John Lewis Gets It Wrong
I’m putting up new blinds in the house, as the tenants of the previous owners, wrecked them, just as they wrecked a lot of other things.
I’ve always liked vertical blinds that you can draw to one side, but have never installed them, as C preferred traditional curtains. The house is modern and I live on the first floor, which has a large living area and my bedroom behind it. There are three big windows, with two in the living room and one in my bedroom.
So I felt the best plan would be to get new blinds fitted in the bedroom and then if I liked them, put them in the living room. As I’m not too sure of some of the things I do, I felt it best that plan would be to get John Lewis to measure them to avoid any mistakes.
The lady came and measured my bedroom and whilst she was here, she measured the living room windows as well, so that they’d have them on file for later.
A few days later John Lewis sent me two copies of each of two estimates; one for the bedroom and one for the living room. It was a total of over a dozen sheets of paper. As instructed I accepted the estimate by signing and returning it. As I thought that there was only one estimate, as I thought the living room was just being kept on file, I signed the last estimate, which as luck would have it was for the bedroom.
Imagine my surprise yesterday, when the fitter arrived with the blinds for the living room and not the bedroom.
At first they said that is what I’d signed for and it was only after some lengthy phone calls, that John Lewis admitted they had made a mistake. They’ve also got two blinds made up, that don’t fit any windows except mine.
It still means that I’ve not got any blinds in my bedroom and in a few days, the sun will be streaming through from about four in the morning.
This is a classic cock-up, that could have been much worse. So why did it happen?
The sheaf of papers I was sent could easily get mixed up. I didn’t, but when I returned the estimate, they did something like put it in the wrong file.
Suerely, in this day and age, there should be an Internet-based system, where everybody can see and check the progress.
I Am Here
As you walk along the Regent’s Canal towards Mare Street, you pass this block of flats.
Haggerston Estate, Hackney
The blocks are apparently fairly derelict and scheduled for redevelopment. The faces in the windows, are those of former residents and were created by an arts project called I Am Here
How to Make Dome-Headed Bolts
As I have said several times on this blog, the builder of my house was possibly named Jerry. His worst piece of work was undoubtedly the staircase, which instead of using brass nuts and bolts, as probably specified by the architect used brass painted steel ones.
I have got part of the way, but to fix the staircase to the floor of the house, Jerry used Rawlbolts, which couldn’t easily be replaced, as they were set in concrete. I got this far and you can see it looks a bit better but some are round one way and others the other.
In the end I decided I wanted some dome-headed bolts. But just like the perfect woman doesn’t exist, the perfect bolt doesn’t either. Although there are some good ones about.
So I had to make my own. I started by purchasing some 10 mm. mild steel studding from Thomas Brothers at Archway. I used steel rather than brass, as this might give less trouble with dissimilar metals in contact causing corrosion and anyway Thomas Brothers don’t sell brass studding. They also were kind enough to cut the studding in half, so that I was less likely to poke someone’s eye out on the bus home.
I started by securing the studding in my Workmate.
Studding Secured in the Workmate
I then sawed off an appropriate length using a standard hacksaw, The stud was cut to be perhaps two centimetres longer than the steel bolt I wanted to replace.
The Cut Length of Studding
The problem with cutting any screw threads is that when you cut it, you damage the threads and nuts are difficlt to fit. You can mitigate the problem by putting a new blade in the hacksaw, but you really need one of these.
Hexagonal Screw-Cutting Die
It is a 10 mm. hexagonal scre-cutting die, that effectively cuts threads in round bars. Or in this case recuts damaged threads.
My father had lots of these, although his were round and were held in a special wrench. But because they are hexagonal, you can use them with a good ring spanner to cut the thread. I’m doing just that here, after first mounting the cut stud vertically in the Workmate.
Recutting the Threads
I actually turned the die from one end of the stud to the other to make sure that all damaged threads were repaired. All I had to do then, was screw a dome-headed nut onto the pristine length of studding.
A Dome-Headed Bolt
They are now all installed in the staircase.
The Bolts in Place
You can’t tell which ones are my fakes and which are the ones the builder put in the right way round. Or was it the wrong way?
He didn’t put them in level either!
Green Man With a Van
This company just had to happen.
I wish them luck, as not only is it a good ecological idea, but a good marketing ploy.
UCL Lunchtime Lectures
I went to one of the UCL lunchtime lectures yesterday on the largest archaeological site in London; the Thames. It is all detailed on this Thames Discovery web site.
Have You Ever Wanted to Own a Tube Station?
If the answer is yes! You can!
The Supreme Court on More4
There was a good documentary on the UK Supreme Court on More4 earlier in the week.
For those who missed it, it’s here.
And there is a review on the program in the Telegraph.
The Castle Climbing Centre
I passed this iconic building, which is now the Castle Climbing Centre, on a 141 bus. It used to be a water pumping station and I took a video as I passed.
In the next month or so, I must go and look inside. And perhaps have a climb, as that must be good for my balance.
An Unusual Pub Name
It’s called the Nobody Inn and it’s just off Newington Green.
The Nobody Inn
What it’s like, I have no idea. But I thought the name was clever.
Folding Stools at the British Museum
I saw these clever folding stools in the British Museum yesterday.
Folding Stools at the British Museum
I like these, as they are a simple design, that does what is needed without fuss. I didn’t use one, as I’m not that decrepit yet!
We need good design and the jobs it creates to get us out of the hole, that the clueless wunch of bankers dug for us.
The Anonymous Widower 