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Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 9:41 am
by Tony McC
lutonlagerlout wrote:i cant recall ever meeting a chipie who didnt think he was gods gift to the building trade
....when we all know it's streetmasons, really! 
Posted: Thu Nov 29, 2012 6:28 pm
by gonchy
the first year of my Apprenticeship was shuttering curved stair cases for large houses but dont do much anymore most is all precast the only time we still do it is for this lot
http://www.royalton.co.uk/collection
very nice houses
but do agree with most carpentry a nobrainer these days thats why i only do roofing nothing like seeing great stacks of timber transformed into complex roofs
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2012 10:06 am
by Tony McC
When I was around 21, I was running a job in Skem building a headwall for where the local river was culverted to run beneath the town. I hadn't much experience with concrete and formwork, so was relying on the tradesmen pretty much. I had a brilliant machine driver, a ganger who was reasonably familiar with gabions, a couple of good concrete-experienced labourers, a steel-fixer and a so-called formwork joiner.
After the first day, I had more or less figured out that the joiner was a bull-shitter producing shoddy work, and I'm the kind of muppet who cannot saw timber in a straight line, or knock in a nail without bending it.
The machine-driver told me about a mate of his from the pub who was a cracking shutterer, but could only work until about 2pm each day as the DTs got to him by then, and he had to get a drink. After 3 days with The Golden Saw, I decided to get shut and give the drinking joiner a chance: surely he couldn't be any worse?
Although he only ever worked until 12:30-1pm when we stopped for dinner, he did more in 4-5 hours than the other eejit managed in 3 days, and I learned so much from him in the couple of weeks he was with me. Almost everything I know about shuttering and formwork I picked up in that one fortnight.
When we did the pour, the formwork never budged a millimetre. When we struck the timbers and the guys from the council came to check, we were well within tolerance everywhere they measured. It led on to bigger and better things.
However, I always felt disappointed that Hughie, the joiner, could have been so much more, could have made a real success of his life and earned a really good living from his trade if only he had been able to stay off the drink. Fantastic talent being pissed against a wall. Such a waste.
Posted: Fri Nov 30, 2012 10:52 am
by henpecked
Ive met a few guys like that on site. I like to think its part of their genius. If they sobered up, they'd probably say 'what the f*** am I doing knee deep in snot?' :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 6:42 am
by haggistini
Nothing like a few scoops to ease the aches after a week on the setts!
Posted: Sat Dec 01, 2012 8:10 am
by lutonlagerlout
so right haggis
or the dirty pint as we call it round these parts
there must have been 30-40 donegal lads in the pub last night after work,all plasterers and floor screeders
tough accent to make out
the landlord has pretty much given up on his carpet,I'll get a picture when i can
LLL