Woodworkers, people in the trades: If you could change professions, would you?
- Thread starter Jonhilgen
- Start date
So far, i have been very fortunate that i have enjoyed whatever trade/biz i have been in. To make it short, i grew up loving farm work with animals. Went to college to study agriculture (dairy farming and animal husbandry). during my sophomore year, it suddenly dawned on me that i was working my way thru school by working in construction. I quit school and built a kitchen addition for my mom and as soon as that was finished, i took 2 yr vacation with Uncle Sam, came home and started my own biz. I was going to be a carpenter, but first job was as mason to build stone steps. Second job>>> another masonry job. Third job >>> another masonry job. I was stuck and loved it. 30+ years later, my back was gone and I had shrunk from being 7 feet tall to bumping my kneecaps with my chin. I took stock again and got into landscaping. Even tho my (formal) education education had not been with growing bushes and trees, i built up a library of info. I was off and running. When i realized my body was no longer able to do any more (real) heavy work, i got more into lawn care only. I am still going strong at that at an age of 39 (which of course, I have been 39 for a lot more years than i wasn't)
i have been fortunate to have been able to change directions to do things i really enjoyed. I have, with every change, bought books and more books, both hard cover and soft cover to take as much advantage of other's learning as possible. A lot of hob-knobbing with others who know more than i. Not afraid to struggle to get started with anything. If the books are not affordable for purchase, libraries are available in nearly every town.
About the not finishing on time problem, you do the best you can. nothing to be ashamed of. The next time is always better so you keep plugging.
Tinker
i have been fortunate to have been able to change directions to do things i really enjoyed. I have, with every change, bought books and more books, both hard cover and soft cover to take as much advantage of other's learning as possible. A lot of hob-knobbing with others who know more than i. Not afraid to struggle to get started with anything. If the books are not affordable for purchase, libraries are available in nearly every town.
About the not finishing on time problem, you do the best you can. nothing to be ashamed of. The next time is always better so you keep plugging.
Tinker
JLB builders LLC
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Grand Prix or Indy car ….. for Corvette, Ferrari or Porche [big grin]
For a handful of different reasons, I chose to the carpentry/cabinetry/remodeling biz in my late 30's.
While I often find myself struggling financially (chicken one month, feathers the next) more so these last few years, I don't think I would leave it for anything else. I would however like to be able to "get rid" of my customers and work truly for myself. (read: house flipping) Not because I have this delusion of getting rich from it, (un-)like many of those who were flipping before the crash but more because I generally enjoy all aspects of full remods and it would help to eliminate much of the scheduling issues and more importantly, customer indecisiveness.
While I often find myself struggling financially (chicken one month, feathers the next) more so these last few years, I don't think I would leave it for anything else. I would however like to be able to "get rid" of my customers and work truly for myself. (read: house flipping) Not because I have this delusion of getting rich from it, (un-)like many of those who were flipping before the crash but more because I generally enjoy all aspects of full remods and it would help to eliminate much of the scheduling issues and more importantly, customer indecisiveness.
tiralie
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Jonhilgen said:
Jon:
Good to hear you are ok. Fear is a good thing, as long as it doesn't paralyze us, it keeps us from taking stuff for granted.
I think you've done a good job of analyzing and diagnosing the problem here. In any business the discipline and knowledge to understand when it's appropriate to dig deeper and push to finish or to stop and reset/re-evaluate is sometimes difference between success and failure.Jonhilgen said:
Jonhilgen said:
curious... what did he (JMB) say?
Tim
jmarkflesher
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Think of this: The same person that gets into the car gets out of the car. The job may not be the problem.
Wooden Lungs
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Hi , I am glad you are ok and didnt get a serious injury. [smile]
I fell through a badly erected scaffold last year and landed on a scaffold pole on my neck! It bled on and off for two days and my jaw clicks everytime I eat! So I know where you are coming from when you say you want to leave the trade and do something different.
I hope you stay.....but its a personal choice. I became a site mananger "off the tools" a few years back and it near drove me insane not to be working with the lads on the job. That taught me a valuable lesson so I packed it in straight away and got back to being a regular carpenter/Joiner.
Having a trade is a dangerous profession, but all the accidents I have seen over the years (and there have been many) were human error. One time a guy was taking out an exterior door frame with a long pry bar and I stopped him and advised him to cut it in several places with a handsaw or recip only to be told I was an idiot. He proceeded to use the bar and slipped....fell backwards into a load off windows leaned against the wall and got stuck in the broken panes. When he got out he was bleeding like something off a freddy kruger movie!!!
So my point is simple, take your time and get help when you need it. No heroics anymore. Its just not worth it. It would be a shame to leave something you love doing.
I fell through a badly erected scaffold last year and landed on a scaffold pole on my neck! It bled on and off for two days and my jaw clicks everytime I eat! So I know where you are coming from when you say you want to leave the trade and do something different.
I hope you stay.....but its a personal choice. I became a site mananger "off the tools" a few years back and it near drove me insane not to be working with the lads on the job. That taught me a valuable lesson so I packed it in straight away and got back to being a regular carpenter/Joiner.
Having a trade is a dangerous profession, but all the accidents I have seen over the years (and there have been many) were human error. One time a guy was taking out an exterior door frame with a long pry bar and I stopped him and advised him to cut it in several places with a handsaw or recip only to be told I was an idiot. He proceeded to use the bar and slipped....fell backwards into a load off windows leaned against the wall and got stuck in the broken panes. When he got out he was bleeding like something off a freddy kruger movie!!!
So my point is simple, take your time and get help when you need it. No heroics anymore. Its just not worth it. It would be a shame to leave something you love doing.
jmbfestool
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harry_ said:
[tongue]
Brice Burrell
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harry_ said:
Harry, you've got some of my favorites quotes. [thumbs up]
Hey guys,
Thanks for the responses. Sometimes its good just to best that you're not alone in making mistakes or hurting yourself. I'm really intrigued by the energy auditor position, so I will be following up via pm (this coming week is going to test my ability to say NO!) So give me some time.
I really do love this job. I've done the management thing, and it drove me nuts. But the economy dropped out, so it was back to the tools.
Time to take it a little slower. Loved the IT response, downright hilarious.
Anyone else have close calls? I can think of a few...and all were human error due to time related pressure...
Jon
Thanks for the responses. Sometimes its good just to best that you're not alone in making mistakes or hurting yourself. I'm really intrigued by the energy auditor position, so I will be following up via pm (this coming week is going to test my ability to say NO!) So give me some time.
I really do love this job. I've done the management thing, and it drove me nuts. But the economy dropped out, so it was back to the tools.
Time to take it a little slower. Loved the IT response, downright hilarious.
Anyone else have close calls? I can think of a few...and all were human error due to time related pressure...
Jon
jmbfestool
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You shouldnt do it to your self. I dont know how you work price or day rate but either way it takes how long it takes as long as you think you have worked as hard as you can (within reason) and made the most of each day, then if it takes longer than the client thinks it should of done then thats their problem. You tell them its another day or two or what ever and if they dont like it then you tried your best.
I dont really do rushing I always make mistakes when I rush. I had a little accident jumping up and down some steps because I thought to my self this is taking longer than I thought it was going to, next thing the steps fell over and I landed on my bottom and my head missed the skip which was just behind me. I felt like an idiot and it did hurt but man it wud of hurt if I had smashed my head on the skip. After that I lifted the steps back up and slowed down. I was kinda annoyed with my self but crap happens lol oh I also felt like smashing my steps up but kept my calm lol [embarassed]
JMB
I dont really do rushing I always make mistakes when I rush. I had a little accident jumping up and down some steps because I thought to my self this is taking longer than I thought it was going to, next thing the steps fell over and I landed on my bottom and my head missed the skip which was just behind me. I felt like an idiot and it did hurt but man it wud of hurt if I had smashed my head on the skip. After that I lifted the steps back up and slowed down. I was kinda annoyed with my self but crap happens lol oh I also felt like smashing my steps up but kept my calm lol [embarassed]
JMB
Jon I think we have all had our share of close calls. [wink] We almost lost a 40' 2nd floor wall when an abrupt violent wind came and braces started to fall off and was inches of going down.
That one really bugged me. Things break, screws strip, cuts arn't quite right ect. It's our life, I have often said (when I'm slow) that I would take a good job with a large company take my 2 weeks a yr off and have Ins for the fam.... but then we get busy and things are great again! lol, It's really not a great way to live but somehow there is always food on the table.
I personally could not leave the trades unless it was to go back to farming. That's how I grew up, and really the only other thing I would want to do. Well F1 driver or hockey player would sufice but it's getting a bit late for that for me [wink] Don't get me wrong I would love the cushy job that paid a bunch but I don't think that is me.
Knowing what I know now teaching would have been one thing I maybe should have looked at get pd year round and have 4 mo off. But hey, I hated school and there was NO way I was going to college when I could be done with school!
That one really bugged me. Things break, screws strip, cuts arn't quite right ect. It's our life, I have often said (when I'm slow) that I would take a good job with a large company take my 2 weeks a yr off and have Ins for the fam.... but then we get busy and things are great again! lol, It's really not a great way to live but somehow there is always food on the table.
