[AMA] I am a professional construction carpenter. Feel free to ask me anything.

I’ve been working in construction for the past 11 years at this point with a few years before that in a part time role. I’m more than happy to lend whatever knowledge or insights I may have about work, life, or whatever.

I will be checking in sporadically to see if there are questions.

EDITED WELL AFTER QUESTIONS STOPPED: I’m still active-ish on Lemmy, so if you happen to find this and have a question, I will likely still get back to you.

vsh,
@vsh@lemm.ee avatar

Why not choose an IT role?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Always wanted the freedom to work outside, particularly out of an office. I’m the type of person who gets mentally bored from going to the same place day in and day out and doing similar tasks. I’d have been burned out in less than a year of dealing with the same people and the same problems. Once that happens my enjoyment for everything drops through the floor and I just become really unpleasant to the point that I’d likely lose the job.

Added bonus for doing a physical job is that I NEVER have a problem getting to sleep. I’ve had the same routine long enough at this point that I don’t even have an alarm set up for waking up, just one for when I’m supposed to hit the road.

The main issue at the moment is that the work is incredibly hard on the body. My knees are starting to feel rough, I’ve stressed a back muscle to the point of pain a few times this year, and I have developed the dreaded ‘dad bod’ from the muscles I do work. I had planned to transition into a supervisor role over the next 5 years, but that opportunity just floated away with the rest of the company. However, I am only about a year away from getting a bachelors degree and am likely going to go finish that up for engineering so that I can eventually shift out of the field if I’m unable to get into a supervisor role before my body REALLY starts getting upset at me.

Snapz,

I have a house in the Pacific Northwest built in 2000. For a relatively modern construction, was very surprised to not find a shutoff valve on the gas line behind our range? It’s just a straight pipe with a flexible hose going into the range. Is there any reason this would have happened? It’s a well built home otherwise.

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

New construction and some rehabilitations really frustrates me. I was just in a rental that had no water shut offs to anything besides the main. If it just isn’t in the code for the area, some unscrupulous builders will just forego common sense to save a few bucks. Adding one in thankfully isn’t all that hard, it’s just kind of frustrating that there isn’t one already there.

Snapz,

Thanks for the answer and for doing this thread in general. As it’s gas, I don’t think I can trust myself to DIY so it seems I’ll need to hire a professional for what sees like a fairly straightforward job, do you mind helping with a gut check on my expectations?

Feels like I’m looking at about $300 to have a professional come out for the following; shut the gas off at the main, remove existing connection, clean, add pipe dope or tape and the correct fitting with an inline shutoff valve. Then I’ll need to call gas company to have them come out to turn main back on and then will spray connection with soapy water to assure no leak. Is that more or less what’s ahead?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

It really depends on your area. I know that in my area I can call my gas company for things like this and they are willing to do the work for relatively low prices. I believe they charged me about 90 for a leak check and disconnection of a somewhat leaky and unused line. I wouldn’t imagine it would be to much more for a connection especially if you already have the shut off valve ready to go.

Snapz,

I actually didn’t think to ask gas co to handle the work, hopeful that there’s a path there. Thanks!

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

That one belongs to my wife. We’re getting a new washer/dryer soon and the gas line they removed was used for a gas dryer. I was fretting over the installation costs regardless of which style we got and she reminded me that our gas company will send out people to work. Last thing they want is damage to the gas line main in my neighborhood.

papertowels, (edited )

I have an old covered pergola that has roof leaks and subsequent rotted rafters.

My plan is to replace the roof to prevent further water intrusion, and as a part of that, remediate the rafters that are rotted.

As far as I can tell, remediation has 2 forms:

  1. Chip out rotted parts, use Bondo to replace
  2. Cut out the rotted section entirely, and put in a new section of wood, and… Affix the old parts to the new parts with…screws and a metal plate? Or maybe another piece of wood? Googling says this is called sistering, but I don’t know my way around carpentry.

I’m really iffy on the second one. One of the rafters has visible rotting and swelling about halfway through, so I don’t think Bondo will do the trick there and I’m at a bit of a loss as to what to do.

