A quick install last week had me missing the careful pace from years back.

We used to measure each board twice, but now it's all pre-cut kits. (I saw a wonky gap on that last job that never would have slipped past my old boss.)

4 comments

4 Comments

flores.lisa3mo ago

Worry we're losing the problem solving skills along with the craft. Like, that gap gets caulked over now instead of figuring out why it happened in the first place.

green.val3mo ago

At the local trade school, they teach using pre-made kits instead of raw wood. Students never learn to fix a bad joint, they just order a new part. How do we get back to teaching the why behind the fix?

shane_hayes2mo ago

What happens when the kit company stops making that exact part in five years? The whole system falls apart if you never learn to adapt. Are the teachers even allowed to scrap the kits and make students start from scratch with real lumber?

leehall3mo ago

What?! They just order a new part instead of learning to fix a bad joint? That's like teaching someone to drive but not how to change a flat tire. You're setting them up to fail when something goes wrong on a real job. My old crew would have re-cut that board on site, no question.