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A different kind of woodworking....

2K views 41 replies 30 participants last post by  gfadvm 
#1 · (Edited by Moderator)
The first week of June I went on a building trip in Brookville, OH. It's about three hours away and was a week long adventure. We were helping build an addition to a church's sanctuary. I was very curious to see how many women would be there. And to my surprise…. there were ALOT. THEN… I realized that all those women (although they were wearing nail belts) were there to fix our breakfast, lunch and dinner. There was only one other woman on the entire crew of almost 80 men. So… I was questioning just what kind of work I'd get to do and if they would let me run any of the power tools.

Do any of you know my intense fear of spiders??? When I first got on the job I was sweeping (see why below on day 1) and a guy came and gave me a box cutter and told me to score along the baseboard around the entire room so that the drywall would break off easier. I got about 3/4 done when I encountered the spider. I displayed an extreme amount of restraint here. I KNEW that I couldn't get these guys to let me do much more than sweep and fetch things if I jumped up, screamed, and ran away from this spider. Which… is what every being in my body wanted to do I slowly stood up and backed away. Might have looked a little crazy as I was talking to myself the whole time ("It's just a spider! It's just a spider! It's just a spider! Dont run! Don't scream! Powertools!!!!!")

No one seemed to notice. So here is how the trip worked out for me.

Day 1… Very big guy walks up to me and hands me a broom and says "shouldn't you be doing the women's work?"
He walked away. I had never met him. Didn't know if he was serious or not. I don't offend easily so I laughed and I swept ip stuff.

Day 2… I'm nailing in (by hand) the tyvek and the blue board on the outside. This was early in the morning. Same guy walks up and says… "Isn't there some woman's work that you could be doing?" Again I still hadn't met him so I laughed and said "Im sure there is".

Then the crane arrived for the trusses so we stopped putting on the insulation. Somehow… Cause I'm curious… I ended up with the project manager. He sent me up on the scissor lift to give the guys on the roof some tools. He asked if I had driven one and I said no. He hollered for someone… And guess who it was? Yep. The "woman's work" guy. Somehow I ended up sticking with the guy and I helped out the trusses in. I learned real quick how to drive the scissor lift and be quick about it. And by lunch he was even letting me use the paslode (which intimidates me and is bigger than my head..lol). These were huge trusses and we were two stories high. The middle section of the three different sections. Had a blast

Day 3… After spending almost all of day 2 putting in the trusses and working along side the "woman's work" guy… On the third day I walk up to him and say "you got any woman's work for me today?"
He hung his head a little and with a little from he said "nah… I think you are doing just fine with the men's work."

After that… None of the men hesitated to have me help on a project.

Day 4 & 5…. helped build interior walls. Was given massive piles of lumber to cut for the sound/media booth and lots of driving the scissor lift. I actually got pretty good.

Fun times. I had a blast.

A little overwhelmed though… By the massive piles of lumber. And had to keep myself from ever looking at the dumpster where they were throwing away perfectly usable wood.
 
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#4 ·
Good on you, Angie. I bet that some of the women tending to the "women's work" would have loved to be there doing construction work with you, but didn't step up for some reason. I imagine some of them were jealous of you for stepping up!
 
#6 ·
Just be careful working in the site. Other worker can be a risk contributor.
The timbers from these are normally treated chemically and it last long too. The hard part is sometimes the owners would not give the offcuts here in the Philippines. In your place, I expect a lot ends up as firewood. I hope you had gained experience on that different woodworking.
Have a nice day.
 
#10 ·
Angie, I wish I had your patience! What a way to handle an awkward situation… kill 'em with kindness!
I'm glad you were recognized for all your talents and willingness to do "people's" work.
One of the nice things about LJ is that folks here recognize talent not gender!
Ellen
 
#11 ·
I definitely learned a lot. It was a lot of fun.

Actually… I did get my first injury while working on the site. I had been given this great little hammer after someone saw me struggling with one that was too heavy and too long for me. (Hurricane straps… I never want to install about her hurricane step again. All with hammer and nails… Sucked!!!!)

Anyways… I was working with another guy up in the scissor lift. I wanted to go down and get my hammer. But they were Ina hurry (always) and he just gave me mine. We were putting in supports in between the studs of the wall we just built. It was built with 2×10s. Not sure why. So I wedged the board in and was trying to get a good angle to shoot a nail in. There was 14" between each stuff. All the nail did was push the board out. So I was trying to use the hammer to get the boards to come together. Long handle… I was using hammer left handed….Too heavy…. Bad angle… Guy rushing me… I somehow managed to smash my pointer finger between the corner on the stud and the hammer. Didn't scream or cry. Just gently dropped the hammer to the bottom of the scissor lift and said "I'm done!"
This was on Friday and I was done for the rest of the project. It hurt!!!!!!' It's actually still healing. I think I actually must have cracked something because even yesterday I went to use it and it hurt.
 
#13 ·
I don't think about a woman on the construction site as being different. My mother helped build the barn, house, corrals, all cabinets and shelves in the house and made all of the living room furniture. She just turned 84. Still more capable than many guys I know. I just assume if you are there, you're capable of doing the job.
 
