Companion Planting (Friendship Group)

[lottie dolly]

NOT you hidding,our 2 younger peeps,has your neighbour said how big his rubber thing is,and does it have an outboard motor on it,or a car/cycle tyre and hang on lol,or indeed a blow up water toy,pics please

[veggiechicken]

I don't know how big, or small, his thing will be when its pumped up! I've never seen it in any state of inflation
I should add, he is a happily married man who calls himself my estate manager (or slave - depending on who he's talking to) - that is, he does all the odd jobs for me. So the train ride and the boat trip will be "Works outings"!

[veggiechicken]

Its so quiet here I thought I'd say Hello to anyone who may be watching Its that or trying to assemble a Dining Table I've just been given but without any instructions. Think upmarket Swedish store. Its in bits all over the floor

[snohare]

Veggie, are you sprawled out legless on the floor - again ? !

[veggiechicken]

Hi Snohare - I need a screwdriver (don't mind what colour!) The table is upside down and I have 12 screws to line up and screw in place.... and its doing my wrist in
That's before I think about my legs

[snohare]

Yes, thinking about that much screwing is enough to give me a sore wrist too, Veggie !
My advice is to get a ratchet screwdriver. Something like the old Stanley ones - I think you can still get them on Fleabay etc. But you can get own-brand ones in supermarkets too, the only thing is that they have shorter shafts so you cannot screw so far in with a single push.
If you see what I mean...<goes off to take bromide>

[veggiechicken]

Are you OK now???
There must be some ratchet screwdrivers in the shed but its a bit dark now to go looking! Didn't even think of those - I've been struggling with a little Philips screwdriver. Maybe I'll leave it until the morning! The legs look quite straightforward - they're a nut and bolt jobbie.
I'm not even sure if I like the table - it doesn't quite fit in stylewise - but it was free, came with 6 chairs and is quite collectable Danish furniture. I'm going to have to get rid of something else though to find room for it - I think 4 dining tables are enough for anyone

[snohare]

Feeling much better now thank you Veggie, think I might have a lie-down soon. It helps the twitching stop.
Seriously though, a little bit of WD40 on the bolts on the legs can do wonders. (I am quite often called on to build or dismantle tables in my charity work at a recycling centre.) Once they have a bit of lubrication, just put the nuts onto the threads and you will usually find that you can do them up to hand-tightness really easily just by pushing your finger forward repeatedly so that the nut spins on. No wrist work needed ! After that you just need a single turn or so with a spanner. (Yellow, plastic, or otherwise.)
As for lining up screws, always use a brad awl. Or better still, drill a pilot hole with a posh drill.

[veggiechicken]

Keep taking the tablets, Sno, you'll soon get over it
Thanks for the WD40 tip - I love the smell of it - a quick squirt behind the ears and I'm ready for a night out
The holes for the screws were there already as the table had been dismantled ready to go in my car. It might have helped if I'd seen it made up first as I started off by assembling the top upside down! Still, its little puzzles like this that keep my brain active -ish!

[Dusty Rhodes]

Are you OK now???
There must be some ratchet screwdrivers in the shed but its a bit dark now to go looking! Didn't even think of those - I've been struggling with a little Philips screwdriver. Maybe I'll leave it until the morning! The legs look quite straightforward - they're a nut and bolt jobbie.
I'm not even sure if I like the table - it doesn't quite fit in stylewise - but it was free, came with 6 chairs and is quite collectable Danish furniture. I'm going to have to get rid of something else though to find room for it - I think 4 dining tables are enough for anyone

The pros use beeswax on the threads to make the screws easier to turn.

[veggiechicken]

Hello Dusty, How nice to see you here This thread has been dormant for so long I'd forgotten all about my table challenge! My legs haven't fallen off yet so that's a positive
Thanks for the beeswax tip - I have a bagful from our beekeeping days. Another thing I love the smell of, more than WD40 actually.
Hello to everyone else who looks in here too. Hope you're all well and happy
Time for a reunion maybe?

[snohare]

Yes, let's all get around the table...cyberly, like ! Boy, do I have some tales of DIY screw-ups...

[veggiechicken]

I'm here, and I'll bring the table

[lottie dolly]

elow elow,ho goes there,it has now been woken up,which is more than can be said for me,howdy peeps,lovely weather again,sitting near a radiator,and still feel cold,what i need is a really good sleep,like a hibernation to recharch the old batteries,or is it time for replacements,winter is almost here,,

[veggiechicken]

I fear I'm confusing the Companions and Nutters threads