Tool Time
Three words. Just three words can strike fear into anyone who has ever bought a piece of furniture, model car, or any other “buildable iteam”. Those three words being of course “some assembly required”. During the last week, I ran into a buzz saw of “assembly required” products that were necessities in my new apartment. Luckily, the men on my Dad’s side of the family have a long history of assembling. From fixing a broken table to assembling a Lego model, we can tackle any sort of assembling, and usually with a minimum of yelling and fighting too.
To top off the typical trouble with assembling, my father and I only had a limited amount of time before he and Mom were on a flight westbound for Tucson. So, we had to work quickly and efficiently. The main project was my new desk that also came with a file drawer and printer cart. We started out the project by getting out all of the different parts and I must admit I was a little overwhelmed, but we went ahead and took it step by step. In what seemed like no time at all we had the desk all put together, printer cart and all. Was it perfect? Not quite. The drawers don’t quite close right, and there is a hole that was drilled not quite where it should be, but it has our stamp of, how shall I say, “character.”
With the desk all finished, I had to take Mom and Dad to the airport to go home, but they left me with a new bag of tools and some knowledge of basic furniture assembly. They also left with a bookshelf that needed putting together, as well as a tall lamp that came in pieces. I set out right away on that book shelf, and I guess that experience paid off because I had that bookshelf up and running in no time.
I also mentioned that lamp. Although it seemed like the easiest item to assemble, it turned out to be a little trickier than I imagined. Lucky for me, I had my bag of tools handy and fixed the little issue in no time. Yes sir, I have become quite the handyman in the last few days. It also brings up a little hint as you may be packing to come on down in a few days. It may be a good idea to pick up an “all in one tool” that contains pliers, screwdriver, etc. all in the same tool. For someone living with limited space in the residence halls, it can be quite handy, and a great space saver too!
With all of this new handyman experience, will I be tackling all of the problems that pop up around the new pad? I think I may leave that to the professionals, but I can tighten a screw or hammer a nail with the best of them. Take care, and let me know if you need anything fixed or assembled around the house!