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canals are us?

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    http://jameskylepropertymaintenance.webs.com/

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  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Midlands
  • Interests
    All aspects of DIY. Stained glass and all things stove and fireplace related.
  • Occupation
    Plumbing & Property Maintenance.

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  1. We lived on a remote hillside in Herefordshire in the early 90's and caught a rat in our pantry. Hole in floor/wall. Humane trap got put in trailer with items for the tip in Leominster. When arrived at tip had forgotten to release the rat, but soon discovered the rat had broken free from the trap and was loose in the trailer! Opened the drop down ramp and off it scampered into the tip!! Sure it had a better life. James.
  2. Woodwarm stoves for me. Have the now discontinued fireview 4.5kw stove for the last 11 years heating my 50ft trad narrowboat liveaboard. With 8,000btu backboiler running 2 radiators on a gravity circulation. Simply a joy to use and live with. 2 years ago, for the first time replaced the fireboards and door rope seals. grate, baffle and outer pane of glass original, inner replaced as crazed/etched. New versions not cheap! Worth it though, as had 3 villager stoves in various properties and the Woodwarm outperforms them in every way.
  3. If you need to wait to get the glass sent off for toughening then if he has some safety film I would get him to cut a temporary pane and safety film it in the meantime. I used 4mm Perspex/polycarbonate off Ebay to replace a broken fixed pane around 7 months ago. So far so good. Polycarbonate more rigid than acrylic. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/254635292551?hash=item3b49723787:g:Ei4AAOSw9wpfQVBO Email exact size for a price. Bought 4mm Acrylic piece for a small 800x 150mm hopper for AC vent hose to go through. More flexible. Plasticsonline on Ebay but away until 2nd Jan. Cost was £15.00 cut to size.
  4. Does your oil stove have a pipe thermostat connected to any of the pipes near the stove? Normally 3 inches by 1.5 with dial and numbers. May of got knocked off the pipes or faulty. Or just on/off switch to control power to the pump. With a pipe stat the pump will start automatically and increase boiler life. James.
  5. If your stove has legs and is suitable for a 12mm thick hearth then 12mm thick tiles are ok on the floor. I would still fix hardibacker board to the floor and tile on top. If the stove is not suitable for a 12mm thick hearth then as said best to cut out the floor and build a new constructional hearth on the baseplate of the boat. I would use lightweight thermalite blocks and mortar them together. Cement screed on top to give a good fixing for the stove Then tile on top. Walls a 25mm air gap behind fire board and tile. Don't forget the stove needs to be a good safe distance away from furniture etc
  6. At least with a Marina you will have mains power. If a small GRP cruiser a pipsqueak stove would probably be ideal. James.
  7. Can't beat the solid fuel stove. Try and get it installed earlier. If any DIY ability I would do it yourself, or ask for any installers in your area. James.
  8. I fixed a leak coming from the stainless steel tank and it turned out to be the rubber hose inlet pipe was loose. One of the jubilee clips just needed tightening. Could see the stain line down the side of the tank. Had to drill an 80mm access hole in the side of a kitchen base unit. Reverse layout. I felt great to find it!! Charged him £40. James.
  9. A piece of 6mm laminated glass may fit in the top hopper. I have a stained glass window with genuine leaded glass that I made in my top hopper and the lead thickness is 5mm. The laminated glass can be bought from a glazier. Can be edged to take off the sharp edges. Broken bottom pane needs the whole window removing from the boat and separating and a cardboard/thin plywood template made and tested for size and then taken to the glazier who can cut it and get it toughened. Most likely 4mm glass. Horrid thing to happen.
  10. I would use standard base units. You could always have made, custom doors done in a wood that suits. You don't really see the inside when door closed and stuff inside.
  11. I thought about a Morso to replace a Bubble diesel stove. I chose against it, as read about the cracking. I'm sure a lot is caused by heavy firing and very fixed flue as has been said. 9 years ago chose a Woodwarm Fireview 4.5KW. Apart from the boat, the best thing I have bought. The grate, baffle plate and glass are still the original. The 30mm vermiculite firebricks and stove rope doors I renewed last winter as bricks had cracked around 3 years earlier. LHS one in 4 pieces. The rope seals fits into a channel cast into the door, so can move it's position if needed. The stove is fantastic, looking through it's double glazed door at the flames. Fellow neighbours with a squirrel have always had dirty glass. I have a mild steel back boiler on the stove and that heats the 2 rads by gravity. Would I buy another Woodwarm? Yes, but suspect mine will last another 20 years.
  12. I used to burn Oxbow red. Now smokeless and not as good. Now found a supplier of Smokeless ovoids for £9 a 20kg from Facebook. No idea on make/brand as white hessian plastic bag. Homefire is ok, but expensive. Got some off Facebook for £15 for 5x 10kg bags as getting rid of stove in recently purchased home. I do like the 10kg bags for easy lifting. Wildfire used to be a favourite of mine too for a few years, then manufacturers played around with formulation and not as good. James.
  13. Tried it several times with some thick string. Like a cheese wire and pulling both parts of the string to no avail. The catch is only £4.75 so cheap. James👍
  14. Washer dryer drain pump unclogged! Had 10 nails, a 50p, 20p and 2 pence piece plus a pozi drive screwdriver end bit. Poor thing! Draining great now and works. At least it was free 7 years ago. Door catch not working, and had to prise door open which snapped the door catch tang, so ordered new handle kit, and door lock actuator for £12.74, so once they arrive hopefully all working again. Washing now at my Nan's for me to put in. Thanks all, for your recommendations and advice. James👍
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