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London Calling

lumbermonkey | Posted in Help/Work Wanted on December 17, 2003 04:17am

I’m a carpenter working in the midwest, mostly on remodels and restorations. I’ve got it made, tons of work, great clients, nice little shop full of tools, a Toyota truck that just goes and goes, carhardt’s in every color… My wife just accepted a promotion to London, 2-3 year assignment and I’m looking for advice.
Can I get into the trades over there? Should I bring any tools? How much do carpenters make over there? What’s a good bohemian neighberhood? How many carbs in a guiness?

Any advice would be appreciated. I might try to convince my wife that there’s no chance of me finding work over there and that I should spend the next couple years at the pub.

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  1. RobertSteele | Dec 18, 2003 12:18am | #1

    Hello Captain ... In responce to your potential migration to the old world I will pass along these previous threads to start ...oct 9 dragging my tools to britain #35578.1 in tools for home building and the thread oct 25 dragging the tools overseas # 36053.1 these will give you some answers to your questions  to get you started ...until we speak again  keep the claw of your hammer oppisite the head of the nail

  2. kostello | Dec 18, 2003 01:17am | #2

    yes you can get into the trades here no probs

    the constrution industry is crying out for people.

    money depends.

    i work for myself and earn a reasonable living.

    carpenters on some big sites are earning about £1000 a week i think.

    bring all the hand tools and get a transformer from 240#110volts. all site tools are required to be 110v by law here.

    probably not worth bringing the whole workshop unless you want something to do at the weekend.

    with a couple of years you should be able to visit most of the pubs in london.

    oh and if you can't learn to drive a standard now

    1. Novy | Dec 18, 2003 03:05am | #3

      Can I bring my drive it on the proper side truck ? Drivers side on the Port side.On a hill by the harbour

      1. kostello | Dec 18, 2003 10:11am | #4

        yeah but it might get a bit expensive with gas at £3.50($5.70)/imerial gallon.

        there are loads of Yank tnks near where i live due to an air base near by.

        1. brownbagg | Dec 18, 2003 03:36pm | #5

          we don't like being called yanks, redneck is fine

          The best employee you can have but you wouldn't want him as a neighbor " He the shifty type"

          1. FastEddie1 | Dec 18, 2003 04:07pm | #6

            redneck is fine  Unless you're from the Louisiana gulf coast, then coona$$ is appropriate.

            Do it right, or do it twice.

          2. User avater
            IMERC | Dec 18, 2003 08:04pm | #7

            Whazdat? Being called a Yank by a Limey? 

            Who ever invented work didn't know how to fish....

      2. DavidThomas | Dec 18, 2003 11:29pm | #8

        "Can I bring my drive it on the proper side truck ? Drivers side on the Port side."

        I've had some experience in having the reverse-flavored vehicle in a couple of countries and I have talked to people who did it more.  Some issues:

        Toll booths, mail boxes and drive-through banks or food require a really l-o-n-g reach across the seats.

        Passing is tricky because your sightline isn't down the centerline, it's in the gutter.  Knew a Kiwi couple on the Continent that worked out a system for the passanger to cue the driver for passing slow cars.

        Fuel costs will make you realize why all their vehicles have smaller engines and lighter frames.  And why almost all commercial and many private vehicles are diesel.

        Also, your truck has all the wrong parts:  Fenders, hood, trunk, windshield, etc.  They require: Wings, bonnets, boots, and windscreens over there.  :-)

        David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

        Edited 12/18/2003 3:31:10 PM ET by David Thomas

        1. Novy | Dec 18, 2003 11:45pm | #10

          Dave,

           Thanks for the reply. I forgot the facetious emoticon ! Have no desire to work over there. One of my adult goals is to get myself over there for a 'Walking Distillery Tour'

          PS I have driven RT drive vehichles in NA & it is not fun !

          PSS They do talk funny as well

          On a hill by the harbour

          Edited 12/18/2003 3:47:27 PM ET by NOVY_7

        2. kostello | Dec 19, 2003 01:38am | #12

          drive-through banks

          HAHAHAHAHA

          the only place i have ever seen a drive through bank is in the USA.

          it really makes me laugh.

          a bit like people who drive around the parking lot for 10 mins to get a spot near the store they are going to and then drive around again so they can park near the next store 300' away.LOL

          1. DavidThomas | Dec 19, 2003 01:56am | #13

            "drive-through banks HAHAHAHAHA  the only place i have ever seen a drive through bank is in the USA. "

            Dated a Dutch woman 20 years ago.  Drove through the bank, restaurant, drive-in movie, and out for coffee.  Just to demonstrate that you could spend a whole evening and never get out of your car.  At least in the USA.

