Money, Foibles, and Caulk
Twenty years ago we put some new windows into the house as part of the renovation when we bought it. Two high, triangular ones lost the seal between the glass panes and the men were here today to replace them. This isn’t like replacing a double-hung window. There is no frame on the glass. It’s held in place by molding and caulk.
First two men (an experienced hand and a young apprentice) came. When the older guy saw how embedded the old panes were in caulk, nails, and staples, he called for reinforcements, comprised of another older-younger team. It was hard work on ladders both inside and outside the house. All the inside molding was glued and caulked making the job tedious. After about two hours, they had one window replaced and started working on the second one. It went faster since they knew what they were up to. In fact, there came a time when they just broke out the old panes, being very careful to pick up all the pieces and carry them outside.
During this time, the two older workers were doing most of the work with the young guys fetching, cleaning up, etc. It was interesting to see that when one of the older guys called for his assistant by name, the younger man answered “Yes, sir?” This happened a few times, so it was not a fluke.
I wandered in and out of the living room. Finally, I stayed and chatted with the two guys working inside. I watched as they carefully carried the second set of panes in from the truck and lifted them into place. They had first cleaned the opening and applied a fresh bead of caulk to the outside frame and moldings. After placing some rubber shims in place, they were ready to nail in the inside molding to hold all of it in place. And we kept chatting all the while.
All of a sudden, the glass fell loose from the top of its frame and hit against one of the men’s head just hard enough to crack it in several places (the glass, not the head). It happened fast when their attention had wandered just a bit to a hammer or picking up a nail or whatever. They took down the newly cracked glass panel, went to Lowe’s and got some plywood, and patched the hole until they return next week with a new glass panel.
Oh, what were we talking about as they were working? Foxes one of them had seen near his house.
First two men (an experienced hand and a young apprentice) came. When the older guy saw how embedded the old panes were in caulk, nails, and staples, he called for reinforcements, comprised of another older-younger team. It was hard work on ladders both inside and outside the house. All the inside molding was glued and caulked making the job tedious. After about two hours, they had one window replaced and started working on the second one. It went faster since they knew what they were up to. In fact, there came a time when they just broke out the old panes, being very careful to pick up all the pieces and carry them outside.
During this time, the two older workers were doing most of the work with the young guys fetching, cleaning up, etc. It was interesting to see that when one of the older guys called for his assistant by name, the younger man answered “Yes, sir?” This happened a few times, so it was not a fluke.
I wandered in and out of the living room. Finally, I stayed and chatted with the two guys working inside. I watched as they carefully carried the second set of panes in from the truck and lifted them into place. They had first cleaned the opening and applied a fresh bead of caulk to the outside frame and moldings. After placing some rubber shims in place, they were ready to nail in the inside molding to hold all of it in place. And we kept chatting all the while.
All of a sudden, the glass fell loose from the top of its frame and hit against one of the men’s head just hard enough to crack it in several places (the glass, not the head). It happened fast when their attention had wandered just a bit to a hammer or picking up a nail or whatever. They took down the newly cracked glass panel, went to Lowe’s and got some plywood, and patched the hole until they return next week with a new glass panel.
Oh, what were we talking about as they were working? Foxes one of them had seen near his house.
posted by Bud Hirsch at 7:55 PM
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