A few tasks today in between some light showers and an otherwise warm and steamy summers day. The main task was to replace a step tread that had started to rot from one end with part of the edge getting closer to breaking off if one stood on it.
The tread was coach bolted from the underside so these were removed and the new step tread cut to length, edges beveled and sanded, coach screw holes drilled, then painted on the underside. While that paint was drying I did a quick job to re-string a fence mounted clothes line as the old cord had deteriorated from being in the sun for many years. Then it was back to the step tread to turn it over and screw it in place, then paint the top side. Six coach screws hold the replacement step very firmly in position from underneath with a clean and smooth finish on top. After the paint had some time to dry a second coat of paint finished the job. While the colour isn't an exact match future painting of other parts of the house will resolve that issue.
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When I worked for Telstra I had a few sayings that reflected my ethos for the way I worked and the pride I took in whatever task I was doing. No task was too trivial and no task was too complex - I always gave my fullest attention to detail in all things. The saying that springs to mind here is as follows: A good technician always uses the right tool. A good technician can also improvise when necessary..!! In my Telstra jobs I often came across work done by others where they had not used the right tool (we had lots of specialised tools) and in the process they had made a real mess of the job and it required further remedial attention to fix it properly as well as make it neat and tidy again. A recent task required me to transport a large 2.5m long piece of heavy hardwood to a customer. How do you do this when you own a luxury vehicle suited for domestic use? How do you do this without incurring the cost of renting a vehicle for a 30 minute drive from the timber yard to the customer? Answer = improvisation The photo shows my $20 solution to transport the piece of wood in my regular car without the heavy piece rubbing or leaning on any part of the interior. The back seats are folded down with an old towel used to protect the back of the seats.
Between the seats I custom made a sheet of 7mm plywood to fit around the seat leaning back with a "V" shape cut in the middle to support the 2.5m plank of hardwood. The bottom of the plywood rests on the floor and was very stable throughout the short journey. The 2.5m plank sat slightly diagonally from the front left of the vehicle through the supporting "V" to the back right so it was well away from me as the driver. Needless to say the idea worked perfectly and the task was completed quickly, safely and simply. |
AuthorAfter spending 22 years in the Telecommunications Industry, I've decided to keep those skills alive and offer my services to people needing assistance with small phone cabling jobs in the home or office. Archives
January 2024
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