            Coming from an country where maybe 1 in 3 adults (and no teenagers!)  owned a car to where most 20-somethings had 3 cars in various states of disrepair amazed her.  As did the drinking laws (i.e. 21-year-old).  "But I can drink in my country, and I can show them my passport."David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

          2. MojoMan | Dec 19, 2003 06:04am | #14

            You got a problem with that? Here, we sit in our SUVs for 20 minutes (With the V8 running) at the Dunkin Donuts drive-up rather than get out and walk inside where no one is waiting. We drive around parking lots (Car parks?) for 10 minutes so we can get the parking spot closest to the GYM. This is what makes us great so we can do things like liberate the Iraqi oil...er...people.

            Al Mollitor, Sharon MA, US of A!

          3. User avater
            lumbermonkey | Dec 19, 2003 07:27am | #15

            And the choices are... London, Manchester or Birmingham. Are any of these towns close to carpenter's paradise. Any favorite towns in the middle of England?

            What's the best way to get tools and large items over there?

          4. bake | Dec 19, 2003 08:30am | #16

            Slowest boat possible, that give you more time for the pub tours!

            bake

          5. kostello | Dec 19, 2003 09:56am | #18

            london is in the south east

            birmingham is more or less in the middle of england.

            and manchester is in the north west.

            london is expensive t live in. house prices would probably sock you.

            manchester is having a renaissance(SP!)

            don't know much about birmingham other than its where my parents met!

            what do you consider a carpenter's paradise to be?

            lots of tools shops?

            i would reccomemd a trip to look at some of these places first.

            as regards to shipping what you need to do is speak to an international shipper and find out how much a 20' container is. it takes about 6 weeks for it all to arrive.

          6. kostello | Dec 19, 2003 10:00am | #19

            Any favorite towns in the middle of England?

            the midlands are very beautiful and full of industrial heritage.

            lots of countryside and places to visit.

            one thing you will find strange when you gewt here is how close the houses are to each other.

            in my road which is fairly typical the houses are about 8' apart.

            when you get here i can give you a list of places to see all around the country as most of my holidays have been spent taking the in-laws to various parts of the UK

          7. RobertSteele | Dec 27, 2003 11:05pm | #27

            Capt you could check out jobsite.uk orconstruction.uk and you will find many jobs posted and where they are in the country ...most of the large jobsite are in the south below London ... I will be in that area over the next two months and will beable to pace alot more info along to you so drop back in .......Keep the claw away from the nail and youll be doing alright.....Canadian carpenters dont need nail pullers!!

          8. kostello | Dec 27, 2003 11:21pm | #28

            hey i was thinking about you yesterday.

            wondered when you were coming over.

            i would suggest meeting up but i reckon you'll be busy catching up with family.

          9. RobertSteele | Dec 28, 2003 01:21am | #29

            Hi kostello Im planning a months visit so Ive lots of time to get looking round at jobsites...and would be happy to meet with you .I found your photos of the skylight work interesting.If my beloved wife finds me as chaeming as she did when she married me I should be a new world carpenter in the old world permanently  sometime this year. With our places being so close we will have to get together for a whiskey or coffee...

          10. User avater
            Dinosaur | Dec 28, 2003 04:00am | #30

            What about immigration, working papers, licenses, etc.?

            Dinosaur

            'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

          11. kostello | Dec 28, 2003 12:46pm | #31

            if i understand correctly, Cleric Deacon's other half is from the UK?

            if this is the case and you can show that its not a marriage of convenience he'll get a work permit for 12 months with no problems.

            after that he can apply for leave to remain which gives you residency as long as you don't leave the UK for a period of more than 2 years.

          12. User avater
            Dinosaur | Dec 29, 2003 06:29am | #32

            I'd kinda be interested in knowing what it takes to get a resident card for somebody in the trades that's not married to a Brit. Just outta curiosity. I hear your income taxes are even worse than ours (Canada).

            Dinosaur

            'Y-a-tu de la justice dans ce maudit monde?

