A silver lining? Duck Off Episode 7

[AJB Temple]

Overnight I have been asked by PM why I am using Quooker taps.

These definitely will be a big hit on my tight budget. There are cheaper ones available but the kitchen display showrooms always suggest Quooker are the best. They also have a big capacity on the larger ones.

I am forced into it. Our boiler is oil (looked at biomass but even with the grants, is so expensive). Mains gas is not available. Our house is a longish barn and the existing kitchen is at one end of it. The oil boiler enclosure is further away still, outside. This feeds a pressurised megaflow system, which is also at that end of the house and upstairs.

The new kitchen is in what used to be a separate building at the other end of the main barn, and the pipe runs are really long and awkward. There is already one bathroom at the new kitchen end of the house and it takes quite a while for the hot water to get there. I think waiting a minute or two every time we want hot water in the kitchen, will be impractical and wasteful.

The only alternative is a small boiler either, electric, LPG or oil, feeding only the kitchen, utility and new loo. I think that will work out more expensive. No absolutely final decision made yet.

 

[Bm101]

Really interesting reading and different from many 'normal' domestic situations for a wide variety of reasons both self elected and otherwise. I'm glad you are posting again on this build.
Regards
Chris.

 

[Farm Labourer]

Adrian, really enjoying this coming to life. I have done similar work in two of my kitchens but on a smaller scale.

I second your advice - don't get divorced!

 

[Doug B]

The only alternative is a small boiler either, electric, LPG or oil, feeding only the kitchen, utility and new loo. I think that will work out more expensive. No absolutely final decision made yet.

Surely a multi point electric instantaneous water heater would be the most practical & economic solution for localised hot water especially if you want to feed the utility & loo as well.

I’ve fitted a few Quooker boiling water taps over the last couple of years & whilst I can see the desire for having boiling water on tap it seems wasteful to have basically a flask of water being heated on & off throughout the day just to achieve this

 

[AJB Temple]

If you can recommend me something to look at Doug I would be grateful. The pipe run from the utility sink to the kitchen sink is about 20 metres, and from the same place (utility) to the new lavatory is about 40 metres. The new lavatory (not yet built) is about a 15 metre pipe run from an existing bathroom, so that may be a better bet as hot water delay there is probably not such a nuisance.

 

[El Barto]

Enjoying your progress here but I don't really understand the idea of people identifying you via some obscure pictures or why you're even worried about it. Users post photos of their homes here all the time. Indeed, people post far more intimate photos to social networks...

 

[El Barto]

Ps. +1 on lovely stopped chamfers.

 

[AJB Temple]

No point going into it El Barto.

Work has been slow today as a) I am not Mike and b) the sewer blocked up. So I have been somewhat diverted. :twisted:

 

[El Barto]

I think I've figured it out... you are a secret agent.

 

[Doug B]

If you can recommend me something to look at Doug I would be grateful. The pipe run from the utility sink to the kitchen sink is about 20 metres, and from the same place (utility) to the new lavatory is about 40 metres. The new lavatory (not yet built) is about a 15 metre pipe run from an existing bathroom, so that may be a better bet as hot water delay there is probably not such a nuisance.

To be honest with those sorts of pipe runs I’d be tempted to go for single point instantaneous electric water heaters built under or fitted above the basin or sink, if they are for just washing hands as in the loo I would go for a lower kw model as you’re not looking for large volumes of very hot water.
As for a brand I’m afraid I’ve been out of this particular game for too long to recommend one, but I’d want one with either a copper or stainless cylinder & that came with a decent length guarantee, sorry I can’t be more helpful.

 

[RogerS]

...
The new kitchen is in what used to be a separate building at the other end of the main barn, and the pipe runs are really long and awkward. ....

Faced with a similar situation at our old house I put in a secondary return. Problem solved. I was fortunate in that I could uber-lag all the pipes to minimise heat loss but even then, it wasn't that much of a problem as any heat leaking was inside the house and so not really 'lost'.

