What do you do for a living then?

[Colin C]

Just a Lady of the night myself :lol:

Now there is some thing I would not want to see let alone imagine ](*,) ](*,) ( I will get that imagine out of my head ) :shock:

 

[Anonymous]

Andy, can you recommend a good brand of tea to go with a spanish omellette?

Well, you may only get an ooo with Typhoo, but i'm not one to see monkeys out of work, so its PG Tips every time...

 

[stix]

I am a production engineer currently working for a company manufacturing brass & bronze architectural ironmongery. Most of my job involves devising the production method and programming of CNC machines for new & bespoke products.

It's great work and you get to see some very weird designs from some eccentric, but very wealthy, end users and also see a lot of your work used on public buildings.

Steve

 

[dunbarhamlin]

Mostly software development since 15.

Along the way, dabbled with osteopathy which is great when it works, but many of the patients don't actually need it.

Would rather make mandolins (couldn't handle the drop in earnings though)

 

[woodbloke]

I left school in the mid sixties and started a career in electronics with Plessey, then went to uni for a BEd and spent the next 20 years at the chalk face, left teaching and worked for a while as a cabinet maker with a couple of firms. Have ended up working for the MOD at HQ Land in Wilton in military communications so I spend all my working days (and nights as it's shift) in an air conditioned concrete room with no windows and an armoured steel door - Rob

 

[lurker]

I dismantle nuclear reactors

 

[StevieB]

University lecturer and researcher in the field of genetics - currently specialse in cardiovascular genetics and stroke.

Steve.

 

[Amateurrestorer]

I started my working life as a PE teacher for one year ,could'nt find another job ,worked down the mines for 12 years, got a bit jacked off after the miners strike and my 12 month sabbatical and went back into teaching PE . Now approaching retirement and doing a cracking impression of Brian Glover in KES ,right down to the Barnsley accent.Woodworking has been my saviour over the last few years ,solitude, the tranquility of a table saw screaming in the background, you get the drift.

 

[Gary S]

I'm a chartered management accountant, but if I could give it up tomorrow and make a living (i.e. pay the mortgage!) from my hobby and passion of woodworking THEN I WOULD!

Or should I say "then I wood"?! :roll:

 

[LyNx]

Started life on site first, second and final fixing houses. Then moved to the joinery shop and spent most of my working days messing about with wood/MDF, from here I progressed into the drawing office. Now the 3D colour monkey for a furniture manufacturer. Mostly using 3ds MAX 9 and all those nice industrial woodworking machines too

more of a hobby than a job, bloody fantastic :wink:

 

[misterfish]

After university I worked as a research scientist at Kew Gardens - specialising in tropical south-east Asian ferns. After that I spent some time producing botanical technical articles for 'popular' books as well as indexing. I then moved to IT in the early 80's and have been involved with all aspects of 'small systems' - planning, cabling, installing software and hardware (including networking), bespoke programming (especially databasing), help desk support and individual training.

I was recently offered early retirement with an enhanced pension paid immediately - an offer that was a no brainer. So I'm now retired and indulge my woodworking hobby.

MisterFish

 

[mailee]

Started by getting a degree in English language, tried teaching (Not for me) Went into the motor trade trained as a Technician, swapped a few jobs in this field and ended up assembling cars in a factory! Still love the woodworking after all these years though.

 

[tinfoil]

What a varied lot........

My back pages include Industrial Design and Architecture at college. I then became part of a group of environmental activists in the late sixties (well before it became fashionable). We built solar panels, wind generators and the like. We were actually offered Government research grants but the system couldn't handle long-haired anarchists back then and we disappeared in a puff (or puffs......) of smoke.

Fell into doing a bit of building and ended up spending 30 years running my own building company here in London doing domestic conversions, restoration and renovation. Not very profitable and very stressful.

Mrs Tinfoil wants to continue in gainful employment, we own our house (no mortgage - bought as a wreck) and live simply. I have therefore been able to take semi-retirement and work on the house. I still have a few outside jobs - mainly maintenance/handyman stuff. Now concentrating on improving my carpentry.

 

[ByronBlack]

What a fantastic thread this is becoming. However, I feel like a complete caveman compared to all these researchers and scientists!! It's interesting though to see some really high level careers and almost everyone has stated they would prefer woodworking, I find that quite fascinating and a little sad that the woodworking industries aren't more healthy in this country, the passion is obviously there.

 

[John McM]

Merchant Navy Radio Officer followed by a stint on the rigs. Now an Air Traffic Control Engineer at Swanwick. I'm in "System Control" and look after the radar, air-gorund-air comms, navaids and datacomms etc. 12 hour shifts. Would have lots of time for Woodwork but for minding my 2 small daughters.

 

[kafkaian]

Electronic and Software Engineer

 

[Sawdust]

After gaining a degree in Electrical and Electronic Engineering I went to work for British Aerospace in one of their guided weapons divisions. The official secrets act prohibits me from saying any more!

I got bored with them and joined a small company in North Yorkshire writing software used for control, monitoring and measurement in the oil and gas industry.

The small company was bought by a bigger company and the bigger company by a huge company so I now work for a large American corporation, my time is split roughly 50:50 between management and design/writing software. I get to travel a lot to America, India, Singapore and a few places in Europe too which is interesting. Generally it's a great job.

I don't do woodwork professionally so I would call myself a hobby woodworker. I don't think I would like to do it professionally because one of the reasons I enjoy it is that I find it very relaxing. I suspect that if it was a career, deadlines and schedules would take over and the relaxation aspect would be lost. There is also the fact that I'm nowhere near good enough at it!

Cheers
Mike

 

[woodbloke]

Sawdust wrote:

I suspect that if it was a career, deadlines and schedules would take over and the relaxation aspect would be lost.

Agree totally with that...time is money. Professional woodworking is a complete universe and a half away from the hobby/amateur type of activity that loads of us on the forum enjoy - Rob

 

[Noel]

Left school with a few O levels, went to local college to get A levels, got bored and left. Became a barman and then hotel manager, got bored, went into the motor trade and washed and sold cars for a year or 2. Got bored .Went to the States and bummed about for too long. Then some more bumming about Europe picking grapes and selling ice cream on the beaches around Nice. Ended up in London and back in the motor trade and then worked in property development around West London. Then back into the motor trade. Then a few years working for BP research in Shepperton. Then back to Ireland and spent a year planing and researching the launch of a listings magazine that I didn't launch. Back into the motor trade and have been running a car import / export business for too long and built a house along the way too. Full time woodworking? Never, enjoy it as a hobby too much but I'd happily be a full time golfer.
Would I change anything if there was a rewind button? Nope, wouldn't have the kids and family that I have otherwise.

 

[George_N]

Another scientist here, I'm afraid. I have a PhD. in immunology and parasitology from Edinburgh Uni. and work on developing vaccines to protect livestock against gut worm infections. I did woodwork at school up to Higher level (roughly A level equivalent) in the early '70s and have had an interest ever since...only recently got myself some workshop space though.