Gluing inside a tube

Gluing the wooden plug inside a tube ended up with the tube jammed inside the tube. I had to cut it out. I suspect that if I had left it long enough it would have slid out again.

Jammed plug (again)

This is a stupid one. Having got the wooden plug stuck in a tube, I then got it jammed inside the bottom of the real topmast. I figured that I could put some wood preserver on it and tap it into place before it swelled up. I was wrong – it is very well jammed now 😦

It is slowly shrinking down again as the wood preserver dries out, but the bit inside the tube isn’t shrinking quickly enough to meet the deadline.

If it doesn’t show signs of shifting in the next few days I’ll have to cut the end off, then cut out the wood from inside the topmast tube (very carefully!) and make a new one.

DIY surgery

Really stupid time – I was cutting the end off a pipe for the bilge pump and the knife slipped. Ended up in my stomach. Fortunately:

1. The NHS is fantastic – the ambulance and A&E did a great job of looking after me and stitching me back together;
2. I have enough of a spare tire to prevent the blade going all the way through so stitches were all that was needed.

It is healing up fine. Main lesson is that never do DIY when tired – I hadn’t slept much the night before.