Dave,
I used to take on quite advanced DIY jobs, mostly because I enjoyed it, but also because I couldn't afford to hire professional help.
Over the years my ability to carry out hard manual labour has diminished, I simply don't have the upper body strength I once had, so I have to hire in help.
I'm slightly envious that you still can do a full day's labor: the last time I tried I needed the help of a chiropractor to recover and it took a week.
We all age differently, but the key issue is to enjoy what you do.
Today I spent a few hours in the workshop making door wedges: in this heat we have doors open and with any breeze internal doors slam. So some scrap "mahogany" from old double glazing frames was converted to elegantly tapered wedges, with the help of my old band saw. I love that thing, it cuts wonderfully and never tires. The trick is a sharp blade of the correct type for the material that you want to cut. My saw is 30+ years old and is free of any sort of safety lock....other than a "quick stop" if off button is pressed. Modern band saws are covered with safety locks that just make doing anything difficult, because idiots can buy dangerous shop tools.
