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Post by lotusanne on Jun 24, 2013 19:41:12 GMT
Was just thinking about my lack of DIY skills and how it costs a lot to get things done on my van that are probably fairly simple, and wondered if things have changed for younger women? I was at secondary school a loooooong time ago, in the 60's and 70's and in those days girls never got taught any DIY - girls did cookery and needlework and boys did woodwork etc. So we never learnt tool manipulation (no, I don't mean that!!) I think things are different now, but is is still the case that women tend to leave it to the men? Its not that I am completely useless, i do my own decorating for example and will have a go at bit of furnture stripping/ staining etc ... and just made van curtains, but i think through lack of pratice I just dont have the skills/knowledge/confidence to tackle jobs on the van. What do others do?
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Post by Firefox on Jun 24, 2013 20:50:12 GMT
Most of the women who do wild camping espec the nominally single ones I reckon are pretty good at fixing stuff. You can learn to use a screwdriver or spanner in one or two years of practice in different situations just as someone can learn basic stitching techniques in the same time. It may seem simple to use a screwdriver, but there are tricks and tips such as how to apply pressure to loosen a difficult screw, or drilling pilot holes, countersinking, types of screws, or just getting the damn thing in straight! Power tools have made it easier for girls with weaker wrists.
I reckon the real change has been in attitude whereas back in 50s/60s/70s girls using tools was not "ladylike" or guys doing cooking/needlework was "gay" unless they were professional chefs or tailors. Now I think people are encouraged to have a go, and that makes all the difference.
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Post by Ems&Beau on Jun 24, 2013 20:51:47 GMT
I just get stuck in and have a go, I read up a lot if I don't understand something, the internet is great for this, how I would have managed finding info on mending bits or wiring without I'm not sure, I guess we'd all be sat in libraries reading books!
I've always messed about with cars but I don't just do bits to cars and my van, I do most DIY type things at home including ! I can also sew and have done seat upholstery (and will be doing my van at some point). I learnt a bit at school, lots from my Mum and Dad who have always done DIY and serviced there own cars and I did a classic car restoration course when I was 18/19 where I learnt to weld, panel beat, paint (a tiny panel, never progressed to a whole vehicle), strip engines, recover seats etc. I've just continued to mend things that go wrong and learn from it - most is down to experience as what you learn at school college is just something to get you going (that's what I think).
I think the main reason I seem to do ok is I enjoy it, it probably takes me more than twice as long as a mechanic to do jobs but it saves a lot of money and its satisfying! Also I'm yet to meet a man who wants to do all these jobs for me so have always had to get on and do it myself!
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Post by Etienne Le Croq on Jun 24, 2013 21:46:15 GMT
I don't believe it! You sound like the perfect woman
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Post by lotusanne on Jun 24, 2013 21:57:12 GMT
Wow Ems, I am so impressed!I am always all fingers and thumbs and like Verso says havent got to knowing the tricks.
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Post by kangooroo on Jun 24, 2013 22:30:07 GMT
I used to potter a lot, botched things together perhaps not in the tidiest way but they lasted (mostly) and I learned from them. But things changed when I married a very skilled woodworker, talented cabinet-maker and expert DIY'er. My efforts were positively discouraged and all tools were locked away out of my reach and replaced with a blunt saw duly painted pink with flowers on! This was a statement with a strong hint to give up the woodwork.
In some ways it does make sense. There is no way that I could compete with his skill so now any such jobs are completed jointly (well, a 20% contribution from me). That said, I can do basics, am quite at home with spanners and screwdrivers, can do basic car servicing (spark plugs, points, oil change, have fitted brake cylinders, reset tappets) but am very out of practice.
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Post by Firefox on Jun 24, 2013 23:20:11 GMT
It's a shame you were discouraged. I could never compete with Karen's husband either as his stuff is a work of art. Nor could I match nbrown or Ellisboy with their routers and clever bits of kit. My stuff is quite practical though... it's relatively straight and solid and it works. This is the most important thing when doing stuff for yourself. You can always do the basics and the carcasses, then bring in a skilled person to do the finishing and edgings for you, if you want a pristine job. You'll still save money.
Work with the skills you have and then try to learn a bit more by watching people, internet, forums, or best of all doing it while somebody with the know-how guides you.
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Post by Etienne Le Croq on Jun 25, 2013 6:02:56 GMT
The Internet is a very good place to learn things,how to use tools etc.Its also a place to meet people who are highly skilled and don't mind sharing infomation and techniques ,like the van guru n brown.
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Post by n brown on Jun 25, 2013 6:55:56 GMT
oi ! enough of that guru crap ! I've been taking things to bits all my life,just like to see how things are made. I actively encouraged all my kids to use my tools from an early age,some wanted to more than others,but 3 out of 4 can do basic carpentry and have made and sold stuff,worked on their own vans etc. I think I could actually have a row with a bloke who locks his tools away from his wife !when we had a smallholding my wife built fronts for the pig arks with fancy bargeboards and faux windows,loves a jigsaw her do ! the reason i post little explanations of carpentry methods is because I have always looked for effective shortcuts,and try to show that quite a lot can be done a bit easier than people might think,given a few basic tools.
