Andy – it’s a Worcester Bosch CC1 gas fired condensing combi, I had read somewhere that a corroded heat exchanger could allow water in which is then instantly boiled off & escapes the flue as steam but the engineer i’ve had out didn’t think it was that…

J

Hi Wrecker – yeah i’ve been checking the pressure on the “new” expansion tank (cold) & it’s been constant, set it to approx .8 bar & set the boiler to roughly 1.5 bar to make sure there’s enough pressure from the system to make the expansion vessel work. The old’s still in situ inside the boiler but has been completely bled of air to make sure it’s not still trying to move & affecting pressure slightly.

J

African Daschund?

dooosuk

But we dealt with the mortgage company where she already had a mortgage.

Do the mortgage company actually know you’re renting it out and you aren’t living there? I’m guessing as you’ve a mate in their you’re not paying tax on the income either?

Ok – knowing nothing about your personal circumstances, nor the internal regulations within the company you have your mortgages with – could be that they only supply 1 residential mortgage per customer as a rule to minimize risk, I don’t know? I questioned that initially as the independent mortgage advisor I use told me/we to obtain an agreement to let from the mortgage provider & carry on as normal with the standard repayment mortgage as the best option unless were were planning or building some multi-million pound property portfolio :lol: Everything’s all legal & above board you’ll be surprised to hear – gas safety checks / multi-room CO monitors / hard wired interlinked smoke detectors / fire blanket etc. etc. etc.

Not that I need to justify it, but I don’t make money on it, probably the opposite I were to sit down & count it all up – primary reason I haven’t sold it is because I don’t want to turf out my mate as he would have a hard time getting anywhere else given his circumstances & it saves me time & hassle I can’t be bothered with in selling the place right now… probably quite a few people are in the same boat right now (like the OP) – the reluctant landlord – i’m fortunate that I didn’t have to alter my commitments too much when getting the new place (that was down to the other half rather than me) but i’d have probably jettisoned my flat & take the hit rather than switch to a BTL mortgage.

j

Dooosuk – When applying for a new mortgage, you’ll be made to switch hers to a BTL

really? i’ve recently got married & bought a house with the other half just before that – when I asked the mortgage advisor specifically if I had to switch my old flat to a BTL due to the new mortgage he said quite categorically “no” It all relates to your (now joint) ability to pay both mortgages disregarding any potential rental income… don’t know how it works if you add another person onto a mortgage but as you’re now married does it matter too much? Only reason i’ve kept my flat is that a mate is currently renting it – that and the fact i’d probably be lucky to break even if I sold despite paying the bastarding thing for 10 years… :|

from the waist down I look like i’ve been tarred & feathered rolled on a barber’s floor so i’d have a lot to contend with, unless I just done the legs in which case i’d look like I had a pair of mohair boxers on… usually have a trim for summer – number 3 or something, then blend it back in from the thigh up… get some funny looks asking for that in the local hairdresser i tell you :?

Paul’s cycles have some nice Cannondales with a huge chunk off if you like those?

£1800 down from £4k – i’d be tempted if I was looking for a single bike to ride everything on

j

I like the sound of a sub that doubles as a coffee table – if I find one that looks like something made by an up & coming Scandinavian designer I’ll be onto a winner :|

Those are maybe a bit small – could get away with bigger as long as they’re pleasing to the eye of the beholder of taste, she who art known as “wife”

Those KEFs are looking like a good bet but I shall keep my options open… or just move everything up the loft, invest in some of those giant beanbags & get on with it up there… have already moved all my bike spares etc up there anyway as apparently the kitchen is for preparing & eating food in, not stripping & washing bikes & bike accessories in & around the sink… back when I was single I used the shower so I don’t see what the fuss is all about – degreaser cleaned the bath pretty well i must add :?

