and the final score: harris 1, futon 0.

[riggeronfire]

so, after much time without an official bed, i have officially salvaged a pretty broken down futon from my next door neighbor in my builidng (though he moved it downstairs, where it was impossible to move in one piece (i still have no idea how he got it down there, but getting it back up was another story). so, i walked down to the nearest real hardware store (urban is a bit more like a convenience store than a hardware facility), which was around a 20 minute walk, and started brain storming. $43 later, i left the story with:

• 4 pieces of cornered steel (originally a 6' beam)
  
• 2 1" U-bolts
  
• 8 1 1/4" hose clamps
  
• 2 rounded base flanges
  
• 1 ft. piece of threaded steel rod
  

i used the cornered steel as a brace and attached it with 2 hose clamps to keep it in place, giving more strength to the panel pieces of the frame of the futon, which support the mattress. i used the flanges and the threaded steel rod as the new leg for the middle section, and used the U-bolts to stablize the flanges and put them into place. simple, basic, but good engineering. i think this proves that once again that i really should have stuck with engineering. i would have:
a. a job.
b. a good salary
c. ways to apply my building needs
d. had plenty of side projects to do
e. had more credibility for DIY work with friends
oh well. even though a great deal of it all was hard work (moving the fram by myself upstairs was horrendous last night with all the druken people about). i really like having little projects like this too do, and i have to say, i am really excited to get my "real" place soon. after talking with my brother earlier in te week, who just moved recently into a townhouse with some friends, i really just want to go the container store and buy some shelves, and do some major installation. my next trip to IKEA will certainly be the best orgasm i've had in years.