Building Stairs Wrong Ep.53

The framing continues, mistakes and all! Want some Christmas
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[@Ryan100million]

Honestly did not expect such a perfect meme at 12:00

[@prestonarcuri]

Simply amazing

[@dances_withwolves]

Brilliant 👌🏽

[@jamesogorman3287]

Where is this from?

[@pistool1]

3:04 Aww... your granchildren are always such a delight at the site :D

[@frontlinefinishcarpentry4193]

Agreed, that was a stroke of genius! so perfectly applicable.

[@felixarmandopaezuscanga4642]

MUY buena calidad, el texto imagenes. kzbin.infoUgkxbnOKZBE4evMO5V2vroHeCjq6d_MV6wJO Un manuel muy completo y trabajado. Resulta muy práctico. Para principiantes y profesionales. Lo recomiendo

[@lancelenoir2875]

My Granddad once said, "The only people who don't make mistakes are the ones who don't do anything. And that is a mistake in itself."

[@mailtoray]

Your granddad didn't tell you one more thing: those who don't do anything in a company and still get the pay must have something called LIABILITY on their shoulders.

[@joshuafulton1625]

If you’ve never made a mistake building stairs, you’ve never built stairs.

[@naui2]

Well said! 👍

[@dielauwen]

I bet you can't do rafters either.

[@daleleibfried8648]

@@dielauwen ok smart guy, how much material is typically the limit to leave in in a birds mouth for code. And I guess you know the math to frame a reverse gable by number. Let's get into bastard hips. Riddle you that. Don't be a dick. If you knew than you wouldn't be so prude.

[@briantomberlin7602]

You can say that another 50 times.

[@TheIronTank]

i remember building my first set of stairs. ahaha all that wasted 2x12

[@mjswart73]

“And sure enough, the sun came up again the next morning” That is a comforting thought. I’m going to remember that.

[@greatscott9231]

@Ken MacDonald: Nice. My mantra is, "At least I'm still alive." And that's not even being a jackass. Get laid off, slip behind on the bills, get another job, and fighting my way back... "At least I'm still alive."

[@carladelagnomes]

Hey man, at least your still in there doin' the deal! Climbing back up outa' the hole. It's way too easy to throw in the towel. Many of us have been there. You now have experience with adversity and will start puttin' things together to cope when the next layoff comes.

[@mattberg6785]

Very similar to my Dad's "the will rise in the again tomorrow ". No matter how you say it, it is probably the most important advice about everything.

[@antondeannova7016]

Who is the best...? Scott or larry haun...? Pliss

[@routtookc8064]

The sun will rise tomorrow, even if its cloudy.

[@Rebecca1Tupperware]

This book kzbin.infoUgkxT9ExVpR-3A-9rpRqx8vzXKZ3BMMTg_KH does have a lot of great information on the building of sheds, design ideas, building options, etc. The author goes through the steps to build a foundation, framing, roof, even ideas on internal storage and external finishes. The text is easy to follow and understand. There are many sidebars that give tips and advice which most laymen probably wouldn't have considered. The photographs are great quality too. This is a great book and I'd recommend it highly for anyone needing or interested in building a shed.

[@esigman1]

I’ve built one set of stairs in my life. I built them five times, but it was only once.

[@btite]

This might be my favorite comment ever.

[@NightlifeReALIty]

Haha real talk

[@marksteele45]

That was good!

[@soundmapper]

This man speaks the truth! I have a no-skilsaw.

[@matthewnuhfer6851]

Best comment ever

[@psidvicious]

While working on a very expensive oak stair rail once, I was trying to figure out how to drill the holes, at the correct angle, in the bottom of the rail to accept the spindles. Not having any experience with stairs or railing before, the best idea I could come up with was to just lay the rail on the stairs upside down and just hold the drill nice and plumb. It worked perfectly! Until I turned the rail back over and realized I had just drilled all the holes on the exact opposite angle 😬🙄... I was certain I had just relegated this beautifully pre-milled $300 oak rail to the fire wood heap when it occurred to me - “What if I spun it end for end?” IT WORKED!! The drilled holes were now at the correct angle! I think once in everyone’s life you get a freebie. Even after making a stupid blunder. I used mine up on that stair rail 😅 🤜🤛

[@markbernier8434]

Ins't that how you are supposed to get the angle? Similar triangles?

