# Are you a specialist or a jack of all trades?



## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2015)

Just thought this would be a fun discussion. I consider myself the proverbial jack of all trades and a master of none. Even when I was working full time as a carpenter I could be found pouring concrete one day and hanging doors the next. Now I sometimes do flat work, sometimes I spin, and now and again carve a gunstock. Sometimes I jump completely out of the box and try something that I have never done like making a dulcimer before I had a clue how to play the dam thing (still not good but getting better).

Reactions: Like 3


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## Mike1950 (Nov 16, 2015)

pretty handy but spent life in construction and mostly as a plasterer or plaster contractor. If ya cut your mud too short you just mix another bag....

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Tclem (Nov 16, 2015)

I ain't nothing of nothing

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## Tclem (Nov 16, 2015)

Mike1950 said:


> pretty handy but spent life in construction and mostly as a plasterer or plaster contractor. If ya cut your mud too short you just mix another bag....


A master of what .....

Reactions: Funny 1


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## Jim Beam (Nov 16, 2015)

I've made an electric guitar, an electric violin, a cigar box guitar, jewelry boxes, and turned about a dozen bowls so far. I can set tile better than most. I was a glass blower for 13 years. I'm a darn good cook. How's that?

Reactions: Like 1 | Thank You! 1


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## DKMD (Nov 16, 2015)

When I was younger, I fished a lot... I considered myself a master baiter...

Reactions: Funny 12


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## Tclem (Nov 16, 2015)

DKMD said:


> When I was younger, I fished a lot... I considered myself a master baiter...


I'm still an amateur

Reactions: Like 1 | Funny 4


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## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2015)

DKMD said:


> When I was younger, I fished a lot... I considered myself a master baiter...


I don't think I'd ah said that

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## ripjack13 (Nov 16, 2015)



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## Brink (Nov 16, 2015)

Woodworking, or trades in general?


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## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2015)

Brink said:


> Woodworking, or trades in general?


Woodworking


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## JR Custom Calls (Nov 16, 2015)

I've been called special, and a jack but not of all trades.

Reactions: Funny 5


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## Sidecar (Nov 16, 2015)

Just hang'n round Curt.......just in case there ends up be'n extra coconuts !


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## Kevin (Nov 16, 2015)

Tclem said:


> A master of what .....



Master of your domain . . . . .

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 2


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## Schroedc (Nov 16, 2015)

While most of what I do is turning, I'm getting to be a generalist in the shop these days.

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## Kevin (Nov 16, 2015)

It's possible to be JOAT but also a MOO (technically you'd be a Jack Of All BUT One Trade yet Master of THAT one) but I cannot say I have ever mastered any one aspect of woodworking. I think to be considered a master you have to produce flawless craftsmanship almost without fail and I rarely see that. I don't think I will ever see it in myself because I am definitely my most ardent and anal critique (have fun with that Henry lol).

I'm a JOAT for sure.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Kevin (Nov 16, 2015)

Dave this is a great idea for a thread thanks for posting it.

Reactions: Thank You! 1


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## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2015)

Kevin said:


> It's possible to be JOAT but also a MOO (technically you'd be a Jack Of All BUT One Trade yet Master of THAT one) but I cannot say I have ever mastered any one aspect of woodworking. I think to be considered a master you have to produce flawless craftsmanship almost without fail and I rarely see that. I don't think I will ever see it in myself because I am definitely my most ardent and anal critique (have fun with that Henry lol).
> 
> I'm a JOAT for sure.


I don't expect to ever be a master at any one aspect of wood working, by the time a get even close to perfection I am bored and move on to something else. I am sure as long as I am able I will eat at least a little sawdust every week.


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## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2015)

Kevin said:


> Dave this is a great idea for a thread thanks for posting it.


bet there are a few chuckles yet to come

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Kevin (Nov 16, 2015)

sprucegum said:


> by the time a get even close to perfection I am bored and move on to something else.



Man you nailed my biggest "flaw" if it can be called that by far. I have been that way my whole life with everything.

Reactions: Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2015)

Kevin said:


> Man you nailed my biggest "flaw" if it can be called that by far. I have been that way my whole life with everything.


I am 64 I still tell people that I don't know what I want to do when I grow up.

Reactions: Agree 3


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## Kevin (Nov 16, 2015)

Man I'm glad we aren't neighbors after all I think we'd get each other in trouble lol.


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## Kevin (Nov 16, 2015)

I think the guys who vote Master Of One should at least expound a little on what they have mastered.


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## JR Custom Calls (Nov 16, 2015)

Kevin said:


> Man you nailed my biggest "flaw" if it can be called that by far. I have been that way my whole life with everything.


That's been my downfall. I'll invest tons of money in something, start to get fairly good at it, get bored, then do something new. Finally with woodworking, there are lots of different things to do so hopefully I will stick with this

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 3 | +Karma 1


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## Kevin (Nov 16, 2015)

JR Custom Calls said:


> That's been my downfall. I'll invest tons of money in something, start to get fairly good at it, get bored, then do something new. Finally with woodworking, there are lots of different things to do so hopefully I will stick with this




Maybe we should challenge ourselves to master becoming a billionaire. By the time we;ve made a few hundred million we'll get bored and have failed at yet another goal. Oh well what a way to fail!

