and update our understandably neglected blog. Here goes.
When I thought about writing this blog, I asked myself: what has struck me the most about this construction project? While my initial response to that question is EVERYTHING, I can easily break it down into a few things, in no particular order, that have really made an impression on me, including but not limited to: math, saws, and communication skills. Let me explain.
Math:
I have always considered myself reasonably good at math, although to be honest I only use my math skills at work and always with a calculator. One thing that I had never considered or contemplated before is how important measurements and math skills are to construction! Of course it makes sense to me now, but I had never before considered that I would be measuring things down to 1/4" or 1/8" or even 1/16", and that you cannot always just round up to the
closest inch! I believe our house presents more opportunities for using math skills than others because it is a renovation of an older and inconsistent and is therefore a greater challenge (or perhaps my skills are just rusty), but putting fractions together and figuring out distances has required me to exercise some long neglected muscles. Ouch.
Saws:
Now this has been one of the most enjoyable learning aspects of our project. I really feel that despite an initial complete lack of interest in saws, I have developed an appreciation for and a good working knowledge of the variety of saws out there. These are the saws that are now in my sawpertoire:
Chop-saw: I would have to say that this is my favorite saw. It is safe to use, versatile (ours has a gadget that allows you to change the angle), and you can plug the vacuum right into it to limit the amount of sawdust that is created. Brilliant!
Circular saw: I believe this is one of the most important saws due to its versatility. The circular saw allows you to make small or long cuts in pretty much any place because it is not attached to anything, i.e. a stand. I feel that if one was permitted to have only one saw, this would be the saw to pick (although I would probably pick the chop-saw).
Oscillating saw: This is a very helpful saw when you need to get into a hard to reach area, such as between siding and clapboards if you need to cut an old rusty nail you just can’t seem to get rid of. It is also good for cutting wood if you just need to trim a little off. It is loud and vibrates quite a bit but you never have to use it for long.
Reciprocating saw or Saws-all (?): this is another very versatile and helpful saw. Using the recip, as I like to call it, can save you an immense amount of time when doing demo. As the name implies, it saws all. I have only recently embraced it, and was happy to discover that it probably cut the amount of time spent demoing a closet last weekend in half. It is a little loud and rough to handle, but if you show it who’s boss it works like a charm.
Hole saw: The hole saw does just as the name implies, it drills holes. We have a selection of different sizes. I recently spent the afternoon with our hole saw fixing holes in the floor. At
first I was a bit trepidatious because it almost lit the wood I was working with on fire, however, after a few hours the hole saw and I were a team.
TABLE SAW: I have to be honest, I cringe and cower as I type the name of my least favorite saw, the TABLE SAW. It strikes terror in my heart. It makes me want to hide my fingers. In case you
can’t tell, I hate the TABLE SAW (hereinafter the "TS"). Unfortunately, situations arise in every renovation where you have no choice but to use the TS. If used properly, the TS can be safely operated without damage to life or limb. It is tricky however and even the slightest incorrect movement can cause it to kick up a fuss and throw the wood right back in your face.
Communication Skills:
What can I say about this that will come as a surprise to you? Not much I am
sure. Whether you have undertaken a project like this before, or not, I KNOW
you can relate to the challenges that arise when you and your spouse or
significant other undertake a big project, especially in the first year of
marriage. It is basically marriage boot camp. It is a concentrated high
pressure environment where decisions have to be made daily and our best and
worst traits come to the fore. In the most Pollyanna-like way, I like to think
of this experience as an opportunity for improving our communication skills.
For example, sometimes I have to think to myself, ‘how am I going to get what I
want here’. This project has forced me to work through that question regularly
to figure it out. You have to be strategic, you have to pick your battles, and
you have to know how to communicate with each other. I figure that by the time
we’re finished it will be like we’ve been married 10 years.
In sum, these are the points of our "project" that have struck me the most.
I am happy to report that Graham and I have not killed each other yet, and that
we are still on speaking terms. I have a feeling that more issues will arise as
we get closer and closer to what I imagine will be my favorite part of the
project: designing. Stay tuned!