Golborne Vintage Radio

Hi,

As usual David you make a lot of sense and why buy a tool that is top of its class when a much cheaper tool will do most jobs demanded of it in a home workshop? I too own a cheap router it being a B&D and so far it has done well on the light jobs I've put it to such as comb jointing which you mention. I recently bought a monster Erbauer 2,100W router which has been switched on once when I wanted to make sure it worked; it sits in its plastic case waiting for action. I've just bought a decent Erbauer jigsaw which so far I've only used once. I have a nice Freud biscuit jointer bought over twenty years ago which sees occasional use. I have other hand and power tools which get little use.

The Fein which Lawrence mentioned is the first tool of this kind classed as a multi tool and other companies have tried to steal Fein's thunder by undercutting on price (and quality?).

My last decent sized woodworking project was to make my new computer desk; it was a lovely project for me to tackle and adding to the pleasure was my decent set of tools which came out for an airing.

I have lots of tools sitting in the background and I get a lot of enjoyment from just owning them knowing they are always ready when I am. I'm now in a position to afford decent tools so I'm gathering a selection of tools I've always wanted but could not afford. Bron and I have reached a stage in our lives where we have disposable income allowing us to indulge in our assorted hobbies; Bron likes crafts and I like wood/metalworking.

I'm starting to think about replacing all the double glazing units to the front of our bungalow; the main front room window is at least 12' wide having three glazed units. The bungalow was built in the mid sixties and these are the original units which are just starting to fail. The softwood frames are in perfect condition. I see a Fein multi tool ideal for this job as it will cut away the putty seal allowing the units to be removed. I've removed window glass previously and what a pain it is to try to get the glass out. The Fein can be run around the inside of the glass then working outside the Fein can be used to remove the bedded beading speeding this job up a great deal and removing the drudgery.

I could use the Aldi multi tool and save a lot of money but I also take into account the money I'm saving by doing such jobs myself so I don't mind spending extra on decent tools because once the money is spent I then have a top class tool for life.

I think I must be a tool junkie because I've always liked buying big machines and hand tools; some tools are in constant use others seldom used but knowing I have my tools I can do just about any job around the bungalow for the cost of materials; I never skimp on materials either.

I have owned my Startrite combination five function woodworking machine for about 12 years. This was bought as scrap at £1,000 but I knew I could rebuild it; a new machine must cost in excess of £3,000. This combi has paid for itself time and again and is a delight to use. I also bought a very big Startrite 24" band-saw and restored it; again a lovely machine to own and use.

Over the last 38 years I've enjoyed restoring machines as much as I've enjoyed using them; I have reduced my collection of machines because I ended up having too many to use in comfort in the garage; I miss both my big lathes but I simply needed the space.

I currently own 5 lathes and once I restore the two Myfords and sort out the Jubilee I'll possibly sell two of them as they can be replaced with other useful machines/tools.

I keep dreaming of finishing all the big jobs on the bungalow and being able to concentrate on projects I would like to do but once again I've been bogged down so far this year with jobs which needed doing; this forces me into doing projects during winter which I dislike with a passion.

I've worked so hard in the sun over the last couple of days the back of my neck is blistered and uncomfortable but I have the satisfaction of knowing I've done a good job.

During installing the flood defences I've blessed the day I bought my big Titan SDS drill and I even splashed out on a brand new cement mixer. The Titan I won't part with but the mixer had to go which upset me but it was much too big to store for very infrequent use.

My workshop is now mostly converted to woodworking and I've bought two big boxes of assorted wood veneer to play with; my plan is to move onto woodworking and start using all my tools in anger; I'll post any projects and update as and when I add to my tool collection.

I've rambled on enough but has any member got a favourite tool?

Kind regards, Col.

(13-07-2013, 04:50 PM)Retired Wrote: [ -> ]I'm starting to think about replacing all the double glazing units to the front of our bungalow; the main front room window is at least 12' wide having three glazed units. The bungalow was built in the mid sixties and these are the original units which are just starting to fail

Hi Col, is there enough rebate in the frame to put thicker more up to date DG units in, I'm guessing that the old ones are thin?

Lawrence.

Buy a good sun cream and a floppy hat Colin !! Cheaper than a Fein.

