My carpentry skills?

Kampitie Pergola

(Cross posted on the Seventh Heaven Blog for Mumbai Cathedralites.)

Not having published the final outcome of my front porch carpentry effort, many of you have cast serious doubts about my carpentry skills. I many not have the talent of my wife in creativity, I can design and create mathematically designed objects - small ones.

I will now educate those who query that aspect of my life!

I learnt to use wood, hammer, nails, saw, screw driver, screws, drills (hand variety), pliers and other simple carpentry tools while at Cathedral School, Mumbai. Many thanks to our carpentry master, Mr. G. M. Hazarnis, who guided us with simple tasks for 12 and 13 years olds. Although we had only one class per week in our lower years, it was fun, but I learnt to do things with my hands.

Later, when I was at the National College of Rubber Technology, I studied engineering drawing and also did work in a metal workshop, learning to use the lathe, welding machine, and other simple engineering tools.

When I had my first paid job at the Rubber and Plastics Research Association of Great Britain (RAPRA), I was fortunate to have to work alongside an architect studying about plastics and rubber in building, while I was looking at the durability of plastics in building. Ken Taylor is an outstanding individual as he could visualise things and create them with simple tools, without going through the process of putting them on paper. As he was a bachelor, he used to drop in at home. He and I would have brain-storming sessions with lots of wild ideas flying around. As much as he learnt about plastics from me, I learnt much about architecture from him, which helped me lecture to architects about Plastics in Building, a hot topic of those days.

In 1969, when I returned to India, we needed furniture. As carpenters were cheaper by the dozen, I was not put to the test. However, I followed Annikki's instructions and created the furniture of her liking on to paper and helped the carpenter to turn them into our unique furniture.

Many years later those skills helped me visualise design and create objects in the air and the drawing board, but I did not have much opportunity to physically create anything.

So it was only after we moved to Kampitie after the demise of Annikki's father that I had the need to use those talents. (He was a carpenter by profession, and hence I did not interfere with his work so long as he was alive.)



The first job was a porch over the rear entrance to the house. The snow used to make that entrance most difficult to use in winter. I designed and made a simple covering which has now stood the test of adverse weather conditions for the last 6 years.

When Annikki re-made the greenhouse, I did not do much except install a plastic roof.

 

Then Annikki wanted a cover over the bathtub, the centre-piece of the Kampitie garden. I designed the structure and erected it and my Thai friend, Unnop Khungrai, gave it the finishing touch of cutting and putting up the Thai design decorative effect.

And now to the cover over the front porch so as to protect Mika from the rain and snow, as it is his smoking patch.



Once Annikki acquired the waste wood from our neighbours, and having a large structural section from Joanna's garden, which was destined for the rubbish dump, I designed and set up what I think is a satisfactory protective cover, which looks nice and executes its purpose.

Life is one of learning and I can say that right from my school days, even the very simple things that I was exposed to has helped me do what is required in life in as simple a way as required. That is what life is about.

Thank you Mr. G. M. Hazarnis, my instructor at the National College (a person of Czech origin whose name I forget), my good friend, Ken Taylor, my late father-in-law, Matti Reinikka (who would have been 91 yesterday had he been alive), and above all, my dear wife who has implicit faith that I will execute her commands satisfactorily, even though I may serious doubts till the last screw has been put into place!