What do you do for a living?

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Big Dave

Discussion Starter · Oct 18, 2006

On another BB that I am a member of I notice that most of the members do not do wood working for a living but a hobby. So just out of curiosity what do you do for a living?

Me, I'm a carpenter who does rustic home decor as can be seen at my humble website. I love furniture and cabinet building but only get to do it every once in a while.

Dave.

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Tom R

· #2 · Oct 18, 2006

Remodelin' carpenter, - - woodworkin' wannabe . . . :thumbsup:

joasis

· #3 · Oct 18, 2006

Oh man...lets not go there or we will get another war about what a GC is...:laughing:

I do residential construction and homes, plus a lot of steel buildings and commercial construction.....sawmilling when I have time, and I am getting back into woodworking.

Reactions: 1

Nathan

· #4 · Oct 19, 2006

Big Dave said:
On another BB that I am a member of I notice that most of the members do not do wood working for a living but a hobby. So just out of curiosity what do you do for a living?

Me, I'm a carpenter who does rustic home decor as can be seen at my humble website. I love furniture and cabinet building but only get to do it every once in a while.

Dave.

Once we open this site up and start advertising it to the members of contractortalk.com I bet you will see more pros over here than on other sites.
This is will be for both pros and hobbyists though.

cranbrook2

· #5 · Oct 19, 2006

I did 21 yrs of new home construction , additions and renovations.
, fences, decks ,roofing ,steel pole barns,landscaping and 2 yrs of building terrace doors and entry systems .
now retired due to an injury but can't give up woodworking so i work from home building birdhouses and junk .:laughing:
john

Burlkraft

· #6 · Oct 19, 2006

I've been in the heavy duty truck business all my life. I own my own business, but I have a general manager running it. I started as a machanic...which has changed to a technician now. So now I just do what I want and after 30 years that feels pretty good...:yes: :yes:

Leo G

· #7 · Oct 19, 2006

I'm the classic woodworker. Been at it for 21 years now. Started off with a company digging holes and moving stones, told the boss "this ain't for me". He had me try painting, then framing then flooring and I really didn't find it challenging enough. Then he put me into the shop. This is where I belonged. The master carpenter had 15 years of experience at that point and it took me about 3 years to learn all he could teach me. Then I started thinking on my own and showing him tricks I had developed myself. After the company had some financial troubles I moved on. Went through a few jobs that were wood related but not really woodworking by my definition. Then one of the guys that used to work for the same company that I started with needed someone to be a shop guy, and I worked for him as an employee for about 5 years then as a sub for another 5. After he moved 45 miles away and driving to work became a hassle I went out on my own. And here I am now.:thumbsup:

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john elliott

· #8 · Oct 30, 2006

I used to make guitars until I discovered that people who play guitars don't have very much money. That's when I started making kitchens instead
John

Nathan

· #9 · Oct 30, 2006

john elliott said:
I used to make guitars until I discovered that people who play guitars don't have very much money.

That is so true.

Welcome to the site John! :thumbsup:

skymaster

· #10 · Oct 30, 2006

Custom woodworker, cabinetmaker,trimmer; more often than not a starving wood artist :laughing: :yes: .
Hello Tom R.
Jack

Reactions: 1

woodworkinfool

· #11 · Oct 30, 2006

Finish Carpenter, cabinet maker, furniture maker, custom woodworking, fine art & sculpture installer, welder, ditch digger & general contractor

Tom R

· #12 · Oct 30, 2006

skymaster said:
Custom woodworker, cabinetmaker,trimmer; more often than not a starving wood artist :laughing: :yes: .
Hello Tom R.
Jack

Hey, Jack, - - good, - - more Jersey guys . . . :thumbsup:

David

· #13 · Oct 30, 2006

My actual name is David. I've done a bit of everything in my life to make money. Worked on an asphalt crew, busted and hauled rock in the legendary summer of 1980 in Texas (of my own free will, I wasn't even in jail), built and maintained communications towers, cooked pizzas, flipped burgers, tinted windows for quite a while, owned a truck accessory store for a number of years, even did a three year stint in technical support most recently. Then, I got laid off (fired) and went to work in Dallas as a verrrry green trim carpenter. I worked over there in Big D, the land of the rude and impatient half-assed short-cutters, a couple of years then ended up working for a general contractor in Fort Worth. I'm more or less a remodeling carpenter, I do whatever is needed from demo to trim whether it is carpentry or not.

