One trade skillset you'd like to learn

[Don Orr]

Machining metals. (And other materials as appropriate.)

[Larry Whitlow]

Funny, my sons and I were just discussing this. I told them that the one thing I wish I could do better and faster was taping/texturing because it is something that seems to come up fairly routinely.

[Rich Riddle]

Funny, my sons and I were just discussing this. I told them that the one thing I wish I could do better and faster was taping/texturing because it is something that seems to come up fairly routinely.

If you are referring to taping and mudding, that's one skill I am convinced is more art than skill. I doubt I have the patience or ability to learn it well. I look like Casper the ghost after taping, mudding, and sanding and use about twenty times the amount of mud most people use.

[Mike Cutler]

Metal work, i.e. Machinist.
It still fascinates the heck out of me watching a trained Machinist, and I've been working with them for close to thirty years.
I can do some basic things, and speak a few words of machinist, but I'm convinced the best of them have a very artistic side. I've seen some impressive work through the years.

Welding would be cool too.

[Jerome Stanek]

I wish I had learned how to fly when I was in high school my bil was taken lessons and I would go up with him

[Larry Whitlow]

If you are referring to taping and mudding, that's one skill I am convinced is more art than skill. I doubt I have the patience or ability to learn it well. I look like Casper the ghost after taping, mudding, and sanding and use about twenty times the amount of mud most people use.

And, it takes a lot of patience. I managed to get to the point where the end result is pretty good. It just takes me 4 times longer than it should. One thing I did learn, at least in my experience, is to avoid the buckets of premixed stuff. Seems the sacks of dry stuff I mix is much easier to use.

[Jim Marshall]

If I had it all to do over, I would really liked to have learned to make tangent hand rail parts the right way, instead of the way I did. I also would have really liked to have learned to master the old tools like hand planes and such. Another trade that I would like to learn is blacksmithing so I could make some of my own tools.

[Jason Roehl]

And, it takes a lot of patience. I managed to get to the point where the end result is pretty good. It just takes me 4 times longer than it should. One thing I did learn, at least in my experience, is to avoid the buckets of premixed stuff. Seems the sacks of dry stuff I mix is much easier to use.

Just an FYI. The "pre-mixed" mud is only called that because it's wet and not powder. To make it "ready-to-use" usually means adding some water, some Dawn dish soap (some pros will add ~1 tsp/5 gal or so) and stirring it up. Even if you don't add anything, power stirring it will make it much easier to use. The other thing I've noticed is that pros rarely use the mud from the Borgs that comes in the plastic buckets. One very good drywall finisher I know is convinced that the pre-mixed mud today has less water in it than just a few years ago.

[Brian Elfert]

Just an FYI. The "pre-mixed" mud is only called that because it's wet and not powder. To make it "ready-to-use" usually means adding some water, some Dawn dish soap (some pros will add ~1 tsp/5 gal or so) and stirring it up. Even if you don't add anything, power stirring it will make it much easier to use. The other thing I've noticed is that pros rarely use the mud from the Borgs that comes in the plastic buckets. One very good drywall finisher I know is convinced that the pre-mixed mud today has less water in it than just a few years ago.

None of the pros I have seen in action has ever used premixed mud. They all mix their own from powder. I usually add a little water to the premix, but have never heard of adding soap.

I wish I knew how to do drywall taping like a pro. It usually takes me forever and I get the stuff too thick so I end sanding forever.

[Jason Roehl]

None of the pros I have seen in action has ever used premixed mud. They all mix their own from powder. I usually add a little water to the premix, but have never heard of adding soap.

I wish I knew how to do drywall taping like a pro. It usually takes me forever and I get the stuff too thick so I end sanding forever.

Wow. The ONLY time I see the pros use powder (some call it "hot mud") is if it's a rush job or a small patch or something like that. New house? Not a chance around here. The powder is way more expensive than the pre-mixed. For taping, a banjo is a huge step up over doing it manually for not much money. Even faster is a bazooka, but those are a LOT more money, and a LOT trickier to use and maintain.

[Brian Elfert]

Wow. The ONLY time I see the pros use powder (some call it "hot mud") is if it's a rush job or a small patch or something like that. New house? Not a chance around here. The powder is way more expensive than the pre-mixed. For taping, a banjo is a huge step up over doing it manually for not much money. Even faster is a bazooka, but those are a LOT more money, and a LOT trickier to use and maintain.

I'm pretty sure the pros used powder in my house when it was built 11 years ago, but I could be wrong. My house was built by a small builder who only built a few houses a year and uses really good subs. I paid $10,000 to $15,000 more than another bid, but I think I got a superior house.

[Shawn Pixley]

I'd liked to have learned better rigger techniques. I'd really like to build a full sixed trebuchet. Until the advent of Napoleanic cannon, they were the dominant artillary or siege engine. Unfortunately, the forces involved make full sized versions very dangerous.

I've helped others rig gin poles for hoisting items up where cranes were impractical. Erecting big circus tents also appeals to me. There are arts to fabric, rope and other tension structures I find intriguing.

[Rich Engelhardt]

If you are referring to taping and mudding, that's one skill I am convinced is more art than skill. I doubt I have the patience or ability to learn it well. I look like Casper the ghost after taping, mudding, and sanding and use about twenty times the amount of mud most people use.

Next time you have to - - try some of the lightweight stuff that lowes sells in the plastic pails.
I just used some & it feathers in like nothing else I've ever used before. They claim it doesn't need to be sanded either. Just a wipe down with a damp sponge instead of sanding.
I sanded anyhow & like I mentioned, I was able to feather the edges perfectly w/very little effort & it seemed like a lot less sanding.

Best of all - humping around a full bucket is a whole lot easier on the old back. Espcially if it has to go up a flight or two of stairs.

One very good drywall finisher I know is convinced that the pre-mixed mud today has less water in it than just a few years ago.

I've noticed similar. I've also noticed a lot of here today, gone tomorrow types of pre-mix.
I'd used a pre-mix a couple/three years ago that was some sort of easy sand stuff. It worked so/so, but, it did sand with a whole lot less dust.
It seems to have disappeared from the shelves.
Anyhow - I have to wonder if the newer paperless drywall has anything to do with the pre-mix seeming to have less water?

[Rick Markham]

My vote goes with Jim's! Old school machining (no CNC) Welding is a skill that I would also like to learn, but there has been a little machining monster in me for a very long time... I need to learn to get the ideas out so they can evolve into bigger more complex ideas. Woodworking is my passion, but I'd kill for machine shop too

[Peter Kelly]

I'd like to learn how to plaster walls like this guy: