Retired master plumber, the closest I'll get to plumbing is running water to do dishes or washing the car.
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Any other tradespeople in here?
- Thread starter lostreality
- Start date
If you guys aren't building basses,.....you should build basses.
I built a few, sold them all
. Now I’m happy just to maintain others’. But thanks for the vote of confidence.
I am a retired white collar worker whose career supported the trades. I'll just leave that mystery right there but I have to express how much respect I have for the trades. Huge. Don't get me started.
To this day, I can heartily recommend a trade career to young people. For one thing, those jobs cannot be outsourced. For another, since young people are just not interested in trade careers, compensation for skilled plumbers, electricians, HVAC guys....will be robust for decades. Lots of work, lots of pay.
One more thing. Here is a powerful phrase: "Industrial Athletes" Yes, Sir. You do NOT want to pick a fight with an Ironworker.
To this day, I can heartily recommend a trade career to young people. For one thing, those jobs cannot be outsourced. For another, since young people are just not interested in trade careers, compensation for skilled plumbers, electricians, HVAC guys....will be robust for decades. Lots of work, lots of pay.
One more thing. Here is a powerful phrase: "Industrial Athletes" Yes, Sir. You do NOT want to pick a fight with an Ironworker.
Unsure how it is across the pond, but here trades (including electrician) were for the high school drop outs. Really wish I'd ditched university and got an apprenticeship. EDIT: Should add this was what teachers would tell me and I should go to uni. Should've done engineering as I prefer to be more hands on with things, alas here I am with a degree in Physics working in travel...
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There is a LOT of money for folks who can put in the work and learn a few things. I make more money being a machine builder than I did as a project manager, and with less hours.
Jazzdogg
Less barking, more wagging!
No room in our RV for such endeavors, and despite having a home base with a barn full of woodworking tools, I somehow doubt I will ever build another stringed instrument unless I un-retire and go back to teaching someday.
Surgeon is having a house party on a Sunday and the main toilet becomes plugged. He calls a plumber who fixes the problem and hands him a breathtaking invoice. Surgeon says "I am a surgeon and I find the rates you plumbers charge to be ridiculous." Plumber says "Yeah, that's what I used to think too. When I was a surgeon."
I finished my career as a mechanic maintaining a fleet of 30 Peterbilt/Heil tanker trucks for a large oil company. I retired in 2010.
This picture of the decommission fleet was taken from the top of a 2-million-gallon storage tank. I parked them all on the back lot.
This picture of the decommission fleet was taken from the top of a 2-million-gallon storage tank. I parked them all on the back lot.
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Been a carpenter for 26 years now, am starting to slow down (on purpose). Wood shop with music playing...love it, couldn't do anything else that would be this fun and pay well, and get to dress super messy lol
Again my experiences mirror those of @TomB only flipped
I still build , though just for myself, and I've scaled back doing folk's set ups etc.
I mind they started that nonsense when I was at school early 80's. High unemployment and the dreaded YOP scheme meant little to no chance school leavers would find work. Some bright spark realised 'Further Education' would keep youngsters out from the jobless figures for years
Dole office was pushing the same story.Mate of mine fell for it early 90's. 'Access to Learning', Uni, gap year etc; he was years before getting his degree. Boy was gutted when he discovered I made more on the tools than he did managing a debt recovery team for HBOS
A person with right personality can start learning a trade, and in 5 years be doing very impressive things, earning more than those they know with a college degree
In the sense meant here, I'm a total flub. As my BL tells people, "Don't give him anything more complicated than a phillips head." The tool I'm best with is the keyboard, and I made my living for many years writing for magazines, ad agencies, pr firms, etc. Then in mid-life I became a wine salesman. Which at least has a physical aspect to it: Every ad for a job like mine includes the line "must be able to lift 50 lbs." I had a business card that read "wine consultant" but lemme tell ya, 90% of the job is being a stockboy: Haul cases, put bottles on shelves, clean up spills in Aisle 3.
A person with right personality can start learning a trade, and in 5 years be doing very impressive things, earning more than those they know with a college degree
Definitely.
If one pursues a career in one of the trades unions, you'll have some nice benefits as well. I understand the unions aren't for everyone, and the majority of my career I was a shacker. Shacker being a term we used for guys who worked non union residential only.
I enjoyed some of the finer things in life thanks to learning drywall and working hard to prove myself.
As mentioned earlier, I also recommend a career in one of the trades when someone asks me.
