By Mark Clement
Jak-ed
I work alone often.
And while I work with helpers frequently, I usually end up wishing I was more alone.
It's not that I'm antisocial. On the contrary, there's something elemental about the camaraderie of building something with someone. But, it seems like every time I come in after a laborer to take the next step in a project, I have to spend time fixing what they left behind, like on my last drywall project:
Turns out I only needed help lifting and tacking the boards in place. After that it would have taken me less time to screw off the field myself instead of chasing the partially set and missed screws that precluded me from applying compound. And had I had a T-Jak or two that might have been just what the doctor ordered.
A basic T-Jak system adjusts from 53 to 84 inches, while a complete system is an all purpose support tool according to the company, easily adjusting from 15 to 84 inches -- and can support workloads of up to 400 pounds. My mind is already racing:
Deck beams, joists, cabinets, dust draping, even that dastardly drywall. But one look at T-Jak's site shows even more applications than that with duct work, garage doors, and crown molding leading their list. Sweet.
It's nice to have some support.
www.TJak.com
Mark Clement is a remodeler and author of The Carpenter's Notebook and The Kid's Carpenter's Workbook, Fun Family Projects! Check out his books and current projects at his new website.
| 
)
