Festool Hobbyists....What is your day job or business?

I'm The President of the United States, but I use a pseudonym on forums like this.

Just kidding.

I find and make money for people they never knew they had.  I'm an independant CFP, insurance, investment and income tax professional.  Been doin it for 25 years. 

Been a DIY reno and woodworker for 15 years.  I like things that you can do with your hands just as much as things you can do with your mind.  I also like things that you never stop learning or perfecting technique on.
 
Wildlife biologist, used to frame houses for my 2 brothers in the mid 80's to get through school. Fortunately stuck with it long enough to find work in the field I went to school for. Not much spare time, but what little there is I spend woodworking. Started a nice cherry dining room table with benches during the furlough two years ago (remember that bright ball of intelligence?), but stalled saving up for a domino to join up the top.  Got the 500 last year, but numerous remodel projects have pushed back its completion, and it's now 6th in the cue.  Enjoying the FOG, learning a lot.
 
Put myself through university to be a high school chemistry teacher by building new homes ground up with a contractor ~70 hrs/week in summer then ~20 hrs/week during school/winter months with same contractor remodeling houses to be flipped.

Been chem teacher for past 15 years with intention of working summer months in remodeling and light construction - that hasn't happened due to time my real job takes up, even during 3 summer months "off". So, took the initiative and financial leap to work on coursework required to obtain additional certification in industrial technology education (shop classes) for past year+. Wrapping up my machining coursework now and take State certification test July 11th. Hope to make complete transfer to teaching all or at least mostly shop classes within 2 years.
 
I'm retired now, but was a Design/Project Engineer for over 35 years, the last 25 years I spent working in a machine design capacity in the semiconductor industry. My love of motorcycles, automobiles and firearms steered me to take up metal fabrication/machining at an early age. Once I purchased a house, that was a natural lead-in to home improvement .

Major home improvement projects include a 1 season porch with neither electricity, heat or insulation that's been turned into a 4 season sunroom with vaulted ceilings, sky lights and a garden railroad circulating at the 8' level.

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A 450 sq ft outside patio constructed from NY bluestone that varies from 1.5" to almost 3" thick.

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An attic that was converted into a master bedroom suite with maple floors, Brazilian cherry borders, stainless railings, 8 1/2' ceilings and skylights.

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Currently gutting the only bathroom we have so that's one step at a time..it's slow and painful.
 

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F1 driver by day, porn star by night...

I am a tech evangelist for big data analytics. My company has been in the forefront of the DevOps community for years.

That being said, I take pride in my time away from it to make things with my hands out of natural materials from this beautiful place called Earth.

Means to an end... Means to an end.
 
Heavy equipment operator / truck driver. I grade roads and bury horses, among other things. I don't really like it but I like the people I work for.
 
bkharman said:
F1 driver by day, porn star by night...

I am a tech evangelist for big data analytics. My company has been in the forefront of the DevOps community for years.

That being said, I take pride in my time away from it to make things with my hands out of natural materials from this beautiful place called Earth.

Means to an end... Means to an end.
Click to expand...

Is that you Ivor Fulload ??

BTW ... that's his F1 name because he always goes out with a full tank of gas ... his porn star name is Nelson Piquet.
 
A fascinating and diverse lot.
I am retired law enforcement. Greenhouse grower March through June. Saw-miller of lumber July through November. Recently part time salesman at a home and building materials store. (that sells Festool) In the winter I alternate between hibernation and shop time. And finally a general nuisance and burden to my better half.
-Charlie
 
Glad I started this topic. Very, very interesting mix! [smile]

It would appear from posts so far that Festool should consider putting full-page ads in Information Technology magazines!  Lots of IT guys here!

More than I imagined in my own field (Pilot), and plenty of engineers! [tongue]

Keep 'em coming boys and girls! [big grin]

Cheers,
Frank
 
I'm a site manager for a large joinery fit out company. We are currently working on 300 hi end apartments in the city of London
 
I was an army officer (infantry).  Spent the last 8 years in the army as an inspector general, and kept on doing that after retiring from the military.  My day job involves making sure people do things correctly.  Somehow doesn't seem to carry over to my own efforts in the workshop.
 
Retired after 40 years in IT.  Started as a coder (back in the punched cards days), moved on to various support and consulting jobs, did some teaching, lots of troubleshooting, project management, management management, planning, IT architecture, and now I am greatly enjoying making sawdust for a hobby.
 
It Looks like there is a definite connection between IT and festool 

Not so much from the joinery background

But it's early days

Well done frank a great thread
 
I sell tools out of a shop about a mile-and-a-half from my house. I don't even have to get out of the neighborhood to get here. I am a testament to the old saying that, "If you're doing what you like doing, you'll never work a day in your life." This doesn't seem like work to me. When I wake up, I want to come here to the shop. I enjoy good tools and good people and I'm surrounded by both.

My last "straight" job had me performing, then teaching, and finally managing Engineering & Manufacturing process efficiency consulting on 3 continents. I spent the better part of a decade as a "road warrior". I have well over a half million air miles plus have rented so many cars and slept in so many hotels that it's ridiculous. I determined to stop that at the end of the last century, so I did. I quit that job on the last day of the century. That lead me, through a circuitous course, to what I'm doing now.

I got to see a lot of things but I'm glad to not leave this cool area of South Austin. It sounds trite but it's really special. It's almost like a small town in the middle of a big city.

Tom
 
Land Rover Technician for the past 16 years, previously a BMW tech for 9 yrs prior to that.
 
VW MICK said:
It Looks like there is a definite connection between IT and festool 

Not so much from the joinery background

But it's early days

Well done frank a great thread
Click to expand...

The thread is festool hobbyists so those of us that use them for a living are somewhat excluded.
Dave
 
It would be cool to see a separate thread for the pros, broken down into their specialties and niches. What their ideal jobs would be vs the "never again" ones.
 
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