That nightmare where you have an exam but forgot to buy the textbook? That was my reality today, when a test on rigging was announced and delivered within an hour. Rigging is the part of construction that deals with chains and cranes and the protocols for moving heavy stuff—hand signals and whatnot. I failed the test. … Continue reading Exam Nightmare
What you see here are replacement hot and cold stem Delta faucet parts. Or something like that. It's hard to tell from the language on the package. Anyway, what you DO NOT HEAR is the insistent drip drop drip drop drip drop of leaky Delta faucets. That's because I am so empowered by week one of Building Construction … Continue reading Plumb Crazy
Today, we built a door frame to insert into the new break room that is basically the guinea pig for our whole construction curriculum. After learning all the things that can be cocked up on a door, I shall never take a door for granted again. Who knew there were so many things to think about when … Continue reading We Be Jambin’
Oh, wait maybe I was told it's nothing but math. Take this shadow box, for example...It's 16 inches on all sides. So, you just rip four 16-inch strips, right? Wrong. You cut four 15 11/16-inch strips and nail them with the brad gun in a spiral so that each side has only one joint, where … Continue reading I was Told There’d be no Math
When I asked about the black-dried spray pattern on one of the machines in the shop, I was told it was paint. But I've watched enough CSI: Wherever to recognize blood splatter when I see it. Oh, and by the way, there's a table saw next to it, with its jagged circular blade peeking through the surface … Continue reading Snarled & Rattled
As it turns out, we picked a good time to enroll in Building Construction Technology, because, even though Polly and I are starting mid-trimester, we still arrived on the same day as all the new equipment—band saws, lathes, tables saws and other machines that look like they could dismember us without skipping a beat. The entire suite … Continue reading Back to School: Day 1
I've bought the books, cleared the calendar, and paid the tuition, so now the only thing standing between me and Building Construction Technology class is the perfect outfit. Somebody mentioned "blue collared shirt and jeans," and when I peeked in on the class in progress, I did see a few blue shirts with collars. I can … Continue reading What to Wear to Shop Class?
Polly and I went to tour the classroom/shop, where about a dozen students were in the processing of framing a wall. We introduced ourselves to the instructor, who said we should be fine starting mid-trimester. We'll be there to start the plumbing unit. “So you think by Christmas I could re-tile my bathroom?” I asked. "Sure," he … Continue reading Different This Time Around
My half-sister and I are ten years apart, and this year we will be a combined 100 years old. It sounds like the beginning of a math problem, but it’s actually more like the beginning of a mid-life crisis. I am a frustrated writer. She is a lapsed civil engineer. We’re both trying to decide … Continue reading Building on a 100 Years
Building Up Buttercup 