This can be about anything that comes to your mind but other posts got me to thinking on this one .
I mentioned not long ago theres not that many 50 yr old roofers and certainly not too many 50 yr old framers . I used to climb 40 foot ladders for a living painting big homes and later on I hung 12 ft 5/8 drywall. I used to lay a lot of heavy native stone .
I visited a truckers site for a year and found out thats where a lot of 50 yr old people go that was doing somthing in their life that was harder physically. Thats why I went there .
In a thread I just left I spoke of a friend that lost his wife and found his income wasnt enough. I have another friend that I worked with quite A BIT thats driving a school bus.
Since Ive had some success buying property in the rough lately I thought I would buy a backhoe that also has pto and three point lift which I posted a thread on it. Mostly what was on my mind was another easiar job I could do for the next 10 yrs or so.
I think Ive really been blessed and Ive had the luck of that three legged dog they call Lucky. I know some of you are probably cancer survivoirs . If you are you know what I mean. Your still here .
My Dad used to ask me if I was picking my jobs and I wasnt but I am now . I choose different battles .
IM thinking about whats wrong with yall after your accidents and injuries . Im thinking right now just how many friends went down over the years workin in the trades and changed professions . Ive seen a bunch go from like framers to finish carps and such. MOst remodelers have been around that Ive known.
A little girl wrote a letter to her Father some time ago and one question she asked ;
Daddy, where do rodeo cowboys go BEFORE they die ?
Seems she had been watching rodeos and she didnt see any one past 30.
Ive had the same questions over tradesmen over the years . So many are like leaves every year . IN the spring , they are out in full numbers but by late fall they wither and start blowing away. By winter they are long gone . Thats what I noticed from painters years ago. I used to wonder where they went . How were they making a living ? I knew they were alive but they were gone.
I was trying to remember the other day where all the familar names I knew went in the trades around here. I dont remember so well anymore when it comes to names but I sure dont remember where they went , if I even knew .
I saw a western the other day where a guy was talkin that he had worked with a lot of trail hands but not for very long at a time. Always a new bronco commin in camp. What happened to the old one ? Oh he wasnt old at all but hes gone just the same .
You ever get to thinkin?
Tim
Replies
Good morning Tim.
For me it has involved doing a of more office work, managing and designing, one of which I hate and the other I love.
Mentally when I am doing physical work, I still find myself setting my daily goals based on what I used to be able to do. Like yesterday, I sanded a floor with a rented sander, starting about 5:30AM, then took the machine back, eating on the way, and was going to stain the floor last night, but on the way home I hit the wall.
Came home, did a couple BT posts, ate dinner and fell asleep.
I just don't have the stamina I used to. But that floor will still be stainedbefore the crew gets there at 8:30, then I give them instuctions for the daay, and I come home again to the office stuff.
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I've wondered what happened to some of the guys I knew. Most worked in construction for a lot of years. Some of them can't work now due to injuries.
I grew up on a small dairy farm. We logged in our "spare" time. When I finally quit milking cows I worked in a stone quarry. Then my own excavation co. (residential). Then 12 years ago went to State DOT for snow and ice season - still there, now a supervisor (still physical work but more responsibility !)
Eight more years and I'm retireing from there. Hoping to still be able to function to move into trim carp.
I just finished building my cabin and various outbuildings mostly by myself and I'm 64......framed post and beam well into my fifties.....then built furniture......now I'm looking for something to do.......maybe a tree house on the hill where I can go and smoke pot and meditate on an acorn....definitely at least a p&b carport for my wife (or I'll be living in the tree house)
This is no brag, but I have seen men think it's all over when you hit 50......that's BS.
You NEED to keep it going....to get it up.....
No, I'm not a tough guy, I just exercise a lot....and pizz and moan even more, Take the pain and do what you love till you collapse.
There are fast carpenters who care..... there are slow carpenters who care more.....there are half fast carpenters who could care less......
This is no brag, but I have seen men think it's all over when you hit 50......that's BS.
