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How do you think the field of carpentry feels about this? Do you think they tell young carpenters in the field to convince homeowners to build their next closet

How do you think the field of carpentry feels about this? Do you think they tell young carpenters in the field to convince homeowners to build their next closet in clay, because wood is old and boring?

keithb- 6y ago
This is a great comment, but I would generalize to just about any other profession. Are nurses bored with bandaids and hoping for better technology? And also comparisons between computer engineering and construction are always problematic because they are at completely different stages of maturity. Maybe what you suggest did happen in 1500 BC when the homeowner was like "Hey buddy, just build this closet with mud bricks" and the carpenter was like "Nar bro, I got these twigs I cut down that are super cool. Mud is for neubs".
- Leherenn 6y ago
  Bandaids, I don't know, but they (at least some) certainly are about new sensors/techniques/catheters,... Also, people wanting to work on the latest and greatest because it is the latest and greatest is also sometimes an issue.
Leherenn 6y ago
Yes? Well maybe not clay, but the choice of materials is certainly subject to cycles and hype. See bioconcrete for instance these days for construction in general.
interlocutor2 6y ago
Carpentry is innovating new jigs, joinery methods, engineered wood, aesthetic trends, steam bending, finishes, and inlays.
marcinzm 6y ago
No but they will probably tell them to learn to use a CNC machine rather than just using a power saw.
matthewmacleod 6y ago
Yes, there’s actually a really similar throughline. My dad’s been a joiner for 40+ years. At the time he started, the industry didn’t have access to things like MDF, cordless drills, nailguns, or various other tools and materials that are now taken for granted. The general principle that he’s expressed to me—and one I’ve tried to follow—is that it’s worth investing in and keeping an eye on developments and new technology, and applying them in situations where you are confident they will offer a benefit. That might be faster completion of a job, or lower-cost materials, or a more robust outcome. Jumping in to using new techniques “just because” is usually a bad idea, though sometimes it’s worth doing so in less critical situations to make sure your skills and knowledge are up to date. The flip-side is he mentioned a case where he’d hired someone experienced and sent them off to do something—I think sheeting a floor with plywood or something—and came back at the end of the day to find they’d spent the day trying to do the job with a hand drill instead of an electronic drill. I’d say the balance is what is important. Boring technology is a good basis to start with and is usually the right choice, because most problems are boring. But this shouldn’t prevent you from applying exciting technology in cases where it offers a genuine benefit. Just be aware that excitement has a cost, and you have limited “excitement tokens” that you are able to spend, so it’s best to save them for the bits where they offer a real benefit.

keithb- 6y ago

This is a great comment, but I would generalize to just about any other profession. Are nurses bored with bandaids and hoping for better technology? And also comparisons between computer engineering and construction are always problematic because they are at completely different stages of maturity. Maybe what you suggest did happen in 1500 BC when the homeowner was like "Hey buddy, just build this closet with mud bricks" and the carpenter was like "Nar bro, I got these twigs I cut down that are super cool. Mud is for neubs".

Leherenn 6y ago
Bandaids, I don't know, but they (at least some) certainly are about new sensors/techniques/catheters,... Also, people wanting to work on the latest and greatest because it is the latest and greatest is also sometimes an issue.

Leherenn 6y ago

Yes? Well maybe not clay, but the choice of materials is certainly subject to cycles and hype. See bioconcrete for instance these days for construction in general.

interlocutor2 6y ago

Carpentry is innovating new jigs, joinery methods, engineered wood, aesthetic trends, steam bending, finishes, and inlays.

marcinzm 6y ago

No but they will probably tell them to learn to use a CNC machine rather than just using a power saw.

matthewmacleod 6y ago

Yes, there’s actually a really similar throughline. My dad’s been a joiner for 40+ years. At the time he started, the industry didn’t have access to things like MDF, cordless drills, nailguns, or various other tools and materials that are now taken for granted. The general principle that he’s expressed to me—and one I’ve tried to follow—is that it’s worth investing in and keeping an eye on developments and new technology, and applying them in situations where you are confident they will offer a benefit. That might be faster completion of a job, or lower-cost materials, or a more robust outcome. Jumping in to using new techniques “just because” is usually a bad idea, though sometimes it’s worth doing so in less critical situations to make sure your skills and knowledge are up to date. The flip-side is he mentioned a case where he’d hired someone experienced and sent them off to do something—I think sheeting a floor with plywood or something—and came back at the end of the day to find they’d spent the day trying to do the job with a hand drill instead of an electronic drill. I’d say the balance is what is important. Boring technology is a good basis to start with and is usually the right choice, because most problems are boring. But this shouldn’t prevent you from applying exciting technology in cases where it offers a genuine benefit. Just be aware that excitement has a cost, and you have limited “excitement tokens” that you are able to spend, so it’s best to save them for the bits where they offer a real benefit.