I love lawyers!

[Nick Mitchell]

Wait! Let me explain :D

My wife works for a small (5 lawyers) but very high profile criminal law firm in Toronto. These guys are brilliant at what they do, are extremely succesful and I love them dearly. Why? because they are completely useless in anything that doesn't involve criminal law or golf :rolleyes: They are without a doubt my best customers.
I do mainly custom furniture but I also do a few kitchen jobs, renovations and some landscaping. I like the variety and anything that pays the bills is good for me.
My lawyer buddies can't screw in a lightbulb without help (not exaggerating) so that's where I come in.

Last night the wife comes home and tells me that one of the lawyers has just bought this massive (17'x15'x10') jungle gym playground for his young daughter and he wants to know if I'll pick it up, deliver it and assemble it for him. Well, of course I will! haha Now I know these pre-fab things can be an absolute nightmare to put together but I'll give it a go. So I called him this morning and in the midst of our conversation convinced him that he also needed to excavate aroung the playground and put in a sandpit and kiddie-pool. :cool:

So basically a small assembly job turned into a few days work at my normal shop rate. Plus while I'm there I can finally talk his wife into spending the $15k on the entertainment centre we've been talking about......which will hopefully lead into a full home theatre design and build...

When you find these good clients, do everything in your power to keep them, even if it means assembling their childrens toys for them :D

I guess this is kind of a gloat but i thought you all might find it funny

[Jim Becker]

You illustrate two important qualities that are important to anyone "in the business"...1) working referals...the best kind of business and 2) recognizing opportunities and capitalizing on them. Craftsmanship is hugely important relative to the quality of the end product, but without business sense, there will be no chance to use that crafstmanship. Bravo!

Don't they need a new conference table in their posh offices??? :)

[Keith Christopher]

Or if they need a nice mirror I'm always available. ;) Glad to hear about your successes !

[Dennis McDonaugh]

Nick, don't know if its can't do it or doesn't pay to do it. At $300 a billable hour and probably a 4 hour minimum they make a lot more doing their day job than its worth for them to change their own light bulb. We all face those same issues, although probably at a lower wage scale. Economist call it opportunity cost. That's my rationale for not changing my own oil. I can do it myself for $10-12 and then have to get rid of the old oil. I can pay someone else to do it for $20 and not have to worry about the oil. I do it at lunch and eat lunch while the oil is being changed and I haven't even lost the time. In your case it provides a nice payday now and maybe a better one later. Keep milking the cash cow!

[Nick Mitchell]

Jim, you're absolutely right. A man could be the best cabinetmaker in the world but without opportunity it's pointles$. However, repeat business doesn't happen if one produces crap. Both things have to be in place. Unfortunately they don't have a conference room, I'm working on selling them desks ;)

Keith, you specialise in mirrors?

Dennis, don't get me wrong, it most certainly is not worth it for these guys to do jobs like this. They work 14 hours a day 6 days a week and get paid handsomely for it. I completely agree with you, one has to weigh the cost of doing something oneself or paying for it. I know a couple of people who spend hours doing their own sharpening, for me it's not practical so I pay a pro to do it.

[Keith Christopher]

Keith, you specialise in mirrors?



Nick,


Not really, but I seem to make alot of them. ;)


Keith

[Bill Lewis]

Not to hijack this thread, but I change my own oil. :D I tried taking it out to do it, but got tired of either 1. taking too long 2. get a really messy job. 3. over or underfilling. 4. wrong oil specified.
The new 5 quart bottles work great, put the old oil back in the bottle, get a few together and take them to the recycling center.

[Russ Filtz]

More on the oil, here in Illinois I think it's a State law that any place that does oil changes has to take DIY oil for free! I use my empty huge cat litter plastic bottles. Holds about 2-3 oil changes worth before I make a trip. They also have to take use antifreeze as well.

[Dan McLaughlin]

I love lawyers too - I better :D . I'm married to one (although she doesn't practice law anymore -she is a webmaster for a State of New Jersey division) and my daughter is also a lawyer - she doesn't practice anymore either - she has a 3 yr old and a 1 yr old and rather stay at home.

[Chris Padilla]

Hmmm, Dan, did your wife/daughter make enough to "retire" from being attorneys or is there somthing else going on??? :rolleyes: ;) :p

Well, being a car addict, I tend to like/enjoy working on my own car and it is even better that it saves me money. Time? Dunno, but I enjoy it and that's enough.

For those of you thinking about changing your own oil, you might look into one of these babies:

http://www.mytoolstore.com/astro/asthan11.html#7815

I've been using one for several years now...works great and is just as effective as uncorking the oil pan despite what you might be thinking right now! If you are into bleeding your own brakes, get the tube below it and it'll keep that job very clean, too! :)

[Tyler Howell]

Hi Jack!!! How about built up sediment in the bottom of the oil pan ??? Can't imagine getting all that out by this method??

[Chris Padilla]

And you think it comes out via the cork hole? Not it my experience! :)

[Nick Mitchell]

Is this what happens when threads get bumped to the off-topic forum?

:rolleyes:

[RichMagnone]

As a lawyer and a weekend woodworker, I just want to remind all of you that you need wills and you should not do them yourselves!