Not Happy With My Skills!

antonioooooooo

How do I post pics right on the main screen?

KNK Constructs

For bulkheads I have found that a ladder assembly built in sections on the floor and installed like raising walls in sections is the fastest way to build bulkheads, straight, easy to adjust, fasten anywhere, like a hanging wall. Just an fyi... almost a no brainer but so simple its easy to miss when you are used to building in your head

d-rock

looks pretty good. we all have bad days. It's like playing sports, some days you win some days you lose. Some days i get so caught up and frustrated in something, the next day when i return i knock it out quick. Go figure..Keep the pressure on yourself, it's what makes you want to learn more. Remember, speed comes with experience. speed without experience leads to things out of square and out of plumb. it's also dangerous on the fingers. Stick to the system, it's there for a reason, fundamentals are everything. Make it level, make it plumb make it square. If step A is correct, step B will be easy and so on and so forth. If the framing is not right, it will be hell to sheathe. If the layout is out of square and out of plumb, it will be hell to frame. Good Luck with your work !

Chasing Dreams

I have a guy that I bring in sometimes for special projects that is a GC as well,....really long in the tooth. The guy is amazing with what he can do with wood and I pick his brain constantly, (he has forgotten more than I know )..... when he submits his invoice I always send some "extra" for the knowledge he passes on to me. It is always an honor to watch this guy do what he does.

Antonio......... If this is your chosen profession,....remember to be a sponge when someone is willing to teach.

And more importantly..... be willing to pass your knowledge along to someone that is willing to learn.

"Knowledge that is gained and never passed is wasted"

__________________
The only two things I want to hear.....Wow, you're really expensive! I hope your not to busy.

KennMacMoragh

Framing fire place mantels can take a long time if you are just doing one. You can't really do it in a production stand point unless you are on a tract building several of them that are similar. They have to be dead nuts perfect too, unlike the frame for the rest of the house.

Don't be discouraged if it takes too much time on that. I've had to fix several frames on fireplace mantels due to the framer slapping them together, thinking he's saving time.

But if you are young and doing framing pick-up carpentry, my advice is to get out of it. You will get crapped on repeatedly, you'll constantly be accused of being too slow and doing lousy work. People don't realize that when you do pick-up, you spend about half your time looking for material and moving tools around. So your work will take longer.

The times I've done pick-up, all I ever hear is "you're slow and your work looks like hell." As soon as I switch to framing walls, floors, or whatever, I hear just the opposite, that I'm fast and do nice work. And it's not just me, I notice that with just about anyone who's doing pick-up. If people are giving you a hard time, they are just stupid.

Edit: but it looks like you're doing renovations, so you probably won't have the problem I mentioned. If you go from framing to doing remodels or renovations, you'll notice a big difference in pace. Framing is more about speed and production, remodels is more about problem solving and using your head. If you keep thinking about your techniques and figuring out ways to do it better the next time. Then you're on the right track, you'll be doing that your whole career if you stick with it.

antonioooooooo

yeah thanks guys... I have worked with this one carpenter a few times that only comes in when we need him. He is insanely fast with outstanding quality. I really look up to his WORK. As a person though.. complete loser. My boss always was saying to me when work got slow... see if darryl has work. I would say yeah outloud, but in my head i was thinking no way. I dont understand how he does it, haha not to talk bs, but he is a greasy drunk lol (Im sure he does more than drink). I dont understand how he still has the brain to GO GO GO when hes working. Ive done some boarding with him, and he is crazy fast.

likeke34

lol, i know this feeling exactly! i sometimes work with an old journeyman who i swear walks everywhere while i run and i know i'm moving material faster than him yet he gets things done way faster than me... the guy even stops to take smoke breaks and then he comes up to me later and says, "are you done yet!" after work i'm always filthy and sweaty and he never looks that bad... sometimes he'll show me a simple trick to speed me up or sometimes he'll just start yelling at me saying i'm doing it the hard way w/out actually correcting me lol

jasonwgc

10 mins....tops

Ten Fingers

Experience is gold. My new guy was gonna head down the ladder to get the cordless drill to remove a screw that was sticking out, in the way. I whipped out the hammer and busted off the screw in .02 seconds, problem gone. Efficiency is learned best when you're working for yourself.

antonioooooooo

like youre wife

Gus Dering

Back when old school was today, funewgeze didn't get to bring someone's wife into a joke like that.

Now go to the truck and get me the sky hook.

__________________
Every parent who has walked barefoot into their child's room late at night hates Legos

Diomedes

Three years ago I quit the corporate world and made a start in carpentry. I'm 35 years old in the same spot you are, OP, but I'm more than a decade late to the party. I am often frustrated by my lack of skill and vision. I try my hardest every day on everything I do, and I do see progress. But I'm slow and insecure. I think it's normal and I try my best to give myself a break and just keep plugging away. Woody Allen's line about "95% of life is showing up," is a comfort.

