What Do You Call Yourself?

KentWhitten

I'm serious. Do you call yourself a finish carpenter? Trim carpenter? Woodwork specialist? What about your company name?

When I was framing, I told builders "I am a framer, not a carpenter, big difference between the two" and that set me apart from others. I saw it in their face, their body language, they understood what I meant.

But saying "finish carpenter" doesn't seem to have that punch to me, no offense to others here who use that as their title. I'm looking for that "POW" factor. "Oh, he's not JUST a carpenter....he's one of these!"

You know what I mean? I'd like to hear your response to this and I really appreciate your feedback.

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Custom Cabinetry - Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Kennebunkport, Yarmouth, Falmouth, Cumberland, Ogunquit, Maine

Salmon Falls Cabinetry

BKFranks

Out here you can be a framer, a finish carpenter, a drywaller, a roofer, or whatever. It seems to denote that you specialize in whatever your label is. Most of the time they are good at their specialty, but not in other areas of carpentry. I think most all around carpenters are sort of hacks, but there are a few who are true carpenters who can do it all and do it all well.

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neolitic

Dad was a carpenter, and you would
be hard pressed to find anything
that he couldn't do better than
most anyone.
Carpenter has worked for guys
with my last name for over 200 years
in this country.
Carpenter is good enough for me
to try to live up to as long as
I can work.

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neolitic

I guess if a person needs to be impressed
by some fancy title, rather than the work....
I'm not too interested in impressing
that person.

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MALCO.New.York

General Nuisance and Very Well Educated Asssshole!

What?????

You asked!!

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KentWhitten

sorry, I didn't mean for it to come across in a bad way. I don't really know if it's "carpenter" or "finish carpenter" or "trim carpenter" or some variant that wouldn't come across as snobbery. That's not what I was looking for and I didn't mean to imply I that would be better just because I had some fancy title.

general nuisance would be understandable. I came out and said it in a way that didn't convey what I meant, I apologize for that.

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If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place ~Lao Tzu

Custom Cabinetry - Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Kennebunkport, Yarmouth, Falmouth, Cumberland, Ogunquit, Maine

Salmon Falls Cabinetry

HallisseyDesign

I was along the lines of malco- call me the wood butcher . I do manly remodels and framing. Really I don't see the need for a specialty name. Not to sound mean but I get what your saying because some people have no right to even come near a set of plans let alone a tool. My dad taught high school wood shop for almost 20 years. I can do trim and build cabinets really well too. I am only 22 but can get my way round a jobsite and you old guys are fun to learn from too!

Meetre

I had a boss once that would rip anyone who called us trim carpenters a new a-hole. he would get in their face and tell them "when we are done with it, it's FINISHED? We are FINISH carpenters. Me, I'm a contractor...who loves doing finish work.

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KentWhitten

Let me try this. If I had 3 guys that worked for me, I don't think saying "I'm a finish carpenter" comes across right because then someone could say "work by yourself?" or some variant along that line. I don't want to confuse people right up front and have to explain things out, you know what I mean? I would be marketing myself and my crew, so would it be "trim crew"?

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If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place ~Lao Tzu

Custom Cabinetry - Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Kennebunkport, Yarmouth, Falmouth, Cumberland, Ogunquit, Maine

Salmon Falls Cabinetry

Meetre

Or, you just tell them that you're they guy who makes everyone else's work look good!

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mahlere

I call myself "El Jefe"....other call me "pendejo".....I prefer El Jefe...

neolitic

I should have sprinkled some
smilies in there some where.
Not knocking you framer, just the culture
that seems to need so many "modifiers."
If you can frame, and you can trim,
I'd say you are a carpenter!

If there's a 16oz in your loop today,
you're a finish carpenter.

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KentWhitten

That's what I'm getting at! That's along the line of what I said about framing, the way that you describe yourself. "It's not this...it's that."

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If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place ~Lao Tzu

Custom Cabinetry - Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Kennebunkport, Yarmouth, Falmouth, Cumberland, Ogunquit, Maine

Salmon Falls Cabinetry

Meetre

What he said.

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Meetre

Then tell them you are the finish carpenter, cause without you, the job isn't finished. that more of what you are lookin for?

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KentWhitten

[QUOTE=neolitic;533623}
If there's a 16oz in your loop today,
you're a finish carpenter. [/QUOTE]

now see, there's one thing I do that sets me apart, I still have my axe with me and it gets attention....understandable questionable attention, but attention. They're like "wtf is with the axe?" It's got a smooth face on it, it's handy....but I know it's gimmicky, it's dumb

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If you correct your mind, the rest of your life will fall into place ~Lao Tzu

Custom Cabinetry - Portland, Cape Elizabeth, Scarborough, Kennebunkport, Yarmouth, Falmouth, Cumberland, Ogunquit, Maine

Salmon Falls Cabinetry

wireless

I think Malco meant he is called a general nuisance!

HallisseyDesign

Well I have a stiletto ti-bone 2 with a smooth face in my pouch what am I? ahha

Back on target If you were going to start a crew I would say finish carpenter. Like they said above you have to make everybody's else work look good. As you know it all starts with the framing if it sucks well then you have a long time ahead of you. I know you are a extremely good framer so for your crew it would be easier the **** you frame you get the last touch to make it look perfect. If you get into remodeling you get to deal with the hack **** the home owner tries too do. Like I did a job where the home owner installed 700 lf of oak crown WRONG- Miters were wrong and had some butt joints. IT was a great site on his face when i pulled it all down.

neolitic

There you go!

A trim carpenter implies hanging casing
and base.
A finish carpenter does that, and will
build a set of cabinets, and a mantle,
and a room full of bookcases, and
a set of stairs, and.......
That's my story,
and I'm sticking to it!

__________________
Put your location in your profile!
(Sorry....it seems there really are dumb questions)

MALCO.New.York

+ YouTube Video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7KRV...eature=related

__________________
Something to One may be Nothing to another!

Ultimate Wisdom---------
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OW-cnizLDEE