Securing Shed Doors

Introduction

ERA Hasp & Staple
Hasp & Staple of the type cut open on two of my sheds

In 1997 both of my sheds were burgled. I thought I’d made them secure enough. I’d used hasps with the thickest staples I could find on the market (similar to these) and disc padlocks with hardened shackles. But the burglars cut through each staple in two places making a gap through which the padlock shackle could pass. My advisers suggested the burglar used a hydraulic bolt cropper. The burglar cut through steel as thick as a man’s little finger. So I took securing shed doors very seriously and made immediate improvements. Continue reading “Securing Shed Doors”

Condensation Free Bathroom Mirror

Introduction

This post describes how to make a condensation free bathroom mirror using an automatic mirror heater. See the one I made in 2007 here. Look carefully and you will notice the condensation around the edge but not in the central heated area.

Without a heater it would be impossible to use the mirror without first wiping it with a towel. Cold mirrors usually mist over again after wiping.

With an active mirror heater it’s possible to get straight out of a bath or shower and use the mirror immediately. Continue reading “Condensation Free Bathroom Mirror”

Making An Insulated Trapdoor For A Loft

Introduction

I recently had a ground floor extension built which required access to the loft space in the pitched roof to provide and service pipes and cables. So I asked the builder to create an insulated trapdoor. I made it clear that it should not just be a sheet of MDF or plywood. It must have thermal insulation fixed to it to prevent it forming a cold spot in the ceiling. I also required it to be out of sight if possible. By that I meant he must avoid putting it in the main reception room of the extension.

By widening the gap between two ceiling joists he made an opening 485mm wide. Enough to accommodate a telescopic ladder I bought to climb into the loft.

The builder built the opening and finished it with architrave around it and clapping strips on all sides to form a lip that supports the trapdoor. I offered to make, and insulate, the trapdoor myself since it wasn’t part of the original estimate. That allowed the builder to get on with work that was part of the original estimate. Continue reading “Making An Insulated Trapdoor For A Loft”

Replacing A Toilet Fill Valve

Introduction

I have already written about making a Toilet Silent Fill Valve Repair, but whether a toilet fill valve is silent or not it can’t always be repaired. So I have written this article about replacing a toilet fill valve to help those who need to get a new one.

“This operation can involve spilling CLEAN water. So be warned and be prepared.” — HC

I have also written another article about How A Toilet Silent Fill Valve Works which is appropriate to a specific type of fill valve.

Continue reading “Replacing A Toilet Fill Valve”

Prevent Office Chair Castors Damaging Carpets

Introduction

When I first had a Microsoft Windows personal computer I put it on a computer desk in the lounge and bought a typical office chair with five castors. Over the next few years wheeling that chair around the desk area with my weight on it seriously damaged the carpet in that location. So I had to find a way to prevent office chair castors damaging carpets. See this discussion on the subject.

Continue reading “Prevent Office Chair Castors Damaging Carpets”

LastPass Password Phishing Exploit

The LastPass password phishing exploit could trick users into giving away their password.

LastPass password phishing exploitIf you use LastPass check this exploit out at The Hacker Blog and IT Pro. It involves unscrupulous people phishing for LastPass passwords.

Update for LastPass Password Phishing Exploit

This issue is now fixed for all the latest versions of Lastpass on Chrome & Internet Explorer at least.

Using A Digital Signature With Outlook

Introduction

This article covers some of the issues involved when using a Digital Signature. Each Digital Signature is generated from a Digital Certificate (otherwise known as a Digital ID) issued by a certifying authority.

All examples given are created using Microsoft Outlook 2010 on a PC using Microsoft Windows 10, but the principles apply to other versions of Outlook and other email clients.

This article has been written to compliment my previous article Make Safe Financial Transactions.

Anyone using an Apple Mac can get appropriate certificate information in this article published by TechRepublic entitled: How to configure digitally signed email in Apple Mail.

Continue reading “Using A Digital Signature With Outlook”