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I'm almost qualified, hopefully signed off before I'm 41. Physically, it is certainly harder than it would've been 20 years ago, but I was also never treated as the boy, so skipped the boring jobs like sweeping and stacking timber. The hardest part would definitely be at my last job, where I did the oblique cladding. My boss was hopeless. I saw him briefly 1 or 2 times a week, so had to figure out how to do everything on those units, while juggling a 1st and 2nd year. It was a very stressful time, but also a good learning curve. My new job is way better. What have you found to be the hardest?

It just butts into the corner and sealed with MS. It's a cheap and reasonably tidy way of doing it. Box corners would be pretty hard to do well for these boards, I imagine.

We struggled w the recent job doing oblique vertical boards (1st time) and getting the boards to fit inside the box external angles cause hardiedetail asks for a “2 mm nominal gap” to the internal angle and the grove is 5mm so technically u need 3mm inside but the boards will start bending..wonder if you had a similar issue w externals or just went straight into just butting in. Cheers mate. Love the vids

I think I get what you mean. At the time, I thought vertical would have been a lot easier. Our biggest problem was getting it under the windows and soffit. Grind off the lip that locks it in was the that worked.

Thanks for your feedback. Both beams are the same length and span, with the load, so either way works. The engineer has given it the ok and we've still got the fixings to put on as well.

Thanks. That's malthoid, a brand of damp proof course. It's cheap and resilient, so we use it for packing. In this case, I was using it to pack the joists up to the correct height.

Too focused on my work, mate 🤣

Yeah, a little bit. You've just got to double check everything and don't take anything for granted. Concrete tiles are pretty heavy.

Sure is. I hardly use my 185 anymore

My 185 is my least used. 165s, 270, 125, 185

I thought about getting a 270 after toolsandstuff reviewed it. I only needed it for ripping some 4 inch rimu studs for my blkitchen bench top, so couldn't justify the cost. I persisted with the 185 for that, but man it was hard on the batteries. I'd get about 3 rips and they would overheat.

Thanks. I'm only looking after it for a month or so while one of the other lads is on holiday. Hopefully, I get one full time after that.

How has boss man not given you a van yet bro. Ive contracted to companies where 1st years got given a van.

I've only been here for a month, so maybe after the other fella gets back. The boss did say he'd look at it after 3 months.

@@nakedapprentice oh yea if only a month that's understandable. Best of luck bro

I got myself another cheap and lens and a much better mic. Hopefully getting decent sound with less background noise makes for better videos

Good question. With the hast of trying to get everything together for this video, I chopped a few bits out that explained it a bit better. Basically, if it's existing and doing the job, there is no requirement to change it. The lintel and the other stud did need replacing, so need to be done up to current code. However, 3604 is written with modern 4x2 i.e. 90x45mm studs in mind, so doesn't really apply to that old 4x3inch stud. That stud only had shallow check out in it, so all I did was make it deeper while leaving it 45mm thick at the notch. In modern framing, that works out as a full length stud plus a 30mm under stud. Since there's nothing in 3604 about 190mm lintels, the exact requirement is a bit grey. In the end, it's only 5mm short of the requirement for 240mm lintel and a big improvement over what was there.

​@@nakedapprenticeThanks, that makes sense

I probably didn't explain that very well. The boards go 10mm under the windows flange, so there isn't a gap. It's the same around the sides as well, and the little gaps in the profile get plugs. You could make a scriber, but it would be a bit more work than a normal bevel back weatherboard

Hey bro, my new company is Vulcan Construction. We're not hiring at the moment, but possibly early next year when I'm qualified, he might take on another apprentice.

Yup, they're great. My new boss and foreman are very knowledgeable, which means a lot less stress for me. It's like working back at CJ Neill 😁

Thanks bro,, I'm looking forward to doing it!

I think it was a few hours work, and the check outs weren't done to the full depth. They just needed a bit of a tidy once the painters had been through. Ideally, I would've done them properly, but at the time, I was under a lot of pressure to get everything done from my now former boss.

I have a tow bar, so I could probably tow a vacuum. H packers can probably Fitting the engine bay. Yup, all European and Australia made cars are required to have immobilizer. Sure, they're more expensive cars, but worth the security in my opinion.

