They need painting he said. Fast forward three weeks and I’ve replaced 5 of the structural beams, all the decking, all the balustrade and …
Using the Atmosfire wood stove dry wipe glass cleaner. The first week with our new wood burning stove was a bittersweet time, I loved the fire but I hated the sooty glass each morning. I tried the web and found all sorts of solutions, from rubbing with damp newspaper and wood ash to using expensive, messy chemicals. Plus I seem to have to scrub hard to get it sparkling again. Then I found a dry wipe called ‘Atmosfire’ and my troubles were over. A few seconds each morning literally wipes …
**UPDATE** Eric the car guy has made a video (youtu.be/Eric’s-video) about how to remove said starter from underneath. It’s interesting, but my bolts were so tight, I’m not sure I could have done it that way… plus I didn’t have the special long bolt at the back that his motor had. Lucky him. Not easy from underneath, but not easy from the top either…. Watch and read and make up your own mind. Good luck! **update end** The downside was that it took 4 hours to remove the thing that needed …
Properly Cleaning Paintwork is a Four Step Process… If your car is a few years old, run a wet, soapy hand over the paintwork, especially below the door bump strips….. it’s almost certain your paintwork will feel rough, even if you wash and polish it regularly. A clay bar treatment will fix all of that, (if you’ve never heard of clay bars before, look at the clay bars over at amazon.co.uk and read the reviews) … OK, ready? Then lets get started… Tar, tiny metal particles and other debris become embedded in …