I personally could not leave the trades unless it was to go back to farming. That's how I grew up, and really the only other thing I would want to do. Well F1 driver or hockey player would sufice but it's getting a bit late for that for me [wink] Don't get me wrong I would love the cushy job that paid a bunch but I don't think that is me.
Knowing what I know now teaching would have been one thing I maybe should have looked at get pd year round and have 4 mo off. But hey, I hated school and there was NO way I was going to college when I could be done with school!
Jonhilgen said:
Had to have 4 good sized rooms painted over a weekend while the client was away. I worked 30 hours in those two days to get it done.
I almost fell asleep on the freeway while riding my motorcycle home at 2am. [scared] ... to have his rooms painted :
tiralie
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Jonhilgen said:
Before I went to art school, I was a raise miner in a gold mine in Yellowknife, NWT. Raises are small shafts 8'x8' at roughly a 35-40 degree angle from one level to the next. They are usually 150 to 250 feet long.
One day I started my shift and noticed that the round I blasted the day before "froze" which means the center of the blast didn't come out so there was nowhere else for the rock around it to blow into.
I had to re-blast.
Fortunately I was far enough away from other miners so I could blast during the shift. I figured I needed to get this done quickly so I could get on with my day and make my bonus. I loaded up, set the air to ventilate and blasted.
Among the many toxic gases produced by explosives, is carbon monoxide. Because carbon monoxide is slightly lighter and mixes well with air, it will often migrate to the highest areas or pockets within a given space. I had just started my raise and I knew the carbon monoxide from the blast would definitely be present close to the face where I was going to work. I had just started this shaft and it wasn't very high above the tunnel. I thought that it would be OK to go back to the face a little sooner than I usually did because I had been blowing compressed air (2.5" pipe) directly at the face and into the space and it really wasn't that high up so I felt it would ventilate much more quickly than if it was much higher up. I was eager to set up for my day of drilling so I could make my bonus. No sooner did I get to the face start to set up my drilling platform did I start to feel light headed and get disoriented. By the time I found my way to the tunnel and got far enough away from the face of the blast, I was hugging the wall to balance myself.
I wasted a good half day trying to figure out where the hell I was. That was a bit too close. My lungs have never really forgiven me for that.
Tim
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This is an unembellished very long account. The humor in it was real. In September 2003 I was replacing siding on a chimney of a two story home. I had a ladder set up on top of a shallowly pitched roof and had been going up and down all day. As I started to step up on the roof with the last load of concrete board siding the ladder slipped on the roof and threw me off balance. With a load of siding under my arm I went down headfirst landing on a set of wooden steps attached to the deck before rolling onto the grass. I was amazed to find myself conscious. I slowly got up, noticed my toolbelt was totally empty and took it off. All the contents were scattered around me. I went to a neighbor's house and when he answered the door asked him to check to make sure nothing was sticking out of my back. He checked me out and declared me impalement-free.
I went back to my tools, actually packed them back up into my truck and trailer along with my ladder. Honestly I don't know how I did it. My neck and wrists were killing me and I felt about 12 inches (305 mm) shorter. I called the manager of the community and let her know what happened and she offered to take me to the hospital. I had no insurance and declined because I didn't want my equipment trapped there. Because rain was forecast for that night I told her that she needed to get someone to protect that chimney which was open to the elements and asked if that person would please save my Multi-Master that was trapped up there.
On the 30 mile drive home I called my wife at home and asked her to call my chiropractor. She was freaking. The chiropractor was at a conference. I asked her to call another one who was on my way home. He was also at a conference. So much for needing a chiropractor on a Friday!
I managed to get home and found my wife really freaking. So much so that she was unable to drive me to the doctor. So I changed vehicles and drove the 6 miles to a place that I had visited once before that had an x-ray machine.
"Can I help you?" Yes
"What is wrong?" I fell off a roof
"Where did you land?" On the ground. On my head.
"Are you in pain?" Yes. Otherwise I wouldn't be here.
"Where did this happen?" About thirty miles from here.
"How did you get here?" I drove.
"Would you like to see a doctor?" Why else would I be here?
Now I am in the examination room and a nurse enters and from 5 feet away stares at me like I have rabies. Another one enters and stands next to her.
"Can you tell us what happened?" I fell off of a roof. I landed headfirst with my wrists breaking my fall. I picked up my tools, drove home, changed vehicles and came here looking for medical help.
"Can you move?" Yes. As I said, I got here by myself. But if you want proof... I then flapped my arms like a bird and moved around the room.
