Catlike Reflexes ?

[The emperor has no clothes]

I've always prided myself on being fairly nimble and strong for my size. I have always told everyone I had "catlike reflexes". I'm not so sure anymore.  ???
Let me give a little background. About 12 years ago I put a metal roof on our house. A lot of work by yourself, but I got it done just fine. Up and down ladders carrying stuff countless times. About 10 years ago I was up doing some maintainence on our swamp cooler. I fell off the ladder about 10 feet on to the sidewalk. Nobody home, about 115* . Laid there for about 45 minutes before I could get up. Thought I was going to cook.  Ended up the worst just being a herniated disc.
  So fast forward to 2 weeks ago, and as I'm outside I notice that the eaves on our addition have been leaking. Turns out the flashing has failed and a lot of the plywood has disentegrated. I figured if I got all the materials I needed I could get it done in one day. NOT EVEN CLOSE. Got maybe a 1/3 done the other day and almost 2/3 today. But.....once again I have a ladder issue. Granted, it was on the last rung coming down. No big deal. But I managed to bruise my foot.
 On I good note though I got turned on to square drive wood screws ! They are the bomb  I'll never use Phillips again.
  So, to summarize this story. I guess at the age of 59, I'm going to have to admit "my pussy is on its last legs"

[art]

Glad you were not hurt really bad,just try doing that stuff at 72 -74 years old like me. I'm always working on my house,RV or truck. Seems like I never get it all done before I have another project. The one thing that scares me it the table saw. I've been a machinist for 52 years before retiring but nothing bothered me more than that saw.

[NewValker]

Rob, OLD SUX      don't it?  Just hit 59 myself.
I know exactly what you're going thru. It's like all of a sudden, I'm old...takes twice as long to do what was easy & fast a few years ago...I never gave a second thought to climbing a 40 foot ladder to the roof or to tie a tree off to cut down. NOW, I get half way up, look down and think damn, that is gonna be a sudden & painful stop.
Foot surgery last fall, hip replacement last month...gee, if I knew I was gonna  live this long, I would have taken way better care of myself...

my cat-like reflexes are long gone,
Craig

[Gavin_Sons]

I can't wait to get old. Sounds fun  glad you didn't hurt yourself too bad. I love those square drive screws. I use those or the torques bit screws for everything.

[Jess from VA]

Yeah, I have 64yo cat reflexes.  Course, I've never seen a 64yo cat.  

I'm up on my three level split roof all the time.  Easy up on the one story side, and just walk to the two story side (opposing eves).  It's not a steep grade, but if I go off the two story side, I may not be found for a week or two (by humans.... the bugs and and possums and other critters would find me much sooner).

I need a new roof over my bikes and tool shed (no leaks yet, but they're coming). I'm not much of a carpenter.  I've watched some Utubes, and it doesn't look too bad.  I think I will just shingle over the old one.  I'm not worried about falling off, it's the sharp nails and the big framing hammer I cannot be trusted with.  I need a volunteer to hold all the short roofing nails.  

Maybe the deal might be to find a rental on a big compressor and a pneumatic staple gun.  I probably can't be trusted with one of those either.    

[Willow]

Rob, OLD SUX      don't it?  ...

Not so much when you consider the alternative.   

[Firefighter]

Hey MH   I'm 59 also, I used to hate for the sun to go down, wanted to keep working. Now I run out of get up and go and the sun is still up high! The worst is getting down on the ground and trying to work on my knees or butt, wears me out. Broke my leg last year and thought I would never heal. Come to think of it, lots of things don't work like they used to. Be careful!
 

[Hooter]

At 64 I can still go alright until I have to get on the ground. Gettin down isn't bad, it's getting back up. Might as well call a wrecker.

[Pete]

Rob, OLD SUX      don't it?  ...

Not so much when you consider the alternative.   

Right and about how well you can adapt to your changing capabilities. Old age is a test of your ability to adapt and how much frustration you can tolerate on a regular daily basis. Not a lot you can do with the changing capabilities except adapt or get frustrated. Taking your time, planning and a little humor helps some.

[Art708]

I was on the roof 3 days last week removing and replacing about half of the cedar siding on the back end of the 2nd story. My back hurts....I will be 80 in July....I serviced the final drive on the valk  Saturday. I am going riding today, riding to the Dragon this weekend if the weather up there allows it. I am definitely getting too old for this crap.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I was on the roof 3 days last week removing and replacing about half of the cedar siding on the back end of the 2nd story. My back hurts....I will be 80 in July....I serviced the final drive on the valk  Saturday. I am going riding today, riding to the Dragon this weekend if the weather up there allows it. I am definitely getting too old for this crap.

Sounds like you are doing pretty good to me.  Have fun this weekend. 

