The Night Mail

[Happy Hippo]

Simon asked about the router corner jig. This is a bit of scrap bathroom flooring turned into a coaster. The pictures show how the jig fits over the end of the piece to be cut. Note the flush bearing cutter. You hold the jig with your fingers! One through the hole of the jig and pulling back with it seems to work. The other hand guides the workpiece. 

 

My first play with the home made router table, here in use as a form of spindle moulder. 

 

 

[simontaylor484]

A mighty fine selection of saws there Mr Hippo.

 

I haven't got a router table only a hand held router. 

 

When we used weedkiller at the Council it was round up with a sticking agent mixed in so it would work if it rained. 

 

I use a weed wand with butane/propane mix gas and napalm the weeds out of existence. I have also used salt. As well as white (distilled) vinegar.

I did have a round up solid block tgat you wiped on the weeds leaf .

[Dave Hunt]

As well as employing chemical warfare on the weeds I have an electric thingie that blows superheated air on them and shrivels them up. It's good for large, single weeds but it takes about ten seconds to get rid of each one so with rows of the bl**dy things in some of the paviour joints it would take too long to do the whole job that way. Hence resorting to glyphosate juice. However, Jill is getting a bit vociferous about me using 'those chemicals' in the environs so I may well try salt and see if that works.

 

Dave

[Pacific231G]

46 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

As well as employing chemical warfare on the weeds I have an electric thingie that blows superheated air on them and shrivels them up. It's good for large, single weeds but it takes about ten seconds to get rid of each one so with rows of the bl**dy things in some of the paviour joints it would take too long to do the whole job that way. Hence resorting to glyphosate juice. However, Jill is getting a bit vociferous about me using 'those chemicals' in the environs so I may well try salt and see if that works.

 

Dave

Hi Dave

Would an electric  paint stripper have the same effect?  I've got one and weeds I'd like to clear in a less back breaking way but I'd prefer to not resort to chemicals. I've got a propane fuelled weed wand but didn't find it that effective and I'd also have to get a new bottle of propane for it.

Edited June 6, 2021 by Pacific231G

[pH]

OK, who’s going to knit Wolferton station then?

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-england-norfolk-57334420

 

[jamie92208]

6 hours ago, Dave Hunt said:

As well as employing chemical warfare on the weeds I have an electric thingie that blows superheated air on them and shrivels them up. It's good for large, single weeds but it takes about ten seconds to get rid of each one so with rows of the bl**dy things in some of the paviour joints it would take too long to do the whole job that way. Hence resorting to glyphosate juice. However, Jill is getting a bit vociferous about me using 'those chemicals' in the environs so I may well try salt and see if that works.

 

Dave

We were recommended a mixture of white vinegar and hydrochloric aciid, in equal parts. Both thesecare availablevin 5l containers from the supermsrket. I'm told that it will even get rid of ivy.

 

Jamie

[Winslow Boy]

50 minutes ago, jamie92208 said:

We were recommended a mixture of white vinegar and hydrochloric aciid, in equal parts. Both thesecare availablevin 5l containers from the supermsrket. I'm told that it will even get rid of ivy.

 

Jamie

 

The difficultly with all these 'home made' products/concoctions is that they are not systemic and the residue that is left behind once the offending weed has been zapped. They require repeated applications and can in the case of salt cause 'damage' to things like paving and tarmac. The 'bunson burner' can be effective but it can also cause considerable 'collateral' damage. Blue on blue you could say.

Edited June 6, 2021 by Winslow Boy
on for or

[Happy Hippo]

My eating weeds rather than cake might be beneficial to both the garden and my wallet.

 

Although I shudder to think about the increase in my already legendary gaseous emissions!

 

For those enjoying sunshine this morning...

 

It's raining in north Telfland

[Dave Hunt]

Good morning from another part of North Hipposhire where it is also raining, hence we are having a long, lazy lie-in (good alliteration or what?). We went to see Dad yesterday and he is certainly improving; with a Zimmer frame he can now walk a good 25 yards, which is a quantum leap since he went into the care home a few weeks ago. At this rate I can see him getting back home in a month or so but counting chickens etc.

 

I'm also hoping that my modelling mojo is returning and that in the absence of good weather I may get the chance to exercise it this afternoon. I hope that another half dozen sessions will see the breakdown crane finished and I can then get on with the match wagon.

 

Have a good Sunday people.

