DIY with function over finesse!!

[mickthemaverick]

You may remember I started this thread with the tale of my shed floor rot. Well having fixed that and monitored it for a couple of weeks we decided it was ok to store the wild bird food there rather than the greenhouse but we soon realised the shed got too hot for the fat balls and suet meals so we decided to install a fridge:

I decided as ever to minimise the expenditure and found a virtually brand new Russell Hobbs one on ebay for £30 and a gallon of fuel to collect it:

Own work

Once installed and running it occurred to me that the fridge itself was now subjected to working in a harsh environment for a fridge, so I started looking for ways to reduce the shed's temperature. After considering many options including a second reflective skin suspended over the shed roof, cooling water pipes across the shed roof etc etc etc but all my ideas were costly and hard work. In the end I came across a product I had never heard of and after discussing its use with the manufacturer I purchased a can of this coating which will reflect the sunlight, both UV and infra red, resulting in less heat being sucked into the shed and preserving the life of the roofing felt. Everyone's a winner hopefully!!:

Own work

The paint arrived this morning so I wasted no time in power washing the shed roof and letting it dry, then on with the first coat. I am busy tomorrow but it will get the second coat on Wednesday and then I will see how much cooler the shed is!!

I have posted many pictures of my shed how it was in POTD so I will just post one of how it is after the first coat!!:

Own work

I'll edit in another photo after the second coat. For reference I have to say it was very easy to apply with a 4" brush as it is exceedingly low in viscosity, similar to 5-30 engine oil I'd say and consequently spreads very nicely. It is weird in looking mid brown as you stroke it on and turning to silver in a few seconds, making it very easy to track your progress

[Dormouse]

I am looking forward to your views on this paint. I have used an Australian glass spheres paint on the roof of Pint Pot (our camper/dayvan) and got good results over the winter when interior condensation used to be a problem and I am still finding out how she fairs in the warmer weather.

[mickthemaverick]

Second coat applied this morning and it went on even easier than the first! Whole roof done in 35 minutes as opposed to the 50 the first coat took!! SWMBO reckoned the shed was noticeably cooler yesterday afternoon with only the first coat applied so first impressions are favourable. We'll see how it is after a few days of acclimatisation! My baseline is the temperatures I measured a couple of weeks ago before I installed the fridge. On the sunny day I chose they were:

Outside in shade 22C
Greenhouse 28C
Shed 27C

I'll try again next week and we'll see where we are!

A picture with the second coat:

Own work

[myglaren]

Although it is barely used, my daughter's shed gets oppressively hot. There's only a lawnmower in there currently.
A few years ago it was leaking like a sieve so I swiped some sheets of 1.4mm plastic from work - they are used for vacforming PVCu doors.

Perhaps the woodgrain stuff wasn't the best choice - dark brown. It is like a furnace in there on sunny days.
I did contemplate covering it with kitchen foil and turning it into a big mirror, but perhaps not.

[mickthemaverick]

I considered using kitchen foil too Steve but decided it would be ripped to shreds in hours by our magpies and jackdaws who are numbering over 40 these days!! We'll see how mine turns out and maybe that could be a solution for you.

[myglaren]

Considered it Mick but probably a waste as it is barely used anyway.

[mickthemaverick]

It was the turn of my mate's newly aquired Vivaro yesterday. When he bought the van a couple of weeks ago his only reservation was the damage to the bottom of the back doors:

Own work

I chimed in with "You don't want to worry about that, it is only a van don't forget, and I can sort it out for you if you want anyway!!"

So with those words ringing in his ears he went ahead and bought the van subject to them servicing it before collection. My ears pricked up again when they agreed. "In that case," says I " how about knocking £300 off the price and we'll service it ourselves?" After the usual reverberating haggle we settled on £250 off, as by then I had put together a service parts costing of around £80. So he came away in the van and ordered the parts. Unfortunately our workshop/mancave is not usable untill the 21st June, due to the yard and access being resurfaced next week, so the service is now planned for the 24th. In the meantime I was reminded on Friday about the rear door damage so I went over yesterday to sort that out on his drive. On closer inspection I found the door was dented and scratched and it was a bigger task than I had imagined:

Own work

Fortunately I had taken my PDR kit with me so without going into detail I removed the dent, filled the creases at the corners and painted with two pack. It hasn't been polished yet but we are happy with the result for a DIY outdoors job!