[@psidvicious]

@@markbernier8434 I don’t know if it’s THEE way to do it, but it turned out to be A way to do it. I was just lucky I had left plenty of waste on each end. I was a 19 year old kid at the time and really had no idea what I was doing. I just went very slow with the project bcz it had several elevation changes and 90° turns in it that made it very complex for my skill level. I was definitely in way over my head. It was for my parents and I was just ever so slightly more qualified than them to do it bcz I had started working on a framing crew about 6 months previous. 😂 🤜🤛

[@xtranormal2350]

That isn't a mistake. It's a hack. Sometimes a hack looks like a mistake at first until you understand what's going on.

[@psidvicious]

@@xtranormal2350 Haha! I wish I could claim it as a clever hack but, truth be told, I just plain got lucky 😅 🤜🤛

[@sharpe227]

10 feet from me are the steps my dad and my cousins grand father built like 25 years ago,when we put the balusters in we didn't realize they weren't the same on the top and bottom.but somehow they magically had a pattern.noone remembers planning it that way.But also the wall that I'm also looking at is crooked cause when my dad rebuilt it he didnt keep hes straight edge nailed down.Never noticed it till i had to put in some laminate and wondered why the floor is crooked.

[@denaboersma6983]

Look at it this way, you had a very well built temporary staircase.

[@Pimpmedown]

lol i love this. gotta remember it

[@bearwoodcraft3591]

Well put I like the way you think

[@slackjaw703]

It’s tough sharing our mistakes but that’s how we all learn, and seeing that someone we all respect who is obviously a master craftsman can make a mistake actually will help people who will eventually make a mistake realize that indeed, as you said, the world will continue to spin. The best thing to do is learn from the mistake and try to never repeat it. We are only human after all. Thank you so much for sharing this!!

[@Smalltime]

John Parker I couldn’t have said it better myself, so I’ll just concur! Thanks for sharing Scott & Co.

[@pistool1]

On the other hand, if you'll never make a mistake, you actually do nothing at all :)

[@wildtwindad]

My first teacher has infamously said: "it is not a mistake if you fix it before it is done." This has haunted me for 25 years due to its level of trueness.

[@kalijasin]

WOW! 😮

[@DieselRamcharger]

mistakes are errors you refuse to fix. wise man once told me that.

[@bruceparks3124]

Hey, a mistake is a mistake. However, if you don't fix the mistake before the project is done, then it becomes a f---up, and that's when you look like the village idiot. From my own experience, I don't recommend it.

[@truckguy6666]

Very true. Id also like to point out how easy it is for joe homeowner to follow along watching a pro and it makes perfect sense. Its a whole different scenario when someone puts a pile of wood in front of you and says to build a staircase (or anything skilled trade work for that matter)

[@chrislogue5744]

Every time I watch another one of your videos I gain even more respect for you both as a carpenter and a quality human being.

[@johncavalier9610]

I was taught at an early age that a good carpenter is one that can fix other carpenter’s mistakes but most importantly his own. Always a pleasure to watch!!!

[@michaelpalmisano6774]

A good carpenter works his way outta a situation.

[@jason-hh6lu]

Why old foreman used to say “if you can’t fix your mistake, take your tools, go home, think about it and come back tomorrow.” He was good like that.

[@badlandskid]

Nothing quite like tearing out and rebuilding a set of stairs to continue ones education. I've had that distinct pleasure a couple times. 👍

[@Wen6543]

Whey you don´t have a time limit there it´s not much of a problem, but when you are running against the clock, oh boy, i mistake like the one of this video is a bad one. That´s why i never work with a time limit, i don´t like that kind of stress.

