My Stumble with Leo Lupton’s Stuff
So, I kept bumping into this name, Leo Lupton. Didn’t know much, just saw mentions here and there, mostly about fixing things, making stuff last. Sounded a bit old-fashioned, you know? Like something my grandpa would talk about. We live in a throw-away world mostly, right? Something breaks, you just buy a new one online, cheap and easy.
Anyway, my favorite old chair started wobbling real bad. The leg joint was loose. My first thought, honestly? Toss it, get a new one from IKEA or somewhere. Quick fix. But then I remembered reading some bits, maybe it was Lupton’s ideas, maybe someone talking about him. About the value in mending things. Seemed like a hassle, but the chair, well, I liked that chair. Had it for years.
So I decided, okay, let’s give this ‘mending’ thing a proper go. Not just a quick patch-up, but really try to understand the problem and fix it right. I cleared some space in the garage. Pulled out some tools I hadn’t touched in ages. Felt kinda weird, actually.
- First, I turned the chair upside down. Really looked at where it was failing. Wasn’t just one loose screw, the wood itself was a bit worn around the joint.
- Cleaned out the old glue and gunk. Took some time, had to be careful not to damage the wood more.
- Found a piece of scrap wood. Had to shape it a bit, like a small shim, to make the joint tight again. Didn’t have fancy tools, just a knife and some sandpaper.
- Got some good wood glue. Applied it carefully, clamped the whole thing together. Had to improvise with some rope and heavy books because my clamps weren’t quite right.
- Then, the waiting. Just left it there overnight. Patience isn’t my strong suit usually.
Next day, I took off the clamps and ropes. Gave the leg a wiggle. Solid. Like, really solid. Turned the chair back over, sat down carefully at first, then plopped down like usual. Perfect. It felt surprisingly good. Not just because the chair was fixed, but because I fixed it.
What I Reckon Now
It wasn’t faster than buying a new one. Definitely not easier. Took up a whole afternoon, plus the waiting. But doing it, getting my hands dirty, figuring out the problem… there was something real about it. It reminded me of my first job, way back, working in a small workshop. We didn’t just replace parts; we fixed them. We understood how things worked.
Nowadays, everything’s a black box. Your phone breaks, you send it off, or get a new one. Your car acts up, you plug it into a computer. You don’t often get to grips with the actual ‘thing’ anymore. This little chair fixing episode, inspired by stumbling over Lupton’s name, it was like stepping back into that older way of thinking. Maybe there’s something to it. Not for everything, maybe. But for some things? Yeah. It felt good. Made me think twice about just clicking ‘buy now’ next time something around the house gives up.