JJ's right.
I screwed up my back solo-hefting 90 lb sheets of particle board for too many years. Well, maybe it was the 125 lb sheets. Anyhow, I had to change a bit. Box-building isn't very interesting so that's happily retired.
Today I'm expecting a 70 yo friend (I'm not quite 60) up to cut beams with a chainsaw mill. He needs a pair of 30' beams and I've got a nice log. Needless to say we aren't going to pick it up, one of us on each end. One of the nice things about necessity is it forces you to think.
Can't do what you once did? No problem, work smarter.
I lost a whole summer from hauling beams off a bandmill a few years ago, before I understood how to respect my not-what-it-used-to-be back. We won't have any injuries today. Nor will we when we raise this post&beam carport for his Airstream. I tried to talk him into a steel structure, but he wanted wood. He's long admired my solo-built 2 story p&b lumber shed. PAHS Designer/Builder- Bury it!
I turned 49 this year and there has been some kind of mental shift, but I'll keep on keepin' on.
It is a little strange when I'm hanging rock with some kid that wasn't born when I was settling down at thirty.
And I recently found out that I am considered the grouchy old guy by some of the 30 somethings in our company, that's ok by me. Someone has to keep these guys in line. ; ^ )
Mooney's post got me to thinkin' about the old Kirk Douglas movie "Lonely Are The Brave", one hell of a movie. I hope I can adapt better than that. Mike
Trust in God, but row away from the rocks.
Ive got so many projects I forgot what they were . A feller woulda thought Id be done by now . The wife wants to build another cabin. One she designs . I think Im in trouble again. She helps my memory on the projects so I dont have to worry.
Tim
I have found that most people who hire people who know less than they do, do it to save money (you) or because they don't feel secure in being the boss unless they are the most knowledgable on the site.
I am willing to pay good money as long as I can mark it up and be competitive. And I don't care if someone knows more than I do because I believe the strenght I bring to the table is the ability to organize it, sell it, strategize it, collect it and close it. In other words the ability to run the show. I always felt that way as a commercial maintenance engineer or supervisor.
I am more settled behind the desk than I used to be. And I find the business aspect more challenging than ever. I am looking for another small business to buy now. We'll see. Maybe I can be a Mr. Tim 2 some day lol. DanT
I dont mind hiring someone that can handle the job as long as the numbers match as you mentioned. My problem is Ive got a tool trailer and the knowledge already plus a shop full of equipment . When I do the numbers for me to handle it that normally lets the other people out . They cant compete with my prices. <G>
On the other hand theres work they can do I cant or get out of cheap help. The funny part about this subject is drywall. Im going to hire a hanger after all these years. Just remember that any time you give work to a sub hes going to make a profit thats above his cost. My costs are usually below his unless hes go equipment and knowledge I dont have and then the job is his to do. I could not compete with him in that case. I cant do mechanical in town because of inspections as far as changing systems . I can repair or replace fixtures . So the licensed folks get to charge me their profits but I dont like it . <G>
While Ive got your attention;
In rehab work there is only so much a carp say can do there . Not much really. Theres more for say a painter but thats limited also. Its hard to mix the same person to carp and paint much less twist wrenches and refinish floors say. Youve been there and done it . You know the problems . Youve got a carp standing there and you need a tub removed and a sink replaced. You can pay a carp to do it but do you want to? Sure tomorrow when it quits raining or the next day you have a deck to build and a set of steps to build. Meanwhile hes kept on the payroll ? Meanwhile he doesnt know how to wire a switch or unclog a drain. If I could find someone that could do all that with out bitching Id hire them. What good does it do to pay more money and the guy comes back and asks how to do it and I end up showing him anyway. You really want to send him to the next house and finish drywall but he doesnt know how .
Tim
Let's see, Mooney posted at 3:25am, Piffin at 4 something after sanding a floor and readying to stain.
snork* You guys ain't hurtin'! Whatta want? To be 19 again?