[@Sailor376also]

When I began this gig,, I worked with an older guy,, and Pete said, "If you are absolutely willing to rip out anything you did the day before,, Not right, not level, the customer did not like it,, It rained in Egypt and that made the widget cattywhumpus,, any reason whatsoever,, If you are willing to rip it out,, you are a carpenter." Your statement qualifies you for the title Carpenter,,,, and you should wear it with pride. Because in this trade, that IS the bottom line. You have to be willing to take out, what you just put in.

[@whitacrebespoke]

It’s an honour we have all had to make a mistake and to redo work. It keeps us all humble and honest.

[@Beandiptheredneck]

Sailor376also I couldn’t agree more, i do general contracting and I take a lot out that I just put in for any one of the reasons you listed

[@ToolShow]

We've featured your videos on our weekly show, at least a dozen times. We've done that because we love your content. With that said, this was the best video we've ever seen you post. We look up to you because you're so skilled. You're a great storyteller. Now that we've seen the way you handle failure... we respect you all the more. Keep these amazing videos coming. We, like so many others, appreciate the inspiration. - The Coptool Team

[@colorocko1]

ditto!

[@krisrybak957]

Love the thorough explanation and post mortem examination of the mistakes. This is the difference between the professional that accepts mistakes and learn from them, and the amateur that sweeps it under the carpet

[@LDeezy662]

Most would cover up and never admit to making the mistake in the first place but this is Essential Craftsman and these are real, honest, respectful hard working fellas and we love them because of it

[@samuelyoung2671]

Bankhead_662 If it was my house... Id forget the code... If it was for someone else id feel bad tho lololol

[@DerH0ns]

@@samuelyoung2671 if it was for someone else you may be liable for possible accidents

[@mr.e4743]

Wouldn't it be caught in the inspection?

[@Beandiptheredneck]

Samuel Young I disregard code on my own place when it’s convenient and instead go for safe and functional

[@terrysullivan1992]

@@mr.e4743 There's the rub. Any experienced inspector would notice it right away when using the stairs and then would have measured.

[@samh4434]

This is what sets this channel apart from a lot of KZbin, humility and humor in a mistake that stings you instead of just covering it up.

[@mcd5082]

I give you a lot of credit for showing your mistakes. That takes a real person of integrity. Especially in a time of people only showing the good.

[@metricdeep8856]

Sharing what can go wrong is probably more valuable than sharing what to do out of the gate. The mistakes cause people to think. The instructions cause people to shut off thinking. Much gratitude.

[@fredpayne7581]

Been a general contractor for 30yrs this yr... very impressed with your integrity to show and then fix a mistake and not edit it out or not show that mistakes happen to even the best sometimes, thank you for your video, you are a great man, stay safe and God bless you my friend

[@vansage2691]

“I knew they weren’t right the first time I walked up them” that muscle memory and feel is how every carpenter judges his/her work when building stairs. Some think a 1/4” is not a lot, two saw blades wide, wrong side of the pencil line but on stairs it’s a big deal. Your toes hit the riser on the tread and you develop hammer toe, your leg muscles remind you every time you forget something on the first floor. Shhh....it happens and how you correct it is the testament of a reputable contractor.

[@TheBrokenLife]

In my last house top stair on the case was about 2" shorter (rise) than the rest. I lived there for about a year before ever noticing it (it sort of helped that it came up to a landing, so it was a transition of motion from one direction to another as well as a step up), but a handful of times over the years I just about went crashing down them because of it, especially while carrying something and not being able to literally watch my step. Stairs being wrong is a big deal.

[@scottclark798]

@John Savage curious if you do ? Why do you think that ?

[@danhall7251]

That black and white bit had the end had me waking up the neighbors laughing. Love all your videos, it's truly a pleasure watching someone as skillful as you. It gives us little guys something to aspire to.