Looks good – what size of TV is that? The KEFs do look a fair bit less imposing than chunky silver standmounts on chunky silver stands…

J

Cheers for the suggestions all – the wife does not seem too impressed by the QA speakers, suggesting “classic boy racer good looks which would look really great… up the shitting loft” and so I may be looking for something else in that department, unless I pick up a cheap 50″ plasma & have a home cinema loft / shisha lounge instead 8) which is actually a decent plan…

Might keep an eye out for something more concealable like the KEF eggs or those Boston ones which can be squirreled away on a shelf / window-ledge unlike big silver stand mount efforts like these

some people have no taste (in speakers) :wink:

Back again – just took a punt on a Sony STR-DA1200ES with a set of QA 1000 series fronts/centre/sub on that there ebay & bagged a bargain 8)

The 1000 series stuff seems to get decent reviews so if I like the sound i’ll pick up another pair for the rears, otherwise i’ll shift those on & try something else, but for the price – unless they sound like a tramp’s wet fart into an empty can of super tennents I suspect they’ll do the job fine!

Cheers guys, i’d seen the Boston ones but didn’t know much about them – doesn’t seem to be many on the s/h market but i’ll keep an eye/ear out, the QA ones are a decent bet but most I see are a bit bigger – there’s actually a set of 2000 series for sale near me… same guy also has an Onkyo 609 receiver for sale which might be worth a punt too… hmmmmm :wink:

I know some (usually older) guys who make comments like that in a completely innocent manner – not to say it’s right in modern times – but I sometimes get complimented on how well I scrub up if i’ve bothered shaving / put contacts in / am wearing trousers / not stinking the office out in 2 day old cycling gear because there was nothing clean, you get the picture. Should I, invoking equality of the sexes & all that (as it should be), advertise my assailant’s comments for the whole country to digest labelling her, rightly or wrongly, a filthy sexist trout who’s only interested in my body because i’m obviously a damn hunkasaurus sex?

Also – if she’s always being asked out by men on Linkedin – would it not have been more apt to give up transcripts of those obvious advances instead of going intercontinental on an old guy’s slightly ambiguous comment (ok, he probably fancied her)?

Pretty depressing really – be interesting to hear more witness accounts in the coming days…

There’s another photo of a guy with 2 suitcases that must have been in the overhead lockers :roll:

I like Stanhope’s take on it

:wink:

The cheap-ish Tannoy speakers always get good reviews, i’ve an old pair of Mercury M2(?) & they’re great – they were only £150 (15 years ago) so you’ll pick up something like those for peanuts, add a cheap half decent amp – even an old 30kg retro receiver & you’ll be pretty well sorted

I’ve been using the UBS stuff on my ht for a few weeks – seems pretty good – even gave it a proper dunking through a stream without many complaints – thought I could ride through it, WRONG – was worried it would wash off with the first splash through a puddle but seems more resilient than I imagined, will give it a go on the commuter soon as i’ve just changed the chain so it doesn’t need touching yet.

Is the FS365 similar to the UBS?

J

I suppose in race situations every little helps but I can’t help but think that all the trail crap thrown onto even a clean, properly lubed chain would have more of an impact on chain friction than the absolute optimal lubrication vs a quick blast of whatever’s in the boot of the car onto a slightly grubby chain at a trail centre car park – come on we’ve all done it at some point :oops:

which model minis came with 183 and 203 ? those were primerily shimano sizes.

I’ve got 2007 mono minis (the silver ones) which came with the 183mm front / 160 rear saw pattern rotors, was actually considering getting some standard 180mm mounts & using the Shimano RT76 rotors as I quite like those & already have them on another bike.

