Nov 16
There is a lot of buzz around self sufficiency and renewable heat sources, so if you have gone in for the log burner or wood fueled boiler, you will need to get some logs in.
Of course you will have done this already – it has been very chilly in the evenings in many places for the last month or so, but you need to cut logs now ready for next year. Well seasoned logs are much more efficient at burning. Even if you don’t have an area that is covered, if you stack them in a sheltered spot (under the lea of a garage or shed for instance) they will benefit from being cut and seasoned before use next year.
If you are planning your own logging expedition you need to consider what tools you will need. We have been reviewing tools all summer, in our studios and out on site, and we are happy to share our knowledge with you.
We have tried to make our reviews as easy to follow as possible with a written round-up, a star-rating system and a video demonstration, but do leave comments on the page if you have any suggestions for how we could improve them.
CHAINSAWS
Titan Electric Chainsaw review – click picture to see page
Mountfield MC3616 Chainsaw review – click picture to see page
Don’t forget if you have a chainsaw you need to oil it
Chain Oil for Chainsaws review – click picture to see page
If you have any products that you would like us to review please leave your comments here (click on the comments link on the top right-hand side of the page)
If you have a product that you would like us to review please contact us – but be warned, we will be honest!
Oct 08
Kevin McCloud is the proud owner of this shed – You have to admit it is pretty impressive. He built it all himself, and just from the naturally available materials in woodland where it stands.
It got us to thinking that you can now enter your fantastic creation for the Shed of the Year awards 2013 at readersheds.co.uk.
Source
Hopefully Mr McCloud wont see this otherwise he has a strong chance of winning, but if you want to nominate your own shed follow this link.
You have until May 2013 to enter, so if your project is under construction or even in the blueprint stage then now is the time to get it finished so you can have it looking perfect for next spring.
More info on shed building and base construction under ‘S’ for shed in our Projects section.
Sep 12
You know how we like talking about the weather in this country? Well we have had a lot of it to talk about this year haven’t we?
We have had the wettest April since records began, the wettest June since records began, and the wettest second quarter since records began.
So with all this water coming from the sky we need to ensure that we make good use of it and that we allow it to nourish our gardens rather than disappearing down the drain. Gardeners should employ water butts so that they can water pots, crops and newly established plants in between the rainy spells.
A water butt will harvest rainwater from your roof. Butts should be positioned to siphon off water from one of the downpipes from your roof. Make sure you position it in a place that is going to be most useful to you – close to patio pots or vegetable garden. You can even install a water butt pump if you want to run a hosepipe form it. For more information on installing a water butt see our project page.
Another way to regulate between the drought and flood impact is to build a bog garden which can absorb the excess water while it is pouring and will keep plants watered while it is baking. A garden pond will also help with taking any runoff from the garden and gives relief from scorching conditions especially if you have a pump running a fountain – just the sound of water trickling seems to bring the temperature down a degree or two.
Recent regulation has addressed the problem of so many of us changing our gardens from grass to hard surfaces which do not absorb rain but allow it to run off the surface into drains, increasing the risk of flash floods.
Planning permission is now required to lay traditional impermeable driveways and paving that allow uninhibited runoff of rainwater onto roads. The best answer is to use materials that will allow water to soak into the ground. There are now cobbles and paving blocks that are porous but look like traditional materials. Of course you can use traditional gravel and if you don’t like the thought of constantly sweeping up, you can now get resin bound gravel surfaces that prevent the stones moving but have a porous surface.
For more information on how to lay driveways and paving visit our driveway project
Sep 04
DIY Doctor have been out to Orchardleigh Golf Club again to get their ground staff to review this Titan electric chain saw.
You can see what they thought of it in this video.
We are adding lots of new video reviews onto our You Tube channel so please check out what we recommend before you make your DIY purchases. If you have a request for a particular tool to be reviewed then add your comment below and we will try to get around to all the suggestions.
You can purchase tools via our online shop - just click through to this link.
Aug 03
Mike Edwards from DIY Doctor is very fond of the phrase ‘there is a tool for every job’ – those of you have seen him on the stage will be able to confirm this. Indeed there is Mike, and we are asking him not to overlook the humble wheelbarrow while he is reviewing tools this year.
As every good tradesman knows the tools they use can make the job easier or harder depending on the condition they are in. We prefer to make life easier for ourselves by having good quality tools in good condition.
See The Doctor’s opinion of this wheelbarrow. We understand that this is not the most exciting piece of equipment you will ever own but a good quality product like this will make moving heavy stuff around much easier than an old barrow with a wonky wheel.
See the full review here
There are many more product reviews here, and more will follow in the coming months. Please let us know if you have any tools you would like us to review by commenting below.
If you woud like your product reviewed by DIY Doctor click here