          13. brownbagg | Dec 29, 2003 07:16am | #33

            All my mom family are in England, I think I will stay over here in North Fla, where its sunny all the time.

            The best employee you can have but you wouldn't want him as a neighbor " He the shifty type"

          14. kostello | Dec 19, 2003 09:51am | #17

            LOL

    2. DavidThomas | Dec 18, 2003 11:34pm | #9

      "bring all the hand tools and get a transformer from 240#110volts. all site tools are required to be 110v by law here."

      I didn't know that!  Like OSHA requiring USA worksites to be GFCI?  Doesn't apply to homeowner, just worksites.

      The tools will spin slower on 50 cycle than 60 cycle.  Not a problem for most things.  But I knew a Dutch guy who had a 120/240 clock radio that run 29 hours a day in the USA.David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

      1. kostello | Dec 19, 2003 01:36am | #11

        all site tools are required to be 110v by law here.

        its becuse its more difficult to kill yourself on 110v compared to 240v.

      2. User avater
        BillHartmann | Dec 19, 2003 06:08pm | #20

        "The tools will spin slower on 50 cycle than 60 cycle"

        ONLY for induction and synchronise motors.

        The only synchronise motors, other than some industrial uses, that you will are mechanical clocks and timers.

        Induction motors are used on large stationary equipment.

        Drills, sanders, routers, benchtop planners, etc all use "universal" motors. Universal motors will work fine on 50hz without out any noticable change in speed. Universal motors are so named because they would work on AC or DC. Of course that was before variable speed and soft start controls which will only work on AC and there ain't no 110 DC around any more.

        And for induction motors there is a more critical problem than the difference in speed. Unless the motors are due rated you can have problems with iron core staturation when running motors designed for 60hz on 50 hz. This can cause overheating of the motors.

        1. DavidThomas | Dec 19, 2003 08:39pm | #21

          "Universal motors will work fine on 50hz without out any noticable change in speed. Universal motors are so named because they would work on AC or DC."

          Thanks for the info.  So the term "universal" dates from the times of Edison versus Westinghouse?  Edison advertised how dangreous AC was by pointing out it was used in another new invention, the electric chair.  Of course, they used AC because it could be stepped up.  Which is why Edison lost.  We would have needed a power plant in every neighborhood with his DC scheme.David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

        2. DavidThomas | Dec 19, 2003 08:41pm | #22

          Oh, and speaking of power distribution and Limeys versus Yanks; I was amazed 20 years ago at how often they shut down portions of the power grid for routine, scheduled work.  Have they figured out how to do hot work over there yet?David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

          1. john | Dec 19, 2003 08:49pm | #23

            Oh, and speaking of power distribution and Limeys versus Yanks; I was amazed 20 years ago at how often they shut down portions of the power grid for routine, scheduled work.  Have they figured out how to do hot work over there yet?

             I'm not letting that one go. Remember not so long ago we were watching on TV, with the lights on, all the power cuts that the US and Canada were experiencing. With lots of sympathy, of course. Don't get anything like that over here

            John

          2. DavidThomas | Dec 19, 2003 09:03pm | #24

            Yeah, our interties are pretty sketchy.  Our rather, the effect of some my interconnections makes for a potentially unreliable system.  But that is the fault of the powers that be, both at utilities unwilling to invest in infrastructure and inpolitics where utility companies are, increasingly left alone. 

            But the lineman in the field?  It impresses the heck out of me to see guys doing hot work on 800kv off a helicopter!  Apparently the trick is "grounding?" the copter to the line.  So everyone and and everything is 800kv 60 times a second.  And then just do the work.  (And don't slip, fall, break the connection until the end, etc.)David Thomas   Overlooking Cook Inlet in Kenai, Alaska

          3. User avater
            BillHartmann | Dec 20, 2003 03:33am | #26

            They do something interesting in the interior wiring.

            They call it a "ring circuit". They are rated at 30 amps/240 volts. The plug has fuses in it that is approiate for that load. Basically each outlet becomes a distruted sub-pannel.

            And it is called a ring circuit because they use a smaller guage of wire and it starts and stops at the CB pannel.

            A home might only have a few of those circuits for all but the large dedicated loads such as a stoves.

            Two of those circuits would more than handle any home or small commercial shop.

  3. User avater
    Luka | Dec 20, 2003 01:26am | #25

    Don't go.

    It's a trap.

    Live, Love, Forgive and Forget

    quittintime

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