I thought I had read that the extra 3mm came about due to clearance issues with certain rotor / brake / fork combos, although that might be made up…

J

Aye, not too bad actually… unless you grabbed the first pair of trainers at the door in a rush to get out & they’ve rubbed your heels to buggery, thus reminding you that’s why you stopped wearing them :lol:

Top-tip: If decanting entire bottles of spirits into plastic water bottles for ease of sneakage – make sure you know which one is actually water as accidentally downing several large gulps of gin first thing in the morning after a heavy session can come as quite a shock. Although it does get you over that second day malaise quite effectively & instantly removes the urge to wash / brush your teeth / not drink anything for a while…

Lessons learned the hard way #163

I’ll be doing my 20 mile each way commute, however for the last 2 months there’s been no hot water in the building due to a cock up during renovation works (so I have to take a detour to another building to get a shower) & they removed the lockable bike shed as it was in the way of some building works, so now I lock it to my desk in an already cluttered office… progress they call it

I just ordered some of those Ulvang ones from eBay too – cheers for the link stevenmenmuir!

The PX / On-One Thicky ones are good – i’ve been hammering 3 pairs for the last year & they’re holding up well, think they may have a slightly lower wool content than the Thinny ones as those went from a size 9-10 to a size 3-4 in just one wash…

J

I know a couple of gas engineers who’ve worked for BG in the past & they say that the service plan is essentially a good system in theory but it’s overpriced & if you stick the £15/£20 per month into an account you’ll end up having enough there to cover most things that go wrong unless you’re really unlucky & if nothing major goes for 5 years you’ve saved the cost of a new boiler should the need arise.

They also weren’t happy with the fact that when people who are signed up to the service plan eventually buy a new boiler, from BG (or elsewhere for that matter) they officially weren’t allowed to remind them that the 2 year warranty on the new boiler meant they didn’t require the service plan for that time period… #thejoinermusthavetoldthem

Stop it with the gratuitous roll & pie photos, i’m starving! :|

After playing footy on a cold wet Saturday morning we used to mix it up a bit with various savoury baked goods – friend of mine swore by the roll & cheese and onion pastie… when asked if he wanted any sauce by the woman in the bakery he tutted loudly & in comedy fashion proclaimed “BROWN, OBVIOUSLY! :roll: ”

Yeah thought as much – bit of a pain in the rear when everything still shows “in stock” when it’s gone though, hopes dashed – i’ll go & buy some boring but infinitely more practical 3/4 tights instead…

TheBrick – Member
Insurance job

^ That – I wouldn’t rent out a property without malicious damage cover, heard a few horror stories running into £10k+ including unpaid rent & damages (mate actually turned up in a van with a few of his mates in the dead of night to perform an “eviction” only to be confronted by the tennant with a video camera in one hand & a phone ringing 999 in the other… knew his rights apparently)

theotherjonv – Member
I’ve had that one.

Makes your eyes & mouth water as you open it? top stuff!

Some of the posh ones come with a sachet of dessicated fried onions for sprinkling on top, they’re about 60p each though – top end of the market

Go for the ones with no decipherable English on the carton – adds an air of mystery…

Cant’ recall the brand but the Asian supermarket in Glasgow has some which have about 6 different sachets of random stuff in them, one of which tastes like it’s made of actual fire.

Couldn’t resist…

The cups are usually pressed into the hub body in the factory and aren’t readily replaceable, however – they’re usually built from harder stuff than the cones so when you start to see & feel movement it’s usually the cones and/or bearings that are going.

There’s always the chance that given enough neglect the cups will be forked too & if the freehub mechanism is knackered on the rear it mightn’t be worth throwing time & money at either of them.

I’d check exactly what is wrong before throwing cash at new wheels… you often see really cheap wheels on ebay that need about £20 worth of parts & an hour of effort to put right and I always wonder if it’s someone been sold a new set of wheels when the old ones could be fixed fairly easily given the right knowledge.

j

Re. adding muscle / weight training, i’ve read various places that the calorie burning is more about the calories the “extra” muscle requires to recover & repair after training than simply burning through layers of fat whilst you sit & watch tv. Apparently at rest, pound for pound, muscle & fat cells require a relatively low amount of calories just to maintain & it’s only when you start to really work the muscle it starts demanding considerably more.

