Wry humor from the journeymen...

[Joe]

Recalling some homilies and quips that made me smile years ago, the pros always seem to have their special sayings. For example, decades ago I was at a welding class and finally ran a decent bead on a right angle fillet. The taciturn old timer teaching the course came by, looked at the work and opined, "Looks like it's stuck". Obviously disappointed, I later asked a classmate to comment. He grinned and said, "You just got yourself an A for today. That's the old timers' compliment". Woodworkers probably have similar nifties relating to dumb mistakes, the most ancient likely, "I cut it twice and it's still too short...". Heard any good ones over the years? Joe

[DGDevin]

A. "Geez, this thing is heavier than it looks." B. "Yeah, it looks like it would be heavier than it looks."

[Michael Karas]

Working during my college day summers with some old timer carpenters remodeling houses in Minnesota farm country; one of their favorite expressions at fitting up some piece of wood was "fits good 'nuf as they'll never see that from downtown Chicago".

[basilisk]

How long do you want those 2x4's ?

I'm going to need them a long time, I'm building a house.

basilisk

[Dave In Texas]

While tiling the floor in a small bath my 'mentor' was off the line parallel to the vanity, all the more noticeable account the bathroom's small floor area. "Dave (his name, too)," you're way off the line!" "Of course, that's the way I see."

Dave in Houston

[sparky01]

or as my Dad used to say ",measure it with a micrometer, mark it with a grease pencil, then cut it with an axe"

Sparky

[Robatoy]

I like

[Robatoy]

One of my favourites: "We are not making watches."

[WW]

One I use a lot is (thats good enough for a town of this size) since I am a wood butcher not a "woodworker" WW

[Lee Michaels]

...

My grandfather was the ultimate "recycler". It was not such a good thing back in the day. He built many a garage for little or no money. I have seen him build a big garage for a car or two and a small shop for $300. All the nails were reclaimed from demolition jobs.

He used to say to me, "Lee, go make some nails." This was where I would go to the pails of old, bent, rusty nails and one by one, straighten them out. The other thing he said, that I remember very well to this day, had to do with missing the nail and hitting my thumb/hand. He would say, "Hit the wrong nail?" I remember that expression very fondly. He was a great man and made such an impression on me as a youngster. I don't like hitting my hand with a hammer, I don't do it very much these days. But when I do, I still see his face and hear his voice. It makes me feel good remembering him. Thanks Grandpa.

[willshak]

..or as house framers would say, we are not making furniture.

[RicodJour]

The version I hear is, "I won't see it from my house." Usually said by a roofer when asked about the wavy shingle courses.

R

[Dave In Texas]

Another from mentor, Dave. "I think the client had something better in mind, Dave" "We made it better than it was."

Dave in Houston

[Luigi Zanasi]

My father (who was a cabinetmaker) used to say: "Taglia l'aria e spacca il burro." of any dull tool. "Cuts air & splits butter"

Luigi

[Oren]

"you need a Board Stretcher" *

Also there is the rookie sent to get a _bucket of electricity_ (don't ask how I know that).

The one I hated most in time of pain was "it will feel better when it quits hurting".

• _Board Stretcher With Art Willing _

Video:

[busbus]

My dad used to say, "A blind man on a fast horse will never know the difference."

[Lew Hodgett]

------------------------------ Sounds like the old, "... flying red horse at 1,000 ft won't see the difference."

Lew

[salty]

Use it up Wear it out Make it do Or do without

There is nothing so simple that it cannot be made more complicated.

Measure twice. Stop for lunch.

[ChairMan]

or "Good enough for the girls I go out with"

[Doug Miller]

I heard that as "measure with a micrometer, mark with chalk, cut with an axe, and hammer to fit -- and if it breaks, it needed replacing anyway!"