User:John Rumm

I am an engineer by trade, specialising mostly in software (but like playing with the hardware as well). I work for a software engineering and IT services company Internode Ltd which a friend and I started back in 1991, so I have spent most of my working life working for myself in one way or another. I have done lots of work on embedded control systems, avionics and defence projects, real time systems, and lots of stuff on communications protocols and data networks. More recently I have done a fair amount of stuff with financial services software, and helped put together the back end code for some commercial web sites that support financial advisers and related occupations.

My interests in DIY probably stem from every budding engineer's desire to take everything apart and work out what makes it tick (at least these days I often stick it back together again!) I have always been happy to "have a go" and dabble with smaller jobs, but house ownership, growing confidence, and family have pushed me to take on bigger and more stretching projects. These have taken me from building a workshop, to fitting kitchens and bathrooms, house rewires, and a partly DIYed loft conversion among other things.

I would like to say a big thankyou to the regulars on the uk.d-i-y usenet group, from whom I have learnt a great deal and continue to do so. I am also fortunate to be friends with a retired experienced joiner and builder, with whom I have ended working on a number of occasions. We manage to get roped into a number of each others projects from time to time. All of which can make a welcome change from sitting in front of a screen pushing buttons.

I enjoy the odd bit of creative writing, so I find knocking up sections for the uk.d-i-y FAQ or the wiki can be quite therapeutic.

Articles that I have either authored or had a significant input into include:

Electrical Articles Cable crimping Cables Calculating A Cable Size Changing a consumer unit Consumer Units Dimmers & Switchbanks Diversity Earthing and Bonding Earthing Types Easy socket extensions ELCB Earth Leakage Circuit Breaker Electrical Circuit Faults Electrical Installation Extractor fan wiring Halogen Lighting House Wiring for Beginners Installing an electric shower Mains Voltage Part P Power factor RCD Structured wiring system Taking electricity outside Terminating SWA Thermostat wiring TT Earthing Furniture projects Bedroom study unit Built in office furniture Cabinet clock Chess Board Classic large bookcase and cupboard Coffee table - Limbert style Desk bookshelf Dovecot / Bird house build Face frame cupboard Garden bench Knockdown free standing shelf Library chair Making equally spaced cuts Mini bookcase Oak Drawer Organiser Ornate shelf Portable Wine Rack Small bookcase Spice rack Traditional wooden stepping stool

General Building Bastard mitre joints Crack repair Cut String Stairs Custom dado router jig Edge drilling jig Floating shelf Hanging a door Heat loss Large tenon jig Making a framed ledge and brace door Making an exterior door frame Planer knife sharpening jig‎‎ Raised flower beds Patching plasterboard Roof construction Routerboard Sawboard Scribed Joints Silicone Sealant Stud wall Swimming Pool Steps Wedged joint Wedges Plumbing & Heating Systems Central heating flushing Compression fitting Installing a concealed shower mixer valve (retrofit) Sizing a hot water cylinder Unvented DHW

Hints and Tips Cable rack Circular saw techniques Dead man prop Lifting Prop Newsgroup access tips Windproof Catflap Humour Gas leak The tale of the rubbing pipe Tools Makita HR2450 SDS Drill Armature Replacement Impact driver Wall chaser Power Tool FAQ Unisaw out feed table