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| The door isn't looking good! |
The trouble with houses is that there is always something to do. The door to the conservatory is in a seriously sad state, every time I open or close it pieces fall off. Rather than rely on handymen - my experiences with them have been disappointing, except for my peach of a plumber - I decided to build that little baby myself. I mean, how hard can it be?
Probably very hard. I have been thinking about this project every day on the bus for five days, and slowly a plan is emerging.
The first thing I had to do is buy a few tools and turn the lean-to conservatory-cum- utility-room-cum Mouserleum into a workshop. I re-located six demijohns full of home-made wine into the cupboard-underneath-the-stairs, deconstructed the stationary bicycle - I had bought a new one that folds up - and cleaned up the lean-to a bit.
Noticing a funny smell I checked the drainage from the kitchen to the sink-hole and discovered a several inches thick cover of fat/soap/grime in there. Cleaning out the sinkhole is my least favourite job around the house, but its got to be done every other year or so. Nasty smelling stuff in there!
The bicycle gave me much grief, too - build to last though now sadly broken. The remainder is still lurking in the garden and will need attention soon. But at least it is out of the lean-to.
I changed into my serious work-suit for cleaning out that sink-hole - the photo below is substandard, but it shows I mean business!
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| DB in work gear |
After cleaning up the rest of the Mouserleum I shifted the furniture around and arranged my worktable. It is on the small side, but I have another table, with flaps on each side, which can be used to extend the worktop. It still won't be large enough to build the door, I will have to assemble it on the dining room table. But at least I can prepare all the constituent parts on my new work table.
I also hung up many of my frequently used tools on the wall, and re-purposed a sewing box to keep nails, screws, and similar supplies in. The screwdrivers and chisels I put into old jam-jars. Slowly my work-area is taking shape.
I already had quite a few tools, but additionally purchased four chisels, an electric saw, an electric drill, a wood-vice for the table, two heavy duty clamps, a sharpening stone, a spirit level, a carpentry square, and a lignum vitae wooden mallet.
The saw and drill had been left with a neighbour who was out so I couldn't collect it from them, but everything else is now in place.
Tomorrow I shall have to schlep to the hardware store again for wood-glue, little clamps, and a set of wrenches. I have an old set from before the war, but it is the sort that goes around the whole bolt, and that is no good in a tight space like the bicycle joints I have to demolish.
This door project is going to take some time. I need to plan and prepare everything carefully, because if I ruin my material I will have to carry another set of planks for 45 minutes from the hardware store to the Little House, and I am so not doing that!
I didn't take many before and after photos of the Mouserleum, because you already know what it looks like - see previous post. But the door is prominently featured!
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| In the middle of re-arranging the Mouserleum; notice the sink hole at the bottom of the picture |
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| All the glasses and bottles are now under the table |
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| The new work-space! |
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| I do like a tidy work area! |
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| The round thing is from the deconstructed bicycle, I hope to use it as an anvil, it is heavy duty and quite thick |
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| And here is the door - I have patched it up for 17 years and it really needs replacing |