I have enjoyed working with wood for as long as I can remember, though I have not often been good at it. Looking back, I wonder why it took me so long to figure out what I should be doing for a living. I'm just glad I finally did.

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Reactions: 2

Burlkraft

· #14 · Oct 30, 2006

Man..Things are happening now...:thumbsup: :thumbsup: :thumbsup:

Welcome aboard everyone......:clap: :clap: :clap:

Reactions: 2

Tom R

· #15 · Oct 30, 2006

CutNShoot said:
My actual name is David. I've done a bit of everything in my life to make money. Worked on an asphalt crew, busted and hauled rock in the legendary summer of 1980 in Texas (of my own free will, I wasn't even in jail), built and maintained communications towers, cooked pizzas, flipped burgers, tinted windows for quite a while, owned a truck accessory store for a number of years, even did a three year stint in technical support most recently. Then, I got laid off (fired) and went to work in Dallas as a verrrry green trim carpenter. I worked over there in Big D, the land of the rude and impatient half-assed short-cutters, a couple of years then ended up working for a general contractor in Fort Worth. I'm more or less a remodeling carpenter, I do whatever is needed from demo to trim whether it is carpentry or not.

I have enjoyed working with wood for as long as I can remember, though I have not often been good at it. Looking back, I wonder why it took me so long to figure out what I should be doing for a living. I'm just glad I finally did.

Welcome, Dave, - - cool story, - - yeah, definitely lots of jumpin' around there . . . :thumbsup:

kpwoodcrafts

· #16 · Oct 30, 2006

Hello All, I am a owner of a cleaning company, and when i have time I do woodworking do crafts outdoor furniture and do a little handyman

David

· #17 · Oct 31, 2006

Tom R said:
Welcome, Dave, - - cool story, - - yeah, definitely lots of jumpin' around there . . . :thumbsup:

Thank ya', Tom. I left out a ton of jobs I've done... (Electrician's helper, ironworker, sheet metal installer, etc..)

Drifter, that was me.

I look forward to maybe learning some things around here. I may not contribute much, but I will jump in when I have something worthwhile.

griffdecker

· #18 · Oct 31, 2006

Here's a career story for you -- I started life as a banker, was a senior manager in one of the biggest in the U.S. for 7 years, then worked as a process & efficiency consultant in banking for 3 years. One day my boss said today was my last day, they didn't have enough work for their business. Hmmm...

So I started doing remodeling to pay the bills until I found another banking job. Then went to Charleston, S.C. to remodel my parents' neighbors' condo, and everyone loved it, so I moved down here.

Now I renovate condos and homes on Kiawah Island, S.C., and finally have a chance to do some woodworking for money. Mostly mantles, but maybe some furniture someday. But I do it mostly for fun, but it's also a nice showpiece if any of my customers want a piece built for a villa/home I'm renovating.

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David

· #19 · Oct 31, 2006

griffdecker said:
Here's a career story for you -- I started life as a banker, was a senior manager in one of the biggest in the U.S. for 7 years, then worked as a process & efficiency consultant in banking for 3 years. One day my boss said today was my last day, they didn't have enough work for their business. Hmmm...

So I started doing remodeling to pay the bills until I found another banking job. Then went to Charleston, S.C. to remodel my parents' neighbors' condo, and everyone loved it, so I moved down here.

Now I renovate condos and homes on Kiawah Island, S.C., and finally have a chance to do some woodworking for money. Mostly mantles, but maybe some furniture someday. But I do it mostly for fun, but it's also a nice showpiece if any of my customers want a piece built for a villa/home I'm renovating.

O.K., you topped me on the carrer path deal. :thumbsup:

It's fun, isn't it? I can think of few things more satisfying than working all day and having something tangible to show for your efforts; something you can point to and be proud of. I did that.

DSHEA

· #20 · Oct 31, 2006

I was in the printing industry for 30 years and building furniture and cabinets in my home shop.
My woodworking started in junior high and has been a part of my life ever since.
Doug

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