Chapter 4 The Work of a Carpenter (Jonathan Mieses)

Chapter 4


In this chapter Mike Rose is in a classroom observing students who are taking a carpentry class in high school. The students in that class are mostly rowdy until they start working. The class in divided into groups, in which one of the students is a supervisor to the other students.
Mike Rose is amazed in a lot of the students in that class. He sees one student that can accurately estimate the length of wood or drywall jus by looking at it. In which he assumes that they can assume the cause of a problem just by looking at the object. Most of the students in the class knew what they were doing but they were a few that needed help. He knew which of the students did not have much experience just because on how they would hold the tools. He noticed that to use a simple tool such as a hammer you need a good stance, grip, leverage and efficient transfer of force.
While talking to the professor of the class Mike Rose noticed that he (the professor) would be all over the place. The professor admitted that working there for so long he knows when something does not sound right. He knows when of the power tools are not being used right. In an interview with a professional in carpentry the carpenter said “expert hammer said is not automatic, but confidence in the work he does.
I can relate to this chapter because my dad is handyman for a building in downtown New York. I remember times that he would take me to help him work. There were times when I had to use a hammer or saw but I would do it wrong. This would cause me to either mess up or waste a lot of time and energy doing something very simple. My dad will help me do a lot of stuff and teach me what to do.