And on the subject of us being soft these days. You know that they'd probably call a bleeding ambulance if it were now

My dad was stationed in Hong Kong back in the early 70s. Local village got crushed under a mudslide, he and his fellow squaddies had to dig up the bodies and bury them/reunite them with survivors. Not a light story, but he admits its one that shaped him. He was about 20 at the time.

Yeah he does struggle to talk about it. I've seen the photos, absolutely horrific. There's other tales but I don't want to bring this thread down, need more Moot's dad of steel.

My dad was a master of improvisation.

He once built a rat trap that consisted of a very large stone (almost a boulder) in a harness suspended over a board via a pulley system that dropped when something walked onto the board. It would have killed a dog. Mother had to have a word.

He also built a shed , the roof of which was a large up and over style garage door.

Built me a go-kart. When he had to make two holes to attach the front axel and didn't have a drill he burnt a hole through the two pieces of wood with a red hot poker.

The dad stories are great though.

I am slowly becoming my dad. Our politics are completely different but we're pretty much identical in most other ways.

I've learned a lot from my dad, but he's far more capable than I am. He rarely has to call a tradesman. He can do wiring, plumbing, joinery, carpentry, largely self-taught and learned from my granda.

My brother isn't nearly as handy, but then he and my sister-in-law earn enough that it's not an issue for them to get a man in. They've used the same Polish guy for most of the work on their house, and his work is top notch.

My dad has had some good DIY injuries. His left index finger is a weird shape, largely scar tissue, from various Stanley incidents. He once jumped of a chair and landed on a triangular scraper that went through his trainer and into his foot. He had difficulty pulling it out, because the rubber sole was gripping the blade. He did pull it out, though, steristripped his foot himself and got back to work.

As far as becoming my dad goes, it's scary. There isn't a day goes by that I don't scare myself with how much I sound like him. The little noises I make when doing DIY are the scariest. I'm also developing his habit of holding my breath while carrying out various tasks.

Luckily I swear way more than my dad so if I start sounding like him I just chuck a fuckpisscunt in there.

My Dad is fucking rubbish at any kind of diy. I'm pretty good, take after my Grandad in that. Love building things.

We should do a Man (I feel like...less of a man) thread.

yourfavouriteuncle wrote:

If we're defining manliness by general DIY ability then someone needs to resurrect the diy thread and see who exactly the manliest man of this forum is.  I'd do it myself but I'm busy installing a dressing room for my wife, that I've designed myself and had all the timber laser fucking cut to my exact dimensions.  It's slipping in like a dream because I made sure the walls (again built by me) we're plumb straight to 2mm tolerance.

Cars though. Fuck that. It's vodoo to me and I could only just about fill up the windscreen washer thing.

I like what you've said about tolerance, fancy replastering my house.

You had the timber laser cut? What kind of soft arse are you? Get a jigsaw and some sandpaper.

I have used the same saw in every job I've done in this house. It's mandatory that it's used.

yourfavouriteuncle wrote:

2mm tolerance.

That's more than a ball hair and, as such, is positively wonky compared to my flat.