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BIG MAC

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Everything posted by BIG MAC

  1. Great leaping Babylonians Wooly - I think I am undone! My cunning plan was that 'surely someone else on here has done the research and will slip me a tasty wee link' ....Nope however I do feel obliged to get off my fat ass and find one myself. If I find a good one I will stick it one here as a tribute to those who sought to assist me in my hour of need. I really must be losing my touch :-)
  2. Sometimes I see these blocks and they look as though they are bedded in mortar, other times it looks like they are assembled 'dry' (presumably after the first course is bedded level) then the rebar and concrete fill takes the place of mortar? I notice on a wall near us that slate has been put in bed joints to correct any out of level. seem what I want is the half and half blocks whatever they are called. I have some in the hangar which have got differing shapes inside including ones with circles or cylinders to be precise which align (I presume these may be for bringing a service up inside maybe a power supply for a gatepost lamp?) What I am really looking for is a good video link either to a trades guidance video or a talented DIYer. I like to learn by other's mistakes as I have made enough of my own lol
  3. Wooly I am thinking would a Wooly offer sufficient insulation if inserted in said wall :-)
  4. I am fairly ok with what's involved in a straight wall it's the tying in of corners etc that I am puzzled by.
  5. The wall is actiually inside a hangar I have excavated a hole to permit a stair to be put in to access our Cave from within the hangar. The retaining wall will hold back the hangar floor remainder and provide a level for a new hangar floor slab to be cast soon. on two sides of of 'the retaining box' I intend to go up about another ten feet to put in a mezzanine. The walls from top to bottom will be about 15 feet, Thanks for all the advice. I was looking for pics or video showing how one creates corners etc
  6. Laughing here as the son of a Scottish greengrocer...yep 'turnips' are the big rough things and 'new turnips' are the little white fellas in my house :-) For an alternative take on mashed swede/turnip cook it with a couple of carrots and once mashed take it back to the stove and cook it still in the pan and turning it over gently to expel moisture...add butter and keep it on the heat till it sizzles and is 'catching' the bottom of the pan...add black pepper and allow to stand...serve with a healthy splash of Worcestershire sauce.
  7. Two things.. 1) Don't dress like a Teepee 2) Learn to drive I am now off on my motorbike complete with ski mask, full face helmet and iridium visor...got a night out at the double standards institute :-)
  8. Anyone know of good links showing how to use these in a retaining wall? Thanks in anticipation...
  9. It's as cheap to buy the thing :-)
  10. That's actually quite a nifty solution.
  11. Maybe 'Whiplash Guy' had a camera if it's a pic of your car
  12. When turning right if the junction is beyond a right angle then in a van it can be a challenge seeing back up the road you are joining. On such an occasion I had my daughter with me and asked her is it ok to go? She said yes - after this car...presuming she meant the car now passing I made to drive out ..a double take revealed it was towing a long low trailer...I only just missed it! The OT Camera purely for seeing past lorries no recording required although it may be handy now I think of it.
  13. Because (at least to a certain extent) music is logical and predictable. French (to me at least) looks very like the instructions for a dvd player....and I am a bloke..I fear this is going to be an uphill struggle as I can't delegate the learning bit off to the wife without giving her the whip hand! laughing here as the Mrs Mac already can speak a fair bit ..yes ...she can speak a bit....and at length...takes her half an hour to say goodbye on the phone!
  14. Hi Folks, Before I go and splash the cash does anyone have any recommendations as to a forward facing camera suitable for RHD vehicles to assist in overtaking in France? I drive a van often on my own so don't always have a passenger to tell me when it's safe to take a look past an artic etc. There's quite a few available online just looking for recommendations if any.
  15. Hi, Is it a RHD (ie UK) Vehicle which could be repatriated? and (if within rules) roughly what do you want for it and where's it located? By all means PM me so as not to breach rules. Mac
  16. Hi John, I am an infrequent visitor to the board (mea culpa) and even rarer visitor to this part of it. It was an absolute treat to 'discover' your portfolio. I think my love for music stems from an acceptance that I couldn't play a note with any degree of skill and therefore am unburdened by any ideas of 'I could do that' Fine woodwork I would maybe put in the same category so your efforts are to someone like me a joy to behold. Watching a skilled Artisan is always a fascination for me and for sure your woodworking falls into the 'must be appreciated' category! I need a couple of oak newel posts creating with little fat owls as the tops ...almost tempted to give it a go I am weighing up which is the better, a naff result and minus a finger or two or find a John somewhere in the Loire! ...
  17. I was on about the paraffin one and as another respondent said the principle is pretty much a one for one in water production so I am intrigued how that works out...one day someone will figure out how to burn water I mean it's hydrogen and oxygen after all. On the AC you will be limited by the condensate pump's ability to pump a given distance but if able to set up to a fall then gravity should take care of it. Just for info - we have a guy going over to survey the well and other than the concrete biscuit in place already there's little advantage to putting anything in the well shaft other than the pipework. We do need to get clearance from the Maire though as they may insist that even although it's closed loop that the loop is raw water (I would prefer treated to protect the equipment but can understand the sensitivity around potential pollution of the water table) I guess that means good pipe insulation and trace heating. If we go down this route we will be sure to share with the class.
  18. Quillan, Does your heater have a condensate tray by any chance? ie. are you not getting condensation in the air as its gathered in the flue? If there is such a beast..I want one :-)
  19. [quote user="You can call me Betty"]Ours have always been separate...apart from the audiovisual which is rolled up into one of the others...but our taxe d'hab alone is nearer €1800, fonc is similar and bins are on top of that. And no, we certainly do not own a chateau![/quote] Maybe we should count our blessings! I do wonder if you are being taxed as a maison secondaire or not...seems pretty steep or are you in central Paris?
  20. [quote user="You can call me Betty"]If your tax d'hab Bill is only €185, you don't know you're born![/quote] The tax bill comes in two instalments if memory serves and our area has now broken bills down into tax hab, tax fonc, poubelles, audiovisuel, I guess about €1500 PA. Sorry Idun - it's really peeving me to get a bill from an area I have never been to but €150 has been taken from my account but no idea what for
  21. So just back from France where I banked €400 Euros just to keep the little bills account going. Then I paid €92 for the pleasure of having my bin emptied (If I fill two bins a year I would be doing well) I get hit for €150 bill for I don't know what applied by some Fkin Fisc in Alsace. Then a bill for Habitation for €185 and €133 for 'Audiovisuel public. I have a freeview box and watch UK TV on the rare occasion I decide to watch TV over there. Do we need to pay for public television we don't use?
  22. [quote user="Spyder"]I've just been looking at our buildings/content insurance which has gone up to 840€ this year so if yours is for building + content then it's cheap as far as I'm concerned. You say it includes outbuildings so I assume it's for buildings + content. Sorry can't help with the wording but surely sums insured should be written into your contract? [/quote] €840! Jeez do you live in the Eiffel Tower or the Louvre? I think shopping around is key as every year it seems to creep up yet we never make a claim.
  23. I would bypass the cylinder for the oil system and just use an electric ballon on heures creuse We get enough hot water for a family of 7 from ours ...showers rather than baths though. save the oil for space heat and super insulate.
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