A question

[Gimpy]

For all of you time served. I take it you didn't use a trowel from day one. So in your 3 years, if you could squeeze all the hours you did actually plastering into weeks and months, how much do you think you did?

I know it might be an odd question. But i was talking to a good friend of mine the other day and he didn't pick one up until a year and a half into his 3 years

 

[McPlaster]

Some fellas can pick things up in no time at all and others wouldn't in a life time on the trowel, use the trowel as much as possible from day one.

 

[merlin]

spent first two years purely labouring then labouring and plastering cupboards only when i got time,spent close on 6 years learning trade!

 

[beddy]

started improving cupboards about 7/8 months in. our last labourer only just started trowelling cupboards after about 2 years. he just didnt have it in him. no matter how many times you told him how to do it. or when to do it. he wouldnt listen.

 

[church]

Pretty much the same as Merlin , worked with two spreads mostly labouring then on to one spread mostly labouring and putting on , it takes a couple of years to become a descent lab

 

[SLIPPY]

I was using a hawk + trowel on day 2 of me apprenticeship, but it took a good few weeks to get the hang of it and many more years to perfect it once it was on the wall :-[

 

[beddy]

i did used to practice taking plaster off the hawk all the time, just stood over the spot when we were dabbing all day. used to do their head in but it also showed them i was keen to learn

 

[oasis]

my lab is comming on nice, he can set a room up, protect everything, clean and mix well and has started layin on first coats... also he has a nice huge bin out side his house 2 put the days waste in worth his 50 squids

 

[oasis]

also iv done 2 days on my own this week only small jobs but WOW how did i ever do it on my own? the stress the boredom? y bother.. id rather pay him £150 and take £50 than work alone!

 

[ziggy2]

You've gota have a decent radio! ;D

 

[spunky]

same as merlin i didnt touch a trowel for over a year at least ........you dont walk into a labouring job and learn how to plaster straight away ;D

 

[flynnyman]

From the very first day i picked up the trowel we always had labourers and they were labourers only, never needed to mix i learnt that in college, but then i had an apprenticeship that was designed around apprentices.

 

[merlin]

i think you need to be able to labour properly before you start with a trowell , how would you know whats wrong with the mix if theres a problem,

 

[Gibbo]

i was put with a 2+1 gang and the lab would not mix for me so i did it myself then the spreads f**k*d him off then i mixed for them they would put on an extra room for me and say trowel that up

 

[flynnyman]

i think you need to be able to labour properly before you start with a trowell , how would you know whats wrong with the mix if theres a problem,

i agree but im only sayin how i was taught and college taught you how to mix and why it could go wrong.

 

[merlin]

i had the chance to go to college but turned it down , regret it now!

 

[Gibbo]

college was good we used to go in the pub and leave a trail of plaster everywhere

 

[pftmonojetman]

When i was an apprentice i use to love being covered in crap because i thought it looked cool in the pub ;D
I hate getting plaster on me now does my head in

 

[oasis]

pink dust is are calling card.

 

[merlin]

i got a real problem with getting dirty ,i hate it, it freaks me out, lol . my vans cleaner than my wifes car , dont let the kids in it anymore , dirty b@stards,lol

 

[oasis]

my van is a mess atm , i got pasta all over the dash 2 weeks ago!

 

[warriorupnorth]

My old man wouldn't let me use a trowel until i was into my third year , he kept sayin "when you know how to mix the diffrent materials and how they all handle and what material is suitable for which job/background etc then you get to use a trowel , but he was crafty he used to make me pass him gear using an handboard and trowel so got to know how to handle a trowel well before i was puttin it on the walls

 

[richardbrown]

college these days is utter sh.it, back in the day is when you were taught the trade.

 

[flynnyman]

college these days is utter sh.it, back in the day is when you were taught the trade.

I dont think its the colleges i think its the amount of courses, maybe the teachers are not as good so on that note you might be right lol

 

[SLIPPY]

Have to agree with R. Brown, back in the day was the best way to be taught any building trade, working on the sites was the proper way to be taught the plastering trade, the money was crap but it was character building stuff and you had to work several years to get qualified.