I thought about a roof rack, but it would be quite short, so I still wouldn't be able to pick up long lengths of timber.

Blimey, that's tiny. I don't know how you managed that

Tbh we did not have as many power tools some 30 years ago. It was mainly hand tools. I have 1 hitachi cordless which died after about half an hour, a circular saw, and a hammer drill. All else generally was done by hand. Now there’s a power tool for virtually any job.

Do you manage to get a 1800 level in there? I think they're a bit shorter than a Focus.

@@nakedapprentice Yes, fits right in the center. Sticks out over the “console”. Doesn’t interfere with driving.

Are you in Aussie? All your cars have immobilizer there, don't they? In NZ, most of our cars don't, which is one of the pros of having a European car, which have them fitted. Thieves don't even give it a second glance.

Haha, that would've been a good laugh. Hopefully my new boss will get me a van in a few months.

Yup, for another 6 months or so

@@nakedapprentice cool what did you do before hand ??

Heaps of different things over the years. A few years back, I quit what I was doing and got a job labouring and then Frame and Truss for 4 years. 3 Years ago I started my apprenticeship.

🤣 A poor man's van

I almost had a van when I got made redundant 6 months ago and the last boss said he'd get me one, but never did. Maybe this time...

i rekon a good video will be a van setout not much content out there about it L300 go for cheap plenty of room but not sure about security

Yeah, security is my main concern with uses. They do drive a lot better than vans though

No, I didn't find out. At the end of the day, they are just little garden sheds, which only technically need consent due to their proximity to the boundary - not that anyone ever bothers with that.

This was by far the worst I've seen, although, to be fair, I really haven't seen that many. It's normal to have a few minor issues, but to have so many trusses wrong, repeatedly, is very unusual. There's about a dozen detailers at that factory, and this one told me he does 6 houses a week, so they are under a bit of pressure. It is all done off plans, and sometimes plans aren't the best and are open to a bit of interpretation. I don't see how any of the issues on this one were the result anyone's mistake but his own.

Thanks mate. I really didn't think this one would turn out as well as it did.

Thanks man. It definitely helped seeing what was made in the factory and how it related to real construction. Prenail do get a lot of flak, even from me, but building frames is a special skill that most NZ carpenters don't get to practice nearly enough.

Thank you. Yup, I agree on the H3.2 and I would prefer a double top plate, but unfortunately, none of this was my decision. In my hast to get this video ready, I neglected to mention the joins and corners will be battered and the whole thing will be painted, so they will come out looking pretty good. The boss is also welding up a door frame to fit. I might get back there for an update photo at some stage.

It'll just be corrugated iron like the units, I imagine. I won't be there to do any of that though. I'm off to start a new job next week.

Should be TPO

Why? Iron is cheap, effective and will match the house.

Thanks

I may have had to bribe him 😂 He was pretty good, although I’m sure he was playing games a few times

@@nakedapprentice haha. Kids are a bit like that. I try to get mine involved when I can. Your second attempt looks great. It almost seems like they had a design that most would struggle to finish in the allowed time and a few things that would take some skill not to break, like those corners. Plus it’s a challenge to not have tools you’re normally used to working with. It’s all about testing you

@Mueller_projects Yeah, absolutely. The goal was to test as many skills as possible in 2 hours. The funny thing is I asked my contact at Master Builders for a digital copy of the plans for this video and was sent a plan that was slightly different. It had all the measurements on it, but some of the check outs were different and it probably would have been a bit stronger. I suspect that may have been a draft which they later amended.

Good to hear from you! I was worried you’d taken a turn for the worst. I seem to recall you were ill. I think I know about that staircase. Perhaps he used something similar to Japanese carpenters - they work absolutely fascinates me. I would love to make some of my own saw horses. Unfortunately, I don’t have a van or truck yet, so I need collapsible ones. They’ve been great for everything until now. There’s just enough movement in them to make the finer work a bit more frustrating.

