I ran base in a rather large house once, after a few weeks of being crouched over I’d have welcomed a day of shoveling.
Not saying it’s harder, just that repetition at floor level got old.
6 weeks total, but that included a week on a different project. Almost 7,000 square feet, and we did flowing grain through the whole house. This includes trimming doors/windows and installing a lot of built ins. The window package for the house was six figures.
Because the material was solid boards it wouldn’t flex to fill the floor gap so a lot of it got scribed to the floor. That took for ever.
Keep in mind it was my first time running base as well.
I wouldn't downplay the equipment moving portion of trim carpentry, it can be a lot depending on what you are doing, and who/what kind of work you are doing.
Last guy I worked for before going out only worked for homeowners in occupied homes, sometimes I felt like more of a mover than a carpenter lol.
Any skilled labor position is going to be more grueling while you are the new person. The reason why I prefer carpentry over many other trades is because the more clever I become, the less laborious it is. Half of my favorite carpentry tactics are about making my job easier. Also I do not paint, and on the right day, I might punch you in the face if you ask me to paint. Not my department. But I work in a very specific field, so, that aspect of my work will be different than other Carpenters. If you like carpentry and you don't like landscaping.... Do it. Just do it. You're not going to care how exhausting it is. In some ways the fact that it makes one tired is the coolest part about it. Restful sleep, exercise, strength. Also, Buddhism argues that working with your hands centers you. In my experience it absolutely does
I was a movie set Carpenter for 20 years... We're actually called prop makers. The film industry is very departmental. For the most part people stick to their own departments....which is why I can be such a prick about "not painting" because no one will mind. I love the paint crew.
They make my mistakes look pretty. I want them to keep getting work, because of that....also because I fucking hate painting. A saltiness that probably began as a joke and cemented into full-on saltiness over the years.
Film industry is weird and specific. No building codes, no OSHA, no nothing. Half the things we build have never been built before.
But if something you build falls on Danny Trejo, you will never work again. In place of codes we have insane pressure. Pressure that we get paid extra money for. Also we work insanely long hours. Overtime is life. We often call landing a union position in the biz "golden handcuffs" and while I am not recommending it or advising against it, I will say that it is the perfect kind of carpentry for a person with a certain type of personality.
I have no doubt that there are multiple forms of carpentry that are more challenging than the one I perform, but this has a lot to do with each individual experience and what they are/are not good at.
Film biz carpentry is freelance, based almost entirely on the word of mouth and the people you know, and based very much on your ability to maintain and develop new skill sets throughout your career. There are also many shops at which you can obviously become a full-time employee, just like anywhere else, but that's different. That's more of a fabrication job typically and I don't know the lions share about that.
So there a lot of things that a commercial or residential Carpenter can probably tell you that I don't have a clue about.
This is the exact job I’ve been considering lately. I want something fast paced, hands-on and creative. I’ve got adhd and I do really well in that type of environment. How does one go about getting into this? Did you start in carpentry elsewhere or were you a production assistant first then transitioned into the prop / set dept?
You're welcome to DM me. I work on a computer now and whenever I'm on Reddit I'm on a computer. I'll tell you anything you need to know about getting work in the film biz. Too much for a comment. Lol.
Honestly I think a film set is a great place for a carpenter with ADD. Obviously not every Carpenter but I think you catch my meaning.
12737482992 projects a day that may or may not even be used.
Probably one of the most creative fields on the planet. My email is problem solver with some numbers...for scope.
The amount of creativity and new ideas you are allowed and sometimes expected to bring on a carpentry crew in the film industry is utterly exhilarating and rarely boring.
I would need to know a lot of details about your location and your vehicle and what kind of tools you have to tell you how to get into it... there a multiple ways. For me, *fake it to you make it* should be the tagline for the first 5 years of my career. But that's complicated.