Any insight or advice would be appreciated!

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar
  1. depending on weather, bondo isn’t suggested for much more than surface issues because it doesn’t shrink/expand at the same rate as wood, so if you have cold winters and hot summers it’s a very temporary fix. Wood filler would be better.
  2. If the damage has extended more than halfway through the material, it should be replaced. Sistering is an option, but honestly for something visible (as opposed to floor joists underneath the floor), that doesn’t end up looking very good. It may be possible to replace the entire length of lumber so that it just looks a bit newer than the others. It really depends on what you want and how much work you’re willing to have done. Most pergolas I’ve seen would be able to have a few sections removed without becoming structurally unsound.

As with all things I’ve said in here, I am not to be taken as the ‘final word’ on anything you’re experiencing, as there are always situations and particulars that I’m not familiar with and someone who can be there in person would be much more able to tell you your options.

papertowels,

100% understand the disclaimer, you don’t even have a picture to go off of.

Replacing the rafter is def the right thing to do, I’ll see how feasible that is once we take the roof off.

Thank you for your time and insight!

Mcballs1234,
@Mcballs1234@lemmy.ml avatar

What’s a high quality wood to build a media rack?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Pretty much anything under the label of ‘hardwood’ is what you’d likely want. Honestly you don’t even need that for something like a media rack, but if you’re willing to pay for some nice wood, it can really add something special to the space it occupies. As for which one you’d want, that’s entirely up to you. Maple and Cherry and lighter colored, ebony and walnut are darker, and there are plenty of everything in between. There are also plenty of interesting grain patterns that you can look over that can really make a piece pop. Burled wood like this doesn’t have a uniform grain, but instead looks like the wood has waves or bubbles running through it and depending on the piece can look absolutely amazing.

AA5B,

How do you ask for something atypical? I need to have a door mounted but keep getting dismissed to call a handyman. If it were that simple I would have done it years ago. I have a steel frame embedded in concrete, so is that even still a carpenter? It’s actually an interior door and I have a door that matches the older style in the rest of the house, but needs to be tweaked to fit, as does the frame. Who do I even call and how do I get them to take it seriously?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

There are a few sad reasons why you’re having issues getting someone and why they keep pushing you to get a handyman. 1. It’s a small job that is tedious to do and requires just enough expertise that most general carpenters don’t really want to mess with it. 2. It’s a short enough job that whoever you’re talking to would see it as a loss for income on the day. They cannot justify pricing out mobilization, travel time, etc for a maybe 2 hour job. Depending on how much it needs to be tweaked, any handy person with a couple tools should be able to handle it but because of the perceived issues with the job, many will flat out deny it.

Door work is one of the most tedious because it’s immediately apparent if something is slightly off. You’re putting a rectangular block into a rectangular hole, any small defects are VERY accentuated by the nature of it, which is why many people do not want to get involved with a door that needs tweaks. (which is one of the things I’ve been dealing with at work this past week. Welded steel frames in plastered walls and just having to make the door fit… no matter what shape the frame has moved itself to.

AA5B,

Definitely one of my concerns - whether it needs welding and whether a carpenter is the right person

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

While there are plenty of folks who are skilled in those and are also carpenters, this sounds like one of those jobs you would need to have a good amount of pictures and a description and put it on some odd job website to see what kinds of offers you can get and for what type of work they are willing to do.

weeeeum,

Do you think carpentry is a worthy skill to invest in learning for purely utility (repairing your own house or building the occasional shack).

I’ve been thinking about learning carpentry to be able to fix and modify my own house due to issues with contractors and the cost. Additionally it’s a nice back up in case I get laid off or my current trade is somehow replaced/obsolete.

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Being handy in general is a wonderful skill to have. From doing simple household tasks like changing out a light fixture to doing minor (or even somewhat major) plumbing work and just being involved in all the bits and pieces of working on buildings really opens up opportunities to save a ton of money on random little things that would otherwise be quite expensive.

