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For years my old phone was a Motorola Moto G3. Less than £200 and IP67 waterproof. I broke the charging port this year and it was time to replace it. I was sorry to see Motorola have taken waterproofing off of all their new phones - apparently the required gaskets made the phones chunkier...

Speaking as someone who dips into BCUK every few years, the new layout really isn't an upgrade. I can't find anything, and that's not just the curmudgeon in my complaining about change. It genuinely is less user friendly.

I usually keep some water purification tablets on hand for emergencies, either where I run out of water on a hike and need to use river water, or (less likely) manure hitting the windmill-type events at home. Because of this usage style my 8 year old pack of chlorine tablets is almost totally...

As an experiment I waxed one of the offcuts to this bag, and then lit it on fire. Waxed cotton is really quite flammable. It burns very readily, although on the plus side it doesn't burn all that fast. It was easy to extinguish. I wouldn't go so far as to say it's dangerous. Indeed I...

In future I think I will double or triple stitch the top of the straps. However the "stretch stitch" setting on my machine is freakishly strong - it goes 2 forward one back. When I made a mistake it was very hard to undo even with a seam ripper, so I hope it will hold up to normal usage.

I've been teaching myself sewing. I've done a few very basic projects but this was my most ambitious to date. I made my 6 year old daughter a cotton backpack with a main and secondary pocket, both with zippers. I then waxed it to weather proof it and increase its overall toughness. All in...

Yeah the wax doesn't really alter the finish of the canvas all that much. It maybe makes it a little darker, and it really changes the feel. I did it for the weather proofing more than any aesthetic reason.

I dunno but around 1 kg of wax has so far done around 7 bags with quite a bit to spare. A little goes a long way. You don't actually need to paint it on. The last bag I did I melted the wax into a bar of soap shape, let it set and then rubbed the bag all over. Then I applied the hair dryer...

"Ah batman, mumble mumble mumble something mumble...."

>>This<< is my mask. I bought it mostly for making the matches,so it's not at all cost effective, but I'm sure I'll find some other uses for it. Hiking in a volcano perhaps? :confused:

I had another bash at making sulphur matches. The last time I tried this a change in the wind resulted in me gassing myself. This time I wasn't taking any chances. Needless to say it resulted in some odd looks from the neighbours. I think they thought there was some backyard Breaking Bad...

As I discussed >>here<< I've been enjoying waxing bags of late. I bought one of >>these<< canvas haversacks to wax into a bag for myself. I was really pleased with how it turned out, but I wasn't so happy with the strap length. Despite being 5'8" I have the trunk of a much taller man and I'm...

During: After:

I think I've caught the waxing bug :) I've been to Endicotts and bought the following canvas haversack. Oddly the strap is exactly the same length as the "school bags" so I'm guessing such things have a fairly standard length. Maybe they're not meant to be worn low down but rather carried in...

Please see attached: Link The problem I have with hipsters is I'm always being accused of being one. I had a long bushy beard and a thrift store look long before it was cool, and I'll still look that way long after it's cool. They're copying me, not the other way round.

It leaches through during the waxing process, which is why I stuff the bag with newspaper as well as sitting it on newspaper. Once it is "set" though the bag does not really feel waxy and it doesn't mark things. It has the consistency of cardboard. The only way I can really see it marking...

I guess if I want one I'll have to make another. The tan and blue ones have been snagged by my sons, in addition to the 3 dark green ones claimed by my wife, sister and daughter. Unwaxed no one seems to think these bags are anything special, but when waxed you're beating em off with a stick...

Be careful with Linseed oil. If I'm not mistaken fabrics soaked in it can spontaneously combust.

I bought a bunch of these dirt cheap canvas satchels. I then: melted a 50/50 mix of beeswax and paraffin wax in a pot painted it on them with a brush until every inch was covered melted it into the canvas using a hairdryer stuffed the bags full of newspaper carefully sculpted them into the...

I don't think my poncho is especially short. It is about Welly boot-top length on the front and about ankle length on the back without a pack, which I think is pretty standard. However when walking into any kind of wind it is blown up an inch or 2 and then plastered against my knees. Where do...