Ironing board

The missus's ironing board was considered 'knackered' by her, new one needed. She couldn't find one as good as the old one (the new ones had plastic for the iron rest!) so I sanded off the rust (steam irons are a great rust creator), repainted with Hammerite and put on a new cover.

OK it was just an inexpensive Beldray one (well made) but a restoration is a restoration and it's good for the next few years.

Result, SHMBO is well chuffed and I enjoyed doing it.

[Heatercathodeshort]

Originally Posted by merlinmaxwell

Result, SHMBO is well chuffed and I enjoyed doing it.

Yes but do you enjoy using it

J.

[dave walsh]

I suspect the skills are similar to veneering cabinets although I was only trained in ironing. I worked in a Manchester Dry Cleaners in 1966-what a year "Hot Town Summer In the City" We had steam benches and old flat irons as weights. It was so hot we had to work during the night as the shop windows faced south.

My boss was a bit of a case and wore the super expensive suits of his top customers to go out in the evening-boasting about it. These were "influential" people and not in a nice way Invevitably one of these hard men turned up at 10am while the boss was behind the counter, still in the customer's suit
Somehow...he talked his way out of disaster-something about giving it a "test run"
Dave W

[Oldcodger]

I'd suspect Mods might like to conceal this post from ladies, else they might get ideas that instead of doing our thing, we get ore involved with helping out with house work. I'm immune,as i once tried out for ironing duties with Mrs OC and failed miserably.

[Herald1360]

Mrs H likes ironing even less than I do. On those rare occasions when it has to be done, an old blanket goes on the dining room table.

ISTR we did have an ironing board about 3 houses ago

Getting back somewhere near topic, ironing boards went sadly downhill in terms of practicality when the asbestos cement heatproof iron parking zones got H&S'd out of existence. Does anyone make one with perhaps some other ceramic or silicon rubber type of mat?

[dave walsh]

That's a point. It doesn't have to be asbestos which was thought to be so handy in it's day. Our ironing board is one of those "designed to be awkward" deckchair type jobs which could do with modification and refurbishment.
No doubt there are other designs out there?

Despite my background, we don't do a lot of ironing [not my wife's favourite either]. On the other hand, I've always found it more rewarding not to play up to the stereotype if you want to impress

There was a fashion among the young to look crumpled about 10 years back and my nephew asked me what I thought about his £100 pre-wrinkled shirt.
I said "I've got one of those". He said "Have you? incredulously....I said, yes "in the washing basket"

Dave

ironing boards went sadly downhill in terms of practicality when the asbestos cement heatproof iron parking zones got H&S'd out of existence

This one has a thin aluminium rest, it has a raised 'Beldry' logo on it reducing the heat loss.

[Boater Sam]

Being a practical man, one Christmas I offered to buy the good lady a new ironing board.
We were nearly divorced. Jewellery saved the day.

Remember the asbestos heat pads well, and the asbestos mats for under pans to reduce the heat!

Now, on board we have no board if you follow the drift, but we do have an iron. Its used on the table top again, but very rarely. Creased clothes are the in thing on boats!

[dave walsh]

Coincidentally, the rise of AI and Robots was being discussed on Inside Science today. A [female] scientist suggested that we may not just hand over everything to the Robotic help eg we have washing machines but still retain the rest of the task. On the other hand, she said, never mind just pursuing the Robotic approach. Why haven't we yet built a machine that will wash, dry and IRON clothes
Perhaps those who don't iron [especially engineers] don't see a problem
Dave

Perhaps those who don't iron [especially engineers]

Engineers only iron when needed.

[mike_newcomb]

Hi, I often find Ironing Boards, that have been discarded just because the cover is worn.

In fact, I have one at the moment, white, medium size, mesh platform.
Currently, £20 new from Argos.

A little spraypaint from a cheapo store and a new cover from Wilkos and will be almost as good as new.

The Wilkos covers are thick and reasonable priced.
However have found other covers cost equal or more than half the cost of a new board.

I prefer the drawstring type cover, which require two people to fit.
Have found the elastic versions seem to lose elasticity after not too long.

Regards - Mike

[russell_w_b]

Originally Posted by Herald1360

Does anyone make one with perhaps some other ceramic or silicon rubber type of mat?

Our Minky ironing board has a silicone rubber buffer in the end so the iron can be parked at an angle. It's a bit larger than the Beldray models we had in the past.

I'm an engineer and I don't mind ironing. In fact, when we had the BD272 / B6122 HF transmitters at work, we used to dry our laundry on evening shift in the crypt hot-air ducts where the waste transmitter heat was vented. Some engineers used to take a board in and iron at work!

[Heatercathodeshort]

I don't own a single shred of clothing that requires ironing. It must be the most time wasting job ever invented and should be reserved for those that require some form of therapy..
Oh, and I hate Mrs Dales Diary and Womans Hour. John.

[Station X]

Time to fold up the ironing board and put it back in the cupboard.