AgnosticMammal,

Being able to assess whether if a job is worth investing in a tool or hiring a contractor to do it is good too.

I hired a handyman for $50 to cut a big tabletop in half longways when I could have just bought the same tool for the same price.

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

In some places there are even things called ‘Tool Libraries’ where you can rent out whatever kind of tool you’d need for a job. Which can save even more over just buying it.

Though if you wanted a perfectly straight cut, there are specialized tools for doing just that which cost quite a lot more than just $50.

illah,

The contrast to this is knowing how to use the tool well and the difference between a $50 and $500 tool. Sometimes the cheapest version of a tool wielded badly is a lot more expensive than a pro with the high end version. Not to mention filling up a garage with things used only once years ago!

weeeeum,

It sort of sounds like a joke but I have already encountered being “too useful”. I work and specialize in computer repair. I work on the hardware and electronics which also apply to many other things so I find myself fixing remotes, mice, coffee machines and even the dishwasher. Additionally I am capable of doing IT work on the software side too. I can also cook pretty well too.

What all of this has cumulated to so far is being bugged for absolutely EVERYTHING. My mom has nagged me about things from, logging into email, 2 factor authentication, cracked screen, broken remote, stuck espresso machine, hanging a painting, cooking something, building her computer, setting up her desktop short cuts and managing all the passwords for her different accounts. It drives me crazy but also I want to avoid the hassle of getting a contractor to come over and charge 200$ for a 20 minute job. Or some hack from geek squad charging 100$ to set up some icons on the desktop.

Unrelated note but geek squad ALWAYS upsells you on everything. A setting accidentally disabled in windows? Well now they’ve got to install McAfee or Norton and probably a VPN too, oh and throw in an arbitrary password manager to squeeze another 500$ out of you. Now this is a fairly rare and egregious scenario but it’s always stuff like this that makes me avoid getting work done by others. It’s rarely as simple as “fix my cabinet hinge” and often the problem is exaggerated. Instead of replacing a 10$ hinge they’ve convinced you for a full remodel, cause “those are all on their way out anyways, might as well go for a full makeover”.

I know I’m ranting at this point but this sort of attitude has convinced my mom to pay for so much random work she doesn’t need. She almost paid like $10,000 for a new garage door, motor, and install because the little rubber installation was breaking down. I begged on my hand and knees that she didn’t need this and that the 20 year old garage is fine, just replace the rubber trim and thankfully she listened. Another contractor we had could do it and it was only 100$, including materials. Another time she bought this $1400 laptop because she was convinced she needed the best one and the one she had was 4 years old (it was HD IPS screen, touch screen Thinkpad with SSD and built in pen). She got it but barely notices any difference because it has the same features and the loaded quad core i7 doesn’t friggin do anything cause she just uses the damn thing for email. It’s literally my fucking career to work on and build computers and she doesn’t listen to me 🤦.

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

There are a lot of predatory types out there who are all too willing to go way above and beyond anything that’s needed to pad the bill. It’s really frustrating to hear stories like that from all of the various specialists. Whether its mechanics, handyfolk, or IT repairs… there are way too many who will happily overcharge for a simple fix because they can see a chance to get paid.

thenewred,

Do you prefer frame or finish/trim?

What’s something you do to help the next guy in the process?

Coskii, (edited )
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

I like it all tbh. There’s something to be said for putting up walls, joists, and the roughs of a building, but it’s also enjoyable to spend some time getting a bit more precise for finish work and making all the various joints fit together seamlessly. And seasonal changes are always a factor too. At the moment I’m doing mostly finish work on the job, being indoors with most things ready to go and the heat turned on. Sadly, it’s not going to last for the whole winter, so I’m going to get whatever work will come to me after this comes to an end.

Edit: Realized I didn’t answer the second part. For finish work there isn’t much of a next guy on that work, but I generally try not to finish nail the ever loving mess out of my trim so that the painters have an easier time with their work.