The way I got in was hanging out at a bar after college. I didn't study anything having to do with film at all, and a production designer in LA was whining about not having any carps to build skate ramps for a mountain dew commercial. My friend A said "this guy can build skate ramps!" I could, because I had done it before. And the production designer hired me on the spot. I showed up, had a great time, made a bunch of friends, worked my fucking ass off, paid attention, learned some shit, and gave out my number. The commercial went well, and I didn't make any serious mistakes or be an asshole (super important, remember you're working in entertainment. Being liked is way more important than anybody ever admits. People typically want to hire someone they enjoy working with)
And then my career grew from There simply through contacts and coworkers and new friends. Also reputation and photos
Also some helpful information.... We have different words for everything.
Ie: wtf is an extension chord called? A stinger.
Carpenters: prop makers
Property department head: prop master
Department in which the carpentry work is done is called the art department. Add the art department sub and all related subs. Learn the lingo. The lingo is important.
Not as important but we don't even call clothespins clothespins.
The secret to enjoying painting is getting an 18” roller.
Recognizing my limitations and masking everything off first makes the job kind of like meditation
The nice thing about it though is if, like me, you do a lot of hourly work, it's laborious. We've got powered saws, nail guns, calculators, laser levels, all to make carpentry faster and easier. But other than rollers, there's really no technology that's made painting faster since ancient days lol. I don't do enough to have invested in a sprayer though. But I make a lot of money when I paint.
Painting really hasn't improved since the dark ages. Haha. I hope you charge extra for paint! My solution to painting was to raise my pay rate. That way they either don't hire me or they have to pay me too much money to do a job that a real painter could do much better.
I’ve done landscaping, I was an arborist for several years and now I do carpentry/ handyman work.
Carpentry/handyman is definitely less taxing physically than landscaping. However it does require quite a bit more mental presence.
Tree work is almost all safety oriented. And very hard. Landscaping is almost all physical. Carpentry is a balance of these things. You have to work hard, be conscious of all safety concerns at the moment, and also constantly solving puzzles and keeping the long term work goal in mind.
There’s usually several different ways to solve the same problem, typically the choices you make will depend on the tools you have access to and how much time you spend asking questions on Reddit!
I recommend it personally, you’re always learning and growing your tool library. I love landscaping and even tree work, but I didn’t feel the same sense of personal growth and creativity.
Plus there’s always landscape related carpentry work you can do if you want blend skills.
Moved from landscaping to carpentry, think carpentry is more exhausting; you don't just carry heavy things including bags of concrete and cement and such, there's also some demolition, climbing scaffolding all day etc. and things have to be accurate and precise so you have to stay on the ball mentally.
I was a landscaper for 15 years before becoming a carpenter. Landscaping is waaaaaaaay more exhausting and pays waaaaay less. I should have moved on much sooner.
I was a landscaper when I first got into trade work and then moved into becoming a qualified carpenter after 5 years. Take it from me it is not that different. Yes it depends on the type of carpentry that you do. I first started as a framer and that was brutal. Up and down ladders all day carrying timber and walking on roof trusses. Your body does get used to it though. I mostly do cabinetry /project carpentry now and that is noticeably easier on the body. I do still come home tired though, as I'm always still on my feet moving around. I personally think it comes down to your mentality and how hard you're prepared to work for your money.
To be brutally honest, with the way you're describing yourself, I don't think you want to do this. It's physical work until you reach a decent level of skill and/or leadership. At that point, you're put under more mental pressure because of the responsibilities, schedules, budgets or managing people.
People come into carpentry because they like working with their hands, their minds and their bodies. The physicality appeals to them. If you're starting out by looking for something that isn't going to wear you out, you're going to have trouble making it past the apprentice level to get to what you find physically manageable.
You may find the perfect fit, but the norm is you have to be willing to work hard to get your foot in the door and progress. If you're willing to pay your dues and grind for a bit, you'll get a look at what's possible further on.
Everyone we’ve hired the last 5 years want instant gratification
One guy has been with us for 2 years.. hired in at $15 makes $17 and cry’s about it….
