Grandad's shed

Spoil sport

On the Gransnet survey I suggested that they try and encourage more men. I like the interaction and to have their points of view - doesn't mean I have to agree with them

Oh go on Tizliz, just agree once, you may get to like it !

GandT please stay and post your thoughts from the shed. If any cross the respect line then kick 'em out!
Its wet out here it would be nice to come and chat , no arguments just a bit of banter and a cuppa.

We suddenly have lots of good friendly threads outside the shed, hood time to have a wander around.

The trouble GandTea is that I have a husband who believes he is always right, in fact he can quote when he was last wrong - 1958 I think. So I come here as a place where I can be right for once.

I haven't been absent from Gransnet, just posting less as there is nothing new to say on most of the political threads, and DGC number three has just arrived, which has been a welcome distraction. This is my first visit to Grandad's shed, and I am encouraged to see it isn't men only.

Welcome to the shed grumma, the ladies are most welcome (with cakes of course)

Grumma ?? well I suppose that is better than Gummy

I've a question for the grandads (or anyone else who knows the answer)

I have just bought a through-the-centre hosereel (a Hozelock one) which came in bits, with various fittings to put in the right places, quite fiddly. I have assmbled most of it OK, but there is a stop-valve thingy, which goes at the end of the hose (you push the squooshing/spraying attachments into it and, in theory, can change attachments without getting your feet washed)

The fittings are easier to fix onto the hose than I remember from way back, so I have not needed any brute force to shove the hose into them before screwing down the ring, but the hose doesn't go firmly onto this stop-valve one at all.

I want to know whether it will seal OK if I just screw down the ring, with the hose just touching? Or will the force of the water break open the join?

Elegran, just been out to look at mine (hope you appreciate my dedication as it is P......g down here)

Mine is also a HL. The hose should go in about 3/4inch. Remove the threaded collar completely and thread it onto the hose for later. You should see some grey plastic prongs that grip the hose. Sometimes these get bent inwards and stop the hose going in fully. If any are bent gently bend them out again and push the hose into place. Then slide the collar back and screw it up hand tight. Don't worry if any of the prongs break off, mine has three broken and it still works fine.

Hope that helps.

Thank you, G&T I do appreciate your trip out in the rain. Above and beyond the call of duty! I shall do as you say (when it stops P......g down here too. Who needs a hose?)

The next thing is to fix it on the wall. I have had a go at winding in the hose with it standing on the ground. That takes three hands, one to wind the handle (backwards!) one to control the sliding whatsit that is supposed(?) to layer the hose on neatly, and a third to hold the whole contraption from falling over. I have a go at doing most things myself, I have a little mini-drill that I am happy with, but firing up DH's big drill with a masonry bit to make the holes in the bricks for the rawlplugs is daunting.

I'm not sure elegran I hope someone else can advise you.

I have an Xhose bought for a birthday present (at my request) a couple of years ago.
It stretches to 75ft. You can get bigger or smaller depending on your needs

I think its great.
It shrinks to fit in to a small box that clips over the garden tap.
It has a number of attachments and sprays.
Last year my little GS loved to playing running in and out of the sprays.

Much cheaper 'copies' are now available on the market.

Elegran your very lucky if you need to water your garden. Ours is like a swamp! The sun has just come out after over a week of rain.
Weather for ducks!

Elegran, if you unwind the hose competently, you may be able to re-wind it the normal way.

The instruction book says otherwise, G&T, apparently it is harder to wind that way.

It is all enclosed, and is designed so that the hose is wound in at the gap at the base of the front, then horizontally to the back before it goes up and round. If you wind the other way, there would be a sharp bend as the hose goes in at the front then up vertically behind the front, before going over the top and round.

I would have designed it with the gap at the TOP of the front, then it could be wound in the normal way - ie pushing forward then down rather than backward then up.

Reminds me of a history programme, where someone demonstrated how a mangle was worked.

They stood on the wrong side of it and turned the handle the wrong way with the wrong arm. All the water being wrung out would have missed the chute cleverly built in under the rollers to divert it back into the bucket of wet sheets, gone in the other direction, and soaked their feet. The table placed to catch the flattened sheets was on the wrong side of the mangle, where the sheets were coming from, not going to, so the sheets would end up on the wet and dirty floor.

Plus, they were turning in the most inefficient manner they could, which would have wearined their arm even more than usual.

I can only believe that no-one at Hozelock has ever used a mangle or the handle on a canal loch gate.

Cherrytree we have one of those. You can attach it to the tap outside the kitchen window and it stretches all round three sides of the house, with plenty to spare, to do the side lawn. Then it shrinks back into its little box! Brilliant!

Elegran, OK, that's a posher (would be for an Elegran I suppose) version than my one.

Just bought a new hose to replace my old holey one, was very chuffed at putting it together all by myself, but still find it a pain to wind in and out. That Xhose looks amazing and I'm going to have shell out again for one of these!

Can any of you chaps advise me as to how to get Mr P to get started on decorating the hall, stairs and landing ?

I do appreciate that it's a pig of a job, 8 doors and architraves to gloss, (9 if you count the cupboard under the stairs) and the skirting boards, plus of course the need for ladder acrobatics when it comes to the stairs and drop bit.

I would start the emulsioning, (I love it, and find it rather therapeutic) but the correct procedure is ceiling (which I can't do because of the damn shoulder) , then gloss, then walls.

I think I have been very patient, we have had the paint for over 3 years now!

Well, this Mr P is open to offers

3 years ???? The paint isn't even dry yet, no wonder he doesn't want to start yet.

Well phoenix you could dab some little tester pot paint on the walls. He might take the hint.
Or loudly ask a imaginary (or real friend on the phone for the number of a good decorator.

Then there is also the promise suspenders and stockings of nice bottle of whiskey or what ever his tipple

I am trying to persuade my OH that the bedroom could be painted something other than white, but he is always right - see previous comment - so it is unlikely I will get the dove grey I want. I think the plaster should have settled by now, we moved in over 10 years ago.

GandTea it has suddenly gone very quiet don't you think?!