Bricklaying

[poliphilo]

The garden wall is falling to pieces. Someone I spoke to about it- someone who claimed to be in the know- said, "Well you can't blame the builders; they got issued with a bad batch of bricks."

He went on to say that there's no way of telling in advance whether a brick is good or bad- you just have to build it into a wall and see how it lasts. I find this hard to believe:  surely any decent craftsman has a feel for the raw materials of his trade?

Anyway, I don't mind the way the wall looks- crumbly brick is picturesque- but having the wrought iron gate fall out of the gatepost was inconvenient.  So I had a long think (lasting about half a year), mixed up some mortar ("same consistency as cake mix." said Ailz) and glued everything back together. I didn't have a lot of confidence in the outcome- because I'd never laid a brick before-  but I tested the work this morning and it was solid. 

Comments

[pondhopper.livejournal.com]

Ailz was right. It's like grainy cake mix. So you cemented the gate back into place? Excellent!

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Yes, we've once again got a gate that opens and shuts.

[amritarosa.livejournal.com]

Since you're a mason now, ought I send you an apron (and maybe a funny hat)? :)

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

And instructions about how to do the secret handshake, please.

[mummm.livejournal.com]

*High five* for adding to your skills.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thank you.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Good for you! I applaud anyone who can do for themselves what would cost a fortune for a craftsperson to do.
My own resume? I fixed a broken dishwasher, also a clothes washer, repaired a wooden slanted cellar door (we call it a bulkhead), resewed my moccasins, made bedroom draperies to match the bedding (I used king-sized sheets of the same pattern as the bedsheets).
Just a few months ago when the computer was acting up I went down the street to the Geek Squad and asked about prices. $50 to look at it, and $30 per hour for labor, plus parts if needed, so I said, "Thanks I cant afford you," and went home, got into the guts of the machine and found out how to fix it myself. There are lots of instructions on line.
Anyway, I congratulate you. Looks like "Crafty Ailz" has a mate named "Handy Tony".

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks. I like to think I can handle most simple household repairs.

Electrics are a different matter. I can insert a battery or change a fuse, but I wouldn't dare plunge into the inner workings of a computer. Well done, you!

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

Oh, I gave you the wrong impression. I did not take the machine apart at all! Oh, no! But I found out how to make it work again when I just refused to respond to commands of any kind. I dont think I could do it again, except for the fact that I saved the instructions, printed them out for a notebook, and also saved them on a disc, so that if I lose the notebook, I can print them again on someone else's printer.
Nope, I dont do electric, either. However, simple plumbing? Yep, mainly because I'm not wealthy enogh to afford those people. So once again I congratulate you for your skill, your "smarts", and your economy.

[daisytells.livejournal.com]

There were a couple of typos:
Corrections: "It" just refused to respond...
I'm not wealthy "enough".