Dylan Garton

Dylan Garton is a co-founder, video producer and editor for the Skill Builder social media platforms.

Skill Builder’s top videos of 2016

Skill Builder's top videos

There’s been lots happening on the Skill Builder YouTube channel in 2016; here’s a few highlights. Power tools In January 2016 we published the first part of the new 18v drill test which was first published in 2014. This time we split it into three parts looking at: Part 1 – batteries; Part 2 – flat bits; Part 3 – …

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Give This Man a Round of Applause

Band of builders thunderclap

Anyone who tuned into the Band of Builders facebook live auction last Saturday evening, 17th December, which was broadcast via the Band of Builders and Builders Talk group facebook pages, could be forgiven for thinking the event’s organiser Addam Smith was going to take the rest of the year off. (If you haven’t heard Addam and the Band of Builders …

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Win a New York City break with CCF

trade superheroes

Insulation and interior building products distributor CCF, is on the lookout for trade superheroes to win a trip to go to New York City in May 2017. The competition, which invites trade professionals to share what makes them a superhero, runs until 28 February 2017. The competition has been launched as part of a campaign with top insulation suppliers Celotex, …

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Baxi rewards heating heroes with 200 & 400 promotion

Baxi rewards

Snap-happy installers could be in for a Christmas bonus of £150 thanks to a promotion from Baxi to celebrate the launch of its new 200 and 400 combi boilers. Installers can get their hands on one of 50 prizes of £150 by visiting selected merchants, posing with the superhero Baxi Man cut-out and tweeting the picture to @baxiboilers. Exclusively available …

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Trades community to come together for live facebook auction tonight

band of builders auction

  The trades community will come together tonight via a live facebook auction to raise money for a fellow tradesperson in need. The event, organised by Addam Smith of Band of Builders in conjunction with the Builders Talk facebook group, will be live streamed at around 6pm on their respective facebook pages with viewers invited to bid for tools, workwear …

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Baxi calendar says stay safe in 2017

baxi calendar

UK boiler manufacturer Baxi has launched a charity calendar for 2017 featuring children’s drawings that send a serious message to grown-ups. The calendar features 12 different pictures, drawn by children of Baxi colleagues. Each one offers a safety tip designed to make sure their parents come home safely. The children’s top tips include not using a mobile phone while driving, …

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Baxi supports proposed changes to Building Regs and encourages installers to have their say

Changes to Building Regs

Baxi has welcomed and strongly supports the Government’s proposals on changes to Part L1b of the Building Regulations (Conservation of Fuel and Power in Existing Dwellings), outlined in a consultation document launched today (8 December 2016). Incremental changes to boiler installations are being proposed to improve the energy efficiency of existing homes, which will result in lower household energy bills …

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Scaffolding alternative helps school slash roof refurbishment time

Scaffolding alternative

For children, the school summer holidays can seem to stretch on forever. However, if you’re a contractor brought in to carry out building work during the summer break, you’re all too aware of just how quickly six weeks can pass. William Cooper was one such contractor, facing a tight window for project delivery when it was hired to refurbish the …

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Band of Builders Christmas auction: Donations wanted

Band of Builders

Anyone who has followed Addam Smith and the Band of Builders story in 2016 will know he doesn’t do things by halves. When at the beginning of this year the landscape gardening business owner found out his employee Keith Ellick had been diagnosed with terminal cancer he recruited a team of volunteers (the Band of Builders) from the Builder’s Talk …

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Shortage of qualified engineers delaying smart meter rollout

smart meter installer

The Government’s pledge to rollout smart meters to 30 million homes by 2020 could be delayed because of a lack of qualified engineers, new research suggests. Nearly one in five Brits, who have arranged for a smart meter to be installed in their homes, have experienced long delays because there are not enough engineers available to carry out the work. …

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Eye protection: A site for sore eyes or a vision for safety?

