Dan Cox is Building An Oast House..

Let’s watch him continue his work on the Kentish house project.

Check out Dan’s Roofing Square: https://www.essential-carpenter-tools.co.uk

__________________________
More info on Oast houses:

The Hop Farm Country Park at Beltring.
🔗 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hop_Farm

The story behind those weird oast house buildings all over Kent and Sussex
🔗 https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/full-story-behind-those-weird-3887160

A history and description of English Oast houses
🔗 http://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Oast-Houses

Enjoy a nice glass of Spitfire Amber Kentish Ale:
🔗 https://amzn.to/3mChiV0

Dan Cox Building An Oast House

Skill Builder meets Grand Designs as Roger Bisby joins Dan Cox on his exciting Kentish oast house project.

What is an oast house?

An oast, oast house or hop kiln is a building designed for kilning (drying) hops as part of the brewing process. They can be found in most hop-growing (and former hop-growing) areas and are often good examples of vernacular architecture. Many redundant oasts have been converted into houses. The names oast and oast house are used interchangeably in Kent and Sussex. In Surrey, Hampshire, Herefordshire and Worcestershire they are called hop kilns.

They consist of a rectangular one or two-storey building (the “stowage”) and one or more kilns in which the hops were spread out to be dried by hot air rising from a wood or charcoal fire below. The drying floors were thin and perforated to permit the heat to pass through and escape through a cowl in the roof which turned with the wind.

The freshly picked hops from the fields were raked in to dry and then raked out to cool before being bagged up and sent to the brewery. The Kentish dialect word kell was sometimes used for kilns (“The oast has three kells”) and sometimes to mean the oast itself (“Take this lunchbox to your father, he’s working in the kell”). The word oast itself also means “kiln”.[1]

The earliest surviving oast house is at Golford, Cranbrook near Tunbridge Wells. It dates from sometime in the 17th century and closely mirrors the first documentary evidence on oasts soon after their introduction of hops into England in the mid 16th century. Early oast houses were simply adapted barns but, by the 18th century, the distinctive tall buildings with conical roofs had been developed to increase the draught.

At first these were square but around 1800 roundel kilns were developed in the belief that they were more efficient. Square kilns remained more popular in Herefordshire and Worcestershire and came back into fashion in the south east in the later 19th century. In the 1930s, the cowls were replaced by louvred openings as electric fans and diesel oil ovens were employed.

Hops are today dried industrially and the many oast houses on farms have now been converted into dwellings.

The Hop Farm Country Park at Beltring.
🔗 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hop_Farm

The story behind those weird oast house buildings all over Kent and Sussex
🔗 https://www.kentlive.news/news/kent-news/full-story-behind-those-weird-3887160

A history and description of English Oast houses
🔗 http://www.geograph.org.uk/article/Oast-Houses

Fighting Tool Theft

Find your MP: https://members.parliament.uk/FindYourMP

Find your Police and Crime Commissioner: https://www.apccs.police.uk/find-your-pcc

MP letter template:
https://skill-builder.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/12/MP_Letter.rtf

MP LETTER TEMPLATE (copy and paste)
***********************************

Dear [INSERT NAME OF MP]

I would like to bring to your attention a national crime wave that is affecting a great many trades people, causing many to go out of business or suffer mental health problems. The crime is tool theft, and it takes place mostly at night from vans.

Following a petition from nearly half a million tradespeople. The Home Office has looked into ways of tackling this crime and consulted with police forces but, despite this, it is on the increase and it seems very little is being done to stop it.

Part of the problem is that the stolen tools are being sold openly at markets and car boot sales and the police seem reluctant or powerless to prevent it. The crime of handling stolen goods used to carry a prison sentence, but it seems to have been downgraded so those selling the tools have nothing to fear.

The sellers of these tools need to be challenged to prove that they have legitimate rights to them. If the law prohibits such a challenge, then the law needs to be changed. The sellers of these tools should be able to produce purchase documents to validate their purchase from legitimate sources and if they can’t the assumption must be that they are stolen.

Quite apart from the huge cost and distress to the victims of this crime it is also being used to finance drug dealing.

At a time when we are trying to encourage and train young people to join the building industry the loss of tools serves a devastating blow to those people who are working hard to make an honest living. Many of the victims have been robbed several times and are no longer able to obtain insurance. They deserve better from the forces of law and order and from their elected representatives.

I sincerely hope that you will take up the issue with The Home Secretary and our local police force to see what more can be done to tackle this crime.

Yours sincerely

[INSERT YOUR NAME]

********************************

The Tall Carpenter’s van break in video:
https://youtu.be/dkGGoBvj2tA

How To Install A Traditional Real Brick Path

Roger visits Meadvale Builders

Extension with Meadvale Builders coming soon, hit subscribe – don’t miss it.