[@DesmoProfundis]

I love it, man. I'm just north of you here in Tacoma, WA. I'm a veteran and have been in commercial construction since 2006. A saying I learned a long time ago from one of my journeymen and have since taken for my own is, "I can f it up and fix it faster than most people can f it up." It's not like we're trying to make mistakes. In fact, we are actively trying not to make mistakes. But, mistakes happen, and we move forward. Thanks for being human, brother. I'm right beside you pulling those nails.

[@YouT-DJ]

Ouch, you built them wrong so nice.

[@laniakearafalovich1668]

Stairs are one project that when they’re cut and installed wrong they can’t be fixed...

[@beby843]

@@laniakearafalovich1668 Unless they were made of concrete, they can't be fixed. Wood? Easy.

[@scotthuff2793]

@@beby843 051250

[@stevepseudonym445]

@@beby843 I think the point is that rebuilding them is different than fixing them. There are all sorts of things that you can do wrong and then frequently fix without starting again from scratch. With stairs about the best you can hope for is that you may be able to reuse some of the lumber you cut wrong on the first try.

[@petepeeff5807]

Scott, My stair story . I was adding a 2nd floor to the house we were living in. I built a set of stairs to the new 2nd floor. I don't rember the error but it was almost unnoticeable.This was on a Saturday afternoon.The next morning I told the wife and kids to go on to church with out me because I wanted to finish the stairs before having to go to work on Monday. They came back from church to find the stairs in the yard and me sawing away on a new set of stringers. My wife tired of building at this point, asked what gives. I explained that for the rest of my life I would have to climb those stairs and rember I hadn't done my personal best. I didn't realise at the time my two young children were watching this and learned to do their best even if no one else noticed and not to be afraid to do it over even if your under pressure .I've have witnessed this in there lives many times as adults. We all still laugh about it. But I have come to believe it was one of the best mistakes I made.

[@kellywadsworth4495]

This is true wisdom here... thank you... K

[@frankstalteri972]

I commend you on the decision on ripping them out only not to have to live with the mistake. I'm an hvac guy and took bad advice from someone in the trade and installed the wrong size furnace for an addition that never came to be. Every time that furnace comes on it tells me of my mistakes. Some day before I check out, I want to replace it. Lord willing I won't screw it up again. Totally my fault.

[@jsd05]

Brought a tear to my eye Pete,

[@alejandrozuniga4426]

@@justindecker9557 wtf is wrong with you bro? why are you mad at life

[@olliecrow3547]

Thanks for sharing

[@oscarlozano7122]

Got tears flowing when you were cutting above those sawhorses! Remember my Dad built a set when we were remodeling after a flood. Unfortunately he died in a workplace accident before the remodel was completed. I finished the remodel without him. Seeing you cut brought back memories of him. We lost him on July 12, 2016. Everyone should hug their Dads and tell them how much you love them, for one day it will be too late! Great video as always

[@bearbarre6435]

It's good to see that you really are human, after all. When we watch these types of shows, most of the time the host/builder only shows every step from start to finish is done perfectly and with no setbacks. We know mistakes are made on nearly every project and are simply edited out, but it makes every little mistake we make in our own projects feel that much more frustrating and embarrassing. I also like your attitude about it. "No harm, no foul. These things happen and the sun will still come up tomorrow." Thank you for that.

[@yepper1165]

Reminds me of a couple sayings I'm fond of: Everyone makes mistakes. It's whether you can fix them that matters. A wise man learns from his mistakes. A truly wise man learns from other people's mistakes.

[@toddniehaus]

I say it slightly differently. "A smart man learns from his mistakes. A wise man learns from the mistakes of others." I try to be wise, sometimes I'm just smart, sometimes I fall short of that.

[@N8-T]

Guy I used to work with told me, it's not how well you make something that makes you a good carpenter, it's how well you fix your mistakes

[@thechronicgeneralist]

And another version of it goes : "Geniuses learn from other people's mistakes, normal people learn from their mistakes and idiots never learn."

