ASHLEY COULTER & DANIEL CHARLTON

JULY & AUGUST 2007

Daniel

2-6 July

Started this week with Dickie (Mason) fixing spouts all day. I then began to make a garden wicket which I hung on the Wednesday, tricky repair this one. On Thursday and Friday I started making a large garage door with Ashley, really good job for us to learn on and we managed to get it fitted together.

9-13 July

Finished the garage door on Monday, it looked really good actually, I was quite proud of it. On the Tuesday we fitted the door which took some doing but we managed. On the Wednesday we started at Prior Hall Farm, Wallington Estate, I began by fitting a new window sill and then scarfed a door frame on Thursday. I finished off on Friday by starting to make a granary window, I really enjoyed doing this. Once it was all marked out for me it wasn’t actually that hard to put the frame together.

16-20 July

I continued making the granary window for the rest of the week along with other things. Cutting the glass was very tricky, I am not the most confident with the stuff either but am sure with plenty practice I will become a whiz. On Tuesday I went down to Gibside with Davey (Building Assistant) to foot the ladder for him while he continued with lime washing one of the buildings. The weather was fantastic that day as well for a change.

23-27 July

I made a batten door on Monday and also painted some signs for Denis (Foreman, Carpenter, Joiner) starting to pick up a bit more speed with certain things now. Tuesday I made another batten door and stop laths for the outside toilet at Prior Hall Farm. On Wednesday I started to make a set of double doors with Reg (Joiner) who helped me mark it out, really good job to learn with. On Thursday I went with Denis to Gibside to fit a new door frame, was a nice day but there was only certain things I could help with. On Friday I continued morticing and cutting the tenons for my doors.

30 July – 3 August

I helped fit big doors at Prior Hall Farm. On Tuesday I fitted a granary window.Thursday we replaced the fascia boards on some large doors which meant loads of nailing to do, my arm was sore but it was good practice. On Friday I put together the two large doors that I had previously made, they were then ready to be cladded.

6-10 August

On Monday we fitted the fascia boards on the second sliding door, more nailing. On Tuesday I was just filling and patching all day which was boring. For the rest of the week I finished my double doors which I was quite proud of and I think I made a good job.

13-17 August

This week we fitted my set of doors and I also helped fit the other set that were made. I also helped make a couple of park benches that were for Holy Jesus Hospital, Newcastle.

20-24 August

On Monday I went to George Stephenson’s Birthplace to help fit a gate and put up a fence, I didn’t get a great deal to do but I did get to see how you put a fence up. On Wednesday we went to Holy Jesus Hospital to fit the seats that we had made and also put up a new fence, good day but not loads for me to do. On Friday I made a new batten door and frame for Wallington New Houses Farm.

27-31 August

Started this week with a Bank Holiday which is always nice. On Tuesday I finished my door and frame and helped finish other ones that other people had been working on. On Wednesday I removed the old door and frame at Wallington New Houses Farm and prepared it for fitting of the new one. Finished off the week doing other odd jobs that needed to be done around the farm buildings.

Ashley

30 July – 3 August

Dan and I had previously been making large garage doors with help from Reg (Joiner). Today was the day to fit them. It was a really great job to do as it makes a big impact to Prior Hall Farm, Wallington Estate and good experience for us both. The next few days consisted of fitting windows into an old granary at the same farm. Small jobs like this are great for me and Dan to get hands on experience and give us the ability to tackle jobs on our own. Plus it’s good for your confidence to see a job from start to completion. The rest of the week was spent mainly in the workshop making another set of large double doors. The first day did not go well, lots of mistakes, but I got over it in the end and the doors began to look good.

6-10 August

Really good week with lots of really enjoyable work. Began the week on my own replacing an old door and frame on a farm building at Prior Hall Farm. I love having a job of my own and just getting on with it. Working with Reg this time fitted another door and frame on an outside toilet, very much enjoyed it, unlike the next day. I began making the tenons to fit the large double doors I have previously been making, what a nightmare! I spent the rest of the week finishing the doors. They turned out really well (surprisingly!). I definitely need some more practice at using the band saw. Also this week I helped out Denis (Forman, Carpenter, Joiner) quite a bit. We have a new computer in the site office; unfortunately not a lot of people know how to use it so in my spare time I have been teaching them the basics. It’s quite nice being the teacher for a change.

13-17 August

Quite a quiet week really. Dan and I made a pair of benches for Holy Jesus Hospital. It was a very basic job as the legs and back braces were made from a metal frame, but it was nice to do something a bit different. The rest of the week was spent at Prior Hall Farm finishing off the doors that had been fitted and also hung the large double doors.

20-24 August

This week was the start of a new property. My first job at Wallington New Houses Farm was to replace a door and lower batons of a coal house door. I ended up having to repair the lintel above the door so the job took longer than expected. It was still a good job though. There are a large number of jobs at Wallington New Houses Farm so I got cracking with replacing a T-bank hinge on an outhouse door and began to make two doors and frames for a byre.

27-31 August

I went to the Farne Islands after the Bank Holiday weekend.  There was a new door to be fitted and maintenance to be done. I had an excellent day but that might have been due to the fact we had to travel by dingy from island to island, it was great fun, even if I did get soaked!  Back at Wallington New Houses Farm for the rest of the week which was spent removing the old doors and frames, securing the lintel on one frame and replacing the old door and frames with the ones I had made the previous week. Really enjoyed this job – has turned out really well and looks good.