Ian’s new workshop. The Wonky Donkey. Insulated side dooor.

[Cabinetman]

58 60 years ago the screws and methods of putting them in where very different to today.
I don’t want to imagine trying to screw a floor down with slot head screws unless you use a London screwdriver.

Good point! I suppose it would have been time for a Yankie, were Philips screws out then? Tried one with slotted screws and it most often slipped off and chewed up the wood.

 

[Jonathan]

The guy that taught me was an old school coffin maker, be hated the modern yankey screwdriver, I understood why when it slipped off whilst hanging a mahogany door with polished brass hinges.
I remember when Philips and Pozi screws where first available to us, went out and bought a 7.2 volt makita, saved so much time!

 

[Cabinetman]

So back to the us and back to work, minus 6c but I was well wrapped up, I had realised that the vertical blocks I had added to the end (very wonky) wall would be difficult to hit with the 7” screws through all the insulation so I have had to sacrifice an inch and a half off the workshop length and add horizontal 2x4’s.

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Forgot to mention in the what tools I got for Xmas that son Ben bought me a small level, just like a dozen others but with the added bonus of coloured lights to tell you when it’s level. Now I did think that it was just a gimmick but for a job like this it was very handy indeed, not super accurate about 3mm over 6feet, so you wouldn’t want to be doing anything critical but for a job like this it was ideal with a driver in one hand and levelling up the 2x4 and squinting at the bubble or not in this case! Lift the wood till the level turns green and screw it down.

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Then it was on with the Kingspan type insulation, you may remember I was finding it difficult to cut? Well out came a very useful tool, long wavy edged cutters that fit onto a multi tool. Noisy yes but so quick and easy, even better than a hot knife through butter!

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In reference to the insulation cutters above I’m sorry to report that they are totally unfit for purpose and sincere apologies to anyone who followed my recommendation and bought one.
They cut very well with very little dust or mess but the weld gives up after very little use and the blade drops off the Multitool fitment, I was hoping it was just that blade but trying the second I bought it lasted less than a minute!
Again apologies Ian

 

[Cabinetman]

The wall insulation has been going really well, I only have a bit to do on the last wall and that’s that phase finished. It’s the wall that has two windows and a door to the garden, the door won’t be used much but better we keep it than board it up. So I decided to insulate it This involved adding a box to the inside of the door 6” deep for the insulation and moving the hinges to the room side of the box.


This job has taken me far far longer than I anticipated as my first attempt wasn’t very good at all, the reinforced ply edge where the hinges were flexed far too much and coupled with the door being twisted I was forced to scrap it and start again.
This time I used a it of 1 1/2” pine for the hinge side and it was a huge improvement. The door was an old barn door with three horizontal ledges, no brace, but well made with clenched over nails and no sag.


I added some of that thin shiny stuff (Radiant barrier?) between the ledges and covered it over with two layers of rigid foam then a lid of 1/2” ply, all I had was two long thin bits and it needed fastening together, this went much better than I’d feared.

T

The piece of wood going across the door is to fasten a locking bar to. Will be doing this next, it involves a BIG nut and bolt.

 

[duke]

Did you use 4" hinges Ian?
Another item crossed off your list.

 

[Cabinetman]

Yes 4” I shall be adding a couple of jamb bolts too eventually. Nothing fancy just a couple of rag screws with the heads cut off.