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Funny 1


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## Mike1950 (Nov 16, 2015)

Kevin said:


> I think the guys who vote Master Of One should at least expound a little on what they have mastered.



I voted master of one but that is before we redefined trades to woodworking only.


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## Kevin (Nov 16, 2015)

Mike1950 said:


> I voted master of one but that is before we redefined trades to woodworking only.



Master Plasterer? I have seen one or two pics of your work and there's no way you could not be considered a master plasterer. You ain't far from it in woodworking either. Except turning of course.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Mike1950 (Nov 16, 2015)

Kevin said:


> Master Plasterer? I have seen one or two pics of your work and there's no way you could not be considered a master plasterer. You ain't far from it in woodworking either. Except turning of course.



Thanks buddy- I go off my peers votes. We- as a company won the residential award 3 times 2000-2009 and the commercial award for the state. Kathie, I and our workers earned those awards. One of our award houses still adorns the NW wall and ceiling bureau web site- well at least last time I looked. It was a fun gig while it lasted. woodworking- thanks but lots more to learn. Turning-errr never..........

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## sprucegum (Nov 16, 2015)

As a young man I was a master at getting plastered

Reactions: Agree 4 | Funny 3


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## Blueglass (Nov 16, 2015)

I seem to be addicted to making these snare drums but I still have much to learn. So not a master. I do occasionally work on other aspects of wood working. I have a coffee table I'm working up to but I am still investing in supplies after finally getting the wood dry.


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## Mike1950 (Nov 16, 2015)

sprucegum said:


> As a young man I was a master at getting plastered



Now that is something I was good at as a young man myself...


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## frankp (Nov 23, 2015)

Good grief... I'm a master procrastinator. Other than that, I do it all, mostly at the level of mediocre. I've turned bowls, pens, and Christmas ornaments, built guitars (3), kayaks (4 or 5), boxes (a bunch), bookshelves, cabinets, tables, chairs, bows (of the archery type), mantles, and a billion other things I can't think of right now. I'm far from a master but each project is a little better. Now if only I'd do more than one of each thing someone else might be able to tell I'm improving.

I'm one of those people that honestly believes I can do anything I want to do. When I find a project I'm interested in doing, I research the hell out of it, learn as much as I can, make a plan and then mostly follow it until I'm about 98% finished, then I move to the next project. Very few "finished" pieces from me but they all work as intended with a few details lacking. One of these days I'll learn how to actually get a project 100% finished. One of these days...

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## justallan (Nov 23, 2015)

I can cut some darned nice firewood, does that count? It's generally pretty close to what I was shooting for, has been 100% affective for it's intended use and I've been successful in selling every bit that I produce, with folks begging for more.
Other than that any kind of hobby woodcraft is more in the line of therapy.

Reactions: Funny 1


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## CWS (Nov 23, 2015)

I have been told I was a good bowl turner, but I couldn't swear to it because I can't remember.
Curt

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## Sidecar (Nov 24, 2015)

CWS said:


> I have been told I was a good bowl turner, but I couldn't swear to it because I can't remember.
> Curt


Now I can tell you fella's ol Curt does really neat stuff !!!


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## Jerry B (Nov 24, 2015)

having been a custom cabinet / furniture maker for over 35+ years, and some designers specifically seeking the shops I worked at because of me, my skills & my quality control level,
I considered myself the "master" of the trade ........ I've never worked in a "production" type shop, strictly high end, one of a kind pieces, and there was nothing I couldn't create. 
If you could draw it on a bar napkin, I could build it ....... (funny how we always met in bars to discuss jobs & designs)
I do turning now only because I physically cannot do the furniture anymore, and it's a way for me to keep working with woods, which I _must_ do to some degree.
I've tried not doing any woodworking ........ trust me, you didn't want to be around me then

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## kweinert (Nov 24, 2015)

There's just so much to learn and to try. Just threw out a bowl from a board because I screwed it up and it was more likely to come apart than to finish turning. I think I'll try the concept again, just now I know what to do so it has a better chance of working.

That's the story of my life. Try something, figure out I didn't know enough for it to really be like I wanted, try it again. Or do something else.

Definitely not a master of anything, but I'm pretty willing to try something out at least once.


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## CalumetWoodworks (Nov 24, 2015)

Turning small items seems to be my forte. Pens, bottle stoppers, ornaments, razor handles, etc. I have done some scroll sawing and I did get to build a cradle with my dad for my granddaughter.


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## brown down (Dec 12, 2015)

sprucegum said:


> As a young man I was a master at getting plastered



I am still working on that mastery


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## woodnutz (Dec 17, 2015)

My dad always said specialization is for insects. Man should learn everything he can. Guess I'm Jack.

Reactions: Great Post 1


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## Ralph Muhs (Dec 17, 2015)

I say I am flexible. Kay calls me unstable. Some people say I am creative. I do many things poorly, and some things I do ok.

Reactions: Funny 2


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## David Hill (Dec 18, 2015)

JOAT--that's me. Don't know if it's a gift or a curse--am able to watch/see something done and can usually do it fairly well.


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## frankp (Dec 29, 2015)

We definitely seem to have a trend on this poll. I can't say it's too surprising, though, as most of us probably have to deal with "master of one" issues at our "day jobs" and use woodworking to spread our wings a bit more.


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