Would the Aldi do your windows? It might but I can tell you it clearly is a DIY tool and wouldn't stand up to major abuse. Has lots of "Austria" stickers on it but where was it made. Been useful to me again today, more rot.

"Its Got Our Name On It" IE: Wic***. I am replacing the last of the double glazed units in this 15 ? year old conservatory. Just 5 to go, should get them next week. I'm actually replacing some that W supplied under guarantee! How daft is that. Should have said don't bother!

Anyway, I'm now an expert and they amaze me how cheap they are. Where I have been going for the last 15 years the 'old boys' have moved on into retirement (enjoy Guys) and now I'm dealing with young whipper snappers (hope they make their fortune but not out of me). He actually asked me "Would you like someone to come and fit them for you?".

Ugh! No! been there and can do it in my sleep. Hey! Aint it good being a Mr Fixer! What the wife calls me.

Enjoy the heat and don't get burnt ... your neck and body is only used to RAIN Colin .. could dry up and crack wide open if the heat wave continues as they tell us we are now going to have. Yeah! I'll believe it in a coupla weeks ... forecasts are cr*p more than a 4 days ahead .. def for wind and there aint none of that.

Gary

I too was supprised at the cost of DG units, we had a load made up when I was building the conservatory, can't remember the cost off hand but I remember they were cheaper than I thought they would be, they were 28mm ones.
The laminated glass for the roof was quite expensive though.

Lawrence.

Hi,

These old units don't look too bad as to thickness Lawrence and they have done their job very well for many years. To install thicker units I would need to deepen the rebates which of course I could do but I don't think I'd gain anything much other than a heck of a lot of work.

Thanks for your suggestion Gary; yes a floppy hat and sun cream would be much cheaper than buying a Fein multi tool but as you rightly say I'm used to dire weather so this heat wave is a pure fluke and has caught me out; it shows how used to sun I am to suffer sunburn; I usually suffer from rust. I'm highly surprised we aren't on a hosepipe ban or falling over standpipes? I'm feeling a lot better as I've had a good soak in the bath. I went out before dinner as it was overcast; my black cloud? This meant it was a bit cooler and at first I intended to treat the shed with Creoseal but looking at the shed it didn't need treating so I got the big petrol hedge trimmer out and set to trimming hedges to the front and side of the bungalow; I had got about halfway through the job when suddenly the sun burst through and my neck was soon on fire so I quickly completed the job then came indoors.

It's possible Gary that the Aldi multi tool would assist in replacing the double glazing units and of course should it fail it could be returned under warranty for a refund. I would like to buy the best I can afford though because such a tool as David has already remarked once owned could be very useful? We get few decent days of weather up here so I would be most annoyed if a power tool failed in the middle of a big job; I can just imagine removing one of the big double glazing units then there would be a sudden cloudburst; this has happened a number of times and usually just as I apply the last brush full of gloss paint. Look what happened when I dug the trench for the flood defences; no sooner was it dug than it filled with water as the monsoon kicked in?

One thing I'm concerned about is what to bed the new double glazed units into? Previously I've used traditional putty (messy) and cartridge silicone sealant which was much easier to apply than putty. Lawrence mentioned in a previous post ready formed strips of putty? My concern is that I don't want to fully rely on the double glazing seals even though I can buy dual seal units locally. I would like the bedding medium to also form an exterior seal hopefully prolonging the units life by many years? I want to do this job to the best of my ability and whilst the units are out I would also like to fully paint the rebates with undercoat and gloss?

I thought the new units would prove very expensive and I had considered installing tinted units because the rare sun we do get tends to be fierce.

I leaded all our front windows using Decra lead when we moved in and this Decra lead was very expensive as I needed a lot of rolls but it has looked good and remained in place without trouble.

A friend of ours living in Devon actually removed a double glazed unit then separated both panes; cleaned the glass and re-sealed it before fitting it back and to date he informs us it is still excellent; I really want to crack on with the job once I make a start and stripping units to clean them would take considerable time and effort.

I replaced a unit to our bedroom and I recall it was blinking heavy working on my own and years ago it cost over £100 which I considered expensive; perhaps I need to shop around?

As usual I tend to worry about everything which could go wrong whilst planning a big project but once I get stuck in everything follows a pattern and falls into place; I will definitely buy a multi tool though as I can see the benefits of owning one even if only for replacing double glazing units.