@@nakedapprentice Thanks for remembering . I am doing relatively well . Yeah . I got stage 4 melanoma and it's made me weak and clipped my carpenter wings . Considering writing a carpentry book , But one that addresses the real world of carpentry and some of the things I have discovered that I'd like to share . Yeah .. Chinese/ Japanese carpentry is absolutely fascinating , How they bracket out and build a roof with no fasteners at all . How the timbers were transported and milled thousands of years ago from far in the mountains . How thier structures have stood through time . Seen a documentary where they tested a build on shake table to simulate an earthquake of 10 on the richter scale and it stayed together because how it was allowed to sway . Seemingly if built too tight and rigid is what makes some structures fail . I have always buillt in a way that I jokingly say " It's going to take explosives to make my door go out of whack " Just watching your video here , I know the nuances of what you are doing and the procedures . Well done . Down to how to plunge a jigsaw , how to removed material , how to use a chisel . I have often said " Give two guys two pieces of wood and you'l; get two different results " and yet a complete build is exponentially more complex which few can appreciate . Some will fumble with it , others will not consider the grain ,knots and nature of the two pieces and the challenge is merely getting them to be flush and attached . Not like thier building a Swiss watch . Other elements is assessing before the build and using spatial reasoning and seeing whatever your building in the minds eye before clearly . Like when working in unison with someone else that calls out dimemsions and you have to be able to project your mind and see what they are seeing without actually seeing it yourself . Carpentry in my opinion is limitless , So many styles and crossovers , Some of the most fascinating carpentry I have ever done was triaxial ellipitcal vaults , erraticism , Mountain laurel deck railing , Live edge siding . I love the nature of wood and how to make it not only be functional but beautiful . Doing good . Love your demeanor and tenacity . Peace

That’s tough man. We know all about melanoma here in New Zealand. I think we have the highest rates in the world, largely due to the hole in the ozone layer that developed down here due to CFCs use back in the 80s. It’s mostly come right now I think, but the damage is done. I’m curious what you thought are on the jigsaw. I couldn’t get it to cut plumb though the material. I wonder if I was using to fine a blade, cutting too fast or simple that it was too thick. The timber was 32mm or 1 1/4”. It’s only a recent addition to my tool collection, so I’m far from an expert on it.

@@nakedapprentice Yes . In my learning about melanoma . It's more prevalent in the southern hemisphere due to the earth is closer to the sun in earth's elliptic orbit and fair skin people . My melanoma is a 1/100 version of it called Acral Melanoma that can form on the palms of the hand , soles of the feet and beneath thumbnails . I got the thumbnail one . Had to amputate my thumb but by the time it was diagnosed it had already spread to the brain . The good news is they have new treatments " Immunotherapy " that ramps up the immune system and essentailly instructs T-cells to identify and attack cancer .Added on top of that . Immuno does not go through the blood brain barrier . So usage on the brain is nil . But they have a spaceage machine " Truebeam " that takes periodic CT's and combines it with MRI imaging... Computers do the geometry and focus solely on the tumors and reduce the damage of whole brain radiation . .. Ah .. The jigsaw . In my experience when they first came out , The blades were thin and wore out. Attempting a radius . The blade would heat and scalp out of square no matter the best efforts . Then came along better Jigsaws like the Bosch that had varaible speeds and occillate and help the blade advance without as much tilt . But still got that tilt . Even thought of offestting the table a few degrees but that was too complicated . The tighter the radius . The more difficult .Plunging with a thin blade and it would get bent in the plunge . A wide blade could make the drag plunge but would bind on a tight radius . Going slow and backing away helped a little in righting the blade . Additionally " The Knowing " that your making a truncated cone . Could use a hole saw , But they don't come in a too many options . Granted they make adjustabe hole saw jigs for drywall .Pretty sure you weren't allowed a band saw or scroll saw LOL .. I just wing it and use my internal guage and then sand it with a drill attached sanding drum or go to the opposite side and jigsaw it till it looks good . On something of a side note and kinda Jigsaw related . I don't know how many times I have heard " That can't be done " . Cutting curves with a sidewinder skilsaw . It has limits on a 7.25" carbide blade . and depending on the depth of the wood to be milled Might require 2-3 passes . A JIgsaw on a long radius will be jinky when rolled the piece visually Same as looking at a studs crown . See all the imperfections and can spend half a day sanding them out or making it worse . I found that the back end of the blade sweeps the cut and essentially sands it . Had to mill Miratec 5/4 material for 3 garage doors , Ran the math , made a trammel and milled it like it came from a shop.. Did all three door openings in 6 hours finished . I was first day new hire and the boss said it couldn't be done only to come and tell me . He probably could have done it but it would have taken him 3 days . The trim and the curved jamb came out perfect . He thought he could throw me for the final loop . " Well how are you going to flash it with Z flashing ?" . The curve might have been a 9'0" radius . "You gotta metal break ?" . No I am not going to make little snippets and pieces that like step flashing . I made the Z flashing and used HVAC crimpers that I laid out equidistantly and artistically .Never had to put reliefs in flashing since I knew the malleablility of the aluminum . I have used jigsaws on cutting scrolls on 10"x10" timbers . Make a template of the scroll . Use a 3" jigsaw blade and line up both sides . Then connect the cuts with a Sawzall . Clean out with 15 grit " Meateater " grinding wheel and sand to 40grit , then 60grit and 80grit 120 grit and voila .. I got it to S4S " Sanded Four Side " quality.. While others had to order from a timber company with articulating bandsaws at a phenomenal cost . I could do an entire house of curved timbers with all the joinery and my arsenal of tools was minimal .. Unfortunate for me was .. The builders knew I was having too much fun and wouldn't pay me the same as they would be willing to cough up to a manufacturer . There are a lot of tricky things to get aquainted with on a jigsaw .. and if they is one last improvement they could make . It would be making sure the blade never wanders out of a 90 degree angle without having it cost as much as a Lamborghini

