PERPLEXED BY THE PERSPEX GLAZING AND MEASURING

A daunting day of reckoning as the completion of the 16' run of display cabinets stumbles towards completion. The traumas though seemed to come thick and fast, firstly the people selling perspex reckoned I'd need  much thicker sheets to prevent major flexing of the glazing sheets and this would knock out the tracks I'd installed as they were 3-4mm. Thus pricing up and considering the track replacement I decided that I should bite the bullet and go for glass but then I had to check that the glass would fit the glazing which it does, I visited Northwich glass and we tried it for fit and went on like a glove which is ok but there were still two huge obstacles in my path. First the glass would cost about £1200 which is a blow as I had budgeted for perspex at about £250. this was a stunning increase but so far down the line I did look around but most glaziers will only supply the essential toughened glass at 6mm minimum so there were not really any serious competitors as Northwich would do it in 4mm and I knew that fitted.

The next major and heart stopping issue was measurement. As I'd had to use for economy old material recycled for much of the structure there were variations between the four units and even between one unit internally with variations which seemed unlikely but I measured several times then decided that I should get a laser measure . The only people who actually had one nearby were B&Q so looked up the make and price and checked stock on the net then went down, seemed all too easy , right rack 'measuring' right price matched the net, right make - once home and bewildered how it worked it dawned on my I'd got a laser level not a measure.

Back to B&Q, swapping it was almost pleasantly easy (ish) . Then back home, again - it was getting tedious. Not the easiest thing in the world to measure from floor to ceiling with shelved fitted and the height, needed step ladders and then paper on the bottom track as it could be measuring either the top or bottom of the moulding. The measurements when believable were near my manual efforts although I must say given that it is a laser product and many safety concerns the instruction / safety notes were microscopic and I had to hunt them down on the net and enlarge by 500% to read them which is pretty pathetic and probably illegal. Anyway I've come up with some sizes and will get a couple done and review fit functionality etc before getting the rest, they take 6 working days but won't order until back from Indonesia, we leave a week Saturday.

Tomorrow Many has MRI scan at Macclesfield hospital following the growth found on her lung which is believed to be old and benign but they are monitoring it. Then down to Hampshire and if weather and time permit a film stop en route somewhere then family event Sunday, perhaps Southampton docks film Monday on way home. Next blog will be Sunday night. I've loaded a few DVDs on for digital download still a lot more to catch up. I did get some photos filed last night. This afternoon we were at the RNCM launch of new term, with 3 days rehearsal all the new intake of students were either in orchestra or chorus of G&S Pirates of Penzance preceded by discussion of new year themes by management and students. Quiet life retirement-never.