Help! Topics for articles.

[The Medway Handyman]

Hi All

As part of my Medway Handyman strategy to take over the world, I've been writing a DIY column in a local monthly free magazine ( I also advertise with them). So far I've done; Unblocking a sink, toilets that overflow or won't flush, bleeding radiators and wall plugs & screws.

It's been a great success; the magazine gets a free 'public interest' article, the public get some free advice - and I get some free publicity.

Trouble is, I'm now running out of ideas! The articles need to be short, not too technical and about very simple tasks. I also don't want to do my self out of work :-)

Any ideas for subjects?

[The3rd Earl Of Derby]

Yes,tell them about uk-d-i-y then they won't have to buy the magazine.

[Sparks]

They don't buy it now though - it's free!!

[Colin Wilson]

Types of paint, how to paint stuff like doors / radiators, decorating behind radiators, balancing radiators, assembling flat pack furniture, "damp" problems (i.e. make sure air gets to circulate in corners piled high in crap where the walls go black), replacing a eurolock, adjusting a upvc door, how to get spiders out of the bath (we find leaving a few sheets of loo roll hanging over the sloping end works great) - and how about something on the new wiring regs ? (changes of core colours etc)

[Sparks]

disconnecting and reconnecting a dishwasher or washing machine (As people normally don't realise their new machine with free fitting, won't be fitted for free unless the old one is disconnected until after the thing is delivered, and the delivery people refuse to do it as you haven't complied with the terms and conditions!)

Maybe showing people the difference between different types of drill bit (My mum attempted to drill through a cupboard door with a masonry drill bit (with the drill on hammer mode) The results were actually OK as far as the hole went (Surprisingly); (Must have taken ages though!) but somehow the drill bit was at 90 degrees to the drill when she was finished!

Changing a plugtop or fuse in a plugtop

Installing a telephone socket (Maybe even suggesting using a filtered faceplate if ADSL is present)

You could do changing light switches & fittings, sockets, etc. You would need to make bloody sure you make all the safety suggestions here!

Adding a new ariel socket (Depending on column space, you could go into proper distribution systems that feed Sky etc. around the house.

Putting up a (level) shelf

Filling a small hole in a wall

Laying Laminate flooring

Putting up curtains/blinds in different types of window (Normal & Bay etc..)

Replacing a consumer unit :-)

I am sure people here would be happy to read through your future submissions before they are submitted, so you don't make yourself look an arse by forgetting something!

[Guy King]

The message from "The Medway Handyman" contains these words:

Making a compost bin from old pallets.

Fitting a CFL lamp!

Changing a plug/fuse.

Stopping squeaks and rattles.

[Guy King]

The message from Colin Wilson contains these words:

Just leave the plug dangling but not in the hole. They climb up the chain.

[Owain]

Building a barbecue out of some bricks and an oven rack

Changing a tap washer or fitting a tap rejuvenator kit

Ten things to improve your home's kerb appeal (top time for selling houses) - new knocker/letterbox, paint front door, get oil off tarmac or paved drive, fit hanging baskets to wall with rawlplug (these should all be things that you can do for people, of course, as your advert that month should conveniently mention)

Garden hoses, waterbutts etc

I assume it's not your phone exchange that caught fire earlier?

Owain

[meow2222]

Best be careful if you do that. Youre a professional offering advice, so if some moron follows your advice and gets injured, you're in the firing line. And morons are very inventive, and entirely oblivious to those extra risks that are plain obvious to the rest of us.

NT

[Lobster]

... or employ the Medway Handyman!

[Phil Addison]

Apart from the ideas already put forward, have you retained copyright? If so, are any of them suitable for our FAQ?

Phil The uk.d-i-y FAQ is at

Google uk.d-i-y archive is at NOSPAM from address to email me

[Dave]

How to recover a plastered wall that has been over-enthusiasticly scraped clean of wall paper. Paint is pealing off, scraper marks and they want to paint it.

How best to use that stuff that Pollycell sell without the squeegee that cost another few quids. The one that is used to smooth out a rough textured wall.

How to prepare new plaster for emulsion.

When and how (and why) to use PVA.

The best way to remove skirting, without damaging it, before laying laminate flooring.

How to remove artex/woodchip wall paper.

How to remove a radiator before decorating behind it. Including the stripping of old wall paper.

How to use a Tiger claw to get stubborn vinyl paper off a wall.

How a 13 Amp plug should be wired and why.

Why a fuse is there to protect the wiring and what Amp fuse to use for what and why.

Why RCDs sometime trip for no reason.

Why RCDs trip regularly and how to diagnose why.

Why double glazing sometimes mists up inside and how to cure it.

That's all for now. I hope it helps you, as I see these as everyday problems for the clue less.

Dave

[John Rumm]

Putting up a shelf

Fixing a curtain track

Curing a squeeky floorboard / stair tread

Easing a sticking door / drawer

Clearing gutters

Making a base for a shed

Cleaning oil off a driveway

[normanwisdom]

Extracting lobsters from Jayne Mansfield's bum? (Derek and Clive

)

[Guy King]

The message from "The Medway Handyman" contains these words:

How to choose a handyman?

[Andy Hall]

On Fri, 7 Jul 2006 01:24:56 +0100, John Rumm wrote (in article ):

John

You could hire Dave to do all these jobs for you and pay him in round tuits ;-)