Monday, November 19, 2007

Platform Shoes

I got bored this weekend, so I slapped together some two-by-fours and built another platform in the garage.

No, actually, there just wasn't room for all my junk on the floor in the garage, so it was necessary to 'elevate' some of it to a 'higher realm' - 80 inches, to be exact - to the point where the Toyota would fit underneath.

That's the problem with having extra two-by-fours hanging about, you know. They're just screaming to be used to build something or other. Platforms, work tables, walls, something.

So the platform got built, long about Sunday evening, but not without an interruption here or there. One particularly bad interruption, actually. You see, on Saturday, the motor in the washing machine took a dive. Literally.

Seems the mounting bolt got shaken to the point where it just snapped, then it fell to the ground with a rather loud 'thud', and for some odd reason having to do with the lack of proximity betwixt motor gearing and drive belt, the wash tub failed to rotate and the clothes failed to become clean.

Pity, that.

Tore the washing machine apart on Sunday afternoon, after being reminded of the fact that it was broken (I'd completely forgotten, having had so much fun building the platform). Got the motor pulled out, found the bolt sheared off right at the base plate. Ran out to the store to get a replacement, and a bolt extraction kit, and a tap-and-die. Just in case.

Managed to drill through the old bolt to get the extractor started, after breaking one drill bit, but the extractor jammed up inside the bolt and broke off. Had to drill that out, then tried to use the tap to set the threads for the new bolt, but apparently I hadn't gotten all the old bolt threads out of the hole, for it jammed up as well and then it broke.

Had to drill out the tap then, and looks like I'll be repeating the process again tomorrow. By the time it was all said and done, it was too late to get to the store.

Oy, but I'm ready for Thanksgiving, just to have a couple days to catch up on all these house projects! Figure I'm going to corner the market on two-by-fours and build some more platforms. Or walls. Or something.

Sure beats software...

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

So you realize there is more to life than computers and software.
Sorry your washer tried to bite the dust. Hope you get it fixed soon or the family will be out of clothes.
You must be having fun with all the lumber you are using. Wish my garage ceiling was high enough for a shelf up there.

We had a good time doing the floor. Just need to get the edges done now. Roy has a funeral to do today so won't get it done I reckon. It looks nice and that Alloc flooring was certainly easy to do. Can't wait to do the breakfast room too.

Have a good week and Happy turkey day.