#14 ·
There were several guys that didn't question my ability. A couple that just assumed what I could so and would tell me what they needed with the expectation that I could do it. I think my favorite thing though was walking around in the trusses. Too fun!!!
 
#15 · (Edited by Moderator)
My wife is good at DEMO! hehehehe
When we gutted the kitchen, the floors were the worst. FOUR LAYERS and each with its own underlayment. And NOBODY was skimpy on the staples which, of course, went through all the layers. In some places where several pieces came together several times over the course of 4 layers, it was like trying to pry up a forest of staples with some wood in it. AND it was about 95 degrees outside. Even with the air cranked it was a horrible, brutal job. But man, could that girl work a railroad bar and square shovel rippin' up floor.

She has her own cordless drill and hammer though. And I could say, "Find any loose pieces of subfloor and screw them down with inch and a half square drives.", and she was on it like nobody's business. She's afraid of heights though, so no trusses for her.

Angie, congrats on taking an active role in the "mens' work" and on your test of courage with the spider. And on your willingness to get involved in community work.

I knew a guy that was afraid of…. OWLS! He even said to me once, "It's not even a rational fear. I've never had a bad experience with an owl. They just freak me out." so what lands in the trusses not 30 feet away from him one morning? You guessed it. He was down a ladder like changing decks in a ship and into his truck in seconds.
 
#16 ·
I was thinking that it's time to for you start your own contracting business, but then I remembered your a single mom with a good job .Perhaps you could offer to help other non profit organisations or get a group of carpentry inclined gals together to do special projects,that would be very cool for all concerned .
 
#17 ·
Good for you Angie! You held you own with you chin up!
I know how you feel seeing all that good wood just tossed out. I got most the wood to built my workshop form a dumpster in a new subdivision gong in.
My wife is like you when it comes to spiders!
Glad you had fun!
 
#19 ·
Way to go, Angie. You earned you stripes the respect of the guys by showing them you can do it. Once you do, you're in for good! They'll call you for the next project!!!!!!!!!
Don't be shy about picking good wood from the dumpster. You get it when the getting is good! Just tell them you are a woodworkder- not just a carpenter!!

Like waling around the trusses- you could be a steelworker on those high girders!!

Oh, and if you build yourself a barn, don't go too small. That is the biggest mistake most people make. You need to fit what you have a whole lot more!!

..................Jim
 
#20 ·
"I somehow managed to smash my pointer finger between the corner on the stud and the hammer. Didn't scream or cry."

Angie,

That is your 'Red Badge of Courage', you earned it, wear it proudly.
...by the way your boo-boo isn't just a girl thing, don't ask how we know. :cool:

Glad you enjoyed the experience of 'Paying it Forward'.

Best Regards. - Grandpa Len.

Work Safely and have Fun.
 
#21 ·
Angie, I do so admire a woman who is not afraid to get her hands dirty or break a fingernail and I always look forward to your posts. When you get a chance, look at my blog " Call it Rustic, not Crude". Miss Honey Ma'am did probably sixty percent of the work on our landscape timber home.
She don't dig spiders and snakes, either, but she "manned up" and made a hand. I don't know what I'd do without her.

Keep up the good work, Girl, and don't let the "male chauvinist pigs" get to you.

Have a good'un

Joe
 
#23 ·
I guess that a "kiss my A$$" wouldn't have worked 'cause he probably would want to.
I had the same "you don't know squat" when I first started. He/they nailed it. I didn't, but I learned in spite of all the crap.
As one of my mentors said, "press on regardless".
Good on you lady.
Bill
 
#24 ·
@ Angie:I retired from heavy construction. During my career I had lots of women work with me and for me. I never had any problems if they put forth the effort and at least tried. They have to "try" first and not snivel about it being hard or try to impress people because they had a "Degree". I had one girl that jumped right up and tried to pull the chains on a 10T chainfall. She couldn't even move it (had a 7 ton piece of pipe on it) but she tried. Others were adept at running copper,bending tubing and all kinds of welding and electrical work.There were times when I would rather have the woman than some of the guys I had.
You hang in there and keep going at it. You're going to do just fine.
 
#25 · (Edited by Moderator)
"shouldn't you be doing the women's work?"
You should have offered to change his diaper. That would get him.
I know what you mean about women and seemingly men's jobs. I belong to a national fishing/conservation organization. A lady went to a meeting to see about joining. When one guy saw her, he ordered a drink, thinking she was the server. She made it plain why she was there.
The only spiders you should be concerned about are black widow and brown recluse. They can put the hurt on you. Learn to identify them.
 
#26 ·
Boy, I admire the way you handled yourself. Just exactly perfect for the situation. Really nice comeback on the "women's work" at just the right moment…not too soon, not too late. Well done.

BTW, I have a bench top small drill press to give you if you want to pick it up. I could even meet you part way somewhere if you wish. PM me. It may not work out. I have a picture if I can find it.
DanK
 
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