Numbers i’ve seen floating around previously suggest that adding an extra 1lb of muscle will chew through 50cals per day just doing nothing, however other studies suggest it’s closer to a tenth of that – which sounds more believable as otherwise anyone who stuck on 20lbs of muscle through weight training would require an extra 1000 calories per day just to prevent their body from gradually eating itself.

Weight training is very good for burning calories & I find it helps on the bike, even doing stuff like kettlebells which is good for building core muscle strength a couple of times per week helps loads. I do 2 x 45 minute classes per week – started mostly using the 12/14kg weights & now mostly use the 24/28kg ones & feel much stronger on the bike for it – still no 6 pack & rippling biceps though, my weight & general appearance are pretty much the same… maybe a bit more muscle and a bit less fat but not so you’d notice :?

Mate of mine made some for a barbecue a while back & the local butcher told him that using 2/3 minced beef (not over-lean) + 1/3 pork mince plus a healthy dash of s&p you couldn’t go wrong, and to be fair he was right – they were brilliant… good base to start from – just add whatever else you tickles your fancy

I’m starving :?

We’ve had no end of ball-ache with SP, basically started with the renovation of the wife’s old upper-cottage flat which still had white meter heating & the relevant associated meters installed – we ripped everything out & started from scratch including having SP themselves replace the old meters with the correct new one but for some bizarre reason they couldn’t update the system to generate a correct bill & for over a year we were being charged for all our electricity on the “peak rate” associated with the old white meter heating meter…

In the middle of all this we tried changing supplier but couldn’t as SP couldn’t generate a final bill because they couldn’t update the “actual” billing information with the correct meter readings :x

Eventually it all culminated in several complaints to the ombudsman resulting in a full refund of all our electricity charges for over a year (because they were still unable to calculate the correct bill) and no further electricity charges until they can correct the system error (we’re currently still receiving free electricity because they still can’t fix the problem)

Don’t hang around – get onto he ombudsman & say it’s impacting severely on your business – SP apparently have serious problems with their system which have been ongoing for some time – long may it continue as it’s saving us a fortune. 8)

J

*edit – when you phone the ombudsman, there’s a few button-press options available – one of which you press one button for SP & another for every other supplier combined…

Some powdercoaters do a primer layer, then a colour & finally a clear powder – maybe the decals guy just means they shouldn’t go in between the colour & the clear outer powder as they’d need to go in the oven that way?

Z1 “BAM” perchance? :wink:

(probably been done…)

I’ve been wondering too – apparently someone’s been owned with a set or something? Are Bombers now classed as a controlled weapon?

Bit of a thread bump here guys – i’m looking at getting 4 of the Eames DSW chairs, and i’m wondering if there’s much difference in quality between the ones selling on ebay for £25-30 or the ones for twice that price from various interior stores or is it just a mark up? I’ve seen the fibreglass ones on the vita interiors page which are nice, but I think the cheaper matt plastic ones will actually work better for us – anyone got experiences good or bad of the cheap ebay ones & if possible recommend me a supplier?

I know they’re everywhere just now but I like them, me & the wife done some furniture re-arranging with some of the Vitra ones in John Lewis & it looked surprisingly good with the table we have – not £300 per chair for the real ones good – but for £100 for 4 chairs, if I got fed up with them they could be relegated to the shed for outdoor use on sunny days, of which there are almost 3 per year in Scotland.

These:

Cheers!
John

bencooper – Member

Perhaps there should be a prosecution, but there’s a good argument that it should be Glasgow City Council being prosecuted for corporate manslaughter.

Is a good point – i’ve read excerpts from the HR people at the council’s testimonies & there seems to be no proof of any references being checked, and certainly no paper copies or otherwise held on file… GCC has been accused plenty of times in the past as having serious problems with well, “jobs for the boys” type attitude & i’m wondering if someone’s put in a good word for him which effectively circumvented the whole vetting process…