Robert Robillard
Carpenter and Editor
"A full service renovation company sharing its knowledge and experience to share information and educate on remodeling best practices."
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| IN THIS ISSUE |
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What's new at Concord Carpenter?
JET and Powermatic Media Event |
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Engaging Our Youth
Insulating A Basement |
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Importance of Uniforms In Construction
Cool Tools and News |
LIKE Concord Carpenter on Facebook |
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What's new at Concord Carpenter?
Last week Ethan and I went to the JET / Powermatic media event in Nashville TN. Ethan covered ToolBoxBuzz.com and I covered Concord Carpenter. The event itself was great but the travel with Southwest airlines sucked! We were delayed 4 hours on each end.
At the event the bid winner was their new 14" band saw , see below for more information on this event.
This Wednesday Phil and I are taking the train to NYC to attend the Stanley, Black and Decker media event at the Westin Hotel. the event will showcase new releases from Stanley, Bostitch, Porter Cable and Dewalt.
Phil will be covering ToolBoxBuzz so keep an eye out on both Facebook pages!!
JET and Powermatic Media Event:
Jet and Powermatic are investing heavily in product development and
will be consistently bringing new tools to the market. Jet is positioned
to maintain quality and reliability for a good price point while
Powermatic will continue to develop new tools to stay on top of the
woodworking stationary tool market, in terms of quality, reliability,
and accuracy. READ MORE
Powermatic PM1000 Table Saw for 115 Volt
This is a fantastic mid-size option that runs on 115v power, is compact but has a nice full size 54" table [with an extension table] and a ton of quality features. This saw allows folks who want to have a Powermatic saw but have limited space or electrical power to get one. Nice idea - Watch my 1 minute video on this.
JET 14-Inch Band Saw, Model JWBS SF:
The big news with Jet is the release of a new 14" band saw on the day
of the conference. The JWBS SF band saw has a steel frame that is
very stiff and nearly every adjustment is tool free; Including guide
bearings, blade tension, belt tension, fence, and table tilt.
JET and Powermatic Engineers Unlocking the Subconscious Thoughts On Tools!
The engineering approach to these new designs is based on tapping
into the human subconscious thoughts on design. This is very similar
to theory discussed in Malcom Gladwell's award winning book " Blink," which talks about "thin slicing." The engineering team is trying to unlock the secrets of psychology in
the details of their tool designs and how to positively impress on a
persons first impression. You never get a second chance to make a good
first impression, right?
This current thought is to pay attention to the finest details like
gentle sweeps, variable champers, high quality handles and knobs,
quality coatings and logos as well as eliminating visible fasteners are
among the few. The old saying "I liked it the moment I saw it" is their
ultimate goal. READ MORE
Engaging Our Youth In The Trades
As a parent, I want what's best for my children, and for the past
twenty years a college education has been touted as the way to ensure a
well paying job and good quality of life.
But in the past TEN years, we've been reminded time
and time again that college does not ensure employment, let alone a job
that pays well.
According to the BLS, 72.6% of recent college grads were
employed and over a quarter-million Americans with a Bachelor degree or
higher are working in jobs paying minimum wage.
The overwhelming cost
of college has left our children with more debt then they are ready to
handle.
The common theme from the Product Managers and Engineer folks was to
expect to see new tools come to market yearly, to look to JET and
Powermatic to take a leadership role in the marketplace, they also plan
on doubling their investment in new product and development.
So
why is it that we as a society continue to heard our children into a
system that we know is expensive, unproductive, and doesn't guarantee a
good, stable job anymore? READ MORE
How To Insulate A Basement:
Ask any Home Improvement Contractor, best practices to insulate your basement should always include ridged foam.
Why? Because ridged foam does double duty, it can be used to create a
moisture barrier and stops mold from growing on your wall board - a very common occurrence with fiberglass insulation - wall construction. READ MORE
Concord Carpenter's Weekly Photo
While in Paris I watched some guys do maintenance and painting to this building. all of the buildings are connected, tall and with out closing down the street there is no room to put a ladder up.
These guys were using rope systems to suspend themselves to work on the front facades - very cool!
