I'm getting too old for this $#@!

[JPVegh]

I'm always starting projects that are best left to someone else. My most recent adventure involves an old metal framed picnic table that the neighbors were throwing away with good reason. All of the wood was completely shot so I began by stripping it all off and tossing it in the burn pile. Next I got out my angle grinder and cut off all of the nuts and bolts that were rusted together. The frame is made up of 8 individual pieces that need to be stripped to bare metal to clean all of the rust off. Yesterday I began the process of sanding, wire brushing and welding over the rust through spots. By time I was finished for the day I had one of the eight pieces stripped, welded and a coat of primer on it. This morning I woke up to find the arthritis in my hands throbbing painfully, my back hurts, my ankles don't want to support my weight and I have seven more pieces of the table yet to be started on. I could have gotten out my compound miter saw, compressor and air nailer and built at least two picnic tables for the amount of time I already have in this project. I realize that I should have passed on this project but now that I have blood, sweat and tears invested I am determined to finish it but I am now coming to grips with the idea that I am getting too old for this $#@!.

 

[dave carver]

<-----takes painkillers before he starts to work on things.

 

[Getmore]

I know what you mean I got a cortisone shot in the foot today "ouch"

 

[fyrwrxz]

Any more, 'recovery' means the day AFTER a launch. Pretty soon, it'll be a C6-5 in a 4" with a streamer....

 

[goldlizard]

Between pain killers and other meds I take in the morning, I rattle when I walk for the first half hour or so..... :caffeine:

 

[JPVegh]

Any more, 'recovery' means the day AFTER a launch. Pretty soon, it'll be a C6-5 in a 4" with a streamer....

I can relate, when I was young it was all about higher and faster. These days my first design consideration is, "how far am I gonna have to go to get this thing back". I still build the odd high performance rocket as walking to recover a rocket is the most exercise I get but I don't launch them as often as I used to.

 

[JoeG]

Any more, 'recovery' means the day AFTER a launch. Pretty soon, it'll be a C6-5 in a 4" with a streamer....

Ditto!!

I'm thinking about starting a recovery fund.

Also, Jeff, you are only 1/8th of the way through this project....not counting replacing the wood. Cut your loses man!! The neighbor was right!!

 

[fyrwrxz]

Ditto!!

Also, Jeff, you are only 1/8th of the way through this project....not counting replacing the wood. Cut your loses man!! The neighbor was right!!

(Best cartoon voice "See that pickanick table , BooBoo? The Ranger will never suspect...."

 

[JPVegh]

Ditto!!

I'm thinking about starting a recovery fund.

Also, Jeff, you are only 1/8th of the way through this project....not counting replacing the wood. Cut your loses man!! The neighbor was right!!

Actually I haven't even got the color coat on the 1/8th yet sooo... yeah. Well no one ever accused me of being smart.

 

[BeerorKid]

Please post vid or at least pics of the fire

 

[SteveA]

I realize that I should have passed on this project but now that I have blood, sweat and tears invested I am determined to finish it but I am now coming to grips with the idea that I am getting too old for this $#@!.

I can relate. Getting older sucks. Every morning is a new pain sensation.

 

[dixontj93060]

Try helping your 23 year old son go through a divorce and custody case for a 6 mos. old child with, on the other side, a bi-polar and sadistic personality disorder soon-to-be former spouse. NOW THAT IS STRESS!!!!

 

[plano-doug]

.

Cut your losses man!!

A-men!

I've gotten into a few projects like this. I'm sure, in your mind, the challenge has morphed from "fun refurb" to "character test".

With years of experience, too many times I've run out of enthusiasm long before I ran out of project. In this case, since you're "determined to finish", you've made it personal. So now it's a challenge to your self-discipline and stick-to-it-iveness - it's a character test. So, in this case, you'll run out of character before you run out of project.

Don't beat yourself up. Just set it out to the curb now before you make yourself any more miserable.