I think jj said it best "Take the pain and do what you love till you collapse."
That's going in the BT Quote thread.View Image
It is possible to invent a house still more convenient and luxurious than we have, which yet all would admit that man could not afford to pay for. Shall we always study to obtain more of these things, and not sometimes to be content with less? Shall the respectable citizen thus gravely teach, by precept and example, the necessity of the young man's providing a certain number of superfluous glow-shoes and umbrellas, and empty guest chambers for empty guests, before he dies?
-Thoreau's Walden
I'm thinking I'll die of a heart attack before letting a younger man outwork me. This only applies until more than 20 years older than me, after that they're pups.
My injuries weren't work related, but still injuries I guess. My stamina is less than it used to be. Now my right shoulder isn't what it was by a mile. So it really is just re-directing my efforts.
Like Piffin said I do more managing, organizing, book keeping etc. Occasionally I am out in the field but not much. It is depressing to be there teaching the young guys how to do a particular skill only to have them learn it and pass you up in one day. But overall it is just how you view it I guess. I am grateful for the success and to be working with my son.
As you get older I believe you simply view things differently. Piffin (good source of wisdom) said the floor would be there and be done in the AM. He is right. But at 30 I wouldn't have believed it. Now I know that tommorow will bring another oppurtunity to do something that didn't get done today. So in some cases the lack of stamina isn't all what it is cracked up to be.
Ordered a new truck today. That was fun. So there are good moments! DanT
Your post brought on somthing I would like to share and I never have shared it with anyone before , not even Robbi.
I guess from the construction side we can hire different guys with different talents. We can also hire young ones that dont have any developed talents. When I run a job I always ask my self the question for each task; Do I want to do it alone , with my kid, from a laborer, or to someone that knows what they are doing with out me ? Of course the choices change all the time as the tasks change. My Dads desire and he always stated it that he wanted to hire someone that knew more than him so he could learn. He was a master at sevral things and I could never imagine what he was looking for but still the same he didnt like to teach. Even me or should I say mostly me . He didnt have the patience and I was probably an unruly student .
My fun is hiring people that dont know what to do . Mebbe cause IM so cheap which got me started . I like to watch their progress. I also can use my knowledge and tools to direct them and get the job done . Ive been working two of them lately but it always seems to be someone different with another job. I let them do the work and I keep them busy with tools , materials , and instructing. Im normally the cut guy and things that let me stand on the ground. They really make it an easy job for me as I dont tackle much of the work unless Im needed . Its worked out pretty well since I do a lot of different things . I cant hire anyone that knows all those tasks anyway. Seems everyone now is specialists .
The thing I was wanting to share for the first time is these guys call me Mr. Mooney. Now maybe yall are used to it or even expect it I dont have a clue . Ive told them my name is Tim but they persist. This has happened with several different ones . I wasnt ready for this and havent accepted it as of yet . I keep thinking , do I seem that old to them? Somthing to look forward to or should I say not to. Since its a form of being polite and a showing of respect to an older guy, I havent made a big point over it . Although Id rather be Tim.
Tim
I've just followed my basic plan, something that I decided on in my twenties. Work, learn and build for myself, as my side work. Nothing complicated or very original in that concept. Yet I haven't had to do hard physical work since I turned fifty. That was part of the plan, based on what older tradesmen told me then about wishing they could reduce the load as they got older.
Buy a building lot and build a house to live in, add on to it as money becomes available. Look for other building lots to buy for future projects, particularly as early retirement work. Use equity wisely, always looking for investments which appreciate on their own.
The captial gains credit on the sale of primary homes is such a powerful incentive, it's hard for me to understand why it's not a source of continuous conversation among tradesmen, particularly carpenters.
Why not use my insights into the housing market to buy ahead of the flow and be ready to build when it gets there?
I have three, two acre lots to build on at present, all purchased years ago. I expect that the income from building tax free homes on those lots will be more than sufficient to finance my retirement but I'll probably keep buying lots anyway, just to keep my hand in.
