The bundle in the picture above was up in the rafters of my shed. It had been there for a long time. Fact is, I didn’t need or use those “tools” for nearly 30 years!
They are metal (steel) Venetian blind slats: 2” wide and 32” long. Metal-slat Venetian blinds were once common in American homes, but they are a rare sight these days. Plastic now dominates the adjustable window blind market.
I salvaged those old blind slats long ago and have used them a great many times as spacers for making plastic laminate countertops. You can see the same blinds in that bundle being used in this picture from an article I wrote for the July 1992 issue of Fine Building magazine.
That article was my first for Fine Homebuilding. The editor, Kevin Ireton, came to NY to meet me and take the pictures. It was the beginning of a little side career for me as a writer.
Having worked physically for a living all my life up to that point, the concept of putting words on paper and getting paid for it was very appealing. In time, I ended up writing “Making Plastic Laminate Countertops,” the first of 3 books for The Taunton Press.
Kevin was a great encourager, and writing those articles and books for Fine Homebuilding was a great experience for me. I was even asked if I’d be interested in interviewing for an editor position. That was a high compliment!
That old bundle of Venetian blind slats was retrieved from the shed rafters because my youngest son and his wife are building a house just down the road from me, and they need a kitchen countertop.
I’m a little nervous about the job. I mean, it’s been nearly 30 years since I made a plastic laminate countertop. Laminate is not forgiving of mistakes and, boy howdy, I made my share of them back in my early years! Fortunately, I have a book to help me. 🙂
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Update: My son made the countertop underlayment, then took his family for a short Labor Day weekend vacation. So that was my opportunity to get the job done with no one around (I work best alone). I took my time and got the countertop done. It turned out great. No mistakes. I dare say... perfect.
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My laminate fabrication book was published 30 years ago but the how-to information is still pertinent. You won’t find a better how-to on the subject. Used copies can be found on Ebay. New copies are available from me at This Link (scroll to the bottom of the page for order button)
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