[@ffuukkyootoobffuukkyootoob1411]

A wise man learns from his mistakes. A truly wise man learns from other people's mistakes. I have heard this attributed to the German Chancellor who unified Germany in the 1880s, Otto Von Bismarck. The (similar) form he supposedly said it in (no doubt originally in German) was: "Some fools claim to learn from their mistakes. I prefer to profit from others' mistakes."

[@yepper1165]

@@ffuukkyootoobffuukkyootoob1411 That's very interesting. Thanks for posting it!

[@krenwregget7667]

I really appreciate the fact that you've dedicated an entire episode to a mistake.

[@ShanDysigns]

I don't know if there is sarcasm in your comment, but I honestly didn't understand the purpose of spending 13 minutes to show us what we already was told was a mistake. I mean, he already over explains everything, so why not waste 13 minutes of an episode?

[@krenwregget7667]

@@ShanDysigns - my comment was genuine and if you don't understand it, well.....

[@ShanDysigns]

@@krenwregget7667 There is nothing to understand. I prefaced my comment with consideration that your comment could be interpreted either way. If your comment was sincere then ok, I don't have issue either way.

[@Rockhound1943]

It is a strong and humble man who can share the lessons learned from a mistake with the world. This video will be shared with my sons on how to be a man in a professional world.

[@deetee6621]

“This too shall pass”, is becoming my own personal mantra for my entire life and the lessons therein. No religion required here, just me bumbling through life and taking note that learning from others mistakes is the best thing we can do, as well as try to learn from our own. Great video. Thankyou.

[@nemobla1]

DANG IT! I spat out my coffee at the "when you say that you're fine" clip. !

[@MsElijah16]

nemobla1 😂was good aye

[@justalilcynical5558]

HEY NOW ... lose the roof, lose the stairs, lose the rough window openings, the bifold header heights, even the misplacement of joists at the toilet. But NEVER EVER WASTE COFFEE!

[@carladelagnomes]

"Sure enough, the sun came up again the next morning." Thank you for your words of wisdom EC. I needed to hear that.

[@llanman81]

Mistakes are absent when no work is done. I’ve learned more from mistakes than successes. Keep up the good work EC

[@FreeMenLiveHere]

I'm a carpenter and appreciate your humility more than I can say. We all make mistakes, but I must say you work with honor. Those of us who acknowledge and fix our mistakes with a good attitude are few and far between. Thank you for being a true craftsman.

[@jason-hh6lu]

The worst mistake is when you think everything is going great, and you get that intuition of it going too well and once you think it’s finished some minute detail that’s unforeseen messes everything up. We all become better tradesmen if we learn by those mistakes. 😊👍🏻 Nice video Scott.

[@dee73]

After being a carpenter for over 40 years everybody makes mistakes anyone who criticizes a mistake is a mistake I had a gentleman older gentleman tell me one time that's why they put a eraser on a pencil thanks Scott for revealing this video keep up the good work buddy

[@psidvicious]

Had a boss once that used to say, the first thing he did with a new pencil was chew the eraser off, bcz he wouldn’t be needing it. He was kidding, of course. 🤜🤛

[@zoravar.k7904]

I have to keep a separate eraser on hand, need more meat than the average dullard to correct my layout mistakes i suppose.

[@robsciuk729]

Brilliant. A lesson that perhaps no-one will take to heart, but here it is ... the apocryphal opportunity to learn from another's mistake. Very generous indeed.

[@sleepy_143]

I said it once before and I'll say it again, most of the Craftsmen you see on KZbin edit out their mistakes giving the viewer the impression that they never make any! I respect the fact that you make mistakes and even more so that you share them with us! That's an honest Craftsman!

