A few weeks ago dad came over to help me rip down the old wall and put footings in to rebuild it properly. It didn't take much pulling down, we literally just pulled it down by hand. Who ever built this wall one skin thick was a little silly!
 |
| The wall was hiding the neighbours beautiful sheds |
 |
| Loading the dumper |
 |
| I think I managed to catch the moment the digger broke perfectly |
 |
| Space was tight and worse when wee had to use the bigger digger |
 |
| We dug out what we could by machine then the rest had to be done by hand. |
 |
| New footings in |
 |
| Still need the shuttering to be removed |
It was a long day on the Sunday but we managed to get most of the soil out, I then had a few (a lot) hours hand digging as it was all so near to the soil pipe from the house. I had to construct some shutters in a few places before we could concrete on the Wednesday night (the 5th), unfortunately as I was doing this I slipped with the saw and cut into my thumb.
I needed stitches and I was worried I damaged my tendon so had a little visit to A&E. I helped the nurse hold the wound open and we watch my tendon go back and forth with no visible signs of damage except a slight nic in it, I was lucky. She stitched it up for me and I got back home about 5.30.
Dad already had a load of concrete mixing so it was a case of wrapping it in some plastic and getting stuck in. Luckily my brother turned up to lend a hand - it was half ten by the time we finished and we were all dead by the end!
I've had most of the bricks come to build the wall and I've moved them with the tractor off the drive. The brick layer, Dill, comes tomorrow so I need to move some bricks today to get ready.
Slowly getting through the jobs!
Your very lucky I cut my thumb years ago, and almost cut through my tendon and was in plaster for 12 weeks. I hope you heal soon, plus nice job on the footings
ReplyDeleteThanks, The thumb has healed really fast, I've struggle to keep it clean when working but make sure it;s out in air when I finish at night.
DeleteSorry but I did laugh at the digger broken phto. Hope your hand heals swiftly.
ReplyDeleteIt makes me chuckle every time I see that photo. I think it's one of the best of my dad I've ever taken!
DeleteIn my area, we'd have to put that footer AT LEAST two feet lower to avoid frost. heave.
ReplyDeleteWow, nothign like that here, you can have the concrete pretty much to soil level if you want so long as it goes down deep enough.
Deletebest broken digger photo ever! i cut through the tendon on my thumb several years ago and had surgery to reattach it. it's never been the same.
ReplyDeleteIt does make me smile. I was lucky with my thumb, it still makes me cringe now.
Delete' Who ever built this wall one skin thick was a little silly! ' Understatement of the year, it doesn't bear thinking about what might have happened if had toppled towards your side with someone there :-(
ReplyDeleteWow, you were so lucky with that cut, if you had gone a smidge further ,as a few other comments have said you would have been out of action for weeks ... and VERY sore, although I'm sure what you have done is sore enough.
Nice to see the job on the way at last though, soon you will have a smart, and very safe new wall to hide those bl**dy awful sheds.
Can't wait for the wall to go up, It means I can start with some of the other projects around there as well. I' have so much to do and I don;t seem to be making head way with anything sometimes, but then all of a sudden it comes together.
Deleteoh Kev - i am just glad to hear that you are ok!!! we all have to be careful but you have the babies to think of! you need all of your tendons to be able to take care of them. and do your carpentry. and maintain your garden and sheep. i look forward to updates on how this project progresses. and send much love.
ReplyDeleteyour friend,
kymber
It was just a slip with the saw but it's made me re evaluate my first aid and PPE on the Van and in the workshop so maybe it's a good thing really. I've been ordering ear plugs and safety glasses as well as first aid stuff. I wan to be much better organised with it. A carpenter with one thumb is seriously hindered!
Deletethansk Kymber.
OUCH! And well done on the wall rebuild. it is amazing what eejits before us call "construction". I've never understood putting in the time and money to build crap. Can't wait to see your new wall but take care!
ReplyDeleteThe old wall looked OK, but ONE SKIN THICK.... what were they thinking. I'm amazed the wind didn't blow it over. I've got to do a similar job quite soon: I'll wear thick gloves.
ReplyDeleteDude your thumb! OMG hope it heals really well.
ReplyDeleteThe footings look good. if a job is worth doing, do it well.
And the picture with the digger, that is me most mornings with my car. The stubborn in me refuses to by a new to me one.
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
ReplyDelete