DAPPH
as dyslexik as I'm daft
- Messages
- 6,982
- Location
- Near to Cross Hands Llanelli SouthWales GB
Yesterday I acquired two 600 x600 manmade roofing slates substitutes & two black sticks like shi* cartridges of their super adhesive range that can be used on wet surfaces so long as thy are feww of grit & clean .
Alison in into Bonsai , had a " Tracy island " very old welsh roof ing slate as the base and inch thick , atop of which over six years she has carefully developed six Japanese larch trees as bonsaied tree stand .
Alas alack , Oh me Oh my ..... Saturday as we were moving " Tracy Island " in readiness for Alison taking to the local club she goes to the slate split in half length ways ( it was 750 x 500 ish in a rugby ball elliptical shape .
Kin ell what to do ... Monday I visited the local builders merchants had a shufti around and asked a lot of question nerly had a heart attack on hearing of the price of a proper genuine newly cut 1 " thick slab of best Welsh slate .
So I looked for & found an alternative substitute total cost inc vat £ 28 . 30 p ( ish ).
I discovered the artificial fibre & resin slates are rolled in the mould so are likely to have a grain , turned one 90 degrees put the two sides showing this grain on the bench then used a full tube of the mastic to coat one of the tiles , spread it out with a simple forked scraper. Then put the other tile on top grain side down 90 % to the bottom grain , carefully put a large 50 litre bag of compost on the pair \& left it there for four hours to get a basic cure /adhesion set .
Removed the sack of compost , laid the broken slate on the doubled artificial ones , scratched round the perimeter to get good defined shape , then drew another perimeter 30 mm inside the outer one , used my 4 inch angle grinder with stone diamond blade to cut fairly close to the inner perimeter then did a final trim up to the line& gently chamfering the cut edges. , coated the new base in a full tube of the mastic and very carefully set the old well scrubbed & dried slate on top after coating both sides of the crack with more mastic . . Using ten long cable ties 5 in a chain at top & bottom to pull both halves together tight , then put the bag of compost back on to squeeze things tight , then rubbed th cut edges with athe remains of the last cartridge so it doesn't give that whitish cut slate colour got it all over bothhands eventually
This afternoon in between rain showers I popped out the work area , removed the compost bag and gently rubbed over the crack with a dampened cotton cloth rag ... Hey presto you can barely se where the repair has been done .
It should be re planted up by this time tomorrow . no photos of the actual exercise ..
I got that black , " Sticks like gunge " over my hands . Nothing I've got in my mancupboard removes it ,save several long soaks in hot soapy water & a scrubbing brush , even then I'm still well marked with it ...... should have worn throwaway disposable gloves methinks .
Will do a before replanting and after re planting set of pictures for those that might be interested in how I've repaired it .
Alison in into Bonsai , had a " Tracy island " very old welsh roof ing slate as the base and inch thick , atop of which over six years she has carefully developed six Japanese larch trees as bonsaied tree stand .
Alas alack , Oh me Oh my ..... Saturday as we were moving " Tracy Island " in readiness for Alison taking to the local club she goes to the slate split in half length ways ( it was 750 x 500 ish in a rugby ball elliptical shape .
Kin ell what to do ... Monday I visited the local builders merchants had a shufti around and asked a lot of question nerly had a heart attack on hearing of the price of a proper genuine newly cut 1 " thick slab of best Welsh slate .
So I looked for & found an alternative substitute total cost inc vat £ 28 . 30 p ( ish ).
I discovered the artificial fibre & resin slates are rolled in the mould so are likely to have a grain , turned one 90 degrees put the two sides showing this grain on the bench then used a full tube of the mastic to coat one of the tiles , spread it out with a simple forked scraper. Then put the other tile on top grain side down 90 % to the bottom grain , carefully put a large 50 litre bag of compost on the pair \& left it there for four hours to get a basic cure /adhesion set .
Removed the sack of compost , laid the broken slate on the doubled artificial ones , scratched round the perimeter to get good defined shape , then drew another perimeter 30 mm inside the outer one , used my 4 inch angle grinder with stone diamond blade to cut fairly close to the inner perimeter then did a final trim up to the line& gently chamfering the cut edges. , coated the new base in a full tube of the mastic and very carefully set the old well scrubbed & dried slate on top after coating both sides of the crack with more mastic . . Using ten long cable ties 5 in a chain at top & bottom to pull both halves together tight , then put the bag of compost back on to squeeze things tight , then rubbed th cut edges with athe remains of the last cartridge so it doesn't give that whitish cut slate colour got it all over bothhands eventually
This afternoon in between rain showers I popped out the work area , removed the compost bag and gently rubbed over the crack with a dampened cotton cloth rag ... Hey presto you can barely se where the repair has been done .
It should be re planted up by this time tomorrow . no photos of the actual exercise ..
I got that black , " Sticks like gunge " over my hands . Nothing I've got in my mancupboard removes it ,save several long soaks in hot soapy water & a scrubbing brush , even then I'm still well marked with it ...... should have worn throwaway disposable gloves methinks .
Will do a before replanting and after re planting set of pictures for those that might be interested in how I've repaired it .
(or imperial cm are just bigger by nature) 
Definitely not something to drink in a pub, you will miss the last round…and all but your own round as well…