Saturday, November 07, 2009

And after you do that......



I sometimes envy people that live or retire with enough money to live in a hotel or condo project where all the maintenance is done for you.
Don't get me wrong, I rather enjoy doing stuff. I am lucky that my father taught me how to do almost everything assoicated with contruction or handyman work. I feel sorry for the people that have to call an electrician to change the light fixture or light switch etc..
After all , I have to justify all the tools that I have purchased in the last 50 years too!
Last week on of our ranch workers was rerouting the water line and  struggling with a large plastic union. I told him to hang on and I returned with the exact proper 5 inch Jaw Channel Lock pliers that did the job in an instant. The worker and his teenage son, chided me the rest of the day for having a hardware store in my garage.
The next day they were putting on a corregated roof over the corral for the cattle. I was looking as they would first drill a hole from the top into the wood, then come down from the ladder and drill it from the bottom. Seems the drill bit was too short to penetrate in one pass. I retured with a bell hangers drill bit. For those of your who have not heard of that, it is a drill bit that is about 2 ft or 3 ft long, used to drill between floors to pull telephone wire......I just happend to have a few down here.


I had the right tools, I always have a spare valve or two , and bins of PVC fittings and copper pipe fittings.
I am always amazed that the Mexicans will  make do with a crecent wrench and a screwdriver. Maybe that is why it takes them so long to finish a job......but here there is nothing but time.   No fancy tools required.

One can never be unprepared for whatever may be required........
I think that last sentence is one of my problems......

I have tons of projects always needing attention. So when people ask what I do all day, I can send them my to-do list.
There is always something to do!

There is always tomorrow....

10 comments:

Don Cuevas said...

We have some little projects here, mostly involving drilling into concrete or tile over concrete.
Let me make a list for you.

Saludos,
Don Cuevas

Tancho said...

Well, Don Cuevas, I have a very heavy duty rotohammer which I had to purchase when we were building the house. We had to drill into the rock foundation to epoxy the large bolts to hold the foundation. You are welcome to borrow it for a nominal trade....(strudel).
Maybe I should just hire myself out as a handyman.....yeah, thats it! But I am afraid the locals probably work cheaper, and take more time!

Calypso said...

Love those rotohammers - one tool I don't have. Those matching blue rubber handles are very impressive ;-)

Michael Dickson said...

Cattle?? Cattle??

I like tools, but I don´t have (nor will I ever have) many. It´s why God created the locals.

Cattle?

Steve Cotton said...

When I grew up, most of the men I knew had fix-it skills. It appears that era is coming to an end. Most people now seem to have little idea how heir environs work, let alone how to repair them. Unfortunately, I put myself in the latter category.

Tancho said...

Ah, Calypso, a man with tools...With all the cement and block construction it is easier with a rotohammer than a hammer and a chisel..but then again we don't need speed do we?
Felipe...yep we have 10 head of cattle, 3 cows...the cattle are hormone free, organic...a project with a friend here in town. Who knows I may invite you over for an old style BBQ one of these days for some very unprofitable beef....
But I know it will taste good especially with some spicy chipotle BBQ sauce.
Steve...it is sad that the kids nowadays have no idea how to fix anything except Windows or Linux.
A pretty good business to get into, a handyman....

- Mexican Trailrunner said...

Wow! Organic cattle farming, thats impressive.
Wait, 10 head of cattle = 3 cows?
Have you found a market for organic beef here in MX?

Tancho said...

Mex Trailrunner... Ok, I am not sure if the correct wordage would have been 10 bulls and 3 cows, altogether we are feeding 10 males, 3 females, and yet organic and hormone free. That is the plan anyway, we have some interest locally from a few folks that want to buy the steers when they are fully ready. Maybe I'll post some pix of my new bottomless pits....boy do they eat a lot!

Bob Mrotek said...

Tancho,
Your collection of channel locks is quite impressive. I imagine that your collection of vice grips is even better :)

Tancho said...

Bob, I feel inadequate.
I only own two vice grips. I would accept donations of the ones with weird jaws though....