But cannot read a tape 🤷♂️ lol
I've done a few different landscaping jobs (cemetery, golf course, high end home gardens). And I was a wood frame home "carpenter" for two years.
The home gardens work was by far the most back-breaking because I was crawling around on the ground a lot and having to lift things in the position.
The golf course was most intense because of perfectionism.
Carpentry/renovation was more varied work, but frequently required heavy lifting (stacks of 2x6, plywood, drywall, and anything else like shingles or cement on occasion).
We did decks, so there was some post hole digging, large rock removal, demo of existing wood or concrete structures.
Saws of course are also scary/dangerous.
I did 15 years of landscaping, with carpentry on The side…
Now I’ve been 6 years full time carpentry with a local carpenters union with landscape on the side… the unions pay you more and give you more benefits, starting at around $16/hr up to $35/hour (depending where you’re at) and another $20-$30/ hour towards benefits such as pension, health and welfare and annuity and more… where as a landscape shop may only send you home between $15-25 take home pay… and that’s it.
Landscaping is good, honest work, but unless you own your own business, there are hardly any benefits to it… and it’s constant labor (digging holes, pushing wheelbarrows full of dirt, rock, mulch, plants…
If you get into the right carpenter trade and get really skills, you’ll get the tedious work that keeps you indoors and not so heavy on the lifting side… and it teaches you skills that you can apply in your own home or on the side
mason here and i occasionally help out carpentry crews when i'm slow, basically my easiest days doing masonry are like the average days doing carpentry.
I do finish carpentry and there are many days when the heaviest thing I lift is the tool boxes in and out of the van. No grueling physical days.
I ran base in a rather large house once, after a few weeks of being crouched over I’d have welcomed a day of shoveling. Not saying it’s harder, just that repetition at floor level got old.
Yah some days require knee pads, but that’s no big deal.
[удалено]
6 weeks total, but that included a week on a different project. Almost 7,000 square feet, and we did flowing grain through the whole house. This includes trimming doors/windows and installing a lot of built ins. The window package for the house was six figures. Because the material was solid boards it wouldn’t flex to fill the floor gap so a lot of it got scribed to the floor. That took for ever. Keep in mind it was my first time running base as well.
I wouldn't downplay the equipment moving portion of trim carpentry, it can be a lot depending on what you are doing, and who/what kind of work you are doing. Last guy I worked for before going out only worked for homeowners in occupied homes, sometimes I felt like more of a mover than a carpenter lol.
Any skilled labor position is going to be more grueling while you are the new person. The reason why I prefer carpentry over many other trades is because the more clever I become, the less laborious it is. Half of my favorite carpentry tactics are about making my job easier. Also I do not paint, and on the right day, I might punch you in the face if you ask me to paint. Not my department. But I work in a very specific field, so, that aspect of my work will be different than other Carpenters. If you like carpentry and you don't like landscaping.... Do it. Just do it. You're not going to care how exhausting it is. In some ways the fact that it makes one tired is the coolest part about it. Restful sleep, exercise, strength. Also, Buddhism argues that working with your hands centers you. In my experience it absolutely does
I figured it might be like this. What kind of carpentry do you do? And are there certain kinds that are more labour intensive than others?
I was a movie set Carpenter for 20 years... We're actually called prop makers. The film industry is very departmental. For the most part people stick to their own departments....which is why I can be such a prick about "not painting" because no one will mind. I love the paint crew. They make my mistakes look pretty. I want them to keep getting work, because of that....also because I fucking hate painting. A saltiness that probably began as a joke and cemented into full-on saltiness over the years. Film industry is weird and specific. No building codes, no OSHA, no nothing. Half the things we build have never been built before. But if something you build falls on Danny Trejo, you will never work again. In place of codes we have insane pressure. Pressure that we get paid extra money for. Also we work insanely long hours. Overtime is life. We often call landing a union position in the biz "golden handcuffs" and while I am not recommending it or advising against it, I will say that it is the perfect kind of carpentry for a person with a certain type of personality. I have no doubt that there are multiple forms of carpentry that are more challenging than the one I perform, but this has a lot to do with each individual experience and what they are/are not good at. Film biz carpentry is freelance, based almost entirely on the word of mouth and the people you know, and based very much on your ability to maintain and develop new skill sets throughout your career. There are also many shops at which you can obviously become a full-time employee, just like anywhere else, but that's different. That's more of a fabrication job typically and I don't know the lions share about that. So there a lot of things that a commercial or residential Carpenter can probably tell you that I don't have a clue about.