I might be tempting fate but I think after 26 years of living here I'm getting on top of the big jobs at last?

Kind regards, Col.

Hi Col, putty's old hat, use Flexistrip, sticks like s*it and is a dead even thickness and width as it comes off the roll, fix to inside pane first, around the perimeter, make sure window rebate has been fully painted, peel off backing tape, push DG unit into frame, (don't forget the glazing spacers) push firmly in place, it will stick and stay there no problem as if by magic, fit Flexistrip around the perimeter of the outside pane, remove backing tape, press home pre painted wooden glazing beads, secure beads with sheradized pins, punch home, top pin holes up with filler then a dab of paint, trim any excess Flexistrip off by scoring with a knife, paint over it if required, job done....Fast.

Pic attatched: With this stuff the glazing spacers are included in the packet as are the Sheradized glazing bead pins.

Lawrence

Hi,

Many thanks Lawrence for the pictures and information on how to use Flexistrip.

I've just had a quick browse on the Internet and how does this compare with the prices you pay; 19m rolls;

http://www.reddiseals.com/tapes/butyl-tape-sealant.html

This tape looks cheaper than buying putty?

Do you seal between the outer edge of the unit or do you just seal to the frame rebate at the back and beading at the front assuming beading is on the outside as mine is?

This is most interesting to me because I know I'll be doing this job in due course so all information is welcome.

I already have a tub of sheradised pins to hand.

Kind regards, Col.

I don't know how someone took the panes of a dbl glazed unit apart, cleaned and re-assembled. My understanding is that the units are under + pressure and filled with an inert gas that stops them from misting.

I would check that Flexistrip, whatever, is OK with the dbl units you buy. Some may have seals attacked by chems. My units are bedded in with flexible plastic / silicon ? seals and spaced off the wood with plastic spacers.

Here is my spec for the units I'm currently replacing at £95. Cant remember if that is with VAT? will let you know. Prob not.

This is from a windows and conservatory place, who I'm pretty certain, buy them in: if I could find who they are then possibly even cheaper. That is if they would supply small quantity direct? But the firm I have used all these years has been good so I don't bother.

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Gary

Hi,

Thanks Gary.

I'll try to find our friends details of how he separated his double glazed unit and put it back together; to get the inner faces of the glass clean I think he allowed meths to run down viewing the glass at an angle but its a few years ago he did this. He also used marine sealant which is readily available? At the time I made a number of enquiries as to where I could buy the spacer strips from but then other more urgent jobs took over.

I would like to fully bed my new units to afford maximum seal. A local company sells dual sealed units which I'll look into.

http://www.dualsealglass.co.uk/

I don't mind paying extra for a top class product which will perform. If you have a good supplier you are happy with Gary then stick with them because there are lots of cowboys around only too willing to rip us off with shoddy goods and workmanship.

I'm considering tinted glass for the new units and not bother with the expensive leading again; when we moved in here 26 years ago our then next door neighbours had tinted (smoked) glass installed to the front of their bungalow and the woodwork was finished in dark brown; it looked beautiful and most impressive. I've copied the dark brown colour which both Bron and I still like. As usual before jumping in I'll stand back and take my time because a job like this has to be lived with once completed.

I like a bargain but I know some jobs are going to hurt my pocket; I save a great deal of money by doing the jobs myself so I can afford the best materials. Our neighbours get tradespeople in and I always thought the labour would equal if not cost more than the materials used?

I appear to have hijacked your thread Gary but the multi tool will be a huge asset for such a job as replacing double glazed units and if a number of units are involved the cost of the multi tool is acceptable. For anyone on a tight budget it's possible that a multi tool could be bought for a big one off job then after use the multi tool could be sold on to recoup most of the outlay; I've just done this when I bought a cement mixer and used the mixer for a one off job before selling the mixer on.

Before taking the plunge I'll shop around a bit to see if Fein multi tools are on special offer anywhere?

Kind regards, Col.

I can imagine if you were nutty enough (not for many people and a lot of units) it would be possible to clean the glass OK but probably not as good as a pro setup.

But how do you take the moist air out and replace it with an inert gas (nitrogen?) ?

If you don't they will surely mist up very quickly.

Gary