Having plenty of time to build the next one will allow me to do as little or as much of the physical work as I want to.
During my working life, I've also pursued other interests, flying primarily. After many years of owning and flying small planes I've now accumulated enough flight time and experience to make a second job out of commercial avaition, if I so choose. It's very nice to have that on the horizon, even as a part time or seasonal job.
Edited 5/8/2007 11:38 am ET by Hudson Valley Carpenter
"The captial gains credit on the sale of primary homes is such a powerful incentive, it's hard for me to understand why it's not a source of continuous conversation among tradesmen, particularly carpenters."
I dont know either .
"Why not use my insights into the housing market to buy ahead of the flow and be ready to build when it gets there? "
As DanT once said here ; You can do anything you want real estate to do.
We were talking in a directional thread about properties in general for holding so thats not such a broad statement when its taken from the text we were discussing. Anyway theres not enough talk about that either in my opinion, but Ive already preached the sermon.
INterresting post you just made all the same . It wasnt my goal to direct it there but you mentioned it and its gold as food for thought .
Dan brought up another idea which is age old and Im sure he wasnt making the point but he brought a son into his business . That can help both ways and can bring in someone to trust that has vested interrest. I adopted my grandson so he is in fact my son. Im trying my best to mold him into the business if he so chooses. Whether he chooses or not he will have an interrest in it financially. Hes only 12 yrs old right now but hes my left arm which is bad and Im left handed. Its a joy to me to have him on the job which he is every afternnon after school. Were ruinning buddies too so I spend a lot of time with him and I feel that Im the one with the greatest reward. Making this business easiar can also be more rewarding and more fun. Thats been true in this case. The older we get the more important family is and its a blessing to be able to work with them. Just call me lucky. <G>
My wife is also a working part of the business so we have family work days on the weekends . She has her own job but we spend family time on the job each weekend we feel like working together. <G>. Sometimes we dont but we get to do what ever we want in those times for space . Sometimes me and the boy are working alone and she brings out lunch pic nic style and we spend some time that way .
I had to lure them into it so it depends on which jobs we do and sometimes what both are getting out of it . The boy likes to work at the cabin and take off on a four wheeler . He shoots at a target with a bb gun and has built a tree house . When its time to work he doesnt mind it as long as hes had some fun. She likes to be at the cabin as well and weve done a lot of work on it . She also likes for us to work on the honey dos and she will help readily on those . The boy will work doing anything for money so thats an easy card to play on him.
Tim
It's great to read about your family's involvement in your working life. I can tell that it's very rewarding for you too.
"... I never have shared it with anyone before , not even Robbi."OK, Mr Mooney - is Robbi your wife or your dog? I wanna know how priveledged we are here!;)Guys tell things to their dog they would never mention to their wives....On the Mister thing - About two years ago a kid maybe eight years old held a door open for me to go first at a store or something. That is where I got that weird feeling. but it also felt good to know there are kids being raised well too
Welcome to the Taunton University of Knowledge FHB Campus at Breaktime. where ... Excellence is its own reward!
Because , I dont tell my wife how old those guys think I am.
Tim
it was a tough blow when the good looking young hotties started smiling at me. the smiling was cool, but when they called me Mr. Mooney, it clicked they could smile at me because i was harmless. now, i'm invisible to anyone under 21.i cope by looking over their shoulders to see if their mom might be tagging along.being a not very active weekend warrior, i find my mind writing checks my body can still cash, but it lets me know i'm nearing overdraft. i installed a tankless water heater for my ex last week, with a lot of sitting crosslegged on the attic floor while i rerouted and sweated copper. my daughter thought my back bowed, crippled man walk was funny. it was not.
I think you can find that kind of help. You are just to cheap to pay for it! I have 2 guys that can do multi tasks. My best finish carpenter guy can install HVAC with the best of them. My best bathroom guy is a good welder and machinest. Not to mention he can paint well and quick and finish rock reasonably well. Cost per guy? about $31 an hour with burden, cell phone and truck. Billable rate? $50-60 per hour and they manage themselves as well as a helper if needed.
