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Posts Tagged ‘scrap<’
Whether you Find a Decorator on Mr-Skill or do the job yourself, you inevitably end up with left-over pots of paint. Those with just a few scrapings in them are best thrown away. Those still at least a quarter full could be worth preserving for touch-up jobs.
 Reseal Quickly – Air is the enemy of paint because paint’s supposed to dry in its presence. Clean both lid and tin carefully where they come together. Insert a sheet of film or tinfoil. Close firmly to achieve an airtight seal without causing any distortion.
Label the Tin – Begin to clean your brush by painting a colour-patch on the tin in a way that does not cover up any important information. Use a laundry marker to note the dates when bought and used, and the colour code if the paint was specially mixed.
Store Away Sensibly – I know a London Painter who insists in storing paint tins upside down so that the paint remains above the film and not beneath it. I’ve followed his advice and found it works quite well. In any case, store the tin away from extreme heat and cold.
 Using Old Paint – Paint has a limited shelf-life and many manufacturers suggest that it should be used within a year of being purchased. Don’t be tempted to bring down the cost of a Decorating Quote by using paint that’s gone beyond its usefulness. In any case, make sure it’s strained through a fine mesh sieve or piece of muslin, and into a clean container and well stirred.
Storing paint is really only really useful when you have a plan to use it shortly. This could be when you are half-way through an upgrade, and just want to brighten up a wall. In other instances it may just be an excuse to accumulate more clutter.
Be brave. Know the difference. Why not give your old paint tins a fresh view on life instead.
Tags: air, airtight, clean, close, code, cold, colour, container, date, decorating quote, distort, film, find a decorator, foil, heat, label, left over, leftover, london painter, mark, muslin, paint, patch, pot, reseal, sample, scrap, shelf life, shelflife, sieve, store, strain, tin
Posted in Painting & Decorating | Comments Off
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery on May 23
There is absolutely no end to the projects possible for a home carpenter to attempt, provided they have the tools, skills and love for every piece of wood their craft demands. After all as my pal José Pereira  one of the leading Hobbyist Carpenters in London likes to remark every piece represents a labour of love by a tree that took thirty years to grow.
One of the easiest and most enjoyable tasks of all is to use up scraps of wood to make simple wooden blocks and then paint these bright colours. The simplest things in life are often best, and it is amazing how many endless hours of fun a child may have playing imaginative games with wooden blocks of different sizes.
Ever since I discovered that hole-saws produce wooden wheels, I have been having huge fun myself while making wooden toys for selling at local church bazaars. In this way I have been able to donate quite a sum of money to noble causes while whittling away a pleasant weekend.
 Educational toys that assist the younger generation to learn to recognise different three-dimensional shapes and fit them into slots are a challenge that requires quite advanced tooling and relatively high skill levels too. The fun here is thinking of different shapes to use – right now I am working through the A to Z of animals, and have no need to Find a Carpenter to help me do so.
Lately I have been wondering about starting a doll house for my grand daughter who will be turning four this year. My wife suggested getting in assistance when she heard how long the job might take me – trust me my answer was short, to the point and as sharp as my best chisel.
These are but two of many projects for a weekend carpenter to attempt who is also a child at heart. While some may suggest getting Carpenter Quotes to do the work, as far as I am concerned this is simply missing the point completely that I am attempting to make.
Tags: bazaar, block, carpenter, carpenter quote, carpenters london, chisel, doll house, easy, education, enjoy, find a carpenter, find a joiner, fit, hole-saw, imagine, joiner london, joiner quote, love, project, scrap, shape, skill, task, tool, toy, tree, wheel, wood
Posted in Carpentry & Joinery | Comments Off
It is so easy to build a Cold Frame out of materials lying around the workshop plus a few bits and bobs you could find down at the hardware store. Chances are you could even pick up an old window from a demolition site with glass intact.  If you can do that, then the job should cost you little more than your time and you could be growing veggies right through winter. When you are done, you just set your Cold Frame down in a sunny spot where water never pools, and literally enjoy the fruits of your labours.
o First, redecorate the salvage window with a good weatherproof paint or varnish. Then measure it up and cut the sizes of the frame accordingly from solid wood. Connect these using plastic corner blocks and brass screws to complete the basic frame.
o Cut the angled filler pieces for the sides that will connect the tops of the front and back bits, glue these on, and when the glue is set, seal every single inch of wood with the same weatherproof medium you used on the salvage window.
 o Finally, attach the salvage window to the frame with brass hinges and fit a wooden stay to keep it open as and when you need.
o Fill a suitable-sized container (with weep-holes) with good potting soil, plant it out with seedlings and set in on a suitable piece of hard standing with a good elevation. Place your Cold Frame over it, and you are nearly done. One thing left though – remember to keep the soil moist and the caterpillars where they belong, or you might be disappointed.
If you are feeling lazy, you could get find a handyman you fancy and get handyman quotes on Mr-Skill. Chances are that Handymen in London will turn their noses up though – the job is just too small for them to be worthwhile.
Tags: brass screw, build a cold frame, cold frame, cold glue, corner block, find a handyman, glass, handyman quotes, handymen london, hard standing, hinges, materials, paint, salvage, scrap, standing, stay, varnish, weather proof, window, wood, wood glue
Posted in Gardening & Landscaping, Handyman Services | Comments Off
Posted in Cleaning Services on Sep 28
I read somewhere that toast always falls to the ground jam-and-butter side down. While I do not know whether this is true or not, I do know that the best way to attract a cigarette burn is to fit a new carpet. This is why a good carpet installer always leaves a few scraps behind. If you have a burn to repair, and no matching scraps to do this with, then  you may be able to scrounge a patch. If not, remove a small piece of carpet that lies permanently under solid furniture and use this. Some housekeepers in London are capable of doing a job like this – others may not be quite as dedicated.
o Remove only as much of the carpet pile as is necessary. Cut between the pile and avoid straight edges and sharp corners. Do not cut through the underlay, because this will be the link between the carpet and the patch.
o Identify a matching section of the carpet scrap. Carpets often have grains, and there may be repeating patterns too. Cut out a patch slightly larger than the hole that you are going to fill, again avoiding the pile (if the patch is large, it may be useful to make a paper template first).
o Dry fit the patch. If necessary trim it, or begin again if you got things badly wrong. When you are happy with your efforts, align and glue the patch to the underlay with non water-soluble contact adhesive, taking care to avoid staining the surface of the carpet while you do. After waiting 24 hours for the glue to dry, carefully cut away any loose strands with a small sharp pair of scissors, and your repair is complete.
This can be a rewarding weekend job to do. If you do not enjoy this type of project, why not get housekeeper quotes at Mr-Skill and find a housekeeper to do the job for you?
Tags: burn, carpet, cigarette, cigarette burn, cleaner quotes, cleaners london, contact, contact glue, cut, find a cleaner, find a housekeeper, glue, grain, housekeeper quotes, housekeepers london, loose, mat, match, patch, pattern, pile, remove, repair, rug, scrap, scraps, strands, template, underfelt, underlay, water-soluble
Posted in Cleaning Services | Comments Off
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