A small piece of prep

Sunday should be left for grocery shopping and random tasks around the house. Although these may seem like work they're most certainly lazy-day activities. Sarah and I choose the optimum time to avoid goods-blocking older ladies and post-church families at the grocery store. What time was that? I'm not saying. Anyway, it made for a relatively quick trip so we might start our other task for the day: reenforcing the frame on Sarah's wooden futon.

A main support beam which lies underneath the very center of the bed (when reclined) fractured nearly into two splintered pieces. Little more stress would be tolerated before total failure so we stepped into action. We surveyed the damage and discovered it to be more extensive than previously thought. No mere coating of duct tape nor strategically placed chewing gum would cut it. For this, we had to bring in the big guns.

So we went to the hardware store(!). After a browsing of lumber we redirected our plans toward small flakes of metal prefabricated with holes for screws (Figure 1). With our metal plates in-hand we headed back home to begin our attack. Using nails as the driving force for priming our screws we soon discovered that the density of the wood proved too much for our little screws to handle. One by one their little "+" indented heads were twisted off their spiral sloped bodies. It was a horrible site. The bed would find no strength from such a tragedy. Plan 2 comeith.

Back to the hardware store and a purchase of my very first power drill (Figure 2). Triumph now prevailed in our battle as the once apparently weak screws rose to the challenge faced and ably held our reenforcing plates in place. Before a late lunch was served this frame was sturdy like new. We switched futon frames next: mine to the downstairs bed and hers to the couch position in the living room. Overall we found great pleasure in our accomplishment and our newly rearranged and prepped furniture. It's ready for the May move. Stay tuned...

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