But for framing… There are SO many things. The single easiest and most important thing on a wooden building is crowning your lumber when applicable. It doesn’t take very long, but it saves so much time and effort from everyone after you, and can extend the life of a floor pretty significantly. It helps walls align more nicely from stud to stud, and just makes things nicer… The other main thing is a no brainer, but checking everything for plumb, level, and square before locking everything in place is a timesaver in many ways. Other smaller stuff is making sure that all surfaces have nailers for the next layer, which is much easier for a framer to put in than the poor rocker who may only have a screw gun.

Nugelz,

Rank in order: painter, plumber,.electrician, deckhand, roofer, carpenter.

whoisearth,
@whoisearth@lemmy.ca avatar

Plumber, electrician, roofer, carpenter, deckhand, painter

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Nah. Each part is integral to getting the job done (though deckhand is generally a different type of job altogether).

For example while I can paint I can’t do it nearly as efficiently as an experienced painter. Same is true for each of the trades. I can do a decent amount of each of those trades but when it comes to certain more advanced topics, I’ll gladly let a professional come do the work.

shinigamiookamiryuu,

Can we each ask you more than one question?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

I don’t see why not.

shinigamiookamiryuu,

What’s the highest elevation your work has taken you?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

above sea level I have no idea, but one of my previous jobs a few years ago was the roof of a 9 story building. That was a hot summer job.

shinigamiookamiryuu,

Do you love or hate heights?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

I’m fairly indifferent to them provided there are safety measures in place.

Put me on the side of a cliff naked, I’m not going to like heights very much, but with the proper safety gear it’s just like working anywhere else only a few extra steps needed to not randomly die.

shinigamiookamiryuu,

What has been your favorite place to do work on?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

My favorite thing to work on are private homes. Either rehabs or fresh builds. There’s something personally satisfying about building something where people are going to have the most important memories of their lives. Whether it’s first time homeowners, or a new family settling into a larger house to grow their family.

surewhynotlem,

No. Thank you for your question.

shinigamiookamiryuu,

Thank you, thank you bows to audience

massive_bereavement,
massive_bereavement avatar

Do you have to fix other people's DIWhy? If so, what's the number one "repair" that you get to repair?

Thanks for the AmA

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Generally I get to clean up some other carpenters issues most of all. I’ve completed work that someone else has started more often than just getting to do the work from start to finish. Either they were not doing things well enough, quickly enough, or and most often, taking advantage in both time and money of the person they are working for. I’ve heard of some tradesmen making really crazy aggressive comments when being let go. One of the people I worked for had told me that when she let the previous guy go, he made it a point to inform her that he had an open carry license.

As for the type of work… Poorly installed floors, drywall, and doors are the most common.

Blackout,
Blackout avatar

I want to extend my garage another 15 feet deeper so I can fit a cnc machine and wood tools. Do I really need an engineer to make plans for this or can I do it on my own with AutoCAD? I have experience in construction and foundations, I wouldn't do it myself if it was a part of the house but I also don't want to spend $30k+ having someone else do it. I can guarantee you what I will build will be a far better job than the original builder did.

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

At the very minimum, it’s a good idea to check the local laws and regulations for expanding your garage. Most people can get away with interior improvements without needing much in the way of official documentation, but something as overt as adding 15ft on the back of a garage gets noticed. It’s always a good idea to make sure you have yourself covered in any situation.

Shellbeach,

Thank you for your AMA. I just moved to a new country with my elderly mother and there is so much to do in the house, things from building an entire kitchen, cleaning the gutters, to figure out where the freaking switch of a light is. I’m pretty handy but never to the level of a professional. People like you are so precious and difficult to find. Thank you for doing what you do. Sorry, I’m a bit overwhelmed, oversensitive, and tired AF ATM. Buy really, thank you. I wish I had someone like you in my life

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Thank you, and I hope you’re able to find someone in your area that is able and willing to help you with your mother’s house. It can be very overwhelming at first, but the most important part of any job to is get priorities together and break it down step by step so it becomes manageable.

l_b_i,
@l_b_i@yiffit.net avatar

How did you get into it?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

I had a neighbor who was a carpenter and was willing to give me a job for a bit. I spent a lot of time doing very minor things, most of which had very little to do with carpentry. After that I applied for a decent amount of carpenter airbrush jobs online, though most wouldn’t accept my previous experience.