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Post by daisymini on Jun 25, 2013 7:20:59 GMT
Im like Ems, I like to just get stuck in and have a go...!!! Mainly due to finances and not being able to pay labour costs i always have a go first, and if i get stuck i google. Im never afraid to ask, ie nbrown...lol and ive learnt so much from his advice and the ability to tackle certain jobs myself. I also love to do things myself as then i also learn that if something goes wrong i have a rough idea of what it can be and maybe able to fix it myself
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Post by n brown on Jun 25, 2013 8:09:09 GMT
anybody gets round this way and wants to have a go on powertools or just wants to chat diy give me a shout
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Post by kangooroo on Jun 25, 2013 11:00:42 GMT
I think I could actually have a row with a bloke who locks his tools away from his wife! To be fair to him, he has a point. I am notoriously clumsy and somewhat accident-prone so the ruling is I can use his tools under supervision although some of his best remain firmly out of bounds at all times. For previous birthdays he's bought me a power drill and similar which horrified my neatly-manicured female friends. Last weekend I was also allowed to have a play with his new scythe - again under supervision convinced I was going to slice through my ankles. I have full access to gardening tools (except his lawnmower!) but confess to be utterly useless and have never mastered the art of digging. I can jump up and down on a spade but, being a lightweight, it simply refuses to slide into the ground. I'm sure I'll be given many more opportunities soon now we have our land which requires a lot of work including groundworks soon and some woodworking.
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Post by billieblue on Jun 25, 2013 13:59:44 GMT
I often feel quite embarrassed and inadequate when it comes to DIY and van stuff but I'm too lazy and non commital to do anything about it! Having said that years ago I used to do all my decorating, laying floor coverings etc and did a basic car maintenance course. I do intend to get a manual for the van engine to familiarise myself with the engine and do basic maintenance. I do like to be shown how to do things tho rather than just reading up. Hopefully I'll learn stuff at the fix it meet. I don't like to give us girls a bad name! And I really admire the women who do it themselves......
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Post by Lee & Linda on Jun 25, 2013 15:02:30 GMT
Similarly to Karen, Lee has always done everything so I have not tried to learn. I did paint a cupboard when he was away on a course when we first got married in 1970 - he came home and redid it and hid the paint brushes from me ever since.....
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Post by Pollik on Jun 25, 2013 15:20:24 GMT
I have done odd bits of DIY and car/bike stuff over the years, but I really don't enjoy and I don't think, by and large, I do a good job with them. And I don't embark on projects...for example, for all Vernon downplaying his skills, I would never do a self build as he has done. I think lazy and non committal describes me, too. Or maybe I just get distracted too easily.
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Post by landydriver on Jun 25, 2013 20:00:39 GMT
I do everything myself The only tradesman thats been in my house was a carpet fitter to lay the stair carpet. Thought it would be cheaper than the amount of carpet I might waste I have 2 grown up kids and neither would know how to knock a nail in. I suppose that could be my fault....its easier just to get dad to do it!!! Both reasnable cooks though so not completely useless but they do live in the throwaway age, if its broke, bin it, if a button comes off, bin it. 6 year old grandson seems intrested though, hes been out helping with van conversion. He loves the nail gun
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Post by lotusanne on Jun 25, 2013 21:56:15 GMT
Similarly to Karen, Lee has always done everything so I have not tried to learn. I did paint a cupboard when he was away on a course when we first got married in 1970 - he came home and redid it and hid the paint brushes from me ever since..... Haha, thats so encouraging!! : )
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Post by Firefox on Jun 26, 2013 0:09:04 GMT
For previous birthdays he's bought me a power drill and similar which horrified my neatly-manicured female friends. This is really bad. It's like I was saying earlier about attitudes, peer pressure, and people not being supportive. Would they have been horrified if a male had been bought a drill? It's the kind of attitude which has held women back in the past.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 28, 2013 10:41:41 GMT
Needs must, I've always been single and nearly always been on a low income or else had high outgoings on an average income and so paying for others to do a job has always been a luxury or an absolute necessity. As a kid, my dad would let me watch but would never let me do but you can learn a lot from watching and asking questions. Over the years it's been trial and error and I work on the principle that it's DIY and so a perfect finish is not to be expected 100% of the time. So long as something which was broken is now fixed or is better than it was, that is a result. But I do think I'm definitely a hands on crafty type of person and also often too proud and stubborn to ask for help and so it's my tendency to have a go myself. And being able to google for help, advice, instructions and explanations is a massive bonus which even 10 years ago wasn't an option. Just like learning to use a food mixer, processor, oven and various other kitchen power tools, using DIY power tools can be learned at any age if you have the inclination, motivation and practice. Personally I'd rather spend an afternoon outside with the chainsaw cutting up firewood than in the kitchen making a cake or cooking a meal but maybe that's because I need the firewood but I can live without a cake or roast dinner thanks to the microwave. To be honest, I think there's a lot of social conditioning, my dad probably thought I'd get myself a husband to do all the DIY so I didn't need the skills as that was still very much the way things were 30 years ago. My DIY skills now, though still only amateur, are probably better than his were simply because I've had no choice about having to learn and practice if I wanted a job doing. As much as anything I also think it's about confidence ~ I take the approach that I can do it even if it means having to ask for advice, google for instructions or have several attempts. After all, if a man can do it, it can't be that difficult
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