On The Level - From High-School Shop Class to the College of Hard Knocks!

Published: Tue, 11/08/16

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On The Level - Straight advice from the pros
From the editors of Tool Box Buzz, Home Construction Improvement and A Concord Carpenter
Volume 64
 

Straight, Square and Smooth!!


THAT’S WHAT MY SHOP TEACHER USED TO SAY …

What he really should have been telling us is Level, Plumb and Square.

Although he taught us a lot in class, the real learning happened on the job and continues each day.

Experience is the BEST Teacher

Being successful with carpentry is mostly based on making the right decisions. One learns to make right decisions based on experience.  We gain our experience from past projects and making wrong decisions. Learning from our mistakes is truly one of the best teachers.

Plumb, Level and Square

Carpentry is not an exact science; it is a pragmatic approach to problem solving, building and repairing.  My experience has taught me that a few basic principles guide us on what will or will not work.  Plumb, Level and Square, is one of those principles.

There are many different approaches to building things. One can argue that some one’s method may enable them to arrive at a better, faster, nicer looking finished result than another persons method. But both methods still arrive at a finished product. 

Which one is better?

That depends if your building something for fun or if your in business to make money.

Carpentry is more than acquiring experience. It’s also confidence in your ability to solve problems, ultimately to get the job done. Arriving at an acceptable finished product.

For me, the best method is one in which I have fun, arrive at a superior product and get paid to do both!

​​​​​​​This newsletter is dedicated to the trades and being better!
 
 
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Jeff Williams
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Working with your hands might even be the secret to happiness.  But beyond this, carpentry is a skill which is always in demand.

With fewer and fewer people going into trades today, this means you can take advantage of this market gap while engaging your passion . . . 

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todd fratzel
Should You be the General Contractor?
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Will being your own general contractor save you money?

Will being your own general contractor save you time?

Will being your own general contractor get you the best products for less money?

These are questions I hear from home owners all the time.  Here's my thoughts....


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Phil Benivides
Engaging Our Youth to the Trades
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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.

The overwhelming cost of college has left our children with more debt then they are ready to handle.

And the college and university system has been criticized for their inability to prepare our children for a complicated and obstacle filled “real world.”

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Rob Robillard
Be A More Organized Contractor
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Is your business paper work chaotic?

Are you always late with proposals? 

Do you lose important paperwork?

Do you feel overwhelmed when it comes to paying bills, and other business paperwork?

Here are some some tips to be more organized. 

 

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Upcoming Head to Head Teaser Video

 
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Scott Arnold
Outsourcing Advice for Contractors
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As a small business owner I am often called upon to design, construct, finish and install custom bookcases, cabinets and fireplace mantles.  I recently realized that selling outsourcing is a realistic way to stay competitive and profitable in an environment where folks are constantly tire kicking and researching prices.

Should you outsource business functions or is it better to keep them in-house?  I feel strongly you should consider outsourcing, read this article to see how I use it to make me money.

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