Replies

1. 
   sschefer | Jul 02, 2002 10:03pm | #1

   Most inspiring, thank you. Have a safe fourth.

   Steve - in Northern California

1. 
   Run4wood | Jul 02, 2002 10:39pm | #2

   I remember my first sweat shop that I worked in I guess 1983. I was an apprentice and really unexperienced with most aspects and operations of woodworking equipment. One day we were short of a door person and he said to go over and help out any way I could and make myself useful. So I did and I got my lists of parts to "machine". I didn't really want to tell my boss I didn't really know what I was doing and proceeded to cut all the wrong pieces. He came in to check on me and blew up when he saw what I had done.... he said "come over here and raise these panels then" I sheepishly went over while he walk away. I stared at the machine for 5 minutes trying to figure out how to turn It on. Just as I fed the first panel in, the wrong way, it flew out of my hands into the cider block wall just as my boss was walking in...... needless to say from that moment on I think I got on his bad side. He made me wash contact cement off cabinets the rest of my career there. ...no gloves or safety equipment either.       -One of many-

2. 
   LRutherfor1 | Jul 02, 2002 10:51pm | #3

   I worked as a union organizer for over twenty years, and decided that I would leave my job and do what I enjoyed more...woodworking. 

   Now my boss is a jerk.  Every time I do something wrong he gets mad and yells, makes me do the whole thing over again, and makes me feel bad for days.  I worked 80 hours a week for 40 hours pay as an organizer, now I have to work over 100 hours a week to keep him satisfied.  Every tool that something goes wrong with, every gouge that I dull, or every piece of furniture that I apply the wrong stain on, he makes me fix, replace, or redo.  There are no such thing as holidays, overtime pay, vacations, or a great salary.

   Yes, I'm self-employed, and love every minute of it.

   Len (Len's Custom Woodworking)

   
   

   ---

   Edited 7/2/2002 3:52:30 PM ET by LRUTHERFOR1

1. 
   forestgirl | Jul 03, 2002 03:21am | #4

   Len, you really do need to take it easy(er) on yourself!  :-)forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl   ;-)

1. 
   LRutherfor1 | Jul 03, 2002 07:15pm | #5

   Thanks. One other thing I forgot....I can never win an argument with my boss.

3. 
   Oregonshank | Jul 05, 2002 01:34am | #6

   You must be one of my long lost fellow slaves at my first cabinet shop job, where the boss/owner was affectionately (and accurately) called "the old man". He required us to call him "Pops". Most prospective workers stood about as good a chance to remain employed as you could expect to win the lottery, longevity of your employment was typically measured in hours, not days or weeks. Pops was not one to mince words , or to let any silly emotions detract him from weeding out the meek, inexperienced, odd looking, poorly outfitted, slow paced, or outspoken person from his kingdom. He had a particularly endearing habit of lurking several paces away watching your every move, waiting to pounce on you for the "wrong way" of doing something. The only relief was when the phone rang or he was "training" new blood. We used to make bets how long a guy would last, and by what method he would leave the shop, by the boot, or unveiled indignation.

   For some reason that eludes me 30 years later, I managed to avoid most of the fallout during my 6 year stay. A lot to be said for being young and stupid, but in love with woodworking, to put up with those conditions. I still have dreams (some nightmares) about Pops and working there, but I can't deny that he made a huge impact on me and stands out as one of the most colorful and influental bosses in my life. Word of his death some years later left me with an odd sense of relief and sadness.

   The day I here one of my guys refer to me as Pops will surely bring shudders to me more than they would ever know.

   Steve in Oregon

1. 
   cft353 | Jul 05, 2002 03:10am | #7

   I worked in a number of sweatshops for a number of years, and counted myself well out of it when I got out. Unfortunately, my job with the remodeling firm is not working out (not enough work) so I start Monday at another sweatshop, building commercial fixtures out of plastic laminates. UNLESS...tomorrow I'm interviewing at a shop up here that does all high-end custom casegoods and residential architectural woodwork. They have more work than they can handle and need help! You know what my prayer is for the outcome!

   My only consolation if I do start at the sweatshop is that, one way or another, the job probably won't last long...

1. 
   cft353 | Jul 11, 2002 06:33am | #8

   Hope you all find this interesting. I did start at the sweatshop on Monday, 7:00 a.m.; at 7:10 I was driving home after getting bitched out by the production manager who had fresh booze on his breath! There was a time when I would have taken that kind of crap for the sake of the job, but no longer.

   And I start at the high-end custom shop this coming Monday.

1. 
   3dog3 | Jul 11, 2002 11:51pm | #9

   Chad:

   Really hope the high-end shop works out.  I don't think I would be allowed to post my feelings about my last boss.  probably be investigated by the authorities too.

   Michael

2. 
   TERRE5 | Jul 16, 2002 12:21am | #15

   Good Deal.

4. 
   r_ignacki | Jul 12, 2002 12:26am | #10

   what's worse than a sweatshop?

   working at a sweatshop 6 garage doors down from a REAL shop, I'll bet those guys whined, sh_t,  the plwood truck would pull up to them, and all of a sudden, zzzooooooommmmm, one a the dudes appeared out of nowhere with a forklift, same truck would have ours too, the guy would pull up and we'd unload it by hand, "when ya gonna get a forklift?" the driver would say. Edgebander?  HA !       edgebander....smedgebander, damn thing would never work right, too hot ,not hot enuf,yeah, I must of banded a zillion miles by hand, Spray booth?  double HA!  cop a buzz  and here comes the fire marshall, "stomp out the butts!"

   no turn left unstoned  

1. 
   exhibitor | Jul 12, 2002 04:04am | #11

   Friday afternoon.  The owner/boss says, "We're working tomorrow!"  I say, "Sorry, gotta go to best friends wedding tomorrow." Boss/owner says, "Then you had better stop by and pick up your tools...They will be scattered all over the parking lot!"  Stop by on way to wedding...tools thrown out into parking lot.  Boss/owner says...pick 'em up and get to work!  Told boss/owner to go piss up a rope...I gotta million of 'em...

1. 
   Azeddie | Jul 12, 2002 06:05am | #12

   Then there is me, Sitting in front of a computer all day designing machines for semi-conductor plants...getting BORED out of my mind somedays, so I takes a break and check out this forum..;o) from time to time.

   If I could do it all over again I would go to school when I was young for cabinet making then go fulltime to Bennett street in Boston...(just a thought). Ultimately making custom furniture ONE AT A TIME. Hey I do that for fun right now..:o) 

   I always think back to when i was in Junior high school in wood shop (i LOVED it) signed up for vocational cabinetmaking for High school. But they didn't let me enter the course..such is life

   makinsawdust

1. 
   r_ignacki | Jul 13, 2002 01:01am | #13

   AHA!   goofing off , surfing the 'net while you should be working.  LOL.no turn left unstoned  

1. 
   Azeddie | Jul 13, 2002 05:31am | #14

   yep, you know how these big companys are...hehehemakinsawdust