Tips from pros on building a new shop

[Bob Riefer]

Nevermind, bad idea, sorry!

[Bob Riefer]

Sorry, nevermind, not trying to sell anything

[John A langley]

Bob. I'm a professional cabinetmaker. I've been on two other forums that were both professional. The professional forums, you can get some good information but there is a certain amount of sarcasm and degrading by some of the people. On this one, there seems to be an unwritten rule of politeness and congeniality. There is a great mixture from the professional all the way down to the guy who is just learning on this forum. Where the machinery and hand tool usage questions are answered by both professionals and hobbyists I get to see I really bad answer. I have seen some questions that were minute in nature become super analyzed. I also think that if you ask a question it is your responsibility to decide whether the answers you get are what you are looking for or are prudent. Also, if you submit an answer you cannot expect everybody to agree with you. I am learning on this forum that there is an awful lot of DIYers that build some pretty damn nice stuff. I do not mean these comments as criticisms, rather just observations. And I may be a minority of one in my thoughts.
I also watched your thread on saving the barn. Found it to be very interesting. I'm certainly not going to criticize anybody that hangs curtains in his shop! LOL

[Joe Bradshaw]

Bob, while I am not a pro in the building trades, I spent 21 years as a navy seabee(steelworker, diver). I have seen both good and terrible work by the pros, as well as good and bad work by the DIYers. It all boils down to whether you just want to get by or do the job right the first time.

[Stephen Cherry]

Actually, the small buildings that I have seen that were built by the owners are vastly superior to similar professionally built buildings.

Seen it many, many times.

[Bob Riefer]

Nevermind, sorry!

[John A langley]

Bob - I for one, was not trying to start an argument. I'm merely suggesting that there is a lot of good information on this forum from a lot of good people who have taken the time to study and learn either their trade or their hobbby and I, for one, value everyone's opinion. The only thing that drives me nuts are things like over-analyzing how much dust forms in a sawblade tooth. The two professional forums that I watch turn into p _ _ _ _ _ _ contests among over inflated egos.

[John A langley]

And Bob - might I suggest you become a contributor.

[Stephen Cherry]

And Bob - might I suggest you become a contributor.


Bob- it does look like you are trying to solicit business without paying the fee.

[Larry Browning]

My perception is that most of the members/contributors on SMC are hobbyists (myself amount them). Most of us pride ourselves in the quality of work we do. In fact, for some of us, the motivation to get into woodworking in the 1st place was that we couldn't find a "pro" that could build something as well as we could. Seems to me that a pro can sometimes be too concerned about making money and not about doing high quality work. I know that I am insulted if someone makes a comment something like: "That looks as good as store bought" or "A pro couldn't have done it better".
For me, your post implies that advice from your average SMCer is less reliable and not as good as someone who makes his living at it. I just don't think that attitude is what SMC is all about.

Just my opinion.

[Jerome Hanby]

I know what the OP is getting at, I just think he picked the wrong forums to introduce it. SMC seems to be pretty thoroughly self policed. Whenever some chuckle head (usually me) spouts off something silly, it gets jumped on and corrected pretty fast by the resident gang of experts. Maybe I'm just crrazy, but I think the bad ideas tossed out for consideration are almost as useful as the good ones. Seeing them quashed helps to keep me from going down that same road on similar problems that I encounter.

[Bob Riefer]

Totally not trying to solicit business, sheesh. Sorry guys, I wont cause a stir again.

[Jerome Hanby]

A spread out as we all are, I can't believe anyone thought you were trolling for customers...


Totally not trying to solicit business, sheesh. Sorry guys, I wont cause a stir again.typo

[Bob Riefer]

I thought I had established myself as a nice enthusiastic guy. I just thought some guys newer to construction techniques would appreciate the information. Oh well, didnt mean to cause any grief, it wont happen again. Signing off

[Stephen Cherry]

A spread out as we all are, I can't believe anyone though you were trolling for customers...


Jerome- if I see a thread from someone in a question-answer format about the ins and outs of post and frame construction, and they have their title as post-frame sales manager and where they work, I get the feeling that it is an attempt to attract business. I'm certainly not the moderator, but it is my impression that this is what the "friends of the creek" catagory of members is for. It's only 50 bucks, and it lets people know that you are associated with business activites.

Plus, it's not trolling, it's just engaging in the free market. It's a positive thing.

[Jim Andrew]

Can't imagine using this forum to get jobs. In my career, I never wanted to drive over about 20 miles to do a job. One way. But to get back to the title of this thread, imo, there are a few good builders, and a LOT of bad builders. Subcontractors fall into those same catagories. I always went out of my way to do a good job, only to have some crummy employee of a cheap sub come on the job and just make a mess of his work, and mine. And then let on like he was a "professional" and anything that went wrong was my fault.