"FKA-RacecaR" (FKA-RacecaR)
11/24/2014 at 10:09 • Filed to: None
0
1|
"FKA-RacecaR" (FKA-RacecaR)
11/24/2014 at 10:09 • Filed to: None | 0
| 1 |
(not my tree)
So we have a 7' artificial christmas tree. We bought it at discount since it was a floor model. It was assembled, and we never took it apart since it has pre-hung lights on it. Since it was fairly nice this weekend, we decided to dig it out of the garage and get it into the house.
This past summer, we moved to a new garage with house adjacent. During the move, the top of the tree was bent down slightly. This was either to fit it into a truck (doubtful) or to fit it into our third bay in the garage. As I pulled it out, I thought I could just slowly bend it up straight. As I began to do so, I could feel it getting weaker and SNAP!
So my wife starts getting upset because we couldn't really just go get another fake tree at $100+ when we just bought this one last year. So I go into DIYer-engineer-ingenuity mode.
I clear off the area and upon inspection, it has a thin metal rod as the "trunk" of the tree. I thought it was just plastic and was going to be a quick glue-brace job and be done. But I could now see it would take more.
First thing I think is "get a dow rod!" So to the garage I go. No wooden dow rods could be found. But under my workbench, I had a bunch of scrap metal pieces left from my wife's grandfather (previous owner of the house). I start digging through them and find some different lengths and widths of rods.
After getting out the needle nose pliers and making both ends of the broken rod as back to round as possible, I start test fitting support rods. After a few tries, and help from my trusty dead blow hammer, I find one that fits. I get it to where it needs to be in both parts of the tree and see that I need to trim off about 5" from the middle.
I do my measurements, mark off with a sharpie and get out the hacksaw. I could have used my dremel, but I just felt a hacksaw was right. I wanted to use my hands to get this done.
Once all the cutting was done, I slid the support rod back into the tree top, then slid it down into the "trunk" rod below and VIOLA!, it all fit together!
I fixed something! It was a great feeling!
After showing my wife that it all worked, I told her I just saved us over $100 by fixing it. She then says "Thanks, but you were also the one that broke it..." Then laughed.
But anyway, it was awesome to fix something. It was a small win, but I haven't had one in awhile, and it felt fantastic!
ttyymmnn
> FKA-RacecaR
11/24/2014 at 10:15 |
|
