The Singapore Forum

I may be in a mood to rival the one Tas has already warned us about.

I got up early as I was expecting a workman to put some furniture together, booked by the movers because their men claimed it was outside their job description to put some legs on a desk. We didn't want to do it ourselves as one of the pieces is damaged and also he was supposed to look at a couple more damaged items.

I had to clear almost everything out of the study so he had room - including 2 full clothes rails, 3 full suitcases, 2 office chairs, numerous boxes of crap, a fan, a lamp, etc., etc. Most of these are on the bed or around it and I can't currentlly get in the bedroom. Not at all.

Neo spoke directly with the workman, Italian Charlie, the other day to confirm. I've just spoken to Charlie as I'm sick of sitting around waiting and he claims no knowledge whatsoever, and can't come today.

So I'm here on my own as Neo is in NZ, faced with two choices:

1. Get out a toolkit and attempt to put together two very large and heavy desks (one is 1.8m long), or
2. Reverse this morning's process of moving crap, only to re-do it again tomorrow morning.

Or maybe:

3. Fuck it. Drink. Sleep on sofa.

Italian Charlie is a great Aussie Workman. I must be missing something here.

Recommendation: option 3, as it involves least effort.

I reckon it depends on what "it" is.

baloo wrote:I reckon it depends on what "it" is.

The first of the three activities listed in option 3 may involve some effort (and might be a chance to get to know Possum man?), but that effort is likely to be less than the effort required for option 1 or 2, and more enjoyable.

Sounds more like a proper Charlie.

OK I've used these before and I roughly know how they work - I have to slot them in round the special screw heads, don't I?

How do I get them out in the first place? Do I need a special tool? Allen key?

Ohh!! I had one ofthose to disassemble not long ago. I had to run down the road to where I'd seen some men working on a shophouse and borrow their tools. Yes, it was an Allum key. Or is it Allen?? It's certainkly not Margaret.
But yes, kooky I think so.

Handyazz, that's me.

Undoing them is easy (they're usually a phillips/cross head). Getting them out is a pain. A very small flat blade screwdriver usually does it.

azzam wrote:Ohh!! I had one ofthose to disassemble not long ago. I had to run down the road to where I'd seen some men working on a shophouse and borrow their tools. Yes, it was an Allum key. Or is it Allen?? It's certainkly not Margaret.
But yes, kooky I think so.

Handyazz, that's me.

Your helpfulness is a lesson to us all Az...

She tried. They will, forever more, be Allum Keys.

It's not helping that I can't put the extensions on, because we don't have room for them, so I don't know how many of the various screws and wood plugs I should have left over.

Do not mock me BFG, or I might come round and help you.

My table worked fine until the cat jumped on it and it all fell apart again.

Bender wrote:Undoing them is easy (they're usually a phillips/cross head). Getting them out is a pain. A very small flat blade screwdriver usually does it.

And if you can't find one of those, a metal chopstick works very well.

(I don't know why I keep them in the cutlery drawer, they're so crap to eat with, but great tools.)

azzam wrote:Do not mock me BFG, or I might come round and help you.

My table worked fine until the cat jumped on it and it all fell apart again.

Obviously a cat of near-Sepo adiposity....

K: I take it you decided on option 1. Any success?

Yes, Bender, partial at least. After a lot of swearing, the smaller (150cm long) desk is done, complete with add-on shelf once I'd worked out how. I wondered what all those metal plates were for...

I physically cannot do the other one as I can't lift the table top. (I did say that about the smaller one but this time I know I really can't.) Had to give in and move some stuff back in, so the kits and I can sleep tonight.

Not discounting part of option 3 though.

Well done!