Doug

.

 

[JPVegh]

.
A-men!

I've gotten into a few projects like this. I'm sure, in your mind, the challenge has morphed from "fun refurb" to "character test".

With years of experience, too many times I've run out of enthusiasm long before I ran out of project. In this case, since you're "determined to finish", you've made it personal. So now it's a challenge to your self-discipline and stick-to-it-iveness - it's a character test. So, in this case, you'll run out of character before you run out of project.

Don't beat yourself up. Just set it out to the curb now before you make yourself any more miserable.

Doug

.

Ha! You give me too much credit, I don't have that much character. I have now decided to finish the project using naval jelly and spray paint. In other words I've decided to half a$$ it. I have all of the time in the world to take on projects like this but the pain isn't worth the gain. Time to put away the wire brushes and sand paper and get out the paint brushes. It won't look as nice but it should still last for a few more years at least.

 

[Rokitman88]

Doesn't sound like anything a six-pack wont take care of!

 

[JPVegh]

Doesn't sound like anything a six-pack wont take care of!

I'm not much of a drinker but I've been known to have a couple shots of bourbon on some evenings, strictly for medicinal purposes of course.

 

[Scotty Dog]

The Old Man and the (old)Table.
New release coming this summer.

That old table has character.
I say the jell and a coat of paint will work just fine.
Kinda look at the table as if its yo-self..
Set of new knees maybe some shoulder work and a nip-tuck here and there may work for awhile,but,old is old and old has character.
If ya want the "Made in China" brandy new cheap look...go to walmart and buy one.
I have an outdoor metal chair and recliner that was covered in kinda like wicker mesh (?) that I saved from my inlaws from throwing out that I want to redo.
I think these 2 pieces gotta be 30-40 years old.
They dont make em like that anymore.
Your lucky if todays cheap plastic crap gets ya thru a hard weekend of picnicing.

 

[JPVegh]

The Old Man and the (old)Table.
New release coming this summer.

That old table has character.
I say the jell and a coat of paint will work just fine.
Kinda look at the table as if its yo-self..
Set of new knees maybe some shoulder work and a nip-tuck here and there may work for awhile,but,old is old and old has character.
If ya want the "Made in China" brandy new cheap look...go to walmart and buy one.

Ha! I like this post, I am getting old and broken down but I don't think I'm ready to be thrown away yet. Maybe I did see the same thing in the table, it's old and beat up but it can still be usefull with a little TLC. Who knows, maybe the old table will outlast me.

 

[fyrwrxz]

.
A-men!

I've gotten into a few projects like this. I'm sure, in your mind, the challenge has morphed from "fun refurb" to "character test".

With years of experience, too many times I've run out of enthusiasm long before I ran out of project. In this case, since you're "determined to finish", you've made it personal. So now it's a challenge to your self-discipline and stick-to-it-iveness - it's a character test. So, in this case, you'll run out of character before you run out of project.

Don't beat yourself up. Just set it out to the curb now before you make yourself any more miserable.

Doug


.

God I love this forum! I'm gonna print that out and post it several places. What an insight, Doug-thanks! I have sooo many "Character Tests' that with this new paradigm shift- the trashman is gonna be busy. And JP-as much as I know you are a craftsman of the highest calibre, go for functional, baby!

 

[Scotty Dog]

the trashman is gonna be busy.

You still have my addy? :lol: :wink:

 

[fyrwrxz]

Don't laff,sucker! I got yer trash and I'll box it up later this month. I'll pm ya. Don't kid a kidder, you'll wind up at the wrong end of the punch line! You pay shipping. That old anvil has GOT to go! LOL buddy!

 

[boomtube]

The distance you must walk to recover a rocket is inversely proportional to the comfort of your shoes and directly proportional the ruggedness/impassability of the terrain.

What threatens my continuation in this hobby isn&#8217;t the long walks required for recovery; it is the long drives I have to make to get to the launches.