Pilot Error

[nukecad]

My friend's wife is forever blocking the sink, so they plunge it. The cupboard base has been so weakened by water forcing its way out of the pipes,

I'd tighten/remake the joints on the pipes too.
Or maybe replace them altogether? (If it's currently got a bottle trap replace it with an S-bend, less likely to get blocked).

Water shouldn't be being forced out of the joints simply because they plunge the sink.

[JK0]

Phew! I'm back. Got the new base in okay, and supported it with 7 legs. I've never seen such a rotten unit though. I've got to make a new corner piece for the door to hinge on, so the job is not completely finished yet.

[JK0]

My f***witted friend called me out yesterday, as his water softener stopped working. You'll never guess why.

There was nothing wrong with the softener. My friend's wife is forever blocking the sink, so they plunge it. The cupboard base has been so weakened by water forcing its way out of the pipes, that it sagged, and the water in the softener no longer touches the salt.

I've got to go over on Friday and put a new base in the cupboard!

[Berlingogirl]

Oh yes, I can see it now.

[JK0]

I can’t make out what’s going on. ☹️

I've zoomed in on the knobs, so you can see the grease around them and the rings.

[Berlingogirl]

I took a sneaky picture of my friend's hob today. Enjoy:

DSCF0110 (Medium).JPG

I can’t make out what’s going on. ☹️

[JK0]

I took a sneaky picture of my friend's hob today. Enjoy:

DSCF0110 (Medium).JPG

[theartfullodger]

Ah, you can lead a horse to water...

I saw my friend today. He was heading out to buy some 'light' as he was down to £5.50 on his meter. I told him he should not let it get that low in case he was snowed in, or some similar emergency. He said God would not let that happen to him.

Oh dear, poor you. My worst ever tenants were a pastor & his family: Nice people but...

Perhaps tell your chum about him. They were so short of money (? how could someone/something let that happen to them..) that very often lights & heating were off, if I had cause to visit (very polite & charming.. but..) I'd knock, dad or mum would come down swathed in coats, scarves & hat (Highlands of Scotland). Mould was terrible... but all sorted within a month of them leaving & heating on/ventilation arranged...

[JK0]

Ah, you can lead a horse to water...

I saw my friend today. He was heading out to buy some 'light' as he was down to £5.50 on his meter. I told him he should not let it get that low in case he was snowed in, or some similar emergency. He said God would not let that happen to him.

[JK0]

I had a message left by my friend at 3pm and just returned his call. (You know who I'm talking about. )

He tells me that he is at work with the electricity key, but the 'light' has run out at his flat. I pity his wife and son there with no power since 3pm, but there's nothing I can do to help.

I suggested he doesn't let it go down to nothing before topping up his key in future.

[JK0]

My friend asked if I had some left over paint to do the doors at the place he rents from me. I do actually have a bit of spare primer, undercoat & gloss, but I've seen how he painted his previous house when unsupervised. (No preparation at all, and bits of hair & dirt sticking out of the new gloss.)

'You let me know when you've rubbed down, and I'll come & inspect', I told him. He rang last night, claiming to have done it, and asked me over today. He was annoyed that I took my paint home again, as he'd not even cleaned off his cooking grease!

[nukecad]

I've moved into my new flat.

This morning I plumbed in my washing machine.
As usual a bit fiddly getting the pipes through the cabinet walls and connected, but not too bad as those things go.

The drain was the type that fits to a spigot above the U-bend of the sink rather than being a seperate stand pipe, I've not used one of those before but fair enough just push it on and secure with a jubilee clip.

All connected, give it a quick rinse/spin cycle to make sure it's working before pushing it under the worktop - Fills fine, chugs about, then although I can hear the pump running it wouldn't drain.

Maybe a blanking plug in the spigot? So undo it from the U-bend and check - no blanking plugs.
Has the pump impeller got damaged during the move, that seems unlikely, scratch head, make a cup of tea and think.

Light bulb goes on - Although the water connections had obviously been there some time all the drain pipes under the sink were brand new, including that connection spigot.
Take the drain hose of the spigot again and sure enough the end of the spigot is solid - it's the type where you have to cut the end off before use. (I couldn't see it before because of the way it was fitted).
Quick surgery with a stanley knife, reconnect, and all is now working.

Tomorrow my new cooker comes, 50cm cooker, 60cm gap.
Time to get creative with some 50mm aluminium angle fastened to the worktop and cabinet ends at either side to make up the gaps.
I'll probably use some black marble effect vinyl I have hanging about to sort of blend it in with the black worktops, not quite a match but it will do, and then get some wood effect vinyl for down the fronts.

[nukecad]

Yep, that's the B* factor at work.

You know exactly what you are doing but then the B comes along and B's it up.

[JK0]

Sympathy. I spent 3 hours yesterday getting a cistern off. I had to use a Bosch multi tool to grind away the rusted wingnuts under the pan. When I got it all apart, I found the cistern was too narrow for the Dudley 88 syphon I intended to fit. I had to put it all back together with the original syphon, and order a Dudley 44 one from Amazon.

[nukecad]

Pipes noisy when the toilet is flushed, lock-up charity shop below my rental so the occasional noise is noticable in my rental.
Obviously wasn't an issue during lockdown as they were closed.

As a favour I've got a spare float valve diaphragm, and we all know it takes 5 mins fix to change a float valve diphragm right?

Right type diaphragm, exactly the same valve as my own toilet cistern float arm, but can I get the new washer to cut off the supply after 20 mins of trying?
I'm missing something here.

I think I've found it after taking my own float valve apart again - It seems that the LL had put a sealing washer in the wrong place and bodged it by using some silicone where the washer should have been. (and all the piping joints are loose but that's incidental).
I'll have another try when the charity shop opens again on Monday.

I call it the buggeration factor.
If all else fails I'll swap mine for the one in the shop and get a new one for myself.