[@a89proof]

I think one of my favorite moments in a framing project is when I start the hours-long process of laying out a stair stringer. Measurements aplenty, levels, strings, notes, efforts to land every possible knot and defect in an off-cut, allowances for thickness of finished treads and floors so as to guarantee a dead consistent rise on every step from floor to floor. Without fail, someone will always show up mid-project to inquire as to why it's taking so long. This is also the point where I put my notes in my pocket, set down my tools, and offer to let them take over while I go to lunch - surely they'll have it finished by the time I return.

[@yaobear17]

Learning opportunities like this remind us that he are not just building buildings, but that we are building men who are competent, confident and capable of learning from both success and failure... Keep up the good work.

[@GlueTubber]

My dad built houses from the time he was 13 (he quit school to help support his brothers and sisters). When I turned 13, I started 'helping' him build houses (mostly I was just a gopher). I still measure my skills by what I saw my dad accomplish, and I never seem to live up to his standard. It really is magically seeing someone skilled build a house.

[@theNeathBoy]

Great video, takes guts to show your mistakes to the world. And it’s always worth remembering that no-one is infallible. Much respect from Wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@plumberguy1689]

I once cut a counter top for a kitchen sink and the sink fell thru the hole........

[@nigelthornton7378]

Brilliant 😁

[@FnCool1]

Don't build stairs! I know; I should shut up! :P

[@apoloshark697]

Saturday, 8am here, getting some Essential knowledge before taking on the day!

[@Handlesplus]

Apolo Shark Saturday 11:00pm here. .😉

[@Kryynism]

8am where? I'm on east coast. You inna ocean? Haha

[@aalitros]

04:53 on the West coast. :)

[@Carl-LaFong1618]

@@Kryynism I'm guessing a Maritime Provence.

[@texomatinker414]

Continuing education isn't always fun, but it is valuable when lessons are learned. Mistakes are real life, and those who can't deal with reality create a lot of problems. At the same time, one who consistently make the same mistake is a problem which must me addressed. Sharing our mistakes with others is sometimes hard, but it is great way of teaching, and demonstrating humility. Thanks Scott!

[@av1204]

I'm glad you filmed the mistake. A lot of people think the world is perfect on youtube because people dont show their mistakes.

[@loganpatterson4674]

12:00 I lost it. We all know the feeling of redoing your work. Thanks for sharing

[@danielson1037]

The main difference between a journeyman and an apprentice, is the journeyman has made more mistakes than the apprentice.

[@davidg105]

Well said.

[@jasonsvendsen3917]

I really appreciate your attitude. Nobody is perfect. Too many people in trades will give others a hard time because they lack a skill, or claim that they do things the only right way, and there are no other acceptable ways to do a task. They rip each other apart because they make a mistake. We are all constantly learning. Nobody knows every skill on day one, or even after 40 years in the trade. A new guy may have a skill or method that a guy who has been working in the field for 30 years doesn't know or hasn't thought about. It doesn't mean that that method or skill is right or wrong. It doesn't mean that the way it's been done for a century is right or wrong.

[@eigencap]

It's not the mistake that defines the worker/person. It's what that person does afterward that defines their character. This video is perhaps one of the most important you can make. Great lesson to learn from.

[@gavinmoir605]

Beautiful work! Mistakes are made in life, it is how we deal with them that shows true craftsmanship. Keep up the good work.

[@thomaszimmerman791]

Sun came up the morning! My uncle bill would have said the same thing. He was a great builder!

[@sc5203]

So we got a extra video? Silver linings Scott, silver linings!

[@monsterq6]

There's rarely a mistake you can't fix and there's NEVER a mistake you don't learn from. Learning is one of the great blessings in life. Thanks for sharing in that blessing. This little expense of a mistake in the grand scale will now allow generations of craftspeople to learn. God bless you and your own and keep up the safe and excellent work. A family some day soon will enjoy this reliably made home.

[@imoore8908]

My father used to build custom stairs and this specialty was the bending of railings. I have the deepest respect for the discipline of building any type of stair. Thanks for this video!

