Sunday, March 2, 2008

If You Are What You Eat, I'm Glue!

I've been spending a lot of time out in my workshop lately. I love that. It's one of my favorite places to be, although yesterday,

*Digression Alert!*

for some unknown reason my Bose sound-dock stopped working, so no music. Booo! Coincidentally yesterday the ipod in my truck stopped working too. I have one I just leave in the truck. It stays in the glove box and it's wired into the stereo. I use my other ipod for out in the workshop, when I'm rowing, or painting or shoveling, or any other activity that's more fun with music. Anyhoo, just two days ago, my house phone, a Panasonic wireless, I just bought a year ago stopped working too! I've got my fingers crossed that the hot water heater, or furnace, or washing machine, or truck don't decide to jump on the bandwagon.

Anyway, as I was saying I've been working on building some stuff. I have several projects in various stages of completion out there. I was putting together some large raised panel shutters and typically what I do, is take all the pieces and assemble it first with no glue, just to make sure it all fits and is going to work. I get all the clamps I'm going to need, a rubber mallet, the glue, a brush, some water and a rag. Once you apply the glue you have to move at a pretty good clip to get it all together and clamped up. The really big gangley pieces with lots of parts that all have to be glued at the same time, can be challenging, especially for one person. I was dipping the brush into the glue bottle and spreading it on all the edges that needed glue, and when it came time to put it together again, I was having trouble. I needed to put the brush down and free up my hand, but there was nowhere to put it, so I put in my mouth. Not the end with the glue, but the middle of the brush handle, like when you put a rose in your teeth. You know how you like to do that. Well, I had been dipping that brush so far into the glue bottle that the part of the handle now in my mouth was covered with glue! That'll keep my big mouth shut! But I can still type.

That was nasty. I was never one of those paste-eaters in elementary school, and I know now that I wasn't missing anything. The funny part is I really had to get the dumb thing clamped up. I spit the brush out on the floor, but my mouth felt full of glue and it seemed like it was bonding to my teeth. It was really disturbing. Once I got the thing clamped I rinsed out my mouth and there doesn't seem to be any permanent damage, but I don't recommend it just the same.

The shutters came out great, the customer was very happy with them, as was I. I'll take a picture once I install them. She's painting them herself to save a little money, then I'll go back to hang them for her.

After leaving her, I went to another job I'm working on and hung some sheet rock. I also did quite a bit of housework today. I feel pretty productive all in all, but I have been working all day, and never got to do any rowing. I don't like that, but I'll be on it in the morning. I think the slightly warmer weather, along with the sunny day, has really given my energy a boost. It feels good.

21 comments:

kj said...

hi rm! what a nice day today--the sun shone so brightly against a beautiful blue sky. it almost felt warm. maybe our snow will start melting!

i'm glad to read about your productive weekend sans the glue. i really enjoy learning about how you put things together. don't forget the second annual y-art this summer....

:)

Debra Kay said...

I got some stuff done too-including a session of leash training Oliver (the January orphan). Can't watch the L word due to the tornado/rainstorm knocking out the satellite dish. I'll watch it tomorrow during the snow storm.

RED MOJO said...

kj, Thanks. It was a great day! Let me know when you know the date!

debra kay, I didn't know you were an L-word fan. You might like my other super-secret-public blog. You can find it by going to my profile and looking at my blogs. Don't tell anyone though. It's top secret.

Unknown said...

But what about your iPod? How do you live without your iPod? HOW?? HOW??

Seriously. I'd totally die without mine.

And you really ought to kick that glue habit. It can lead to more powerful chemicals, you know.

Anonymous said...

Eating glue.......well, I suppose everyone has a right on a special personal hobby :-)

Anonymous said...

Hhehhehhe, I can taste it now. REALLY, I did similar once myself and never was a Perkins Paste eater at school either. Luckily wood glue isn't like metal glue! Or was it? HAHHAHHAA You have to do it once for never again :)

RED MOJO said...

Dorky Dad, I have another ipod. I just liked to leave that one in the truck, so I always have my tunes. If I have to lug one around everywhere, I'll forget it. Like right now for instance. I'm going to go row, but now I have to go outside in the cold and get the ipod, because I left it in the truck last night.

wieneke, I suppose you're right. If only I enjoyed it!

anon, It was a lesson I only need to learn once!

Charlotta-love said...

one ipod stays in the truck and the other is used while rowing or working? I don't even have one iPod.

RED MOJO said...

charlotta love, You should get one! They're great. If you can't afford one yet, I'm sorry. That is the one advantage to being old like me, you can afford stuff. I'd give you my ipod to be your age again.

Debra Kay said...

Oh yeah, I got hooked on the L word during an On demand marathon one weekend when I had the flu. The tennis player had a lump. It's like a soap opera that moves at a reasonable pace...things HAPPEN and then they move on. What a concept!

Ed & Jeanne said...

Those ipod things...in quantum mechanics this is known as quantum entanglement; the theory being that everything has a relationship with everything else. In the real world this is known as bad frickin' luck!

RED MOJO said...

debra kay, I like that show too, for my own reasons ; 0

ve, yes, bad luck always comes in clumps, like bills.

Anonymous said...

I've done things just like that. It would be easier to work if you had at least three hands, wouldn't it?

Anonymous said...

I'll try not to post a clump of duck's bills tomorrow .... ;)

Slip said...

What type of glue do you use? Some of the new stuff is just not as tasty as the old Elmer's wood glue.

RED MOJO said...

citizen, Yes, three hands would be better, for a lot of things actually.

anon, you might as well, there's no point in trying to fight clumpation.

slip, I use Titebond, and gorilla glue or exel one for outdoor projects.

tsduff said...

I preferred paste as a kid. Now I can leave it alone :)

You made shutters? Wow. I admire your skills. Hanging drywall? Double WOW. That is hard to do. My Sweetie came home last week covered with sheet rock dust from sanding and taping... he vowed NEVER AGAIN.

RED MOJO said...

tsduff, It's what I do. I'm a home remodeling contractor, and a finish carpenter.

robkroese said...

What kind of glue are we talking about here? The white "non-toxic" kind, or the brain-damage glue?

RED MOJO said...

diesel, Why, do I seem brain-damaged?

heartinsanfrancisco said...

I wasn't a paste eater either. Blechhhtt.

The good news is that you were not using crazy glue. And I hope that nothing else decides to quit working at your place since YOU don't have that luxury.