I am lucky to be working with a 60 year old carpenter who is very good. He sees things ten steps down the line whereas I'm lucky if I've got the next step in my head. But he's patient, and he's a good teacher. One thing experience has given him that I don't yet have, is how good things have to be. I always shoot for the best, or at least my best, but there are often times when I'm wasting time. Cutting everything too tight so I have to shave off to get the fit, even on stuff that will be covered up. This is the kind of stuff I take it will come in time if I just keep showing up and doing my best.

I keep a journal of sorts, including a list of mistakes I've made/lessons learned. Even the simplest, "duh" stuff goes on that list:

when removing tile, start at an outside open corner rather than in the middle of the field...it get started easier that way.
trick for popping a chalk line when ripping a sheet: make your mark on one end and cut a slot at the mark to hold the end of the chalk line..now you're free to mark the other end and pop the line
when running a hose on a job, be mindful where the water is running out...don't make a puddle where you need to walk/work
etc.

Every once in a while I review the list as a refresher.

So I'll just keep showing up and trying my best. Good luck to you. In 12 years or so you'll be my age and a real pro.

Graham J

You are on your way to becoming a great carpenter, Antonioooo. Focus on quality, and always try to think of a more efficient way of doing things. I was there a few months ago, and now the boss is really happy with the way I work. I will probably be back there in a few more months.

FWIW, I started by doing 'pick up framing', or "backframing" as it is called where I live. I looked at all the things I had to fix as opportunities to learn how not to do it, and tried to use everything I saw as a lesson in quality and efficiency.

You will get there, but it will take time, stress, and a lot of work and attention to detail. Keep it up, man. You'll make it.

Graham

WNYcarpenter

Some guys may scoff, but when I first started, I watched "The New Yankee Workshop" every night.....That show was is so cool for an apprentice, and even a journeyman. I learned so much about the 'table saw', jigs, and techniques.

One major thing that increased my efficiency is to mill all alike pieces at the same saw setting, rather than measuring and cutting each individually. I see many guys casing a window mill each piece, install...then go through the same procedure over and over.

efficiency at the saw is paramount especially when you're using a community saw. It is also much more precise.

When you can...build then install.

__________________
"I knew I lost my wallet as soon as I threw my pants over the fence". -'lil jarhead bro when asking for a wire transfer...

gdwoodbutcher

Mass producing cut pieces is great for speed, BUT MAKE SURE ALL NEEDS ARE THE EXACT SAME. If you only check one or two windows for example, and the two you check happen to be the oddballs, well you can waste a lot of material and time. It is a big time saver, but just be sure about your #s. I've seen guys cut patterns, invert some numbers, and cut lots of same size scrap ( never me of course ).

LEVELBEST

One of the first things I was ever told is "Why is there never enough time to do it right, but always enough time to do it over?". Like you, that has stuck with me for years.

Cyle

Yep keep at it and you'll improve. I'm 20 myself and for my age consider myself to be extremely skilled. But i'm very lucky i've been working with my dad since I was 12 in construction/concrete, etc i've learned a ton.

My best experience lately is building a house did the foundation, framing, roofing, insulation, drywall, and more. I've really learned rushing some things ends up costing you more time. It's frusterating, but good to learn. And i've noticed how much quicker i've gotten since I started.

Considering there is 4400 sq/ft to drywall and most of it's been me, my work when I started to now is huge. I am quicker, and my work looks better.

Framing is SO important to be good. Even a wall out by 1/4" screws up the drywall and takes forever to fix.

I think my hardest part of learning is my dad is the type there's no time to do it right, but there's time to fix it later Tough sometimes to keep stuff right, but slowly he's changing (I hope).

But i've also learned you cannot turn a labourer into a professional. Not saying i'm a profressional yet, but some guys you try to teach and your wasting your time, and it's better to just let them help you instead. Really annoying when you do the same thing 10x over and people cannot tell what thing is going to be next and you need to keep directing them.

Double-A

I hate to say this, cause I'm gonna lose brownie points with some folks, but quit thinking like a framer and start thinking like a carpenter.

What I mean is, you have a limited selection of "tools" in your arsenal. Your experience is primarily framing and so, you're gonna to approach your problems with the mindset of a framer. When you start to understand those things beyond the structure, and get more into the silly details, you'll start thinking more like a carpenter.

Remember, everything doesn't have to carry a point load or have a double plate on it.

I guess a good analogy is, when the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail.

__________________
"My clients’ wishes are the center of my attention." -- David Guido, a contractor in Woodstock, N.Y.
New York Times, July 20, 2006

Steve Richards

Most times, the night before I start a new job I'll lay in bed and go through the whole upcoming job in my head.
From what tools I'll need to take in first, to what notations I may need to make on the final bill.
I think it's helped a lot over the years, except sometimes I'll realize/remember something I'm going to need....but my wife's moved the notepad,
That usually means getting up to write it down.

Another bad thing is that sometimes I'll dream about it...being on the job and actually working.
Then in the morning kinda I feel like I worked all night (for free).

Warren

-1 brownie points Double A. For those keeping track (framers) he is at -46!