Fine Crafting Joinery Shops

cormie

Hi,
I'm looking to be taken on as a 2nd year apprentice carpenter/joiner and would like to know if anyone knows of any fine craft joinery shops (that don't just specialise in mass production of windows and doors etc) in the Dublin/Wicklow region.

Any feedback appreciated:)

kadman

Hi Cormie,

Did you try looking up cabinetmakers in golden pages or on the web. You could contact Coillte sawmills in wicklow, who supply timber for cabinet makers and furniture makers, who use mainly solid timber traditional construction methods.

Have a look here, I think this is the type of career you are contemplating.

http://www.irish-architecture.com/cgi-bin/igs/register/search/register.cgi?col_search=conservation_category&key_words=joiner%20cabinet%20maker&block=9

kadman

cormie

Hi,
Well cabinet making is a different trade altogether and I'm on my 2nd year of C+J so I think I'll just go with joinery. Thanks for the link, I'll try one or two of them and maybe they will be looking for somebody.

Do you reckon Coillte supply joinery firms also?

kadman

Hi Cormie,

You will find a list of joineries on the previous link I gave you as well.
The joinery work you should aim for are probably architectural joinery works.
These would specialise in high class fit outs of pubs, hotels, corporate institutions, banks ect.

This type of joinery would rank as high class in terms of quality. Where abouts are you located, as I do know of some of the architectural joineries, having worked as an architectural joiner for 5 of the last ten years, and may be able to point you towards some.



kadman

cormie

Hi,
I'm in Bray I suppose I could go with the Architecture joinery, but what I can really imagine myself doing is designing and making furniture, tables and desks with carved surfaces and designs. Letterfrack seems to be the place to go for that but I wont be able to get in there till I'm 23. I'm 20 now I'd like to encorporate the two together and aim high and make really good quality stair cases with carved newel posts etc.

I'm being quite idealistic here, but that is what I'd ultimately love to be doing with my hands. If I can't make a living out of it, that would be unfortunate, but hopefully I would be able.

I don't really plan on working with other people. I'd like to be my own boss and would be VERY specific about who I would take on as an apprentice.

I think this is causing problems in finding someone to take me on now, I've had to shovel tonnes of concrete, dig foundations by hand, clean out burnt down house of all contents and wash my bosses car in the last company I was with. I want to find a good company that will teach me skills I'll want to use.

kadman

A good architectural joinery will be involved in , staircasing, turning, carving, period style woodwork conservation, bar construction, Any experience in these areas will definitely stand to you in Letterfrack.

Kadman

Alun

Cormie,

If you're in Bray, try Kingfisher Crafts down in Ashford. Talk to Brian. They're opposite the entrance to Mount Usher Gardens and make some really beautiful custom made furniture. I can't guarantee they'll have a place for you as they're quite small, but it's worth a try and they're relatively local for you.

cormie

Hi,
I rang a few places today from that site with no luck, rang some more from the Golden Pages too.

Alun, I'm not sure if they would be able to help me much with my trade. I think I know the place your talking about actually, it has a little yard and its just beside the road near Bolands supermarket too.

Maybe after my trade I could try somewhere like that?

Maybe I'm in the wrong trade:(

kadman

Hi Cormie,

Tell me, have you attended college yet for any phase of your carpentry apprenticeship.

kadman

cormie

Yes, I've done phase 2, 5 months in FAS college. I liked it and the hand crafting involved. And the oil stone box, I think I was talking about it before to you?

kadman

Well if you have only done phase two at this stage, it 's not inconceivable that you could change to a cabinet makers apprenticeship, if you are lucky enough to find a cabinetmaker apprenticeship vacancy with a company.

At this time , I would think that you could get credit for phase two carpentry, if you elected to change to a cabinetmaking apprentice ship. The thing you would need to do is, find a company that would be willing to take you on as a cabinetmaker apprentice, then contact your Fas supervisor and have a meeting with him, and explain to him the course you want to take. I have worked with Fas in relation to apprentices training, and I have found them very accomodating.

You have nothing to lose.

kadman

cormie

what exactly does cabinet making involve? I'd like to work with making and carving tables out of wood, that kinda thing. Not mass production of kitchen units and all that though.

kadman

Hi Cormie,

You might get some of the answers you're looking for here, to help you decide.

http://www.cabinetmaking.co.uk/career.html

kadman

cormie

Had a look actually and they seem to do quite a bit of what I want to do..

