Some Beginner Qs

TheFNG

Hi Im very new to the trade and have a few questions. Is going to school for carpentry/framing a good idea if you have the financial means of doing it, or is starting as a laborer and learning with time a better idea? I am really interested in this trade and plan on learning everything there is to know, I hope to some day have my own crew. Any tips, suggestions, or comments welcome. Thanks guys.

snapper21

It's up to how you want to do it. If I were to go to school for it, I would go to school to be an engineer. The trade is only learned in the trenches. If you want to get in the field, do some research and be sure you get with someone who's going to give you a good base to work from as far as knowledge goes. Might be a good idea to work with a couple or a few different carpenters, since no 2 will use the same techniques.
Remember this is just my opinion, i'm sure a few more will chime in with their .02.

Tom R

My 'helper' is 20 years old, - - a 'hard worker' all week, - - usually 6 days, - - and he goes to 'carpentry classes' 2 nights a week, - - 3 hours each session, - - at our local 'community college'. Don't quote me on it, - - but I believe he pays about $250/semester.

My advice is to do like him, - - get in the trenches AND hit the books.

Make sure you find someone both 'SKILLED' and 'REPUTABLE' to work for, - - it's much more efficient in the long run to learn 'HOW' to do things, - - then 'HOW NOT TO' . . .

GOOD LUCK!!

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http://www.tr-built.com

TheFNG

I see what your saying. I guess I didnt mean go to college for it, I thought there are small trade schools where you can get licensed and atleast get a spot on a crew and do something other then just be the laborer. I am going to start as a laborer and try and ask one of the more expierienced guys to teach my if time permits. But, I dont want to be a laborer forever. Thank you for your reply.

TheFNG

Thanks tom! I checked the nearest comm college to where I live and they do not offer carpentry classes. But I will check the surrounding cities also.

I thought of another Q.

What if nobody that I work with is willing to take some time and teach me a few things? Another words they just wont care that I want to learn and move up.

Tom R

That's basically what it is, - - Vo-Tech, - - TRADE SCHOOL, - - he doesn't want to be a laborer all his life either, - - and he's not going to be!!

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TheFNG

Awsome, looks like i will be taking those some steps. Been searching for an hour now and I can not find any Carpentry Trade schools in Arizona....

snapper21

OOps, thought you were talking about college. Go for it, and you won't have to start as a laborer. I started in 10th grade as a carpenters helper thankfully from someone who taught me the old school ways and truelly cared about his work. If you're going into it with that much desire, you're going to be hell to deal with when your seasoned.
Good luck.

Tom R

Don't know exactly where you're at in Arizona, - - but if it's say, - - around Phoenix, - - you would check with Mesa County Community College, - - call them Monday and ask about their 'night courses'.

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TheFNG

Tom, I think you are talking about Mesa Community College which is part of Maricopa(county) Community Colleges. I do remember in their paper catalogs, they had constructions/carpentry classes, but I checked online and I didnt find anyhthing. I will pick one of those catalogs up and talk to someone there. A small part of MCC is only 4 miles out from me. Used to go the for my general studies classes. Thanks tom.

Tom R

Hey, - - what can I say??, - - pretty tough callin' the 'shots' all the way from Jersey . . .

Anyway, - - good luck with it!!

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bellerose

Buy the book "Roof Framing " by Marshall Gross and build the models in the book.

It is difficult and you will be challenged but if you seriously study this book you will have some good roof framing skills.

A lot of so-called carpenters can't frame half the roofs in the book.

TheFNG

Thank you for the suggestion, Im currently reading Framing Basics by Rick Peters, and I also have House Framing by Jack P Jones. Maybe ill buy the book someday but for now I dont even have a toolbelt.

bellerose

also get the book/video set(walls, floor,roofs) by Larry Haun.

Glasshousebltr

Use the search engine, you can drag up a lot of good info right here on this site. Ya just have to weed threw my BS.

Bob

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Bob

erik edlund

Hey "F",

Try checking out your state's Labor and Industries website, poke around for "Apprenticeships" and courses offered through trade schools, etc.; try visiting their office, tell them what you'd like to do, glean some info from them.

And, Fer Chrissakes, put a shortcut on your desktop! You'll be coming here ALOT...

Pretty soon, you'll have to change your name to "OSF" (Old Seasoned Fart)...

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Kind regards,

Erik D. Edlund

Riversong

Bottom line: everyone learns differently. There's nothing that will replace hands-on learning, but that requires both a watchful student and a willing teacher. What you'll find in the field is that most "builders" have more personal preference than hard knowledge about building science.

If you think you're good at classroom learning, there's no better way to get a foundation in building theory and practice.

You might check for owner-builder schools. Don't dismiss them. I got my start in a 3-week crash course in Energy-Efficient Building in a school in Maine run by an engineer and taught by the first woman to become a master carpenter in the Chicago union.

I went right from that class to supervising construction and rehab projects. Now I'm teaching building to others in formal classes and have taught "on-site" for 15 years.

If there's a carpenter's union, they probably have an apprenticeship program.

Otherwise, a quick Google search turned up these possible tech schools:

American Institute Of Technology Phoenix AZ
Arizona Automotive Institute Glendale AZ
Arizona Western College Yuma AZ
Central Arizona College Coolidge AZ
Chandler/Gilbert Community College Chandler AZ
Clinton Technical Institute-Motorcycle Mech Div Phoenix AZ
Cochise College Douglas AZ
Coconino County Community College Flagstaff AZ
Eastern Arizona College Thatcher AZ
Gateway Community College Phoenix AZ
Gateway Community College - Maricopa Skill Center Phoenix AZ
Glendale Community College Glendale AZ
High-Tech Institute Phoenix AZ
Mesa Community College Mesa AZ
Mohave Community College Kingman AZ
North American Technical College Phoenix AZ
Northland Pioneer College Holbrook AZ
Phoenix College Phoenix AZ
Pima Community College Tucson AZ
Refrigeration School Inc Phoenix AZ
Rio Salado Community College Tempe AZ
Roberto-Venn School Of Luthiery Phoenix AZ
Scottsdale Community College Scottsdale AZ
Universal Technical Institute Inc Phoenix AZ
Yavapai College Prescott AZ

Good luck,
- Robert

maj

a good framing square with all the tables. Study it, and have someone who actually knows how to use it teach you. Don't learn on a speed square. Speed squares are awesome, but you must know why and how those angles are achieved. My first boss when I was 17 was great at teaching me how to use the framing square. Of course that was way before speed squares, and roof trusses were'nt real common. I get a kick out of telling a new kid to buy a good square----- He comes back with a plastic speed square.

TheFNG

Wow, I get a feeling that between going to school and coming here and reading thru all the posts ill be learning alot, and at a fast pace. Thank you to everyone who responded.

Framer33884

I went to Tech school for carpentry and learned to figure and solve problems (stairs, sq.ft. and the sort). Now I run about 30 men and have 4 sub crews and I'm 28. I hired one guy outta the same school and he's pretty good. If you like the trade and skip the school study at home and this stuff on line. If your setting trusses or running dead wood the next day spend 10 min reading up on it at night. It's true, you'll learn more the first week on the job and how to move but you'll have an edge studing or going to school.