PracticalBench Blog
Short stories about the everyday problems our tools were built for — a garden wall that ran out of bricks, a heater that blew the budget, a cake for twice the guests. The people in them are fictional; the arithmetic is real, and every post links to the calculators it uses so you can run your own numbers.
First Month With an EV: Why Ama's Bills Didn't Add Up
Ama's electric car cost £2.88 to charge at home and £28.44 at a motorway rapid charger. How to work out what an EV really costs you per mile.
The Garden Wall That Ran Out of Bricks Halfway
Priya ordered bricks for one leaf of a two-leaf garden wall. How to work out bricks, footing concrete and bags properly before the first delivery.
The Little Heater That Ate the Winter Budget
Tom's 2kW fan heater looked cheap to run until the bill arrived. How to estimate a heater's real cost, and why measuring beats guessing.
Planning Dad's 60th in the Village Hall
Sofia had a four-hour hall booking and 64 guests. How she worked out tables, chairs, food, cake and timings without over-ordering anything.
Scaling Grandma's Cake for Twelve (and a Bigger Tin)
Leo needed his grandma's cake for 12, not 8, in a 23cm tin she never owned. How to scale a recipe by tin area, convert cups and set the oven.
