House progress and more workbenches

I thought about posting two separate blog entries, but since I don't like the way Blogspot formats multiple blog entries posted in a single day, I'll just combine 'em.

House progress: A week ago, the site supervisor guy phoned The Lady at work and asked us to have the site mowed, as the grass was now knee-height in many places. He wouldn't say exactly why it needed to be done, or what the deadline was. (My guess is so the drain-field can be dug near the front of the property: since new workers wouldn't know what hazards lie hidden among the grass as they drive their trucks about, I can see how the grass could classify as a safety risk.)


Normally, for around a hundred bucks you'd hire someone to come in with a big ''slasher'' and mow everything: however, because there were boards, lumps of concrete, and what-not lying about, I don't think a slasher driver would like his/her blades getting ruined on the hidden hazards. So, I did it myself, with a heavy-duty gasoline-powered ''pushing'' mower. Took about two days (taking three hours off during the midday heat); the second day, The Lady's mom came over and assisted me, by driving the riding mower on the less-hazardous areas.

Looks pretty good now: looks like a home that's nearly completed, rather than just a worksite. Photo above is of the house as of this morning, with recently-mowed front lawn.


Workbenches: Still hankering for a workbench. Went over to Next-Door Uncle's place (uncle-in-law, actually) to borrow a shop vacuum, and also brought my digital camera to take pics of the two workbenches that he'll be giving me, when I actually have a place to put 'em.

The first workbench was a surplus from some A&P workshop closing down. Next-Door Uncle says that since he's (clearly!) not using it right now, I'm welcome to take it whenever I want it.

Thought the top was MDF (fibreboard) -- but now, looking at the photo, not so sure. If it is indeed MDF, I may or may not replace it with actual wood. Note the tool tray/tool well as the back half. No vice attached, but I have a few options available to me, including a small woodworking vice I picked up for around five bucks(?-bad memory for numbers, which is why I write everything down!!!) at a garage sale, as well as a ''metalworking'' vice that my grandpa used as a woodworking vice (lined the jaws with wood) that I'll be receiving in about a month (see below).

The second workbench belonged to The Lady's great- grandfather -- her maternal grandfather's dad. Put differently, the grandpa that once lived in the house we're currently in? His dad.

Great-Grandpa was a shipbuilder, although Next-Door Uncle doesn't think the workbench was necessarily used for the ships: more likely, just for home stuff. Still, a neat-o piece of history. Misc. tools and such on the workbench clearly not included. ;)


Related note: Speaking of historical workbenches: As I'd mentioned back in August, my paternal grandfather sold his house and moved in to an assisted-living place. I visited his home (in the U.S.) and shipped a bunch of stuff to myself here in Brisbane.

My crates with my grandpa's tools, as well as many, many wooden things that he built, are being held in Sydney while we wait for the house to be completed. Crates will arrive here at the end of March. When they arrive, I'll take a few pics and post 'em. When I merge them in with my existing stock of tools, about two-thirds of my total stock of tools will have been my Grandpa's. That's pretty neat.


--GG