Becoming the World's WORST Bricklayer for a Day!

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Alec: @alecsteele

My name is Alec Steele and I am a 24 year old blacksmith. We make videos about making interesting things, learning about craft and appreciating the joy of creativity. Great to have you here following along!

Thank you for watching!
Alec

INSTAGRAM @alecsteele

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Alec Steele Blacksmith 2022

[ryangross]

Alec, as a former professional bricklayer, I absolutely loved this video. You clearly did your research, those strips of metal are called wall ties and laying them between the old and new exterior bricks can also help tie them in to the exterior wall. Also a trick to make those broken bricks disappear, take some mortar and fill the broken part, make the shape of your fill match the brick, let it dry and strike it lightly, brush it a little to match the brick texture, then spray paint it red and brown with a cardboard stencil. Youd be surprised how much that can improve the look of a repair job like this. Excellent video as always!

[jackcampbell]

Alec I would like to express how much confidence it gave me in my self to watch you struggle at something I can do confidently when I have spent a good few hours watching you create things that I feared I would never be able to produce. I'm slowly becoming a more accomplished blacksmith and what you demonstrate time and time again is that the main thing is not giving up.

[bow-tiedengineer]

Well, it isn't the prettiest masonry I've ever seen, but it's definitely a bricked up doorway, and once the mortar dries it'll probably look fine. Other than the bit on the right hand side where you broke off half of a couple bricks, it looks well done!

[vincetejedo]

As a Brickie myself, I both laughed out loud, and watched through my fingers as you were “laying”, especially with the muck as the beginning without the plasticiser. Don’t think us Brickie’s get enough credit for how much skill is needed to do a good job, but A+ for efforts, a lot better than I could do at the forge for a first go 👊🏻

[ANonymous-moxp]

Alec, showing us he's an expert blacksmith by doing non blacksmith things really sketchily.

[Mirro]

i think the best part about all the non-smithing videos Alec puts out is the other craftsmen coming out of the wood work to watch Alec doing badly (at first) at their profession and then coming in with tips, tricks and anecdotes (alecdotes?) and healthy dose of appreciation for what he is doing/trying to do. It really enriches the video experience.

[atversted]

Loved it Alec, this was not a "how to do it your self" but a " try to do it yourself" video. a way more valuable lesson anyway. in good spirit as always. thanks for being inspirering.

[JohnLumagui]

Alec the Builder: "Can we fix it?"
Jamie the Builder: "No, it's f**ked!"

[MadMathMike]

Jamie to the rescue! He helped build that momentum and confidence that it could be done! Well done, to the both of you!

[Kris_at_WhiteOaksFarm]

One of the things I absolutely love about your videos, is that you aren't at all afraid to show your mistakes and your learning from them. There is so much beauty there. Thank you for sharing. I learn from your mistakes too. Its a delight.

[bendesoto]

I think it's awesome that when he first left the UK he said he needed to find a different editor, then never did. lol I love Jaime's early edits where the hammer beats and music beats matched up. You guys keep up the good work.

[benjocharlie]

I felt this one! I did exactly the same thing. My wife was standing next to me laughing as I held the first brick in my hand and a youtube tutorial in the other.

[BigDaddyD]

Loved the video, as usual, but I will say that watching you take a crowbar to what looked to be a very well made wooden door was the equivalent of fingernails being scraped across the chalkboard to me. If I lived in Birmingham, England instead of Birmingham, Alabama, I would come pick it up! Good luck on the renovations!

[mattdavenport]

god i love these home reno vids! my dad is a bricky he used to show me how he does his job whe i was small and watching your first attempts was painful! but you did much better by the end so good job!

[TinyBasementWorkshop]

Only Alec: starts a project in his own craft - takes 20 episodes to finish… starts a project in a completely new and unfamiliar profession - done in a 12min video 🤣

[cmoskaluk]

Its funny how from trade to trade we never consider the challenges each task requires, always humbling when you attempt another trade you know nothing about! looked great.

[MobiuSphere]

Having to do occasional minor brick repair for my job (and generally sucking at it) kudos to you for not just the quality of your work, but also sticking with it when everything seemed to be going pear-shaped.

[sideshow]

This is why I like working with lime mortar buildings, the bricks just pop right out with a bit of a go with the hammer drill.

Also a spray bottle of water to wet the edges of the bricks helps the mortar stick, and mix a bit of washing up liquid with the mortar mix for a nice smooth creamy mortar which is easier to play with.

[urkince]

I'm sure this is no consolation to the man, but Alec has got to be one of the most entertaining people on the planet to watch fail. At least he almost always figures it out by the end 😂

[BBlueBBasterd]

I just want to say the editing on this is stellar, the little music cut when alec hurts himself or when he's cursing are absolutely fantastic