Check out Meadvale Builders:

https://www.mybuilder.com/profile/view/meadvale_builders

Tel: 01737 227009

The Career Of Pythagoras

Roger examines, to see if it’s time to cancel him.

Simple Roof Construction

🔗 Dan Cox Playlist: https://bit.ly/3F879Im

🛒 Ultimate Roofing Square: essential-carpenter-tools.co.uk

The Future Of Gas Boilers

Martyn Bridges, from Worcester Bosch Group, returns to talk with Roger.

Worcester Bosch Boilers
🔗 https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/products/boilers

Worcester Bosch Heat Pumps
🔗 https://www.worcester-bosch.co.uk/heat-pumps

A heat pump is a relatively new technology in the UK although they are widely used in Scandinavia and many parts of Europe where there is an abundance of renewably sourced electricity.

A heat pump takes energy from outside and transfers it into heat to be circulated around a heating and hot water system.

A heat pump uses electricity to run the components of a heat pump, principally a fan, compressor and circulating pumps to transfer the energy from the heat source into the heat sink or heating system.

Roger compares OSB 3 board and plywood and gives his opinion on the best option.

OSB OR PLYWOOD?
(from Champion Timber)

OSB board and plywood are both hugely popular sheeting materials used in modern-day property builds. Whether they’re being used in wall sheathing, flooring or roofs, they both have their own particular suitability and also their own downfalls. So which is best to use in your project?

OSB board

OSB board was introduced in the 70s as an alternative to plywood for load-bearing building applications. It’s made up of layers of cross-oriented strands of timber and bonded with a waterproof resin. Their unique formation allows them to withstand high levels of stress. They are more often than not covered by layers of plaster and paint to achieve a polished look.

Plywood

Plywood has been around much longer than OSB board and was the favoured sheeting material until the cost savings of OSB became apparent. Flexible, durable and hardwood plywoods are suitable for a variety of applications.

Both OSB board and plywood are flexible and durable options for any project. They are ideal for property builds as sheet materials for walls, floors and roofs and are also great for use in smaller projects.

Environmental factors

OSB board is made from a FSC mix 70% timber, meaning that it is composed of a minimum of 70% FSC certified wood/pulp and the balance is controlled wood or reclaimed material. Plywood is certified as FSC 100%.

The majority of the time OSB boards are the cheaper option and for this reason, are now favoured in most building applications. However, when it comes to DIY plywood still reigns supreme – most probably due to the natural wood appearance of ply.

https://www.championtimber.com

A kitchen Refurbishment

Roger follows a project with a new group of tradesmen.

Meadvale Builders
🔗 https://www.mybuilder.com/profile/view/meadvale_builders

Reigate Plasterers
🔗 https://reigateplasterers.co.uk

Surrey Kitchen Installations
🔗 http://www.surreykitcheninstallation.co.uk

Stonefish Mosaics Floor Tiling Specialist
🔗 http://stonefishmosaics.co.uk

Good Wood Floors
🔗 https://www.goodwoodfloors.co.uk

Roger demonstrates the Keyfix Non-combustible Cavity Tray System.

https://keyfix.com

ABOUT KEYFIX

Keyfix is setting new standards in the delivery of Non-combustible Cavity Tray Systems for projects requiring Document B compliance in buildings utilising steel frame systems in the external cavity.

The innovative non-combustible A1 fire rated Cavity Tray system is a practical solution to provide DPC protection over lintels, masonry supports, soffit systems and other elements in the cavity such as fire barriers.

• Self-supporting
• Integral Stop Ends
• Bond / coursing adjustability
• No sealants required
• Available for all cavity configurations

1. Classified A1 Fire Rated
Manufactured using only Class A1 Non-combustible Grade 304 austenitic stainless steel ensures a lifespan of 125+ years for the entire system. For coastal locations, Grade 316 austenitic stainless steel should be specified to ensure compliance with relevant British Standards and Warranty Provider requirements.

2. Rigid Self Support
The unique design of the Keyfix NCCT enables the stainless steel tray to be self-supporting across the cavity and requires no support from the internal structure, eliminating clashes with other components. Standard trays can be used to protect varying cavity widths from 50mm+.

3. Requires no Sealants or Mastics
The Keyfix NCCT is the only Cavity Tray of its type on the market with a mechanical dry seal at joints. The patented ribbed joint overlap eliminates the use of any sealants at joints which removes the possibility of installation errors caused by onsite conditions.

4. Integral Stop Ends
The Keyfix NCCT incorporates integral Stop Ends on each tray to ensure water is trapped and channelled outwards via the Keyfix NCW (Non-combustible Weep). The integral Stop Ends facilitate perp joint width adjustability of +/- 3mm between 7-13mm if required.

