DIY Course

[imamartian]

what a daft suggestion.

Is how you started this off. So i`ll keep to my opening statement previously.

a basic DIYer would struggle to mock things up.

But he could be trying and not damage anything. Or did that bit slip past you?

You purchased the forum too now?
It was a DIY reference, you asked in DIY did you not?
So I dont mind, not in the slightest.

Yes alarm, i stand corrected, i will change the way i live my life because i criticised your idea (not !!)

you CALLED ME A HALF WIT but i'm obviously not bothered by that !!

You purchased the forum too now?

i did what?

and the rest of your response sounds drunken !!!!

Lets drop the nonsense and focus on the advice to the keen diyer (which is what this is all about ffs !!)

@OP (at last) Alarm has a good idea, if you can mock things up in your shed, give it a go....but don't add a loft ladder, or retile the shed's kitchen, or put slabs down in there using the dot'n'dab method...

Just enjoy DIY, know your limits, talk to friends and family, and be safe !!

simple really !!

 

[Alarm]

Only drunk here is you.
That is obvious.

Isnt it funny when people have nothing left they assume. And make snide little remarks. ( Daft, Drunk implication, at last a good idea ( which was from the start anyway))

Give me a breath or blood test pal, i`ll pass both as negative.

From now on talk to the hand ( know that one)

 

[imamartian]

Only drunk here is you.
That is obvious.

Isnt it funny when people have nothing left they assume. And make snide little remarks. ( Daft, Drunk implication, at last a good idea ( which was from the start anyway))

Give me a breath or blood test pal, i`ll pass both as negative.

From now on talk to the hand ( know that one)

lol, talk to the OP... not me...

 

[securespark]

id say.........if you cant do it yourself......ask on here....the guys are great at helping

//www.diynot.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=1090726#1090726

theres one of my diy problems from a long time ago that got sorted by asking on here...

jeeeeez, thats from long before i ventured onto GD!!!

I thought you were talking about a different diaphragm for a mo there...

 

[mattylad]

AHEM.......

When I wanted to learn how to solder copper piping for plumbing I practised in my shed, using offcuts of pipe and some fittings.

AFAIK when going to plastering courses at college you use a frame with some board on and plaster on that - no reason it cannot be done in a garage. I have seen bricklaying courses with walls built in a room for practise etc.

There is nowt wrong with trying to learn some skills in the shed.

Having had a practise certainly does help when you finally go for it and do the job for real.

Of course there are going to be some things that cannot be practised in the shed, like water skiing etc

 

[imamartian]

AHEM.......

When I wanted to learn how to solder copper piping for plumbing I practised in my shed, using offcuts of pipe and some fittings.

AFAIK when going to plastering courses at college you use a frame with some board on and plaster on that - no reason it cannot be done in a garage. I have seen bricklaying courses with walls built in a room for practise etc.

There is nowt wrong with trying to learn some skills in the shed.

Having had a practise certainly does help when you finally go for it and do the job for real.

Of course there are going to be some things that cannot be practised in the shed, like water skiing etc

Oh jeez... you're assumimg so much....the guy wont have a gas burner, or the resources available on your course......

Whilst i agree in full with your sentiment... you've missed a practicality !!

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

Hi,

I have got very basic skills DIY and was exploring if there are any good options to learn bit more of DIY.
Can you guide me how to best approach and increase my confidence in DIY.
thanks!

Practise is the only good confidence builder, but you will need some fundamental knowlegde of what projects you are considering taking on.
Plenty of DIY books about, vids on you tube and the guys/girls on the trade forums.

i can always post questions here with pics to get me going..

Indeed you can, what project have you got lined up?

i have not given DIY a serious thought to make it as my prime earning capability. If i get my confidence up I will like to do plumbing or be a sparky...is it too late for me (34) to think about career change

You are out of the scope of DIY then, you are learning a trade.
You need to be getting on City and Guilds courses, no fast track shyte neither and get some hands on experience.
34 is no age pal, never to late to improve on yourself.

 

[inkypinky]

hi All,

Thanks for your suggestions though we did digressed a bit but that is fine...

i have not got any specific project lined up, but really want to understand DIY, the first thing I want to do is refit some tiles that have come off in my bathroom over the garbage pipe area which is enclosed via a wodden plyboard.

but frankly i do want to learn DIY but still confused on how & where to start

 

[Alarm]

Readers Digest DIY book is a good start.
Local library will have one.

Play about in the garage build some confidence.

 

[inkypinky]

thanks Alarm.

I was thinking of making something for the garden and found this

http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/garden-diy/how-to-make-a-wooden-planter/369.html

Hopefully this should be a start for me. Need to see tools and prices

 

[Alarm]

As good a start as any.

Actually I might do something similar myself. Have a corner that needs a brighten up in the garden

Good find.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

but frankly i do want to learn DIY but still confused on how & where to start

DIY Is a broad subject and can involve doing multi-trades. So it would be very difficult to offer any solid advice until you had a project to take on.
Be prepared to be frustrated but not impatient, if you are taking on tasks that you have never aspired to before. A good start would be having the tools that will help you achieve your goals, they don't need to be expensive but do need to be suitable.
So tiling:
The first thing you need to do is remove all loose tiles from this area, then you need think why these tiles have come loose, is there a reason, do you need to do some further investigation and resolve another problem prior to replacing tiles.
Remember that if you do not have spare tiles, you need to reuse existing without any breakages.
Then if you are sure there no problems to be resolved, you need to clean off the area to be worked on and prep this area with a bonding agent that is suitable for both substrate and tile adhesion.
You also need to choose the correct adhesive for the area and substrate.
A good quality adhesive is recommended such as bal or mapei.
Normally you would use ready mixed only on walls. and powered on both walls and floors. If the tile format is large then powered rapidset would be used on both walls and floors.
If you are fiiting tiles in an area that has plenty of moisture such as a shower or wet rooms then choose your adhesive accordingly.
Also choose your grout wisely too, if the area is subject to micro-organisms growth, get a grout suitable to deal with it, such as bal microflex.
You will need at least a rail cutter, tile nippers, 6-8mm notched trowel (this could change depending on flatness of surface and format of tile)
spacers, marker/pencil, tile file, tape, level, grouting float, sponge, noodle mitten and a couple of buckets.

 

[pred]

Hi,

I have got very basic skills DIY and was exploring if there are any good options to learn bit more of DIY.

Can you guide me how to best approach and increase my confidence in DIY.

thanks!

My advice is quite simple, DIY is old hat, the latest fad is GSI, I'll make a deal with you, i'll not do any accountancy, brain surgery, dentistry, etc. etc. so long as you dont do any building work.

 

[longdogs]

As Alarm suggests, buy yourself a Readers Digest DIY book as it gives you good sound advice on most subjects. The internet is ok as a guide but is not always correct.

It's never too late to change your career. I changed from 25 years of graphic design to plumber at the age of 44. Your main problem would be confidence to start with and you never really stop learning so even now I still turn to the books for advice.

 

[pred]

As Alarm suggests, buy yourself a Readers Digest DIY book as it gives you good sound advice on most subjects. The internet is ok as a guide but is not always correct.

It's never too late to change your career. I changed from 25 years of graphic design to plumber at the age of 44. Your main problem would be confidence to start with and you never really stop learning so even now I still turn to the books for advice.

Thanks for this really sound piece of advice, i've been thinking of a carreer change for some time now and although the cost of the tool kit is extorsionate/prohibitive i really fancy myself as a brain surgeon, so you reckon all i require is Readers Digest DIY book and "Bobs ur uncle" i'll be off to a flying start, maybe even emigrate to Aus, once again many thanks for your kind advice.