A doctor then entered the room.
"I see that you fell off a roof. Are you regular patient?" I try not to be, but I was here once before when I tried to cut off my finger and then had to prove it to you by taking it out of the ice and let it dangle for you.
"I remember you."
A quick examination followed and the recommendation was to have x-rays taken. Really? Trouble was that their x-ray technician was at a class. But their other office 15 miles away did also have an x-ray machine and a technician on duty.
Into my truck I went - now barely able to move. I drove those miles, had 19 x-rays taken, waited 3 hours, and then found out that they didn't have anyone on duty qualified to read the x-rays. I drove away pissed and sore. I spent the weekend scoffing down anything in the house that could relieve pain. On Monday I visited my chiropractor and upon hearing my story he laughed. A treatment that day and the next and I was able to move pain free. Every day since that day has been a bonus!
I had to stop doing work for that client because of the memories. At one point that client accounted for 90%+ of my business. I could not get on a roof for about two years. To this day I am less comfortable on a roof than I was before it happened and am more likely to say no.
Morale to the story: If you have to have an accident, have it on Tuesday.
Peter
I went back to my tools, actually packed them back up into my truck and trailer along with my ladder. Honestly I don't know how I did it. My neck and wrists were killing me and I felt about 12 inches (305 mm) shorter. I called the manager of the community and let her know what happened and she offered to take me to the hospital. I had no insurance and declined because I didn't want my equipment trapped there. Because rain was forecast for that night I told her that she needed to get someone to protect that chimney which was open to the elements and asked if that person would please save my Multi-Master that was trapped up there.
On the 30 mile drive home I called my wife at home and asked her to call my chiropractor. She was freaking. The chiropractor was at a conference. I asked her to call another one who was on my way home. He was also at a conference. So much for needing a chiropractor on a Friday!
I managed to get home and found my wife really freaking. So much so that she was unable to drive me to the doctor. So I changed vehicles and drove the 6 miles to a place that I had visited once before that had an x-ray machine.
"Can I help you?" Yes
"What is wrong?" I fell off a roof
"Where did you land?" On the ground. On my head.
"Are you in pain?" Yes. Otherwise I wouldn't be here.
"Where did this happen?" About thirty miles from here.
"How did you get here?" I drove.
"Would you like to see a doctor?" Why else would I be here?
Now I am in the examination room and a nurse enters and from 5 feet away stares at me like I have rabies. Another one enters and stands next to her.
"Can you tell us what happened?" I fell off of a roof. I landed headfirst with my wrists breaking my fall. I picked up my tools, drove home, changed vehicles and came here looking for medical help.
"Can you move?" Yes. As I said, I got here by myself. But if you want proof... I then flapped my arms like a bird and moved around the room.
A doctor then entered the room.
"I see that you fell off a roof. Are you regular patient?" I try not to be, but I was here once before when I tried to cut off my finger and then had to prove it to you by taking it out of the ice and let it dangle for you.
"I remember you."
A quick examination followed and the recommendation was to have x-rays taken. Really? Trouble was that their x-ray technician was at a class. But their other office 15 miles away did also have an x-ray machine and a technician on duty.
Into my truck I went - now barely able to move. I drove those miles, had 19 x-rays taken, waited 3 hours, and then found out that they didn't have anyone on duty qualified to read the x-rays. I drove away pissed and sore. I spent the weekend scoffing down anything in the house that could relieve pain. On Monday I visited my chiropractor and upon hearing my story he laughed. A treatment that day and the next and I was able to move pain free. Every day since that day has been a bonus!
I had to stop doing work for that client because of the memories. At one point that client accounted for 90%+ of my business. I could not get on a roof for about two years. To this day I am less comfortable on a roof than I was before it happened and am more likely to say no.
Morale to the story: If you have to have an accident, have it on Tuesday.
Peter
Jonhilgen said:
I have had many VERY close calls. some could have been serious injury.
I just look up and say "Dear God, Thanks for the warning."
about the only time i had a real serious accident, I was too young to realize what happened.
I was 2 years old and fell off a playground slide landing on my head.
We won't get into the results of that one, thank you [eek] :
[unsure]Tinker
Peter Halle said:
You are a lucky guy. I used to do dumb things up on ladders.
I know two people who fell off a roof. One broke his neck, the other was perfectly fine.
The second guy fell off of a roof, about 15' high, standing right next to me. We were BSing, then he just slipped and was on the ground in a blink of an eye. It was like a cartoon. He got up, and was perfectly fine. He didn't even have a bruise. I also think he was still drunk from the night before.
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