Dickies Clothing For Uniforms
My crew and I recently reviewed some of the Williamson-Dickie Manufacturing Company's, better known as Dickies, work wear and it gave me the opportunity to gear my crew up with a professional and functional uniform. You can see this review here, where I highlight the value of having a company uniform.
Exclusively in this edition of the newsletter, I'm going to share some professional tips to best take advantage of the uniform and make it work for you and your business. Additionally, I'll touch upon some of the things to prepare your employees with to maintain the integrity and you and your business.
Tip #1: Your uniform can be a calling card.
Take advantage of printing options when putting your logo and name on your shirts, work-shirts, and hoodies. Don't miss out on the chance to advertise your business and most importantly your CONTACT information. Your work and craftsmanship can draw the attention of neighbors, passers by, sub-contractors and project managers. You can lose a business card, but most likely your crew won't lose their shirts.
Tip #2: Establish your brand.
Most contractors use a consistent color in their promotional material. Continue this concept with your uniform, as long as your service is consistently good, your brand will become synonymous with quality. The uniform may seem like a minor detail with little to no return on investment, but consider the opportunities for referrals and additional work from your current customers. A $100 worth of shirts and work pants can easily become $10,000 of additional work.
Tip #3: Be clear about uniform policy and expectations for replacement/additional items.
The investment in uniforms should be treated like any other business decision, maintain the integrity of your brand and secure your bottom line. Don't let uniforms hurt your business with excessive overhead. My suggestion, welcome your new employees to your team with a free standard complement of uniform items. It is their responsibility to keep the shirts professional looking, not cut off the sleeves and to ask for replacements when their shirts have rips, tears, and holes. I provide shirts yearly as well as replace them as needed.
Tip #4: Hold your employees to a higher standard when representing your business.
The benefits of a company uniform can be unraveled by poor decisions from your crew while wearing your company shirt. It is paramount that your crew, and your foremen know the expectations of behavior and language when wearing your company's uniform. Here are a few simple rules.
- Watch your language.
- When not at work your uniform should not be used,
- Anything with your logo and name shouldn't be seen in a bar, at another company's job site (if your employees are employed by other companies or have their own side jobs), or at a political or controversial rally or public gathering.
Most importantly be sure these rules are enforced to protect your brand.
Tip #5: A T-Shirt can be a powerful marketing tool.
Thank important business partners or valuable clients by making them an honorary member of your team. At the end of a project or at the close of your work at a big job site recognize a key player in making your presence on the job possible or present a child or children of a client for being so patient during a renovation with an "official team member" shirt. This small act will leave your project managers and customers with a positive and memorable impression of you and your business.
Don't forget to check out the resources for creating a uniform that works for you and your business and read our other business tips and reviews at www.aconcordcarpenter.com.
Tool Stuff and Other Cool Articles!
DEWALT Launches New Corded Oscillating Multi-Tool - DWE315K
The Multi-Tool has become the professional contractor's go to tool
for quick, hard to reach, difficult, or previously impossible cuts.
DEWALT has thrown their hat in the ring after some serious research
and updates to multi-tool design with the aim of improving performance.
It's important to note that DEWALT did not rush into this race and
instead decided to do some market research and R&D homework. READ MORE
Milwaukee SHOCKWAVE Expand
The Milwaukee SHOCKWAVE Expand series brags that with their products
you can "DO MORE and CARRY LESS". The idea is built around magnetic bit
holders that allow you to switch out smaller bits that fit snugly into
the holder. With these space and weight saving concepts driving our
industry its no wonder Milwaukee continues to "expand" this line.
DEWALT Heated Jackets
DEWALT announced at the end of July they would be releasing a line of
battery powered heated jackets. With the recent release of Milwaukee's heated hoodies, its safe to say the competition is warming up between these two tool giants.
The DEWALT Heated Jackets run off of either the 20V MAX or 12V MAX
Lithium Ion batteries through a USB power source, which can also be used
to charge up to two electronic devices. READ MORE
RIDGID 10" Job site Table Saw
As a cabinet maker and carpenter I rely on my table saw to be the
work horse of my shop. I am accustomed to having a solid, stable,
powerful machine in the shop.
When it comes to being on a job site, I
need a similar preforming saw but portable.
Here's what we thought about the RIDGID R4510 portable, 10- inch table saw. READ MORE
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