I'm getting the impression you're a carpenter or contractor based on your wording. If you're the boss why not just bring her to some sites and put her to work under your direction? If not, do you know anyone looking for a dog house or shed? Maybe a playset for someone's kids? Sounds like you're a lucky guy. Ladies with tools...kinda hot

 

Yep, a woman in a tool belt. Don't get much hotter than that!

 

Woman with a gun.....my wife carries a Sig P228:icon_smile:

 

I want her to come on site but I'd like her to learn some basic skills first! I'm a sole contractor so if she did fluff anything I'd have to pay for her mistake... I love her dearly but yeah! xD

I want her to do some basic things to just learn how to use the tools properly. Problem is neither of us knows what to make!...

 

I would think she would have some experience with tools and building things or she wouldn't be interested in the first place. If I'm wrong? Try her on the job site to see if she still wants to do this type of work.

 

Her old man is a builder, which is how I met her. That's kind of where the interest comes from but her experience is like... zero, though she's pretty nifty with a sledgehammer!

 

Some small things that could be practical at the same time, get used to measuring and cutting

 

measuring and cutting is good, but the small things are more important, like small shorts and small shirts and a toolbelt :thumbsup:

oh, sorry 'bout that, she's your girlfriend

 

Well said! Haha I think it'd be important to take he to pick out her tools, then she can take pride knowing that they are "hers"

 

A ring son... she sounds like a keeper!

 

I would suggest the hotpants and shirt but Im already in the doghouse for sending her into a hardware store to buy a bucket of sparks... almost pissed myself laughing LOL

 

Try something like a simple picnic table.

 

This is a tough call

Working together is hard on relationships as there will be fluff ups, disagreements, timing issues (can't you work faster?), etc.

I would suggest she specialize in a specific aspect of the work, finishing, estimating, organizing tools and materials, and that way she'll get familar with the big picture gradually. Unless you are very patient and low key/soft spoken it will be a challenge in my opinion. If you've ever tried a difficult glue up and are under time and fitting constraints, you know what I mean. Things can get ugly quickly when they don't go well.

Also carpenters need to be very strong and have good upperbody lifting capability....women usually don't have that strength, there are exceptions however.

They can also be a visual distraction. My ex-girlfriend was comfortable in tight T shirts and the headlights were blinding not only to me but to other contractors.... a source of talk that was not contributing to job efficiency.

A trim or finish carpenter may be a better specialty than a framer. The use of the miter saw is better suited than a 28 oz framing hammer.

End of random thoughts..... :boat:

 

Working together is hard on relationships as there will be fluff ups, disagreements, timing issues (can't you work faster?), etc.

I would suggest she specialize in a specific aspect of the work, finishing, estimating, organizing tools and materials, and that way she'll get familar with the big picture gradually. Unless you are very patient and low key/soft spoken it will be a challenge in my opinion. If you've ever tried a difficult glue up and are under time and fitting constraints, you know what I mean. Things can get ugly quickly when they don't go well.

Also carpenters need to be very strong and have good upperbody lifting capability....women usually don't have that strength, there are exceptions however.

They can also be a visual distraction. My ex-girlfriend was comfortable in tight T shirts and the headlights were blinding not only to me but to other contractors.... a source of talk that was not contributing to job efficiency.

A trim or finish carpenter may be a better specialty than a framer. The use of the miter saw is better suited than a 28 oz framing hammer.

End of random thoughts..... :boat:

Seldom do I agree with anyone as much as I agree with your comments here...you almost took the words right out of my mouth.
(you must be extremely intelligent and very good looking). I think working with a girl you are having a relationship with is asking for trouble. The rest of the crew is going to accuse you of playing favorites, what are you going to talk about after you get off work?
What happens if you two have a fight the night before or on the way to work? Women have a way of getting even with you and it won't be right out in the open like some guy telling you "that's the wrong way to cut bird's mouth in a rafter," and I don't want to be on a job site with a girlfriend who's pissed at me. Instead,t each her how to measure exactly, and do exactly what the lead man or boss says, show up for work, show up sober and show up on time, and after she learns that, I'd find her a job with one of my friends because she will be a valued worker. I've worked with women on job sites from roofing to laying concrete and they were very good workers, but I wouldn't take my wife to the job site with me...and that's one of the reasons we've been happily married for over 40 years.

Bandman

 

You have to figure out exactly what she wants to do. "Get into carpentry" is pretty vague; it doesn't really tell you much. Does she want to build furniture? Cabinetry? Does she want to build smaller items like jewelry boxes? Does she want to specialize in trim work? Would she prefer to be framing out a house? Is she actually interested in carpentry, or does she just want to spend more time with her boyfriend who starting to ignore her for his work? (Not that I'm accusing you of doing so, but it does happen.) Does she want to work for you, or does she just want you to teach her something so she can join a team where she isn't sleeping with the boss?

As far as items to make as practice goes, start with boxes. You can use all different kinds of joinery and if you're 1/32" off on a small box, it will show.