I am not saying your system is bad or wrong. Mine isn't either. But if you had one of these guys you can do 2 houses at once and not worry about the one you are not at except for making sure they have materials. Or if you had 2 guys like this you can clean your shop, order materials and eat ribs each day for lunch without worry. DanT
After I walked away from my post and drove to the country to work, I thought better of what I said to you. You have chosen the right way to do it . Its the only way for your company to grow because you live off the volume . You are living off your offense .
I dont have an offense but not much gets through my defense . Its a different business. My living is made from cutting corners to increase bottom line . My gross is set by each individual rental. They are all topped out so I cant do any better in that respect. The only way to make more money is to keep it .
Buying raw property and a backhoe to clean it up might present some offense but I havent seen a pay day yet . Just getting started.
I dont want to do what you are doing either . Theres nothing wrong with it . Its a good business Im sure but thats not what I want believe it or not . I dont want to work for people anymore . Im having a ball working for myself . Im afraid people would ruin it . I try not to work on renters houses while they are there . Its nice being able to what ever I want to do and not someone elses wishes. I never was very good with the public working around their houses and I had to which might be the reason I burned out . I love what Im doing right now but I hate working for people .
You know what IM doing because youve done it . You just chose not to do it full time and you told me from the first you werent keeping your properties . I have no intention of selling any rentals . Weve both lived the business Im in just with different goals . Im doing the right thing as long as I can keep doing it . The keep doing it is more the question.
Tim
Id have another hard attack if I was paying two guys that much.
Im paying 8.00 per hour to two guys right now . TJ makes 20 per day if he stays hooked.
HVAC guy bid 600 to take the burned system out of the house IM working on. I told the guy I cant pay that but Ill pay you to put the new one in . TJ took it out for 50 bucks and he was thrilled to make that in one day. He wanted 5,000 to do the job and Ive got him down to 3,000. I cleaned my pipes and Im requiring him to use the old insulation. I look for savings deals like that all the time . I saved 1200 cleaning the duct work.
Ill tell ya what Ive got in that house when I get it done . I havent been wotrking on it though doing other things . Im gonna have to knock it out . It shouda been done. Had it been you it woulda been at a higher price.
Tim
"Had it been you it woulda been at a higher price. "
And sold or rented, and on to the next one. Higher price yes, revenue sooner and maybe more. DanT
old framers don't die, they just become finishing carps! Or at least that's my plan. Hired my son so he can do the heavy lifting on the way to learning a trade too...
Mooney,
Interesting timing on this question.
Yesterday I discovered the project I had already started (as Site Super) came to a screetching halt. Won't be built at all. This was my summer /fall employment. No work .. and no back up in place either.
Funny thing is it was my own actions that caused the stop... discovered a minor discrepency between the buildings footprint and county road set back.. OOPS!.. 2" into the setback and nowhere to move to .
So I sit here this morning wondering , do I grab my bags and join (or try to ) some of my younger friends doing framing or finish or concrete? They all would hire me in a heart beat, but beat is how I feel physically .
I am a few months shy of sixty, Have had broken bones in both arms, 4 fingers, nose 3 times, left ankle once, bad back , can't hear worth a damn , can't lift what I used to but still have the brains to do the work.
Just sold my bobcat and forms so can't go back to that as a sub, Been working as a site super on wineries for the last 5 years, a job that is a mix of custom home building and commercial/ industrial work, prior to that I was a true custom home builder.
Do I start applying to bigger companies with my limited commercial experience?
Do I re ignite my own small company doing remodels etc?
Do I pick up the phone and call some of my archy buddies who are doing fancy small jobs?
Maybe for today I will put my canoe in the water here since it is going to be 70 deg.and sunny outside and just think about what tomorrow will bring.
cement work will kill you at your age......I'd opt to do selective remodeling and sub out the hard stuff.....while at the same time working very hard to get out from under any and all debt......that's the key.Out of debt.