The truth is I was probably too hard on myself immediately after the competition. I don’t think it was possible to complete correctly during the 2 hours without prior planning. From what I’ve heard, those who did ‘complete’ them made different mistakes, such at checking out the legs 90mm around the support rail, meaning the legs would provide very little lateral support. I built a shed myself during the second lockdown. Likewise, I prebuilt it on my driveway and rebuilt it around the back.

Funny you should ask that - I did do it many years ago myself. The way I did it was figure out where I wanted my joists to sit and putting packers underneath them, then screwing them into the concrete. Even though it was exterior treated timber, I still put damp proof course under the packers. If you’re raising it quite a bit and need bearers as well, the same method would apply to the bearers instead of joists, but pack them to a few mm lower, and then pack the joists up to height. That’s because the timber will vary in size slightly, and it’s a lot easier to pack the joists up than notch them down. I hope that helps

@@nakedapprentice Yep thanks for that. Yeah we live in Christchurch and have had a recent Eng report done on house. Patio has cracks in surface slab and does not meet building code as it is up against house. To save money for demo etc of patio, I thought build a deck over the top of old concrete patio and keep to same fall from house. Thanks for the advice.

@thetechnician832 I’m in Chch as well! My thoughts are that putting a deck over the patio will only hide any potential problems. Putting a strip drain in would fix that, but will probably cost more than it’s worth. But, if you have access to a large grinder or concrete cutter, you could even just cut some chases in the concrete to allow water to drain away. I’m not an experienced expert on that, but if it was my house, that’s what I would probably do. Either that of hire a big breaker and a hard fill skip and spend a day or two breaking it up. It’s hard work though! Then just cover it all with a deck.

The comp was fun even though I wasn’t happy with the result. Hopefully, next year’s contestants learn a bit from this for whatever their competition brings

Absolutely. I think in construction we get quite complacent, so it’s hard to constantly remind yourself not to cut corners with safety.

Thanks mate

Yeah, I’ve tried that before, but they were hard to find with a small magnet. Maybe I should get a bigger one… or just make sure the blocking is right next time.

@@nakedapprentice I find the ones that come with the dummy door handles usually works really well

@duanolckers6905 oh yeah, good thought. I think I used a fridge magnet, which wasn’t very strong.

Yup. I was getting very frustrated until it all started to click into place.

Absolutely. I’m lucky not to have blinded myself. Even with my glasses on, I still got a decent shiner. You’ll see that on the next video, filmed a few days later.

Thanks man, I appreciate that

Thanks mate

I’ve been thinking about that, but I’m not sure how to make it interesting enough for TH-cam to push it out. I’ll think of something for the next job

Thanks. I’m working on a plan for a speed square vid, but I’m not sure when I’ll fit it in.

The painters started on Wednesday and the kitchen arrived on Friday. All the other trades need to get in and do their magic and we just have a few small things to do, so it’s not that far off finished.