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Old school tradesmen
- Thread starter sinclair1
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Artfuldodger
Senior Member
The first time I saw a man do this when I was a kid, I thought he was eating nails.
oldfella1962
Senior Member
I've never worked much with drywall but making wooden pallets (as a teen) and framing houses for several years turned me into a hammering machine back in the day.
naildrvr
Senior Member
I used to do ALOT of hand banging while framing and could sink a 16d with a tap and a slap from a 28oz Estwing and also start the next nail without missing a beat. Primarily when nailing studs in walls. Now after 30 years of framing, siding, and everything else, I'm purty much a nail gunner to keep up the pace.
bassboy1
Senior Member
We can't talk about hand nailing in a thread about old school tradesmen without including Larry Haun.
Redbow
Senior Member
Both videos are amazing to watch, good stuff. I doubt there are very few tradesmen left today of these men's caliber. My Stepdad was one of these men. He could build anything out of wood and was one of the best finish carpenters I ever had the pleasure of knowing n this life.
oldfella1962
Senior Member
I was never a fan of nail guns when I was forced to use them. Funny story - when I was framing in Phoenix towards the end of the day a car pulls up to the site and says "do you guys have somebody a few houses down working on a roof? He might be in trouble - he's in pain and yelling!"
Sure enough the construction company owner's son Larry had nail-gunned his foot to the roof laying down plywood.
None of us could hear him with our portable generators running.Speaking of "hand banging" why does it seem to hurt worse when you hit your thumb/fingers on a very cold day versus a warm day?
I just have to go google that.
naildrvr
Senior Member
Speaking of "hand banging" why does it seem to hurt worse when you hit your thumb/fingers on a very cold day versus a warm day?
I don't know, but it definitely does.
We were laying subfloor years ago and the gun I was using didn't have a spring on the tip. I nailed one row and turned before I stood upright and shot a nail in my big toe. I had to cut my shoe off and climb down an extension ladder from the second floor and drive to the ER. The dr had to call maintenance and get vise grips to pull it out.
TheWildLife
Senior Member
Put a nail through the web of my left hand while hanging wall sheathing. The gun used welded wire nails. Instantly grabbed the nail and pulled it back through so I'd only have one pain session instead of two. The two teenagers working for me just stared. I made my way over to the Igloo water cooler and sunk my hand into the icy cold water for about 5 minutes. Pulled it out and wrapped it in paper towels and blue painters tape (my go to 1st. aid kit). Looked at the boys and said "let's get back to it, and oh yea, I wouldn't drink any of that water!"
The two teenagers working for me just stared. I made my way over to the Igloo water cooler and sunk my hand into the icy cold water for about 5 minutes. Pulled it out and wrapped it in paper towels and blue painters tape (my go to 1st. aid kit). Looked at the boys and said "let's get back to it, and oh yea, I wouldn't drink any of that water!"
If you can`t drive nails with any consistency, don`t take up flintknapping. You have to hit where you look, not look where you hit.
notnksnemor
The Great and Powerful Oz
Ever watch a rocker shim sheetrock with shingle scraps make a wall smooth?
Hillbilly stalker
Senior Member
My Uncle was an old school carpenter, I helped him and daddy roof our house. You didn’t wanna be the one feeding him shingles. I heard “ tap/ pop” all day long. He could play a framing hammer like Charlie Daniels played a fiddle.
Core Lokt
Senior Member
My grandpa was a carpenter and I have some of his tools. Hand drills and such. They used wooden pegs for nails is certain situations.
oldfella1962
Senior Member
Yes I forgot about the tools! My step-dad (a union trained carpenter when he was in his 20's) had a hand cranked drill & some other assorted old-school tools in his collection.
Batjack
Cap`n Jack 1313
Still got my Dad's old hand made tool box with rope "handle", brace & bits, hand saws, back saw & hand made miter box, etc. Plus when he moved up to electric I've got his metal body 6 1/4" skill saw, recipt. saw, and jig saw.
My GGrand Dad ran a framing crew (his sons, nephews, grand kids, etc.) and had one rule.. "Talk about anything you want at lunch.. except work/job." And would sit there at lunch sharpening his hand saws. I remember him having a little leather strap on his belt that he had a piece of hog fat to lube his saw. Old man could cut a 2x10 faster than anyone to day with a skill saw.
Core Lokt
Senior Member
I've got a hand made miter box as well forgot about it.
Raylander
I’m Billy’s Useles Uncle.
Larry Haun is a beast
Pig Predator
Useles Billy’s Fishel Hog Killer ?
I still cope my inside corners on baseboards, shoe mold and crown mold even if it gets painted.
Batjack
Cap`n Jack 1313
I got fired for that once. We were given 2 days to trim a house and did it right. The .. er.. "other" guys with 18 of them could pour out of a van and do 2 houses in one day.. total junk. The builders wanted our quality of work out of them... so we got fired for showing up the "money makers".
I still cope every piece of trim, that's how my GGrand Dad taught me and only way I know.
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