Thanks to all who responded to my profile after I registered yesterday. I was surprised and quite pleased.
About me. I was raised in a furniture plant here in High Point, NC where my Dad was the plant foreman. I learned how to spit tacks, tie springs and finish under his instruction. No real shop at home just a table saw in the basement which he taught me how to use.
Fast forward a few years, 42 exactly, and I am self-employed. I spend 8 to 16 hours a day in my small shop and always look like Pig Pen on the Peanuts comic strip with a trail of dust falling off of me as I walk to the house. Working for myself is rewarding and keeps the bills paid. I don’t have a boss to contend with and if the floor doesn’t get swept cleanly enough, then I can’t blame anyone and no one can blame me.
I started my own business four years when my last job went south because some wet behind the ears VP decided to sign a big contract with Home Depot. The only way to maintain a good relationship with the home office in Germany was to reduce expenses and, you guessed it, the easiest way was to get rid of the old guys and get new guys, who by the way, just happen to be cheaper. When my group was leaving the regional office, there was a combined 135 years experience with just that one company walking out the door in 9 people. The employer was w well known power tool company that will go unnamed.
I have a wealth of insider information about power tools and I am available to share that with anyone who asks. I don’t have a chip on my shoulder for the last employer and will praise their tools just as soon as I would praise another’s.
13 comments so far
lew
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4507 posts in 654 days
posted 275 days ago
Welcome to Lumberjocks! Looking forward to learning from your experiences.
Lew
Alan
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221 posts in 303 days
posted 275 days ago
Welcome, it’s great to have all these people who share their knowledge and experiences.
-- Alan, Prince George
TraumaJacques
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383 posts in 399 days
posted 275 days ago
Welcome to LJ
-- All bleeding will eventually stop.
MsDebbieP
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14174 posts in 1059 days
posted 275 days ago
Welcome to LJ :)
-- ~ Debbie, Canada (http://www.execulink.com/~yohan)
Jojo
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581 posts in 871 days
posted 275 days ago
That’s a sad story, but I’m afraid is also the sign of the times. Rest assured we’ll be more than glad to listen from all those years of experience. Please, share with us your projects and your knowledge. I’m pretty sure we can all learn something from it.
(Did they fire you guys in order to lower the price of their ”oh so affordable” tools?) ;o)
-- Jojo, shopless in Kyoto · http://twitter.com/kagushokunin
TopamaxSurvivor
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3070 posts in 575 days
posted 275 days ago
Welcome aboard! Hope you enjoy you trip. Myself, I’m kind of spotty here, depending on time. I went self employed in 1985 for reasons similar to yours. Wet behind the ears college son of the owner and his college buddies knew more than his dad and the people who helped him build his business. I felt sorry for the dad watching it go away. It only took 4 or 5 years for the kids to destroy everything the old man spent a life time building. The Dad survived nearly going bankrupt once because an electrical manufacture sold a defective product but did not cover the labor to remove and replace. I’m beyond employees and 16 hr days now. It was worth the effort to get it going. Good luck!
Eh, don’t worry about the Pig Pen look. All the grand masters work from clutter. Take a look at a picture Einstein’s office or Harry Pope’s barrel shop. :-)
-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.
BoardSMITH
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8 posts in 276 days
posted 275 days ago
I’m afraid that if anyone is expecting me to include any projects that I am working on, my entire life is now tied up building butcher blocks. I just removed one from the oil today that is going to St. Petersburg, Russia and it may qualify. Who knows. Most just look the same and never vary much in appearance. If I knew how to post a photo here I would try.
There is the web site: www.TheBoardSMITH.com if anyone is interested
cajunpen
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5968 posts in 964 days
posted 275 days ago
Welcome to the community BoardSmith. I just checked out your website and as one website entrepreneur to another I just wanted to compliment you on your website, well done.
-- Bill - "Suit yourself and let the rest be pleased." http://www.cajunpen.com/
RobH
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460 posts in 948 days
posted 275 days ago
Welcome to Lumberjocks. Interesting story, and great looking web site. Enjoy the community here, there are lots of good people on this site.
Have a great week,
-- -- Rob Hix, King George, VA
Davesfunwoodworking
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259 posts in 774 days
posted 274 days ago
Great to have you with us. What a sad story but its great that you are now your own boss. I am sure it is much better for you. Well good luck and I can’t wait to bug you about all the power tool stuff.
-- Davesfunwoodworking
Karson
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25811 posts in 1299 days
posted 272 days ago
Great to have you here. I was in the telcome industry. I was outsized twice. And decided it was time to retire.
Glad to have you here.
-- What happens in the workshop stays in the workshop. No wait that doesn't sound right. Karson Southern Delaware karson_morrison@bigfoot.com †
Gary
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43 posts in 377 days
posted 272 days ago
I hope being a machinist by trade and learning woodworking as a hobby that I will always be able to find a job, cant make anything without one or the other. I don’t think I would be good at having my own business, too much paperwork.
-- Gary, Missouri
TopamaxSurvivor
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3070 posts in 575 days
posted 272 days ago
Gary, I kept it down to one man band most of the time. It isn’t really that bad. I do most of it myself. Employees generate paperwork, I’ve had ‘em :-))
-- Debt is nothing more than the 21st Century's form of slavery.