councils to build

Every year, construction workers suffer from eye injuries ranging from temporary sight loss to long-term impaired vision and even blindness. Julien Clair, product manager for eyewear at Honeywell Industrial Safety, outlines the key measures required for effective eye protection.   What are the hazards? Construction sites create a significant risk for eye injuries. Every day, workers face a myriad of …

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Milwaukee redsticks review

Milwaukee redsticks review

Roger Bisby tries out a few Milwaukee redsticks for size and accuracy. Milwaukee is continuing its journey into the wonderful world of hand tools with the introduction of a range of Redstick spirit levels. On paper they seem to tick all the boxes but it is early days so we will have to see how they stand up to life …

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New Volkswagen Amarok goes on sale

New Volkswagen Amarok

Volkswagen Van Centres across the UK have started taking orders for the new Amarok model which is priced from £32,493 (RRP OTR). Replacing the previous model’s 2.0-litre TDI engine, the new Amarok features a 3.0-litre V6 TDI engine, making it the only six-cylinder model in the segment. The top-of-the-range version of this 3.0-litre V6 delivers 224 PS and 550 Nm …

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‘Ridiculous’ autumn statement has gaping £14 billion smart meter black hole, says GMB

smart meter black hole

This morning’s autumn statement has at least one glaring omission according to GMB, the energy union – £14billion needed for the Government’s flagship smart meter project. In his ‘mini-budget’ Chancellor Philip Hammond promised huge investment in infrastructure – but made no mention of the vast sums required to install the 53 million new meters across the country. The project will …

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Baxi welcomes launch of HHIC retrofit labelling scheme

retrospective boiler labelling scheme

Baxi has welcomed the HHIC’s decision to launch a retrospective boiler labelling scheme. The scheme aims to increase consumer awareness about boiler efficiencies and performance, and to highlight to consumers that upgrading old, inefficient boilers will reduce energy costs and carbon emissions. Jeff House, regulatory marketing manager at Baxi, commented: “There are approximately nine million inefficient boilers in the UK, …

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Failure to protect worker from HAVs results in £250,000 fine

Thanet District Council fined £250,000

Thanet District Council has been fined £250,000 after a worker was left with permanent injury after being diagnosed with hard arm vibration (HAV). Canterbury Crown Court heard how a worker from Thanet District Council was diagnosed with suffering from HAV after visiting his GP. Symptoms of the condition can include tingling, pins and needles, numbness and pain in the hands. …

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Some boots aren’t made for working: Outdoor workers complain of wet feet, blisters & chillblains

cold, wet feet

Ahead of this winter’s ‘BIG FREEZE’ prediction, DR. Martens has revealed that the majority of outdoor workers suffer with cold, wet feet every winter, with many complaining of blisters and even chilblains. The survey, conducted on behalf of the iconic footwear specialist interviewed the UK’s outdoor workers in order to identify the core issues faced during the winter months. Key …

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Volkswagen launches limited edition black caddy range

Black Caddy range

Volkswagen is launching a new Caddy Black Edition at the end of November with just 500 on offer in the UK. Although this is the first Black Edition to join the fourth-generation Caddy range, previous models are said to have have proved popular. Exterior highlights include Deep Black pearl effect paint, black roof rails, body-coloured bumpers, door mirrors and handles, …

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What are your favourite loft conversion tools?

loft conversion tools

In this video Roger Bisby shares the five tools he wouldn’t be without when carrying out a loft conversion. From the Hultafors Talmeter tape measure featuring an extension that allows you to make an accurate measurement between two fixed points, to the Stanley Bostitch framing air nailer that’s easily portable and cheap to run, Roger talks through five of his …

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Range of winter fleeces

Dickies fleeces

The weather may be unpredictable but being warm throughout the winter months needn’t be according to Dickies. The workwear company’s range of winter warmers includes a selection of Dickies fleeces such as the Brookton, which features pockets on the sleeve, the chest and another two hip pockets. Part of the two-tone range is the Two-Tone Micro Fleece. With a close …

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