 

Well she wants to do trim carpentry and roofing

 

Most people I know got their start doing grunt work (sweeping up, dumping trash, hauling materials,etc) on a job site. If you work alone, just having some sweep up would probably be quite helpful. Then she could "graduate" to holding things, making measurements, etc. Sooner or later, she'll be able to make cuts and nail boards.

Just make sure that her "apprenticeship" ends before you marry her. After that, she's the boss no matter what her experience level. - lol

 

Buy a few 2x4's on the cheap and show her how to frame a door or window and how to make it load bearing. You can knock them back apart again after you mock them up so you don't lose the wood. Even the ones you cut can be saved and reused somewhere on a future job. I'm a contractor and I save wood like that to use elsewhere. That's something you can do in just a little while for not much money and will involve calculations, measuring, marking, cutting, and fitting the parts together in the right order. It will give a little experience, not take long, and should be enough to let her see if she wants to go on with it or not.

By the way, the bucket of sparks is funny, but it will definitely not win you any points.

When you aren't working, you can spend time watching HGTV and pointing out mistakes they make on there. There's a bunch for sure. That will teach her some and be fun also.

 

If she just wants to try building random things, and you want it cheap, have her make some pallet furniture, like that table that someone posted the other day. Have her sketch it up with measurements first.

Rather than small boxes where 1/32" shows, it's probably better to start on stuff that missed cuts show the least. That way she doesn't get frustrated and discouraged while she learns how to be precise with a saw.

 

One of the simplest projects yet requiring good measuring, cutting and nailing skills I ever made was a lowly pair of matching saw horses. Getting everything cut to the proper length and nailed together so that both of them were strong and ended up being the same height was not as easy as it sounds.

BTW,,, Shame on you for the bucket of sparks trick. You always send newbies for left handed monkey wrenches before buckets of sparks. :laughing:

 

Hi!
Been working with my hubby, Vinny, since before we were married 25+ years ago :thumbsup:!
Part time at the beginning (I, a schoolteacher; he, a mechanical engineer, GC, designer and patternmaker!). Now we own and operate a prototype shop, building most anything that comes our way! We also collect tools!
You go girl!!!!! We survived 30+ years together, and still going strong :yes:! Great marriage, great times together!
Best,
Marena and Vinny

 

I'm going in search of that pallet furniture, that sounds pretty nifty!

 

How are the dishes, laundry, cleaning and dinner getting done if she is not at home?

 

Your fingers broke?

As for finding her projects, have her look through http://ana-white.com/. The projects are free and most are easy. There has to be something there she would enjoy building to get some experience.

That's where I started. Just picked a project and dove right in.

 

I'm a retired carpentry instructor. I probably cured more folks of wanting to be a carpenter than put workers in the trade. Send your lady up on the roof, 10 below or 95 above, wind howling and pass her up some sheets of 5/8" ply that she had to bend over to her toes to reach and then muscle them onto the rafters. Tell her she has to have that roof sheathed and the exterior trim on because you expect the roofing to be done by noon tomorrow, just like in the real world. Tell her she isn't going to be measuring, cutting or doing anything but lumping until she is an expert at that. Tell her the pay, the benefits, the working conditions, the job security and ask her if she will still want to be doing the same thing when she is 55. Show her what her SS contributions will be and what she can expect for income at retirement age, which could be a few years longer than today. Look at the forecasts for what a loaf of bread will cost at that time. If she still wants to do it, find another, smarter girl friend.

 

I think the idea of her being a trim/finish carpenter is a good one.
Framing/roofing is a different story.
Have her carry a bunch of 2x6's up a ladder, or sheets of 5/8 ply.

 

I disagree with some of the opinions. I absolutely love when my wife goes with me on jobs. We get that work time together, we can break for lunch together, we work well together, and she contributes ideas to me that I hadn't thought of at times. She says I think too complex and sometimes simple is the best way. Sometimes she's right on that.

Some of the opinions here make sense though. Roofing is a physically demanding job, be it carpentry and sheathing, or shingles, either one demands strong upper body strength and stamina to last the duration in the heat or cold. The plain fact is, most women don't have that, they are physically different, as in usually weaker, and that's all there is to that. Also, not every couple can work together, but that is more of a case by case basis instead of a general rule to apply broadly.

Oh, and the one about the dishes, laundry, cleaning, and dinner?? Really?? I can't believe that was put in print.

 

Well if you can't take Warnerconst's sage advice then I'm with the others on finish work or trim. But like others said, you will have to start her where you would start anyone with no experience. Otherwise you will quickly lose your crew, not matter how much you think they like you. I have met few women that could handle framing or roofing, though they are certainly out there.

Given what you know about the trade, would you really want her on a framing or roofing crew? Do you see her being able to keep up and work her way up? That's a question that's as important as any other.

 

I would want her to learn some framing as well as finish. Keep her off the roof. She could be a good finish carpenter if that what she wants I bet. She needs to build some walls. (With a hammer)