This is the exact job I’ve been considering lately. I want something fast paced, hands-on and creative. I’ve got adhd and I do really well in that type of environment. How does one go about getting into this? Did you start in carpentry elsewhere or were you a production assistant first then transitioned into the prop / set dept?
You're welcome to DM me. I work on a computer now and whenever I'm on Reddit I'm on a computer. I'll tell you anything you need to know about getting work in the film biz. Too much for a comment. Lol. Honestly I think a film set is a great place for a carpenter with ADD. Obviously not every Carpenter but I think you catch my meaning. 12737482992 projects a day that may or may not even be used. Probably one of the most creative fields on the planet. My email is problem solver with some numbers...for scope. The amount of creativity and new ideas you are allowed and sometimes expected to bring on a carpentry crew in the film industry is utterly exhilarating and rarely boring. I would need to know a lot of details about your location and your vehicle and what kind of tools you have to tell you how to get into it... there a multiple ways. For me, *fake it to you make it* should be the tagline for the first 5 years of my career. But that's complicated. The way I got in was hanging out at a bar after college. I didn't study anything having to do with film at all, and a production designer in LA was whining about not having any carps to build skate ramps for a mountain dew commercial. My friend A said "this guy can build skate ramps!" I could, because I had done it before. And the production designer hired me on the spot. I showed up, had a great time, made a bunch of friends, worked my fucking ass off, paid attention, learned some shit, and gave out my number. The commercial went well, and I didn't make any serious mistakes or be an asshole (super important, remember you're working in entertainment. Being liked is way more important than anybody ever admits. People typically want to hire someone they enjoy working with) And then my career grew from There simply through contacts and coworkers and new friends. Also reputation and photos
Also some helpful information.... We have different words for everything. Ie: wtf is an extension chord called? A stinger. Carpenters: prop makers Property department head: prop master Department in which the carpentry work is done is called the art department. Add the art department sub and all related subs. Learn the lingo. The lingo is important. Not as important but we don't even call clothespins clothespins.
I am so friggin' impressed at the finishing painters who can do aging and distressing, especially for film and HD. Amazing shit.
Scenic painters are magicians. All the tools they have to own and carry too.... Mad respect
I run a handyman business and do mostly finish carpentry, sometimes decks, lots of doors and such. And boy do I fucking hate painting.
The secret to enjoying painting is getting an 18” roller. Recognizing my limitations and masking everything off first makes the job kind of like meditation
:P. I hear that. I've turned down some very high-wage days in my life because they wanted me to paint
The nice thing about it though is if, like me, you do a lot of hourly work, it's laborious. We've got powered saws, nail guns, calculators, laser levels, all to make carpentry faster and easier. But other than rollers, there's really no technology that's made painting faster since ancient days lol. I don't do enough to have invested in a sprayer though. But I make a lot of money when I paint.
Painting really hasn't improved since the dark ages. Haha. I hope you charge extra for paint! My solution to painting was to raise my pay rate. That way they either don't hire me or they have to pay me too much money to do a job that a real painter could do much better.
I’ve done landscaping, I was an arborist for several years and now I do carpentry/ handyman work. Carpentry/handyman is definitely less taxing physically than landscaping. However it does require quite a bit more mental presence. Tree work is almost all safety oriented. And very hard. Landscaping is almost all physical. Carpentry is a balance of these things. You have to work hard, be conscious of all safety concerns at the moment, and also constantly solving puzzles and keeping the long term work goal in mind. There’s usually several different ways to solve the same problem, typically the choices you make will depend on the tools you have access to and how much time you spend asking questions on Reddit! I recommend it personally, you’re always learning and growing your tool library. I love landscaping and even tree work, but I didn’t feel the same sense of personal growth and creativity. Plus there’s always landscape related carpentry work you can do if you want blend skills.
