Flyby PC 23 Posted June 18, 2011 I had an idea which I thought might be a chuckle. OFF in the workplace. Picture says it all chaps. Here is a picture of two stone columns I've been working on..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Wayfarer 5 Posted June 18, 2011 I had an idea which I thought might be a chuckle. OFF in the workplace. Picture says it all chaps. Here is a picture of two stone columns I've been working on..... That's funny, and very interesting. What are you working on and where? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted June 18, 2011 (edited) When OFF addiction becomes a problem... ! Edited June 18, 2011 by Olham Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
+Polovski 460 Posted June 18, 2011 LOL Flyby maybe you can make a whole Dr1 ? :) Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
carrick58 23 Posted June 18, 2011 (edited) mm A DR 1 out of stone. Bet it would be good in a dive Edited June 18, 2011 by carrick58 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted June 18, 2011 Don't you talk him into that, Pol! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted June 18, 2011 (edited) That's funny, and very interesting. What are you working on and where? They are two mullions for our own workshop. With sustainability being a big issue these days we're trying to get structural stonework back on the menu for new build, so we're pushing the boat out a little bit on our own workshop. Just trying to show off basically, hoping that somebody filthy rich will be walking past our yard one day. Tough doing a DR1 in stone, but an SE5 in stained glass is another matter. Needs more work yet to make a good photo. Tougher than I thought it would be.... Oh go on then.... I was tempted to do a red DR1, but red glass is muchos poundos. I'm not very good with the glass yet, but you have to start somewhere. Once I get better at it..... Edited June 18, 2011 by Flyby PC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted June 18, 2011 Wow - did you do the capital of the column yourself, Flyby? Boy, you don't need the hope that someone walks by accidently - you need a website for your stuff! The rich guy you hope for won't walk. But he may be browsing websites in search of something he can spend his money on! So find yourself a person who can do that. Nowadays, even scholars can do this, for little money. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted June 18, 2011 Wow - did you do the capital of the column yourself, Flyby? Boy, you don't need the hope that someone walks by accidently - you need a website for your stuff! The rich guy you hope for won't walk. But he may be browsing websites in search of something he can spend his money on! So find yourself a person who can do that. Nowadays, even scholars can do this, for little money. http://www.stenhousestonemasonry.co.uk/ This thread isn't turning out the way I thought. I wanted to see other nutters doing OFF stuff at work. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Olham 164 Posted June 18, 2011 Ah, I see - I underestimated your sense for business, Flyby. Sorry - great website! The OFF stuff I do at my workplace - the computer - is skinning. I will soon present some generic Albatros skins for everyone's use. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted June 18, 2011 (edited) That's perfectly alright Olham. You're very kind to say so. Photography can flatter stonework however, so what looks good in a picture isn't always quite so good in the flesh. It perhaps looks great, but it can still be difficult to make much money. My only luxuries in life are my 2 dogs - and the freedom I have to keep them with me all day. Sadly we're also not as big a company as we were this time last year. 80% smaller in fact, thanks to the cursed Banks. They didn't totally clobber us directly, but didn't half knock the stuffing out of our customers, - which amounts to the same thing. Time will tell if we have to get even smaller too. I'm quite pleased with my business, but strategically I fear it just isn't in the right location. There aren't many big jobs to be had within a 50 mile radius, and those city architects don't need to look 50 miles to find a stonemasonry company. I catch myself wondering how a business like mine would fare abroad too, maybe the US or Canada, but we have an expression that the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. I've heard talk of silly money to be had in America, as in a tenfold increase in what you get paid for certain jobs, but in my experience it's never that easy and there's always a catch. Besides, home is where you're born and they all talk funny over there.... Edited June 18, 2011 by Flyby PC Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Von Paulus 8 Posted June 18, 2011 (edited) Sad to hear that Flyby PC. It seems there's no place in this western world where things seems to be working fine. Edited June 18, 2011 by Von Paulus Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted June 19, 2011 Sad to hear that Flyby PC. It seems there's no place in this western world where things seems to be working fine. It's very kind, but please don't worry about me VP. I can still count my blessings. I'm fit and healthy and doing pretty much what I want to be doing. I certainly hope it doesn't fail, but if my business has to shut down, it's been a blast getting it to where it is, and curiously, I won't feel like I've failed at anything. I could not have tried harder. Je ne regrette rien as they say. It's hard to put into words, but this isn't really a job, in the way that being a priest isn't a job. The French have another nice way of putting it, (and they are much more enlightened about such things than the UK). They call their apprentices 'companions to the duty' and train them accordingly. In this I salute the French. We could all learn a lot. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Hasse Wind 46 Posted June 19, 2011 Beautiful work. If I were a rich man, I'd decorate my house with WW1 aviation art. Those stained glasses would be pretty nice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
RAF_Louvert 101 Posted June 19, 2011 . Outstanding work and craftsmanship Flyby, well done Sir. As to coming over to the US in hopes of making more money with your offerings, this would not be a good time for such. Our economy is also in the toilet thanks to the bankers and crooked Wall Street types and the politicians who support both. Housing starts are the worst in decades, home foreclosures are through the roof, benefits and salaries are being slashed, and good healthcare is now affordable only to the aforementioned bankers, crooked Wall Street types, and politicians. But it's all fine and everything is getting better, it says so in the news media so it must be true. . Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Flyby PC 23 Posted June 19, 2011 You're all very kind gents, and thank you. The stained glass is ok, but it's very basic. The glass I really like is the shaded glass, you know, the stuff with black shadows etc and real faces? It's the old school stuff, mainly found in churches etc. This takes a lot more skill and patience, you need to paint on a layer of black, fire it to bond it to the glass, then build up the depth like a watercolour. You have to be ready each time for the glass to crack in the kiln then you have to start over. Next time you look at stained glass, have a close look. Sadly I don't have a kiln, nor the skill or opportunity yet, but stone and stained glass belong together. One day though .... If I had a kiln for the glass, I might also be tempted to have a go hand making tiles. I've seen how, but never had a go. Fred Dibna eat your heart out. It's OK too about America, I'm not seroius about moving. I had two years in England and that was long enough in a foreign country. Besides, a big part of my job is the supply side of things. I know the local materials, and I know where to find them if I need them. I know who the good guys are and the dodgy customers here, and I know how to find work here too. It's one thing to live in a different country, but it would take me ten years just to find my feet. The money side is true however, I've heard some of the stone repairs we do here for £50 to £100 would earn you $1,000 in the US. Be nice to get a busmans holiday some time just to see for myself. When it comes to big bucks, I've heard it all before. Sometimes it's true, and sometimes it isn't. I had to laugh years ago in London there was a mosque being built and they brought over the tradesman from Pakistan or wherever, and paid them Pakistan rates. If memory serves it was 17p per hour. Cut a long story short, their employers were forced to pay them the minimum wage which back then was £3.80 or something, and back- date it to the workmens starting date. Kerching!!! Obviously Allah likes his stonemasons. Thing is, £3.80 was kings ransom to them, but a slap in the face for a British tradesman. It's all relative. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