-Mike
I try and keep telling people that unless you're going to college for some sort of engineering or science driven degree that's applicable to the real world your degree is just costing you money. And there's nothing wrong with going to college to learn something that isn't "useful", as long as you're aware that you're not getting a monetary return on that investment.
My girlfriends sister has a masters in physical education, and all it can get her is a $40,000/year job at a university. The university is making her get a PhD to move upwards, which is absurd as plenty of people in the public sector do her job with no formal education and make 25% more. She's still seriously considering spending the money on it.
My girlfriends sister has a masters in physical education, and all it can get her is a $40,000/year job at a university. The university is making her get a PhD to move upwards, which is absurd as plenty of people in the public sector do her job with no formal education and make 25% more. She's still seriously considering spending the money on it.
A person with right personality can start learning a trade, and in 5 years be doing very impressive things, earning more than those they know with a college degree
I don't know what it's like being a plumber, electrician, pipe fitter, etc..... as in, I'm not sure what the success rate of new hires/apprentices is.
As a (now retired) auto tech, I can tell you the failure rate is high, especially in a flat rate shop. I was one of the few in my shop to last as long as I did, and I did well for myself. I pulled down a six figure income, but I hustled my behind off to do that. Unless you're working in an hourly or fleet type of shop, you need to be motivated and a go getter to succeed in the flat rate world. It's a horrible existence, every man for himself and management plays that to their advantage. Quite honestly it made me a miserable callous ****ard and has altered my personality forever...... I don't wish it on anyone.
Also the costs of being a mechanic is stupid. I've spent well over $100,000 in tools and equipment over the years. Basic wrenches and sockets will only get you so far. The specialty tools are the killer and they're ever changing......what's relevant (and expensive) today is obsolete by next week.
I'd like to see more young people get into the trades versus being brainwashed into thinking college is the only way, but I'm not sure I'd recommend a job as an auto tech.
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I can speak to the drywall union up until 2010. Up here we were part of the painters and allied trades union. Hangers were in the carpenters union.
The guys and gals who made it were the humble and modest folks who weren't afraid to work their butt off, get a little dirty, and happy to have the opportunity to start at the bottom and work up.
More often than not, the failures were the ones, guys and gals, who figured after 2-3 months on the job it was some kind of scam or discriminatory practices that prevented them from earning journeyman wages. They fussed and complained about having to do apprentice work, whined about the wages being unfair for someone who now knew how to do the job, and typically walked out. If they stuck around, we RIF'ed them when it was reasonable to do so.
When we were shacking, we'd send the second type on down the road the first time they cried about how unfair their wages were.
-Mike
The guys and gals who made it were the humble and modest folks who weren't afraid to work their butt off, get a little dirty, and happy to have the opportunity to start at the bottom and work up.
More often than not, the failures were the ones, guys and gals, who figured after 2-3 months on the job it was some kind of scam or discriminatory practices that prevented them from earning journeyman wages. They fussed and complained about having to do apprentice work, whined about the wages being unfair for someone who now knew how to do the job, and typically walked out. If they stuck around, we RIF'ed them when it was reasonable to do so.
When we were shacking, we'd send the second type on down the road the first time they cried about how unfair their wages were.
-Mike
Again my experiences mirror those of @TomB only flipped
I still build , though just for myself, and I've scaled back doing folk's set ups etc.
I mind they started that nonsense when I was at school early 80's. High unemployment and the dreaded YOP scheme meant little to no chance school leavers would find work. Some bright spark realised 'Further Education' would keep youngsters out from the jobless figures for years
Mate of mine fell for it early 90's. 'Access to Learning', Uni, gap year etc; he was years before getting his degree. Boy was gutted when he discovered I made more on the tools than he did managing a debt recovery team for HBOS
I finished high school in 2006 and it was still being pushed. Don't get me wrong, I could've done more with my degree or went into other areas and be financially better off, but none of that stuff really interested me.
Printing press mechanic here. 40+ years in the industry. Ran them for years, the went to maintenance. Newspaper, commercial heatset, etc. Retiring in 2025, I hope.
No truer words have been spoken. That's why I got out of it. Wrenched for 11 years. I got tired of management, tired of the other techs cherry picking, tired of being asked to do stuff for free because it's "policy".
Now I work doing building and equipment maintenance in an industrial setting for the past 4 years and I'm much happier doing that.
I also do residential painting in the spring and summer with my uncle on the weekends. Been doing that the past 4 or 5 years to make a little extra cash.
I used to work with a buddy doing handyman type stuff for a year an a half. We did lots of paint and drywall but would do other things too.
OP, I haven't noticed my playing suffering from doing the kind of work I've done/do.