 

Dave 

[Northmoor]

2 hours ago, Winslow Boy said:

 

The difficultly with all these 'home made' products/concoctions is that they are not systemic and the residue that is left behind once the offending weed has been zapped. They require repeated applications and can in the case of salt cause 'damage' to things like paving and tarmac. The 'bunson burner' can be effective but it can also cause considerable 'collateral' damage. Blue on blue you could say.

Likewise here we have had to stop using ant powder, although we have ants nests under the back garden slabs every year.  Having cats, anything leaving a residue on the ground is dangerous as obviously cats clean themselves so will lick off anything on their paws.

[polybear]

2 hours ago, Happy Hippo said:

Although I shudder to think about the increase in my already legendary gaseous emissions!

 

 

 

Bear did hear reports of said emissions being a prime contributor to Global Warming.  Not to mention rumours of a hole in the ozone layer directly above Telfland....

[Happy Hippo]

The weather seems to have bucked up at last and the temperature is steadily climbing, although it's still a bit on the grey  outside.

 

I have just cleared the conservatory again, this time of the blinds, their fixing battens and various ornaments.  They are coming to start the replacement of the polycarbonate roof tomorrow.  I decided to take them down as I will then retain a full set of fixing brackets and not find that 50% of then have been binned by the contractors.

 

They may get a shock when I ask for all the rectangular panels to be left and not be carted off:  They will become my new baseboards for the soon to be resurrected South Horton Irrigation Tramway.  Recycling for further use is better than them being recycled into a landfill somewhere.  I can also envisage some cold frame lids coming out of the remains.

 

 

[Dave Hunt]

1 hour ago, polybear said:

 

Bear did hear reports of said emissions being a prime contributor to Global Warming.  Not to mention rumours of a hole in the ozone layer directly above Telfland....

 

Living dangerously close to the Muddy Hollow (15 miles or so) we have learned that when rumblings from the south are detected, if the wind is from that direction it is wise to keep all the doors and windows closed until the noxious cloud has passed over. 

 

Dave

[Happy Hippo]

16 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

 

Living dangerously close to the Muddy Hollow (15 miles or so) we have learned that when rumblings from the south are detected, if the wind is from that direction it is wise to keep all the doors and windows closed until the noxious cloud has passed over. 

 

Dave

You are lucky that when I have visited in the past, I have contained myself whilst on the premises!

[bbishop]

Afternoon all,  I have been rather absent these last couple of weeks, as I have done the pre-reading for a course next week.  Wish me luck, please.  Bill

[jamie92208]

2 minutes ago, bbishop said:

Afternoon all,  I have been rather absent these last couple of weeks, as I have done the pre-reading for a course next week.  Wish me luck, please.  Bill

Good luck on the course Bill.

 

Jamie

[Florence Locomotive Works]

Evening all,

 

 

Quite a lot has happened in the past week.

 

On Thursday, after 20 months I finally got my braces off, and was given a retainer. I’ll now be wearing the retainer for probably another year. 
 

Mom turned 50 on Tuesday, so some celebration was had. As a gift we got her a “Sodastream” water carbonation machine, which makes noises from Star Wars. I don’t understand the appeal of what us just fizzy water, but each to there own. It still looks interesting.
 

 

I’ve also been able to get some modeling done, mostly the ballasting of my SE&CR micro layout (West Drizzlington) . As you can see below it has a visiting 3f and is far from finished.

 

 

Today I had an impromptu brunch with the grandmother, as payment for my planting 18 periwinkles. I don’t do gardening very often so it was a bit of a novelty. A welcome one though, as I’m already bored with summer break, although I’m not complaining. 
 

Now I’m off to go find an island platform for my layout. 
 

Douglas

Edited June 7, 2021 by Florence Locomotive Works

[pH]

40 minutes ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

As a gift we got her a “Sodastream” water carbonation machine, which makes noises from Star Wars. I don’t understand the appeal of what us just fizzy water, but each to there own. It still looks interesting.

Doesn’t need to be just carbonated plain water:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E91940dwR88

 

[Happy Hippo]

A small skip has just been delivered in anticipation of the conservatory construction.

 

I am anticipating filling it with quite a bit of stuff which is not conservatory related:  Well it would be a shame to send it away anything less than full.

 

Fortunately it's a bright morning.  I was a bit worried after yesterday evening when the skies opened (again).  