 

[AJB Temple]

Thanks Roger. I am not sure how a secondary return would work. My issue is that all additional hot water plumbing now needs to go through roof spaces as I do not wish to lift the oak floors in the main house. I can do most DIY things, but I am not great at plumbing. This means I probably need to pay someone to do such work. Once I factor in the substantial labour cost of this, then the cost of a Quooker or similar system is probably cheaper. I like the idea of an instant heat boiler in the loo and possibly in the utility room, so may well do that, but in the main kitchen having 100 degrees C water on tap makes sense to me for cooking.

 

[Brian18741]

Here is the weird sole that I referred to earlier:

Throughly enjoyed reading through this tread. Don't have much to offer but the groves on the sole of your no.7 were an attempt to reduce the surface area of the plane in contact with the wood and thereby reduce friction and make it easier to push the plane along the wood. General consensus was it was a bit gimmicky and it never took off. Ref Paul Sellers! [THUMBS UP SIGN]

Sent from my COL-L29 using Tapatalk

 

[AJB Temple]

Thanks Brian. I assumed it must be some such. I also wondered if it made sole flattening easier. In any case someone flattened this plane very nicely at some point in its life and it is a good No 7.

 

[AJB Temple]

Work has been progressing but I keep getting distracted. The ducks spent some couple time in my workshop, as they left evidence. They appear to have had a row, as this photo makes clear. All men will be familiar with this pose:

Also I have to cook. This is left over sausage meat from Christmas (from freezer) with apple and onion added. This was rated 11 out of 10 as lunch snack.

 

[AJB Temple]

Progress is being made. It is such a pain posting photos to this site it really curtails my enthusiasm! First resize and rename. Then click on upload attachment. Then choose. Then script it. Then position cursor and select add inline. Jeepers: most modern web forums have drag and drop. Some have auto resizing!

 

[AJB Temple]

Tomorrow I will try to post on how I go about construction in quite chunky oak, and how I deal with getting it all square and very solid.

Almost everything is done with mortice and tenon joints. Glued, and in many cases screwed.

In a few cases I use dominos. These are in non-structural areas and are very time saving. I am not a domino expert so I am still learning.

Some bits are also pulled together with timberfix bolts hidden deep inside the M&T joints (drilled and deeply countersunk). This is in locations where I am dealing with 2.5metre or more lengths, where I don't have clamps long enough. Sometimes I use pull straps, but hidden timberfix bolts will pull joints up really tight.

The thing under the blanket is a top secret double drawer fridge. Just keeping the dust away from the compressor and fan etc.

 

[AJB Temple]

As I also post on the tools I use.....this is a brilliant little plane. I use it constantly to help me clean off chunky tenons and chamfer the deep corners. Most of the time my tenons are shouldered (this hides my mortice mistakes ) which are almost inevitable in large chunks of oak unless you are willing to take all day to cut them, and I usually chamfer off the deep corners. Most of the mortices are 50mm deep and approx 100mm tall by 95mm wide.

This is a very cheap "Luban" plane. I think I paid about £40 for it a coupe of years ago on line. There is a Lie Nielson version for about £200 but it is no better. Nice thick iron and the edge lasts for ages. This is on my bench constantly and is a great clean up tool. Highly recommended.

 

[Bm101]

I'm enjoying your new lockdown verbosity Adrian. It suits you. :wink:
Enjoying the thread.

 

[AJB Temple]

The chisel is a Lie Neilson socket. 5/8" I think and I use it constantly for cleaning up tenons. Razor sharp in 10 seconds. The mallet is a 3lb leather and copper. I have a range of these. The lighter ones are leather and copper. Once you get to 5lb and 10lb they are leather on both ends. I make my M&T joints a tight fit, as that is what the glue bottle (I use all three main flavours of Titebond as required) says is needed, so in heavy oak all joints need a few good clouts when we get to glue up.

I do this partly on trust: I rarely fit my joints fully before gluing as they are tight such that they do not knock apart easily.

The square is Starrett. I like their kit as it is accurate, reliable and the markings are easy to read. I abandoned cheap adjustable square years ago as they get sloppy.