Forum for proffesoonals?

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I would say to be classed as a proffesoonal you must own at least 3 Festools and a M class dust extractor.........

There are lots of very skilled people who are not professionals, for example joinery is my living but I have never edge straightened a board with a hand plane and would struggle to do so, to someone without access to machinery this is something they do all the time without a problem (I am ashamed to admit on here that I only own 2 hand planes, a no 4 and block plane). Nearly everything I make is using machinery and power tools so my hand tool skills never get much practice.

Regarding pricing I always think it is something you need to work out for yourself. Only you know what your business costs to run, what your overheads are, how long it will take you to do something, what your material costs are and how much you need to make at the end of it. No point in basing it on someone else's price as their circumstances might be different.
 
Doug71":flcwttg8 said:
I would say to be classed as a proffesoonal you must own at least 3 Festools and a M class dust extractor.........

Regarding pricing I always think it is something you need to work out for yourself. Only you know what your business costs to run, what your overheads are, how long it will take you to do something, what your material costs are and how much you need to make at the end of it. No point in basing it on someone else's price as their circumstances might be different.

I made a comment previously in the thread about pricing that I hope made no bad reference to CornishJoinery personally though reading it back it could be taken out of context. It was not intentioned that way at least but I think Doug has it on the head here.
Again forgive me, I'm not in the trade but i am on the tools. I make my money by being efficient and knowledgable, experienced and fast. Then there's the HSE etc. 6 monthly LOLER certs. The paperwork, Rams, all that. Then there's 'client management'. One gang on my firm has constant issues getting on jobs, getting work signed off etc because the guy that runs it antagonises every f*****r involved in the process from security to the building managers. I take the way of water. They send my bosses emails saying how nice we are. :wink:
It ain't hard to work out really. Its human dynamics, call it what you will. It's knowing how to give other people what they want (or think they want O:) )and still get what you want. It's not been going on for long. Only all of Human History.
Personally I get the need or desire for a professional only forum. I don't think this it it thankfully but I can see the need for it.
There's one for rope access workers called Rigg Access. I have been a member for near 20 years. It's full of blowhards and tryevenharders. I keep clear. These days they all wear fingerless gloves and mirror shades and pay extra for all black kit lmfao. Mate if you wanted to be in the SAS there's a way to do that.... its not working on windturbines in Holland mate.
Not for a moment suggesting any related websites are similar.
Here's a thing.
Just had my loft done.
Cold winter. Good guys.
Swapped the work between them, they all share jobs (in different areas not just my house) and help each other out. Good stuff. Paying family rates so yeh I'm patient. Most days I'm up there after work to help but I stay very quiet unless the dung has hit the fan. Worked on building sites etc half my life. Mostly it works pretty well.
We get to second fix and it's quiet for a couple of days. Everyone else has gone to another job.
Get chatting to the joiner. Good lad. He knows I have a bit of a daft hobby right and so far he has done every single thing with a power tool. Time and money.
He goes to cut the hinges and he gets out out chisels.
Are you not going to rout them I ask in genuine interest?

Ah no he says. My Dad always said you should cut hinges by hand.
Do you not have the jig?
No really he says.
Ok.
So then here's the bit that baffles me.
He gets his chisels and Im watching him right but I'm trying not to look like I'm watching him because I'm plumbing in the shower or whatever and who need someone looking over you.
And he gets this tiny sideways back and forth type chisel sharpening gizmo out and starts rubbing it like hes trying to make the first ever fire.
I'm stood there.
WTF?
Lou. What are you f*******g doing mate?
Im sharpening my chisels. These were my dad's chisels.
I would think they were if you're sharpening them at that rate mate.
Lou, come and have a look round my shed mate.

An hour later we have all his chisels done on the ultex cheapo diamond stones.
He spends the next half hour laughing quietly to himself as he cuts wood cleanly with properly sharp tools for the first time ever.
Good joiner mind, nice bright guy.
We can always learn summat new eh?
Cheers now
Chris
 
I used to love buying tools as a weekend warrior! Now I work for myself I hate spending on tools. I especially don't like spending on unnecessary tools.
It soon becomes apparent that clients have no imagination and just want the same as next door. Pricing things is an instinct. Be ready to lose some jobs on price. I make nearly as much on supply as labour. I look at the wonderfully complex pieces I made as a weekend warrior. Then look at the mdf built ins i make now. The difference is in scale definitely not in skill. I made a nest box with sides joined like a biscuit barrel and turned. The roof was much trickier having to be long grain to glue it was like a cone when it was turned all in cedar. Couldn't sell them for a profit for £200! All weekend warrior work.
 

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