So I ended up taking a practical test at the local union apprenticeship school and managed to do well enough to get asked to join.

tun,

My family home needs a lot of furnitures (book shelves, study table, bedside table or cabinet)

Do you have tips for me?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Second hand items are a marvelous resource. I can’t compete with anyone who are just looking to offload a house full of furniture.

Hyperreality,

So very true.

Here in Europe, the large old stuff is incredibly cheap. I recently bought a 17th or 18th century full oak wardrobe. The screws it did have were all hand made. Next to no screws, all splints(?) and stuff like that. Don't know the English terminology.

But it's dark wood and large. Scares people off. They also don't realise antique cupboards are very often easier to take apart than Ikea furniture. Paid just 100 Euros/dollars.

Also bought a family member a 19th century nutwood veneer antique beidermeier style cupboard. Once again, large cupboard. Almost flawless. Seller had previously tried to sell it for a few hundred, but no one wanted it. Bought it for thousands back in the day. Desperate to get rid of it as they were downsizing. Too large for the flat. 30 Euros. Absurd really.

The only problem you do occasionaly run in to is woodworm, scrapes and moisture. Obviously I avoid woodworm, but scrapes and moisture are something I've learnt to deal with. Polish, beeswax, etc. But that really scares people off, because they don't realise how resistant high quality wood is to damage, and how easy it is to fix with some dark wax and elbow grease. They're used to Ikea flatpack MDF crap. Do they even use MDF? Last time it was even cheaper and thinner crap.

Only disadvantage is how fucking heavy some of it is. Especially the oak stuff. Really does your back in. The wardrobe I mentioned earlier must have inch thick oak doors. The doors alone are almost 6 foot heigh.

qdJzXuisAndVQb2,

Ikea filling is quite literally sometimes cardboard: Ikea Linnmom desktop (€13)

grue,

I’ve been using one of those cardboard desk tops for over a decade now. It’s sagged in the middle just a little bit and the surface has some bubbles from condensation on my drinks over the years, but it does still do the job. Kinda impressive for how cheap it is, TBH.

grue,

I’ve got a solid-wood, antique (circa 1930s, I guess), huge built-in pantry/cupboard (4’ wide, 8’ high, drawers on the bottom third and shelves with glass doors above) that I found on the side of the road for free because the owner of the house it was originally installed in just didn’t want it anymore for some reason. It’s crazy what folks throw out these days.

I’m lucky I own a utility trailer (which was also free: I bought a used car private-party and the seller insisted I take it too), or I’d have never been able to get it home.

illah,

Besides the usual hammer, power drill, basic hand tools, duct tape, etc, what are a few tools or items everyone should consider having around the house?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

It’s not really a ‘carpenter’ thing, but a decent pair of channel locks are great for many things.

Toothpicks are also something most people don’t think about, but they can be wonderfully useful for when you have unscrewed pretty much anything as a filler to make sure the screws grab.

I’ll edit if I think of other unconventional items that are good to have on hand.

BolexForSoup,
BolexForSoup avatar

Maybe this is a dumb question, but how does a toothpick help you with that?

Coskii,
@Coskii@lemmy.blahaj.zone avatar

Way too often in older homes (and honestly some newer materials like cheap doors) are prone to having the screws tear out enough material that they aren’t able to grab properly when you attempt to reinstall them. So a few toothpicks and elmer’s glue (or wood glue if you’re feeling fancy) placed into the hole before screwing things back together really helps keeps things together.

BolexForSoup,
BolexForSoup avatar

Ahhhh for some reason I read it as it would help the screwdriver grip a stripped screw. You’re talking about the other side of things. That makes total sense, thank you! Never thought to try that.

BolexForSoup,
BolexForSoup avatar

Swap out your duct tape for gaff tape, I haven’t gone back in the 15 years or so since I discovered it.

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