# Not happy with my skills!



## CARPENTERDON (Jun 30, 2005)

First, why is everything equated to _"speed"_? Do this fast, do that quickly, let's get it done, hurry, hurry, hurry! Everybody in this world is always rushing to their graves. Sometimes so fast that I think that they're going to speed right past the cemetery! I just don't get it???

And another famous line: _"time is money!"_ But money isn't everything. It's nothing if your 6 feet under or laying in bed with a stroke, bad heart, or whatever else. . . .:no:  :no:

When I started working with my uncle (a master carpenter), I was 10, I so badly wanted to do framing. My uncle said; _"first you'll learn to do finish work, then when you're ready you'll learn to frame."_

Well, once my uncle decided I was ready to do framing, I was 12, I did my first framing on a porch we rebuilt. When the framing was all done my uncle and I stood back and he said; _"what do you see?"_, I replied, 'porch framing'. So, my uncle, took me down the road to a house that was being renovated, and where an addition was being framed. Again he said; _"what do you see?"_. . . .Until he pointed it out, I didn't see the difference between their framing and ours. Their cuts weren't straight nor were they tight.

My uncle then said to me; _"now, do you see why you learned to do finish work first?!"_. . .

As stated in an earlier post, _"you need to think like a carpenter, not a framer."_

It's not quantity of work, it's *QUALITY* of work. Quality should be first and foremost!!

I have never been able to figure out how this little 3" x 6" piece of paper with green printing has made people so crazy.








To the point of faster, faster, faster, more, more, more. When is enough. . .enough?

Personally, I can wipe my a** with it just as easily as spend it, or use it to light a fire in my wood stove. After all, it's just paper!


----------



## Double-A (Jul 3, 2006)

Warren said:


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


-44... I earned two back for .... well... ok damnit, -46.


----------



## jimcro55 (May 10, 2010)

genecarp said:


> Stay focused on quality, the speed will come with time. Work with other exp carpenters watch how they work, a good carpenter never wastes a step, the pace is steady not hurried, the efficiancy is a beautiful to watch, and even more beautiful to experiance, GMOD


 
Great advice!


----------



## nailit69 (Sep 8, 2010)

I think with time and experience you come up with better, faster, more efficient ways of doing things. It's all about your past experiences... I bet you'd do that totally different if you were to do it again tomorrow wouldn't ya?

Learning from your mistakes and what not to do... that's how you're going to get better, faster, and more experienced. Unfortunately there's really no other way. 

As for how long a job is going to take, come up with your best guesstimate, then double it. Always seems to take longer than you think, and if you finish early you're a star in the customers eyes. :thumbsup:

Hang in there... you'll figure it out and someday you'll be the old guy passing down your years of experience (good or bad) to some "new kid" going through the same stuff your going through now


----------



## TBFGhost (Oct 9, 2008)

CARPENTERDON said:


> First, why is everything equated to _"speed"_? Do this fast, do that quickly, let's get it done, hurry, hurry, hurry! Everybody in this world is always rushing to their graves. Sometimes so fast that I think that they're going to speed right past the cemetery! I just don't get it???
> 
> And another famous line: _"time is money!"_ But money isn't everything. It's nothing if your 6 feet under or laying in bed with a stroke, bad heart, or whatever else. . . .:no:  :no:
> 
> ...


 

Before you wipe your ass, hand me that money. :thumbsup:

Time is money....moving at break neck speed might feel like it to you, but to some of us...is just the normal flow of things..pushing you self to move faster is what improves you skill set. There are job where you need to spend the time to get everything perfect, but most are not.

IMO, doing everything to perfection is a waste of time and money...there is a fine line to walk...you work towards perfection, but always keep time in the back of your mind...know when good really is good enough.


----------