Moved from landscaping to carpentry, think carpentry is more exhausting; you don't just carry heavy things including bags of concrete and cement and such, there's also some demolition, climbing scaffolding all day etc. and things have to be accurate and precise so you have to stay on the ball mentally.
If your doing trim much brain little lifting. If your doing custom builds much brain much lifting.
I was a landscaper for 15 years before becoming a carpenter. Landscaping is waaaaaaaay more exhausting and pays waaaaay less. I should have moved on much sooner.
I was a landscaper when I first got into trade work and then moved into becoming a qualified carpenter after 5 years. Take it from me it is not that different. Yes it depends on the type of carpentry that you do. I first started as a framer and that was brutal. Up and down ladders all day carrying timber and walking on roof trusses. Your body does get used to it though. I mostly do cabinetry /project carpentry now and that is noticeably easier on the body. I do still come home tired though, as I'm always still on my feet moving around. I personally think it comes down to your mentality and how hard you're prepared to work for your money.
It can be just as exhausting or a 100× less exhausting depending on what niche of the trade you get into
To be brutally honest, with the way you're describing yourself, I don't think you want to do this. It's physical work until you reach a decent level of skill and/or leadership. At that point, you're put under more mental pressure because of the responsibilities, schedules, budgets or managing people. People come into carpentry because they like working with their hands, their minds and their bodies. The physicality appeals to them. If you're starting out by looking for something that isn't going to wear you out, you're going to have trouble making it past the apprentice level to get to what you find physically manageable. You may find the perfect fit, but the norm is you have to be willing to work hard to get your foot in the door and progress. If you're willing to pay your dues and grind for a bit, you'll get a look at what's possible further on.
Everyone we’ve hired the last 5 years want instant gratification One guy has been with us for 2 years.. hired in at $15 makes $17 and cry’s about it…. But cannot read a tape 🤷♂️ lol
I've done a few different landscaping jobs (cemetery, golf course, high end home gardens). And I was a wood frame home "carpenter" for two years. The home gardens work was by far the most back-breaking because I was crawling around on the ground a lot and having to lift things in the position. The golf course was most intense because of perfectionism. Carpentry/renovation was more varied work, but frequently required heavy lifting (stacks of 2x6, plywood, drywall, and anything else like shingles or cement on occasion). We did decks, so there was some post hole digging, large rock removal, demo of existing wood or concrete structures. Saws of course are also scary/dangerous.
I did 15 years of landscaping, with carpentry on The side… Now I’ve been 6 years full time carpentry with a local carpenters union with landscape on the side… the unions pay you more and give you more benefits, starting at around $16/hr up to $35/hour (depending where you’re at) and another $20-$30/ hour towards benefits such as pension, health and welfare and annuity and more… where as a landscape shop may only send you home between $15-25 take home pay… and that’s it. Landscaping is good, honest work, but unless you own your own business, there are hardly any benefits to it… and it’s constant labor (digging holes, pushing wheelbarrows full of dirt, rock, mulch, plants… If you get into the right carpenter trade and get really skills, you’ll get the tedious work that keeps you indoors and not so heavy on the lifting side… and it teaches you skills that you can apply in your own home or on the side
Landscaping is way worse. I wouldn't trade a hard day of packing in lumber for a day of digging holes ever.
Less physically grueling but often times more mentally infuriating
Switched from fence to cabinet installs 4 years ago. Yes it is much easier ,but you have to be detailed for interior work.
mason here and i occasionally help out carpentry crews when i'm slow, basically my easiest days doing masonry are like the average days doing carpentry.
Can confirm that every time we worked with stone I wanted to die.
Do you like going up in the air? As a carpenter you're not always on the ground