 

A roofless conservatory would be the basis of a very fine infinity swimming pool!

 

The not so good news is that I have been reliably informed that there is to be a moratorium on cake and a requirement for an excess of exercise.

 

My plan to circumvent the moratorium is to cycle to Hunt Towers and hang around outside looking lost and hungry... well I will certainly be the latter, in the vague hope that I will be recognised as a fellow veteran who has fallen on hard times.

 

In the meantime I'll go to Aldi and get a large selection of their cheap single use cakes* and keep them in the workshop fridge.

 

 

 

*  A single use cake is one that is quite small and is easily consumed in one swallow.

[Dave Hunt]

The last time we became aware of a creature hanging around outside looking lost and hungry was two years ago when Horace the cat appeared. We decided that we would feed him scraps but nothing further would be done as we didn't want a cat as a pet. Then he started sleeping in the back porch on an old chair so a blanket was put there but we told ourselves that he certainly wasn't coming in the house. Then he managed to sneak into the house a few times and it was decided that was OK as long as he slept outside but when the really cold weather arrived he was allowed to sleep in the utility room. No way, though, was he to be allowed in our bedroom. As I write this, he is peacefully asleep on our bed, has his own blanket on the sofa, eats only the best cat food........

 

However, adopting a wandering hippo is another matter as turning Hunt Towers into a substitute Muddy Hollow is at best difficult as the property is built on a slope. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that I have also been placed on a tonnage reduction regime so at the moment cake is in short supply and I don't suppose that lettuce leaves are an acceptable substitute?

 

Anyone want to adopt a hippo and his friend?

 

Dave

[polybear]

46 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

A small skip has just been delivered in anticipation of the conservatory construction.

 

I am anticipating filling it with quite a bit of stuff which is not conservatory related:  Well it would be a shame to send it away anything less than full.

 

A friend who lives in Barnet inherited a rather large Air Raid Shelter when he bought the house - "block house" style, made of reinforced concrete panels at least a foot thick.  He demolished it bit by bit, by hand; the cost of the skips was such that he pretty much fitted the rubble into the skips "jigsaw style".  Apparently the front of the skip lorry lifted several feet off the ground when the driver collected the skip...

 

46 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

The not so good news is that I have been reliably informed that there is to be a moratorium on cake and a requirement for an excess of exercise.

 

Not the dreaded "E" Word....

 

46 minutes ago, Happy Hippo said:

*  A single use cake is one that is quite small and is easily consumed in one swallow.

 

Bear knows them well:

https://food-to-order.sainsburys.co.uk/product/7989092/co-js-salted-caramel-and-choc-drip-cake?istCompanyId=bfeb4618-85f7-48de-8189-b6ce8275b847&istFeedId=c9aff9a5-0492-4cbf-b453-49ac6f19625b&istItemId=ipairmxir&istBid=t&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=11597217572&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIrajP8IWF8QIVVvBRCh2P8gN8EAQYASABEgJQJ_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

[Dave Hunt]

The thought has just occurred that where hippos go, bears are often not far behind.........

 

Dave

[polybear]

10 minutes ago, Dave Hunt said:

The thought has just occurred that where hippos go, bears are often not far behind.........

 

Dave

 

Bears lead, Hippo's follow...

There's little point being second at the trough after a Hippo's been there first

[Tony_S]

8 hours ago, Florence Locomotive Works said:

as payment for my planting 18 periwinkles. I

We planted one once, it is now everywhere requiring frequent hacking back. I was surprised that for something so easy to grow how expensive they were. But as the man there said “you only sell one to each customer. “

Edited June 7, 2021 by Tony_S

[pH]

1 hour ago, Dave Hunt said:

The last time we became aware of a creature hanging around outside looking lost and hungry was two years ago when Horace the cat appeared. We decided that we would feed him scraps but nothing further would be done as we didn't want a cat as a pet. Then he started sleeping in the back porch on an old chair so a blanket was put there but we told ourselves that he certainly wasn't coming in the house. Then he managed to sneak into the house a few times and it was decided that was OK as long as he slept outside but when the really cold weather arrived he was allowed to sleep in the utility room. No way, though, was he to be allowed in our bedroom. As I write this, he is peacefully asleep on our bed, has his own blanket on the sofa, eats only the best cat food........

That sounds exactly like the story of my sister-in-law, her husband and the cat they don’t have!