Toolbag Tales-Homemade and improvised tools

[bobins]

I heard the recommendation for chickens to control slugs from a panellist on the BBC's Gardener's Question Time. I have zero interest in gardening but quite enjoy GQT... I think more for the panellist banter than the subject...

As is always the case - ask 5 different gardeners a gardening question - you'll get 10 different answers

[CitroJim]

I heard the recommendation for chickens to control slugs from a panellist on the BBC's Gardener's Question Time. I have zero interest in gardening but quite enjoy GQT... I think more for the panellist banter than the subject...

As is always the case - ask 5 different gardeners a gardening question - you'll get 10 different answers

Yep, that sounds about right and just as it is in most areas of life!

[Vic Evans]

I heard the recommendation for chickens to control slugs from a panellist on the BBC's Gardener's Question Time. I have zero interest in gardening but quite enjoy GQT... I think more for the panellist banter than the subject...

As is always the case - ask 5 different gardeners a gardening question - you'll get 10 different answers

Yep, that sounds about right and just as it is in most areas of life!

Well there's a coincidence!
Mme Vic has just asked me to cut her a dozen blackberry runners.
Apparently someone on YouTube said to surround plants with the prickly runners as slugs won't cross them.
Us'll see

[Gibbo2286]

Tidying my workshop...here's a home made tool. It's got to go so if anyone wants it shout. I made it to hold the hub on the C5 while I undid the drive shaft nut.

[myglaren]

Carbolic soap, purchased at Beamish Open Air Museum, local to me.
Bought some last year and it is the only thing that keeps a persistent rash under control, following an insect bite three years ago.

It is difficult to cut and shatters into shale. This can be reconstituted but is a bit of a pain.

I have tried very sharp knives of various sorts and ended up using a junior hacksaw, far from ideal.
I was advised to use an heated knife but wary of damaging expensive knives. Then read that it can be warmed in the microwave oven and softened, making it malleable and easier to cut.
An oven time of fifteen seconds was recommended but proved insufficient, more like five minutes, done in fifteen second steps.

A bit of MDF, not the proper chopping board, and the trusty breadknife. All is well except the soap-flavooured sandwiches.
I will buy a cheap knife to heat up and try but have cut sufficient for about a year.

[Stickyfinger]

........................but have cut sufficient for about a year.

Two bit of soap for a year ?..... are you French ?

[CitroJim]

........................but have cut sufficient for about a year.

Two bit of soap for a year ?..... are you French ?

Here's hoping what you subsequently cook in the microwave does not taste soapy Steve!

[mickthemaverick]

You can knock up a hot wire cutter from scrap in the garage Steve. I made one from a cheeseboard size piece of ply, a length of stripped 1.5mm copper wire, an anchor staple, a lawnmower starter cord handle and just use a pencil butane torch to heat the wire before slicing through the soap. I made it for cutting cathedral candles but it's the same principle!!

[myglaren]

I did consider making an electric one, the kind used to cut expanded polystyrene. Big Clive has the instructions somewhere.
The microwave saved me the bother.

The result was a couple of dozen normal sized bars. Quite long lasting and still have plenty in reserve, there were three uncut bars, only used one of them.

[moizeau]

Tyre bead breaker

[CitroJim]

^^ Love it!

[myglaren]

[myglaren]

I think this fits well in this thread. I've watched a lot of her videos over that past few years and find her quite amazing. Mostly the ways she sets about things and uses mostly rudimentary tooling and often in ways it was never expected to be used, just the axe used as a hammer and a coarse plane, then has a planer, a nail gun and a laser level.

[Armidillo]

Thanks - enjoyed watching that. Given that she had access to a pneumatic nail gun and to an electric drill and sander, it seems a little odd that she had to persevere with such a small saw - more a pruning saw than a woodworking tool - which must have significantly slowed her progress.

I learnt to mix concrete in the way that she does from my father - if you are not mixing it right on the spot where it will be used, then mixing it on a sheet of galvanised iron makes site cleanup easier. Also we use poly pipe like that for livestock and garden watering, but I've not seen those press fittings that require heating the pipes before - just the screw together type.

My father & grandfather would not have built anything as elaborate as that pump shed, but could build sturdy stockyards and fencing with basic tools (nothing electric), using locally sourced timber. I was particularly interested to see the "Genius Girl" use the same wire twitching technique (while assembling the formwork for her weir) as the old timers used in constructing strong post and rail yards - when decent quality wire and Australian hardwood were used the yards would be functional not just for years or decades, but for generations!

[myglaren]

She does all sorts of repairs. It was interesting watching her rewind the armatures in electric motors and generators.