Self-isolating? ... time to upgrade knowledge...

[PEG]

Hello,during the present and future downtime,folk may be experiencing,it is worth noting,that it presents an opportunity,to investigate some skill gaps,we may not usually have chance to fill.

It could be business related,or otherwise,and not limited to the keypad....in the past,i have explored many topics,from trade related stuff,to diamond cleaving or knot tying

There is usually,some post or other regarding pricing,customer info,business ethics,etc,and i have posted on such matters,in the past. It is generally a personal formulae,or spread of ideas,from varied members,old and young,and i always get the impression,a couple of posts,never really gets across, at least my understanding,of explaining my thoughts.

The other evening,i was passing the time,viewing a dude on youtube,called Robin Clevett. I have followed his videos for years,and he is a very capable,joiner and craftsman,with some cracking demonstration pieces.

He has teamed up with Roger Bisby,from Skills Builder,and done a series of similar vids,usual format,some good,some samey...

Anywho....there is one,Podcast#1 Quoting jobs and Price conditioning,which caught my attention,where they ramble on,in a pub,i think,about running a sole trader operation,and all the associated issues.

It is lengthy,and you would need to have that time spare...but what they both come up with ,encapsulates some of what i have tried to get across,during the many similar debates,here.

It won't be everbodies cup of tea,but,there is a lot of experience being drawn on,and some golden truths. The thinking,applies equally to many skilled trades,and is worth hearing.

When the current,nations trials,subside...and it will,there are going to be many failed and struggling outfits,who are going to have to hit the ground running. The ability to be ready for that,will separate the runners from the fallers

 

[pc1966]

What's Fortnite?

Some sort of computer game. I spend so much time with computers I really don't want to play with them as well!

 

[Zerax]

What's Fortnite?

You probably call it la deux semaines ?

 

[littlespark]

What's Fortnite?

2 weeks, as far as I know

 

[ruston]

Yep,the mentoring of youngsters,is a rewarding,if not trying,experience

I can remember my pals grandad,instructing me,in the arts of brush/barrow/shovel...mixing concrete by hand,and soldering.

My first introduction into painful monotonous work was at eight years old. It was lapping the valves of an old side valve head from an old Ford van belonging to my Dad. In the day a van picked him up along with other workers, but as most of them lived in outlying areas the pick up time put another hour each way to the journey, added to an already 12 hour shift.
The blisters soon healed up.

 

[UNG]

Yep,the mentoring of youngsters,is a rewarding,if not trying,experience

I can remember my pals grandad,instructing me,in the arts of brush/barrow/shovel...mixing concrete by hand,and soldering...

It was 10 to 30 years later,having handed out similar instruction to many,that i realised the true value of that mentoring.

I generally was up for having a go at any new skill,but the one i regret i dodged,was my great aunt's baking tutorials

She worked at a large,Jewish care home,and was a trained pastry chef...cold hands,apparently...her mince pies and Christmas cakes,were the stuff of legend...no recipe books in sight...Rayburn oven...should have got involved,instead of messing about,trying to get more revs,from her Suffolk Punch mower ?

My dad was a mechanic so I learnt how to take cars apart and rebuild them from about 5 years old, rebuilt an engine when I was 11. Got to learn lots of other practical things like plumbing, laying concrete, DIY from him as well
At secondary school a couple of the domestic science teachers started an after school cookery club for the lads, so for a couple of hours on a Monday we learnt to cook various meals, cakes and desserts in fact I was thinking of possibly becoming a chef back then but my other choice was electrician and that won, the problem now is I don't get that much time for cooking

A few years ago I was doing some jobs at my brother's day nursery and spent a couple of days teaching his nephew to solder the new pipework I was installing and how to fit sockets and light switches

 

[telectrix]

my dad taught me several things. 2 of which were: measure twice, cut once, and how to saw wood without bloodletting. t5hen how to attach a bandage made fron bog roll and gaffer tape.

 

[UNG]

A lot of the manufacturers have been doing some interesting online courses and webinars over the last few months.
Did a basic heat pump course online a couple of weeks back and have signed up to the second one at the beginning of October

 

[OnlQQker]

Most carpenters are unhinged.

 

[telectrix]

Most carpenters are unhinged.

most would not know a hinge (their elbow) from there arse .see how i did that... elbow-hinge.

 

[PEG]

I was talking to a twenty-something joiner,last week,told me he served his time and had done all aspects of site work....

He didn't know why an internal door had the hinges set 9" up,6" down...didn't know what a pair and a half,was...got all indignant,when asked how a hip roof,could change the choice of tile,in regard to minimum pitch...

I hope he had a spare loop,on his tool belt,next to his Estwing...about phone-sized - coz he never put it down

 

[Baddegg]

I met one the other week on a site, van full of festool, had to ask me, the pretend sparky,how to pitch a small roof ?