There are fast carpenters who care..... there are slow carpenters who care more.....there are half fast carpenters who could care less......
jjwalters, I won't be doing concrete work unless I have to , I can do forming without a problem for foundations, flatwork though just wears me out anymore.
I owe about $7000 on my house, payment is $320 a month , already paid up through July. More than enough in the bank to pay it off.
That is my debt load cept for the usual utilities , prop.taxes ($2000 yr), food etc. I really only need to work 1 week out of a month to stay even ,so I am not really worried, more shocked at what happened. I am guessing a few phone calls will pick me up work of some kind to pay the bills until I decide if I am going to hunt down a job with a larger company as asite super.
I fell into the super situation to start with and have never tried to land a job with anybody else doing it, so don't know how well qualified I am in the eyes of the bigger companies. I like the smaller custom stuff that has lots of problems to solve, always hated production work .
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
I am one danged day shy of sixty...never ever thought I'd ever get this far. Started out in high school carrying rocks for Amish masons, college didn't take, found a lot of ways to make a living without physically working, but always built stuff.Built a house, and started a framing business somewhere around thirty...after 10 years of not being able to find reliable help, started making cabinets and furniture...to tough to get paid...trim job fell in my lap, easy money for the physical effort. Oldest son works with me now, we butt heads all the time...but I don't have to give him an allowance any more<G>A couple years ago, I figured I'd better look for something to do when I was really decrepit. I never was much on a retirement plan...or any kind of plan. I've had a bunch of injuries, but nothing debilitating...but how long can that last? Got a GCs license...started a big addition for a friend, and am breaking ground on a spec house next week...all I do is ride around, keep records, look stuff up on the computer, mess with designs, and make phone calls...my bags have been out of the truck once in three months. I love it...course now I'm gonna get hit by a vitamin truck<G> Outside of the gates the trucks were unloadin',
The weather was hot, a-nearly 90 degrees.
The man standin' next to me, his head was exploding,
Well, I was prayin' the pieces wouldn't fall on me.
Happy 60th Birthday!
hahaha
I guess you will have to decide what you want to do first.
By the sounds of your post you have boo coo experience and you are discounting it to some degree.
You are qualified to take several different routes. Mebbe a bunch. Ever entertain the idea of being a building inspector? <G> I see quite a few jobs as construction estimators and insurance adjusters. I said that to say there is no end to it really. Super jobs are plentiful the last time I looked . Seems they are always looking for someone that can read plans and set up jobs before the crews get there shooting grades , dealing with city halls etc. Someone has to go before to set it up.
I think it would be a hard time to start a concrete business unless its better there than it is here . Hard time for specs too . Here builders get started building customs by building specs but you are about 3 yrs late on that .
On the remodeling sector its going to be good buying repos and flipping them if you live in such an area except Mich and I dont know what those folks are going to do.
Depends on whether you want to move your family or not too. How much time are you willing to travel? Ive got a friend that left residential and is putting in stores for Dollar Tree . I did the drywall in a mall here with a bunch of those small stores going in and learned every single store had there own contractor . They leased the space but had to set the store up and those guys make above average for road carps.
My Brother worked for chain resturants remodeling their stores and stayed on the road till he said I quit . They didnt want him to come home . He set me up with Pizza Hut once doing the same thing but I was too lazy to do it I guess. Ive always had a problem living in motels although Ive done it in the commercial drywall business but those were my choices when and for how long.
The list is endless.
Id look on line at all the job sites since you have a computer . Its kinda interresting . I found several jobs with Walmart since I live close to head quarters. But I didnt do anything but look. They have page after page of jobs or Ill say they did when I was looking for somthing else to do. You will be amazed at what you will find Im sure . Keep your dobber up.
Tim
Mooney,
I guess I overstated my mood this morning... I am not too worried, just more shocked at what transpired as a result of a simple request. I had planned on the 4-5 months work but will survive without drastic measures I think.