Own work

[mickthemaverick]

Not really sure where this fits in and not worth a thread of its own. What happens when you decide not to DIY?
Having had my Legacy for nearly 3 months without issues I decided to treat it to a replacement timing belt etc and a full fluids replacement, brake and transmission included. Because the timing belt was changed at 60k in 2015 I felt it worth doing on a time basis if not mileage. I did not fancy a backstreet garage for this job as the boxer engine is quite specialist and access is a pain. Thus I contacted my "local" Subaru dealer who happens to be 25 miles away and asked about the costs. I was expecting it to be expensive so I wasn't surprised, but I have bitten the bullet and booked it in for 7th July. Full service including brake fluid replacement, front pads, all filters, oil, timing belt (and pump if necessary) plugs, suspension inspection and transmission fluid. Valet on completion. Automatic courtesy car and free detailed invoice!!! I like that bit!! All for just under £800 which is a fortune for me to spend on maintenance having always done my own but hopefully it will give me a definite base for ongoing servicing and peace of mind re the timing belt age!! Interested to know other opinions on that decision?

[NewcastleFalcon]

This was part of my MOT job on the BB Micra back end of August last year, where I chose to spend several days outside in unseasonal rain wrestling with getting this lower suspension arm off, with a less than adequate tool box and hopeless and uncomfortable access surely only truly enjoyed by a contortionist, to the rusted nuts and bolts requiring dismantling.

The parts for my little escapade were around £120, but the hassle of doing the job I could have done without. My local garage would probably have charged less than £100 in Labour, would have faced the same problems as me but would have had it up a height, and had the know how and the gear not to waste the vast amount of time I spent wrestling with the rusty bits with inadequate gear.

I think the balance is between how much you value the saved time and hassle, and the price you have to pay for someone else doing it. For the BB Micra, should it fail on the other ball joint this year, I would definitely come down on the side of just getting my local garage to do it and paying the price.

Increasingly that's my thinking, hence my advice to you just to get someone to do the exhaust for you on the C5....but you must still enjoy doing it seeing as you opted for the DIY job on that occasion



Regards Neil

[Gibbo2286]

Well some will know I've spent all my life on the spanners but I paid the Citroen main dealer to do the timing belt on the current C5..the novelty's gone off.

[mickthemaverick]

Much the same as me Gibbo, I am beginning to find it more difficult to work on the car than it should be, so glad to take the easy way out. I just hope this Dealer turns out to be as good as the recommendations I have read!!

On another note I completed the service on the Vivaro van today as mentioned earlier and all went swimmingly well!! No pictures but I can report we caught the front pads just in time with a mere skimming of lining material left. One drop link had worn ball joint so two new links installed, all filters and oil change and now she's good for another 24000 miles or 2 years according to the (reset) onboard service counter!!

[mickthemaverick]

I have a confession to make. I have given in to my desire not to put money into a main stealer's pocket and cancelled the service I had booked. Instead I have ordered a set of Mintex front discs and all round pads together with transmission fluid and engine oil and all the filters etc. My, currently one handed, mate has agreed to give me a hand at his workshop in a couple of weeks, when he returns from walking Hadrian's Wall, so I will be doing all the work there instead of at the dealer. At least I will also have the satisfaction of knowing it has all been done with no short cuts and a healthier bank balance at the end!!

[Dormouse]

And convivial company to boot.

[mickthemaverick]

An update on the Subaru service - I replaced the pollen filter on Wednesday, and not a moment too soon!, with the intention of doing the rear brake pads today. Unfortunately yesterday's incident with the MX3 means I have no other transport here today so I have postponed the rear brakes until I have a second set of wheels available. Basically should something go awry during the job I may have to go and collect parts which I cannot do today as SWMBO is out all day.

On another note, I am transferring the MX3 issue story to this thread as it no longer is proper to the tyres thread. I have managed to locate four pretty decent alloys in Gateshead and I have negotiated a deal of £160 delivered to me. I will then have to swap the tyres from my two good wheels to the back and buy two new ones for the front at £80 the pair. I have ordered a complete set of wheel nuts for £32 which are on their way and two lug bolts at £3 each which are also on their way. So once I have completed the job it will have cost me £278 and a fair bit of agro all because an Audi driver couldn't spare 15 seconds of his life!!

[NewcastleFalcon]

The element of that post which is bang on topic for the "Everything about Tyres" thread has been extracted quoted and and posted over there. The tyre buying forum members need to find where to buy the £40 tyres!
posted here
https://www.frenchcarforum.co.uk/forum/ ... 44#p691644

Regards Neil