Do you think I'd be able to switch and keep my years experience?

kadman

I can see no reason why not. The first year of any woodwork related apprenticeship is really ony teaching you about basics and safety. Indeed you first project, an oil stone box, would be more at home in a cabinetmaking course.

The first thing to do is to pin down a prospective employer. This will give you some small leverage when you meet fas to change. The worst case scenario is you lose the first year, but if you get into the area of the craft, and the type of work you want, its no big sacrifice, you are young.You need to sell this idea to Fas on the basis that this company is giving you a once in a lifetime opportunity , and its up to Fas to assist you.

Better to lose a year now than do 4 years and swap then.

kadman

cormie

Yeah, I've had quite a bit of leverage with FAS already with an injury I had and other things, I've met my services to business man for coffee and everything, I've been in touch allot. He knows the pickle I'm in and he even suggested moving to cabinetmaking before.. I always though it just involved the mass production of kitchen units by machine. So it's mostly hand work do you know?

Thanks for the help, again!

kadman

Let us know how you get on.

kadman

Esel

A cabinet maker could work as a carpenter/joiner, but not necessarily vice-versa.

I think cabinet making is what you are looking for.

kadman

esel wrote:

A cabinet maker could work as a carpenter/joiner, but not necessarily vice-versa.

I think cabinet making is what you are looking for.

I think there would be areas in both disciplines that would be awkward to master, if you were not originally trained in it. But it would not be impossible to overcome, depending on how committed you are to achieving it.

I personally was trained and qualified as a carpenter joiner. But I had such a deep interest in all wood work crafts, that I committed myself to learning from as many sources available to me , the fundamentals of all woodwork areas. I would feel right at home working on a hip roof as I would restoring fine cabinet work. But I put the dedication into learning as much as I could from wherever I could.



kadman

cormie

Great! The first number I rang, who are based 15 minute drive from me, and were also recommended by my mothers friend are looking for somebody!! Cabinet Makers and Designers, fine furniture makers and antique restorers is what they say.

kadman

cormie wrote:

Great! The first number I rang, who are based 15 minute drive from me, and were also recommended by my mothers friend are looking for somebody!! Cabinet Makers and Designers, fine furniture makers and antique restorers is what they say.

Good luck Cormie

kadman

Alun

cormie wrote:

Great! The first number I rang, who are based 15 minute drive from me, and were also recommended by my mothers friend are looking for somebody!! Cabinet Makers and Designers, fine furniture makers and antique restorers is what they say.

Well done! Is that in Bray by any chance? If so, I know where to come now for my little offcuts of exotic hardwoods from now on

katethegreat

Hi there,

Can anyone tell me about a certain carpentry course I'm looking into- it's Furniture Design and Construction. It's a 2 year NCVA course, (Level 2) in 1st year, then you get a Level 2 CIty & Guilds quaification after second year.

I was wondering do these carry much weight, can you get work with these bits of paper?? Or can you only really get work if you do an apprenticeship?

ANy feedback would be appreciated!!!

cormie

Hi there,
just don't make the same mistake I made and rush into something. Carpentry and Furniture designs are two completely different things. I want to go the furniture design route myself (I still haven't got it, ooops, been busy with poker.ie so haven't really got around to it). It really depends what you want to do and where you want to go from there. You're more likely to get a job if you have experience out of the class room with some employers. Tell a little bit more about what it is exactly that you want to do, I'll try and help, I'm sure others will be able to aswell:)

I'm guessing from your name you are female? Do you see this as a problem with doing an apprenticeship? It is indeed mostly male dominant but if it's what you want to do, set that aside. I actually came across a website of a German (I think) lady who works in Ireland doing carpentry/cabinetmaking by herself. Would you be more comfortable being employed with a woman?

katethegreat

Thanks for the reply Cormie. Actually I'm investigating on behalf on a friend, a male! He's a complete novice but is very interested in learning more. He's done a lot of plastering, and DIY but that's about it. Can you recommend any routes into the trade? He's 24.

cryyuma

hello,
any one here doing phase 4 C+J in cork at the moment?

SpitfireIV

Wow, this thread has really been pulled from the dusty bottom shelf of the Boards store room

Anyway, tell me Cormie, how are you getting on? Reading this thread it sort of reminded me of myself, ie I'd love to go out on my own making quality furniture and one off pieces. I've just got my Honours degree in Industrial Design and have done a fetac course in Furniture Making and Design (not that it was much good to be honest!). I have the 'design' element and I'd like to think I have the 'furniture making' element, albeit at this stage a self taught one, I havent served time with anyone.

Just interested to hear how you were getting on