As you say I have lots of options. A few phone calls to tell people I will do their small jobs for them instead of directing them to someone else will keep my bills paid here. You mentioned traveling, I have no family here that "needs"
me here anymore , 20 something kids just hang out here because it is cheap and convenient and we like each other <G>, But that is one I would consider, if the building was interesting enough I would travel no problem. Let the kids make the payments here and cover their own expenses and the taxes. My debt load, as I mentioned in my post to jjwalters is minimul, I can cover it in one weeks work at the rates I earn around here.Specs aren't my thing, every time I have invested in anything it has gone south .. bad luck or bad choices , it doesn't matter at the end.
Specs are still moving here, land prices are tough though. I have thought about that option for years , but concluded I was not a good candidate for it because I would "overbuild" in my desire to make the place better and therefore cut my own earnings. I will leave that to someone who has better $ sense than I do.
Flipping her has been pretty much sewn up by a small number of people, this is a small town area and the same people do the deals with the banks/realtors time after time. Very strong "Old Boy Network " in this area. Tough nut to crack . Canoeing was nice today though :-)
"Poor is not the person who has too little, but the person who craves more."...Seneca
We're nearing the end of a complete renovation of a 103 year old home.
Owner is the GC. She is doing all the painting, with the help of an 81 year old man. He is there 6 or 7 days a week, 6 to 8 hours a day. Doing a good job, considering the number of colors, condition of the salvaged millwork, height of the ceilings, etc.
All this from a guy who owned and operated McDonalds franchises for a living. (He doesn't need the job)
Personally, I have trouble at 41 keeping up with my 30 year old carpenter. Certainly, the work is tougher on me, than it was 20 years ago. But....... i'm one of the few folks my age here, who doesn't have to walk every day, go to the gym, or isn't 20 or more pounds overweight.
I keep my onsite time to 40 hrs. a week max. Much more and I get less efficient and less cost effective.
Hopefully, I will semi-retire from this at about age 50, if all goes to plan. Then I will just do carpentry for fun, 40 hours a week. :)
Brudoggie
Wanna have a good laugh?
I started working for the family business cleaning up and moving saw horses and scaffolding around after school at 15 years old.
I've roofed, framed, trimmed etc,etc for a living for a fair portion of my adult life.
Now that Sit at a desk maybe 30 hours a week I've been having all kinds of problems...............first my knees and then a shoulder.
Back to running a just passed the first Army Physical Fitness test i've taken in a year.
But the best part..................... the Sports Medicine Doctor and the Physical Therapist shared two little bits of info with me.
1. guys my age (40's) have all kinds of issues. Mostly damage from playing soccer or hockey and from falling off of motorcycles. It's an age group thing
2. Lots of guys who make career changes fall apart. Apparently, unless the injury is so truamatic as to shut you down, your body compensates for it and you drive on.
Then, when you stop doing whatever it was you were doing and your body loses that "daily workout" it starts to surface and cause problems.
Great................huh.
I once cut down a tree for a 97 year-old by the name W.C. Springer. As fast as I could limb the tree, he had the slash hauled off and neatly piled. As I cut the trunk into fire wood lengths, he loaded them into a cart and wheeled them away.
By the next day, I noticed that he had dug a 3' diameter hole and had planted an oak sapling.
There was no slowing down that man!
Most of us compensate in subtle ways as we age.
I use wheeled carts, dollies, stands, and tool boxes...wheels on everything...rather than lift and carry the stuff.
Might even put myself on wheels (for kneeling level work), check this out:
http://www.racatac.com/pics.html
I almost never set anything on the ground (the ground is getting farther and farther away). I use work platform/benches to keep things on.
When shopping for tools, I highly value lighter and quieter models.
I use drywall lifts now, and proper stageing for high work (no running up and down ladders like a monkey).
I plan to keep on doing carpentry as long as I'm able...working smarter.