Rome wasn't built in a day - any views on the chippie?

Discussion in 'Carpenters' Talk' started by Planet Niton, Feb 7, 2011.

  1. Planet Niton

    Planet Niton Member

    Hi!
    Did anyone see the last episode of the Ch4 programme "Rome wasn't built in a day" where they are building a Roman villa using only the tools and materials ava that the Romans had? This was the one where the chippie left after the fisrt roof truss etc was the wrong angle - just wondering what other carpenters thought of this?
    Cheers, PN
     
  2. joiner1959

    joiner1959 Active Member

    Thought he was pretty useless, I would have sacked him too. Yes it would be difficult to hand cut that amount of oak and construct these items but your skill and enthusiasm for the project should see you through. The cart was a total disaster, lots of basic joinery faults. As for the trusses, 10 days for a cutting list, "your havin a larf".To have the drawings in front of you with all the sizes / angles you need and make such a poor job of such basic construction is hopeless. We have all made mistakes in the past but most of us would have the good grace to hold our hands up and admit it. 

    To give him the benefit of the doubt perhaps he wasn't a good choice for the series as most of his work has been shopfitting and pubs etc, so maybe someone more used to the construction of purpose made joinery would have been more appropriate.
    In saying that I would still have let him go.
    It's been quite an entertaining series though.
     
  3. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

    Lets face it,,, How many of us would want to cut oak beams etc of the size they were , by hand?
    If we can learn anything from the past, it's got to be that thank god someone invented power tools.

    PS I'm just glad I wasn't a chippie in Victorian or Edwardian times. (not many lived to retiring age)
     
  4. big all

    big all Screwfix Select

    he was very oppinionated that counted against him he wouldnt listen that also gave him problems
    in the long run he wouldnt fit in

    to be honest the perfectionist expert was a problem as he was dictating no modern tools
    thats not a problem except he should provide additional labour to match what would be expected
    ready made carts with oxens or what ever would sort the problem
    you can't expect unfamiliar trades to convert there skills with not only no help and no time allownce but also no ready made tools off the time which would be time allowed for if not made by the apprentice off the day
     
  5. be bop

    be bop New Member

    Think he should have cut his losses when he hit problems building a simple cart,think he was in over his head as regards reading drawings

    Love the way they said have to us authentic tools,then use a truck and crane to lift timber over fence on to a cart and what happened to the donkey,thought was doing a great job
     
  6. fobyac25

    fobyac25 New Member

    He went down in my opinion when he started clouting the back of an axe head with a standard hammer. Even ignoring the risks after Kevin told him that it was a dodgy thing to do (it's happened to me - a shard of steel shot straight up my finger once). That Kevin bloke seems to know what he's doing - I'd make him foreman. Good series tho'.

    No sparkies on the job I notice....
     
  7. osdset

    osdset New Member

    To be fair on him he was chucked in at the deep end a bit, I've worked on old buildings with oak beams using the traditional tools and methods, and it's not easy work, to true up trunks from the rough is a skill that takes a fair bit of practice and working from a facemark and edge on a twisted beam is a bit of a challenge.
    Having said that he was well and truly 'up himself' a bit of humility would have gone a long way, and to argue with the timber frame expert at the end was a big mistake.
     
  8. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

     
  9. fobyac25

    fobyac25 New Member

    There's another clue in the smiley face I put at the end Joinerjohn...... ;)
     
  10. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

    Ahh,,, didn't notice the smiley at the end of it.;)

    Anyway, What did the Romans do for us ?
     
  11. boobs

    boobs New Member

    True,Rome was'nt built in a day.But it burnt down in a night.Absit invidia.
     
  12. joinerjohn1

    joinerjohn1 Screwfix Select

    A bit like that Japanese city during the second world war then.;)
     

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