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Woodworking-Day and Night

Started by Deadwood, July 06, 2006, 06:43:15 PM

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Deadwood

As some of you already know, with my first-born child due to arrive any day, and my current work at the railroad requiring me to work every weekend, work the third shift and work every holiday, I decided to look for a career that was a little better geared towards family life.

I did not want to work just anywhere however and thought I would see if a local company that build high quality woodworking tools was hiring. Surprisingly enough they were. Well it took four interviews, a good resume, an article on my woodworking skills in the local newspaper and a lot of sweet talking, but I finally managed to land my dream job.

I am pleased to say that in two weeks I will be working as a Machinist for Lie Nielsen Toolworks! I am a little saddened at leaving a railroad career that has spanned 9 years, but I also look forward to working during the day, having weekends off, and machining out handtools that woodworkers all over the country will truly enjoy.

Heck, I already got my first bonus and I have not even turned on my first milling machine. You see when the Vice President read the newspaper article about my wooden models, he knew I use a lot of small scraps of exotic wood. Today he gave me a whole bundle of Cocobolo that they were going to throw out. (They use that wood for the handles of their tools).

Like everything, there are some downsides too of course, but overall I think I am making the right choice for my wife, my new baby girl and myself. Either way, I will now be enagaged in woodworking day and night.

gary

Good luck  It sounds like you made a good choice

limbrat

dont despair them railroad hands can be retrained, my sales manager use to be one.  ;D

im glad you got what you were after and i hope the baby and job both turn out well.

ben

Ironwood

Lie- Is a good company. Good for you. Spending time at home is VERY important. These next few years will probably be the hardest of your life/ marriage............and worth every bit of the sacrifice. Man kids are great. Congrats Reid





There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

sprucebunny

Congratulations, Travis.

That will be a good company to work for   8) 8)

MS193, MS192 and an 026  Weeding and Thinning. Gilbert Champion sawmill

getoverit

Congrats on the new job!

My dad was a master machinist for the railroad for over 50 years, and when I was young he loved every minute of it. With all of the relocating they made him do and new rules and regulations, it got to where he hated going to work in the morning. Knowing this, I can see where you may have a good reason to find something else to do for a living. My best wishes are for you in your new career !
I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok, I work all night and sleep all day

Quartlow

Lie Nielsen??? Let me be the first to say it. You lucky darn dog
If I could afford it I would have a whole compliment of there planes. They make an outstanding product!!!
Breezewood 24 inch mill
Have a wooderful day!!

Engineer

Free samples for everyone!!!   8) 8) 8)

Don't I wish.  :(

Have fun at that new career, it really does sound like a dream job.


sawguy21

 8) Congratulations, this sounds great. Good grief, weekends off :o What next?
old age and treachery will always overcome youth and enthusiasm

Brad_S.

I attended a seminar that Thomas spoke at. Seems like a good company to work for. Congrats!
"Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans." J. Lennon

CHARLIE

Deadwood, you made the right choice.  When I worked for the railroad, it was the most fun job I ever had but I worked long hours and 6 to 7 days a week.  When I was on the road (mainline), I was home every other night.  During perishable season I rented a room in Belle Glade, Florida and worked 14 to 16 hours a day, 7 days a week.  That would be a tough life for a married man.  I know one thing for sure, Lie Nielsen makes the highest quality hand tools in the USA and maybe the world.  I'd love to have some but they are out of my budget. Congratulations! You will be very surprised how fast children grow up.  They go through stages and if you miss a stage, you'll never get a repeat performance. That is why it's important to be around them as much as possible.   
Charlie
"Everybody was gone when I arrived but I decided to stick around until I could figure out why I was there !"

Raphael

Quote from: Quartlow on July 06, 2006, 10:51:51 PM
Lie Nielsen??? Let me be the first to say it. You lucky darn dog

Let me second that, and offer best wishes for your growing family.

CHARLIE - LN's 10¼ Rabbet plane was out of my budget until I got hold of one.  Now I can't afford not to have one.  ;)
... he was middle aged,
and the truth hit him like a man with no parachute.
--Godley & Creme

Stihl 066, MS 362 C-M & 24+ feet of Logosol M7 mill

thedeeredude

Congrats you lucky lucky dog. :D

Deadwood

Thanks everyone. Your words have helped quite a bit because I am a bit leery at leaving the railroad. Between the good pay, retirement and fact that it has been a career that my family has held for 3 generations, it was a VERY tough decision to leave.

Still I think it will be quite different to work for a small company. I will not bash my former job, but I will say working for a Union and company with 1000 employees means the individual worker gets treated kind of harshly.

At Lie Nielsen I have been treated quite well already. I was encouraged by that and again, by your words. So thanks a lot. Between the baby and the new job, I got some big changes about to happen and I am kind of old fashioned in that I really don't like change!!

theonlybull

best of luck with the new job.  sounds like it might be better then the railroad

what ever you do.  you'll never regret anything you can do.  to be able to spend more time with your daughter...     mine's 2 1/2, and it's amazing how much i miss durning a 40 hour work week.  and i'm even home for an hour for lunch...   
Keith Berry & Son Ltd.
machine work and welding

beenthere

Their website
http://www.lie-nielsen.com/

indicates they have an open-house today, and link to a very interesting DVD on 'forgotten hand tools'. 

Looks like a good company to work for, and hope you adjust to the new job. I'd expect you to get rewarded for your initiative and performance (sometimes hard to get when under the Union wing where it is a simpler 'time of service' thing).
I wish you well.
south central Wisconsin
It may be that my sole purpose in life is simply to serve as a warning to others

iain

I love using my Lie tools
soooo good in your hand ;)

enjoy  iain

mikeandike

I've got a 4 year old and a 10 week old that go to work with me every day.
Still feels like there is not enough time with them. I can't imagine being
on the road away from the family. Just wouldn't be worth it.

Ya' only get one shot at raising the kids.
Looking for a slabber
WMLT40HD

Ironwood

Have I said how much fun kids are?
   ;D
There is no scarcity of opportunity to make a living at what you love to do, there is only scarcity of resolve to make it happen.- Wayne Dyer

Quartlow

Quote from: Engineer on July 06, 2006, 11:15:16 PM
Free samples for everyone!!!   8) 8) 8)

Don't I wish.  :(

Have fun at that new career, it really does sound like a dream job.



I'm not greedy If I could have just one LN plane it would be a No. 8 Jointer Plane. Wheres the drooling smiley? digin_2 close as I could get, I'm hungry for one   :D :D
Breezewood 24 inch mill
Have a wooderful day!!

Burlkraft

Travis,

Congrats on the new carreer ;D ;D ;D

I got a couple of L/N planes and they are the best.

Good luck and I hope everything goes well with the addition to your family. :) :) :)

Does the wife let ya bring the saws in the house yet : ??? ???  :D :D
Why not just 1 pain free day?

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