[Art708]

[/quote]Sounds like you are doing pretty good to me.  Have fun this weekend. 
[/quote]

 Thank you very much 

[Hook#3287]

Ladders, the saviour and curse of construction.  I've got to have 20 of them and use them all the time.

Some rules to follow, never carry tools or materials while climbing, use the three point contact rule, never go up a non level ladder, make sure the lean angle is correct.  There's more I'm sure and I break most of them.  Been lucky so far.

Square drive is the way to go, changed over to them almost exclusively 10 years ago or so.  Even better invention are the Truss-Lock lags with a impact driver.

Jess, you can "second layer" the shingles but they won't be guaranteed and will wear out faster.  But that's all relative, shingle guarantees aren't worth much and 35 yr arch shingles should go 20-25 years as a overlay depending on exposure and pitch.

In Mass, shingling is a permitted job and most Building Officials will not allow second layer due to the 100 year winter we had a few years ago and a lot of roof systems failed.

If you decide to overlay, you'll want to use 1 1/2" roofing nails, at least, to make sure you nail to the sheathing and not just to the bottom layer of shingles.     Stripping is a lot more work, but is better in all situations.

You could look into renting a nailer, but there's a lot to consider when using one, such as electric powered or gas, having enough electrical power and hoses, nails are more $$$ and safety.

Most good quality shingles come with excellent directions on every bundle.  I'd stay away from the big box stores and buy them from a roofing supply company.  Most will deliver and set the shingles on the roof, if possible, as long as you plan correctly.

[GiG]

... Got maybe a 1/3 done the other day and almost 2/3 today. But....

I'm no math magician, but shouldn't you be finished at this point?     

[The emperor has no clothes]

... Got maybe a 1/3 done the other day and almost 2/3 today. But....

I'm no math magician, but shouldn't you be finished at this point?     

I'm no math magician either. That's why I threw in the "almost" qualifier.

[signart]

... Got maybe a 1/3 done the other day and almost 2/3 today. But....

I'm no math magician, but shouldn't you be finished at this point?     

I'm no math magician either. That's why I threw in the "almost" qualifier.

While some people are done at 2/3, it actually takes 3/3 of the work to be done.

[Wizzard]

... Got maybe a 1/3 done the other day and almost 2/3 today. But....

I'm no math magician, but shouldn't you be finished at this point?     

I'm no math magician either. That's why I threw in the "almost" qualifier.

62 here,, I still climb,,use torx or sq head stuff all the time,, just put new wood on my deck and built a new stairs with those screws. Only thing I notice is that I hurt more at the end of the day.

[The emperor has no clothes]

... Got maybe a 1/3 done the other day and almost 2/3 today. But....

I'm no math magician, but shouldn't you be finished at this point?     

I'm no math magician either. That's why I threw in the "almost" qualifier.

62 here,, I still climb,,use torx or sq head stuff all the time,, just put new wood on my deck and built a new stairs with those screws. Only thing I notice is that I hurt more at the end of the day.

I hear you on the pain thing. I was shocked at how hammering in framing nails did me in. When I was young I helped my boss build his house. We did it without nail guns. No problem. 30 minutes of swinging a framing hammer now and I felt like I needed a break. 

... Got maybe a 1/3 done the other day and almost 2/3 today. But....

I'm no math magician, but shouldn't you be finished at this point?     

I'm no math magician either. That's why I threw in the "almost" qualifier.

While some people are done at 2/3, it actually takes 3/3 of the work to be done.

... Got maybe a 1/3 done the other day and almost 2/3 today. But....

I'm no math magician, but shouldn't you be finished at this point?     

I'm no math magician either. That's why I threw in the "almost" qualifier.

While some people are done at 2/3, it actually takes 3/3 of the work to be done.

For the record, I am 99% done. Going to put a coat of that white rubber topping on after everything cures up in a couple days. (Can't remember what it's called. Elastomeric ?)

[Jess from VA]

Thanks for the pointers Hook (need all the help I can get) (I was about to get 1 1/4" nails).   

I'm not made of money but thought to pay the job done, period.  It's a 10 X 12 (sort of a 4-side hip roof), how much can it be? 

But the quick quote I got last fall was about the same as I paid for my whole (small) house 12 years ago (and with top of the line 40 yr shingles).  I know prices go up, but that seemed way high.  I need to get another quote or two.

I know I can do the job (half ass or better), but it will be 90s and humidity soon (all summer) and no shade back there.  I am always conflicted between cutting a check for good work, or stressing out, banging my thumbs, hurting my back and generally being pissed off about the whole thing.

There is always a pride of personal accomplishment in things like this, but sometimes when I stand back and look at my work, there's no pride..... more like shame.    

Permits can KMA!!! 

[Gryphon Rider]

Square drive wood screws are the de facto standard in Canada, best known as Robertson drive.

I'm glad you're surviving your encounters with ladders.