Home Improvements (grunt, grunt)

[caddyman]

Ah, the joys of DIY.

Assuming that I have wrists of steel (which I don't), then my screwdriver is clearly made of Kryptonite. I was quite right about the inventive use of English whilst trying to get these damned curtains sorted out.

I have drilled the holes in the woodwork, but because the brackets are so close to the ceiling, it is impossible to get a decent grip on the screwdriver unless you have impossibly, tapeworm-thin, fingers. Abandoning that screwdriver, we hunted around for the other screwdriver set: the angled, posidrive set. Well, that was better, but not by much. I got the screws a little further in before the Kryptonite worked its magic on my weedy wrist muscles. This led to the fall back position of so many home improvements: a trip down to B&Q to purchase an electric screwdriver. Of course, that comes with a minimal charge already in it, which is not enough to do more than push the screws in a little further before giving up the ghost.

It needs 7-8 hours' charging before I can reasonably try again, but the initial trials were impressive enough to convince me that we have the proper tool for the job (amazing how hit and miss it is identifying such). Later on tonight we may actually have curtains hanging in the computer room. Or I shall have drilled additional holes in the wall and screwed myself to the ceiling. I wouldn't rule it out at this stage.

On the plus side, I have successfully hung a picture without unwarranted blood or breakage.

Comments

[fencingsculptor.livejournal.com]

Well done re the picture sans blood spillage or limb breakage...
Now what about cussing ? How much of that was there ?

I'm glad I'm not the only one doing DIY today....I had to strip and replace all the roof felt on my shed today one armed.....
Not easy..... not easy at all..

You have my sympathies re the curtain rails though... horrid job at the best of times especially if you find that you have a reinforced concrete lintel !!

[caffeine-fairy.livejournal.com]

Electric screwdrivers are love.

[ladkyis.livejournal.com]

Our great breakthrough was light in the study. We have a stupid four-mini-spot light and two of the bulbs stopped at the same time. I collected the box with the new bulbs from the cupboard and replaced the dead ones but the light would not work. Mr M. purchased new bulbs and put them in and suddenly we have light. Upon questioning (think spanish inquisition here) he admitted that he had put the dead bulbs from a previous failure into the box that the new bulbs came out of and intended throwing them in the bin but forgot. I see a box with light bulbs in it on the table and I put it back in the cupboard where it lives - Mr M. no longer does DIY he pays an expert (one that I choose and investigate).

[irdm.livejournal.com]

"Mr Stanley's Yankee pump". You'll never go back.

[fractalgeek.livejournal.com]

I need a new electric screwdriver. I have been using a battery-powered slow start drill with reversing, which has more "oomph", but is less convenient.

For REALLY awkward jobs, you need a Snake drive...

[bluesman.livejournal.com]

Please excuse me if this is a silly question, Bry, but do you not have an electric drill that drives screwdriver bits as well as drill bits? That's what I use, and I am then only limited by (a) really tight quarters into which the drill is too bulky to fit or (b) the tool's lack of power.

Luckily for DIY-clueless old me, my father-in-law is jolly handy with a large variety of tools, and only too willing to help out at the Groove Shack.