12 hrs and counting

[MikeW]

Been a long day. I have a large job coming up beginning Tuesday and have what seems like 20 loose ends.

So what's your bench look like after 12 hrs straight (well, ok. I took a few small breaks...):

 

[Waka]

Mike

Another worker like me, I find that when I'm doing something every spare bit of space has something on it, including tjhe floor and I spend a lot of time looking for the right tool.

 

[Philly]

Only one coffee cup hanging around, Mike??? :wink:
Sounds like your stomach is healing up o.k.??
Cheers
Philly

 

[Alf]

So what's your bench look like after 12 hrs straight

Not dissimilar - but possibly fewer gloatable tools lying about... Are those #144's? :roll:

Cheers, Alf

 

[thomaskennedy]

Mine looks like that all the time :lol:

 

[MikeW]

Hi Waka,

Yep. I tell myself the whole time to put things away and brush off the bench, but it doesn't happen. The hurry up of the moment I suppose. The floor was ankle deep in shavings. Should have seen the 54A. Looked more like an aircraft carrier with what had landed on it than a jointer...

But I've got a fresh cup of coffee now, Philly. There's only a couple cups I take out into the shop...they just get multiple refills. The stomach can handle twisting and lifting as of Thursday.

Good thing too. The job starting Tuesday is doing the finish work through a 1 mil remodal, complete with stair work, mantels on all the fireplaces and coffered ceilings and built-ins in the library, wainscot etc. May even get the custom kitchen on the side out of it.

Worse, I may get a conference table job I quoted last week. A 16' by 5' 6" boat shape. Guess I won't be able to assemble that in my house.

And worse yet, I'll actually have to work.

Yep, Alf. Brass 144s from St James Bay. Bought 'em several years ago. I think he still is making the 3 sizes. Reasonable price. Needed to open the "throat" a bit with a small file. Still fine enough that they will mostly cut against the grain for when that's needed.

What amazes me yesterday, though, is that some work needed a chamfer (hence the little Preston on the bench) and some needed rounded over in two different radii--and I didn't get them mixed up :lol: . The little brain has difficulty sometimes keeping its thoughts on a single task, much less the job as a whole. I was working on 3 yesterday.

It was a good day. After a couple cups of coffee, we'll see what the new day brings.

Mike

 

[Anonymous]

just wish I could get 12 straight hours in there :mrgreen: currently, that is about 2 months workshop time

 

[Scott]

I only need half an hour for every available surface to look like that!

I'm trying to train myself to be disciplined and tidy up after each operation but it's a struggle! :roll:

 

[Jaco]

So whats wrong with that bench! !!!!! :roll: :roll: :roll:

it just looks like mine which is ..... JUST A GREATER WORK IN PROGRESS!!!

Takes a lot of time and efforrt to get it like that!

 

[SlimShavings]

MikeW

Hey Mike post some picture of that remodel will ya. I haven't done anything like that since I left Colorado. Everything out here is termite barf. Even in the expensive homes. I guess I did do one coffered ceiling about two years ago in gatlinburg but the guy decided to help. We started the install four days before his kids graduation part. Unbeknownst to me. It came out all right but the guy just "loved them little pinners"
Dave

By the way my whole shop looks that way when i'm on a deadline. And it seems more and more people come in the day before they want it

 

[MikeW]

...Hey Mike post some picture of that remodel will ya. I haven't done anything like that since I left Colorado...

We'll see. First time I've played finish carpenter in quite some time. Much less in an upscale home.

Yet to be seen if I last a week around the big boys...

 

[SlimShavings]

MikeW

I think you'll do just fine.
And probably be pretty disapointed in the "Big Boys"

 

[MikeW]

Hi Slim...thanks for the vote of confidence. As long as I can move more to my pace than another's, I figure I'll do fine.

And some of the work is to be prepared at my shop, so that's a bit of a better pace.

Agian, thanks. Mike

 

[mailee]

Mine looks like that most of the time too. All it means is that you are making money and enjoying it. You should see the wifes kitchen, I must get a toilet installed.

 

[MikeW]

Mine looks like that most of the time too. All it means is that you are making money and enjoying it. You should see the wifes kitchen, I must get a toilet installed.

You mean actual money, eh?

Enjoy the heck out of it, though. Just gotta work on the money thing. Seems this year every new customer (or potential one) wants a custom piece but for less than they can purchase something similar at a store.

But I start two things tomorrow. The work described in the message above and three Craftsman era bathroom cabinets. Those will be fun.

Mike

 

[SlimShavings]

MikeW

So how did it go with the "bigboys" today

Got a call from a guy to go hang 5 inch crown. They were unbelivably bad

As far as price is concern. Welcome to Tennessee. Woman is upset. Wants her bathroom remodeled. Evrything to be white, white,and white. Told her we had everything built and were ready for the change and we would have to tear some things out. She wanted to know if we would get anything dirty LOL Told her No.

Dave
Who is riding out whats left of the hurricane :lol: And would rather do this then work for most people

 

[MikeW]

The meeting didn't happen. His day turned south prior to both of us driving to the job site to meet up.

So I show up tomorrow. We discuss what he means by "there's good money to be made," I decide whether I want to be involved for sure, go over the punch list that he gave me today and start.

I guess the only other trade in the place right now is the flooring installers. That's be nice. Less bangin' and cursin' going on.

Oh, the first thing I get to do tomorrow? Fix the previous finish carpenter's mistakes on the stairway. Without ripping it out, of course. :roll:

You take care and don't float off!

Mike

 

[SlimShavings]

Around here. What they usually do is hire somebody cheap to build it. Then pay somebody that knows what there doing less than should to fix the other guys FU's. i did it for a while. it just drove me nuts. We call it makin chicken salad out of chicken sh*t

I hope its different for you.

 

[MikeW]

Hey Y'all,

Well Slim, it wasn't too different than you thought. Appalling work really doesn't describe the feeling as I walked through the house. Which I was able to do before there was anyone else in the house for the day.

The owner had "custom" cabinets made for the kitchen. I really cannot describe what they look like. Even though they'll be painted (Poplar face frames on cabinets) they are, they are...can't say it. Disgusting, really.

The trim that has been put in place really doesn't meet any miters. The base mould doesn't butt properly at the jams.

After the person who was hiring me had arrived and walked me back through the place, we stepped outside to discuss the business arrangement. The short of it is that we came to an agreement. I start cutting wood tomorrow.

In the same neighborhood, there are several other renovations occurring. I took the opportunity before I left for the day to walk through a few of the jobs. One as bad of work, two others a bit better.

Now, if the meager description of the quality of work nor of my feelings fails to convey the poor state of affairs of so-called finish carpentry on this job (and the others), then the fact that the owner is *very* happy with the work ought to be even more difficult to understand. He is happy with it.

No wonder bespoke furniture endeavors suffer from the neglect and lack of customers all too often.

Is it that we as a society have dumbed down our expectations of what quality work is?

 

[tim]

I'm not sure from your post whether you are pleased to be doing the work Mike. Hope so anyway and good luck with it.

Is it that we as a society have dumbed down our expectations of what quality work is?

I think it maybe that people aren't even sure what it looks like rather than accepting a lower standard. Will you gat a chance to post some photos of the work before you start ie what the customer is happy with?

Bets of luck with it.

Cheers

Tim