5. No Thermal Bridge
Completely self-supporting, the Keyfix NCCT is installed in the outer leaf with no connection whatsoever with the inner skin and therefore does not create a thermal bridge or differential movement issues.

6. Onsite Simplicity
The modular system incorporating integral Stop Ends, Non-combustible Weeps, and prefabricated external and internal corner trays with ribbed joints provide bond /coursing adjustability and removes the need for onsite fabrication. Detailed component schedules and location plans ensure easy planning and ordering with stock available quickly via our extensive distribution network.

Straight Cut Insulation Board Without Expensive Powertools

Check out our 2-minute tip playlist:
▶ https://bit.ly/3Ur5keZ

Roger shows us how he likes to cut PIR boards or PUR boards with perfectly straight edges, without using expensive power tools.

If you’re happy to spend the money, check out the Festool ISC 240.

🛒 Festool ISC 240 Basic: https://amzn.to/3kPzh7a

🛒 Festool ISC 240 + Batteries: https://amzn.to/36cQPWK

🛒 Festool ISC 240 Complete Kit: https://amzn.to/2G9zXVU

Oakwood Garden Rooms: https://youtu.be/t8qMtDRo0RQ

@Oakwood Garden Rooms

The Impact Of A Stolen Van Can Be Significant

Van theft has become a growing concern in many urban and rural areas, driven by the high demand for commercial vehicles and their valuable contents. Thieves often target vans for their cargo, which can include expensive tools, equipment, or goods, making these vehicles prime targets for criminal activity. The impact of van theft extends beyond the immediate financial loss; it can disrupt business operations, lead to increased insurance premiums, and cause significant inconvenience for the vehicle owners. Enhanced security measures, such as tracking systems, robust locking mechanisms, and vigilant awareness, are essential in mitigating the risks associated with van theft and protecting valuable assets.

Real Builders On Battery Powered Nailers

The Milwaukee M18 FFN, DeWalt DCN692N and HiKOKI NR1890DC framing nailers are out for review on-site for feedback from real builders who use nailers every day. Will they be willing to swap their Paslode gas nailers for the latest battery-powered machines?

Framing nailer specs:

Milwaukee M18 FFN

Underfloor Heating Playlist
https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLvRh7uimDQfc-jiaMhAXBTesbMJhwJt-R

Mighton weatherstripping, staff and parting bead
https://www.mightonproducts.com/products/sash-window-hardware/weatherstripping-beads

Cutting heating bills can significantly ease household expenses and contribute to energy efficiency. Simple measures such as improving insulation, sealing drafts around windows and doors, and using programmable thermostats can drastically reduce heating costs. Regular maintenance of heating systems ensures they operate efficiently, while switching to energy-efficient appliances or alternative energy sources can also make a difference. Additionally, adopting habits like lowering thermostat settings when away or sleeping, and wearing warm clothing indoors, can further reduce energy consumption. By implementing these strategies, households can enjoy a warmer home while keeping heating bills under control.

Mica Action Group : https://www.micaactiongroup.com

Paddy Diver : https://twitter.com/PaddyDiver4

Official Twitter : https://twitter.com/micaactiongroup

FACEBOOK
=========
Mica Action Group
https://www.facebook.com/Micaactiongroup

100% Redress NO LESS!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/297785338568131

YOUTUBE
========
https://www.youtube.com/c/MicaActionGroupDonegal

ABOUT
======
The Mica Action Group are concerned Donegal homeowners who have come together, following observation of unusual and severe cracking problems to their houses.

The group are seeking to secure a full government-funded, administered and implemented redress scheme for all owners of dwellings in County Donegal whose houses are affected by structural cracking caused by defective building materials.

Find out more about the crumbling homes of Donegal scandal.

You can contact them by e-mail: registered@micaactiongroup.com

Extension Build

James isn’t feeling great this week, so it’s a good job he’s got plenty of help.

_______________________
RELATED VIDEO LINKS

🎬 How To Build An Extension series playlist: https://bit.ly/2LnUhG5

🎬 How to Cut Hip Rafters: https://youtu.be/CmKZoPmROn8

🎬 Ultimate Roofing Square: https://youtu.be/_TmXZ0cGNEI

🎬 6 Roofing Squares Compared: https://youtu.be/7qlQW3j6OIQ

🎬 How to Make a Tusk Tenon Joint Like a Pro: https://youtu.be/osoItQj_blw

_________________________________________________________________

Our thanks go to James and Ian of The Supreme Finishing Company.

◾ https://thesupremefinishingcompany.co.uk
◾ https://www.facebook.com/thesupremefinishingcompany