[@stevecupples2071]

The inventor of the elevator probably got tired of building stairs 1/4” off spec. Just an assumption.

[@billybarnwell9123]

🤣🤣🤣 I feel this deep in my soul. I build a lot of decks and in a way, out door stairs can give you more room for tolerances because dirt can be moved and leveled, blocks can be put in place and brought up or buried lower but decks built 14-15 ft off the ground or higher, there are so many variables that can come in to play that even the slightest incline or decline on the ground from the deck to the bottom riser of the stairs can make a huge difference in your calculations. If I have the freedom to move as much dirt as I want, like on a new home, then it's not an issue but when I'm working on a preexisting home with really nice landscaping and the home owners want as little modification as possible to the landscape, that's a serious pain. I can't count how many stringers I've cut and went to test the first one and it'll be just short enough that I don't feel comfortable with it and have to cut a new one. It generally only takes that one getting cut short for me to nail the second one but it's still a pain. I never throw those stringers away tho. I keep em stored for later jobs. They always end up getting used so no real loss other than time, frustration, and a few choice words mumbled under my breath

[@JimmeShelter]

Just wait until you have an elevator opening on the 2nd floor off an inch from the lower floor...

[@shakeeshakee9457]

I appreciate more of an honest carpenter Or any worker for that matter than one who hides his mistakes It shows you have integrity Awesome video.. Everyone makes mistakes No harm no foul

[@royallclark6331]

Just another of life's humbling experiences... I'm not a professional carpenter but have built several stairs and I too have been humbled!! It's a good man that can say "I made a mistake" and not try to pass the blame on.

[@ScottReynolds003]

Nothing is a better teacher than experience. Mistakes are part of that experience. Absolutely love the series you've made. Informative and also entertaining.

[@kaincordle2480]

Great video! Ever person has to face making mistakes and a greater person let's others learn from their mistakes. Keep up the great work!

[@phil4203]

If a person has never made a mistake, it's because they have never done anything.

[@TraitorFelon.14.3]

I’ve never been wrong. Unless you count the day when I mistakenly thought I was wrong.

[@Kevin-df8vx]

Seriously, your grandson is cuteness overload at the end!

[@richardjohnson5979]

Scott, you are definitely the man. I’ve built hundreds of feet of stairs (as a scenic carpenter in the theatre) and I know that there is a forest of pine trees in the dumpster as a result of my learning curve, and my ego in assuming my work was correct. I love watching you work (at 73 I love watching anyone work).

[@JusBrewIT]

I always notch the front bottom of the stairs for the 2x4 seems to keep them in line better

[@robertmaner3956]

Could not agree more, really locks stringer's in place

[@ryanbroadfoot1307]

Yeah. It creates a more secure connection. The kicker is there to stop the bottom of the stairs from kicking out, reducing the strain on the top connection, only makes sense to place them in front.

[@greggronemeier1256]

I was just starting to think that you were perfect. Glad your just like the rest of us !

[@sicpac66t]

You made us all feel better. Knowing a guy with your experience has little hiccups to overcome is a relief. Phew. Cheers

[@juantransportador]

HELLO, from chihuahua mexico, is important to recognize the mistakes in life and is from a real man to put it on the internet, I'm honored to be a subscriber in your channel GOD bless you and your family.

[@Recovering_Californian]

It's painful to watch you measure, cut, glue, and nail down those stairs knowing you'll be ripping them out soon. Ugh! Thanks for sharing.

[@Finn-McCool]

I recall a time in '89 when an order of Oak parts for a custom conversion van needed to go out "that evening" and the pin router malfunctioned so the process suffered and the lacquer finish was applied much too late in the day because of the chain reaction. The boss insisted the parts get shrink wrapped and sent out. I made every effort in hopes he would see reason but he said "send it" and when the entire bunk of parts came back with wrinkles in the lacquer finish I asked "WHY" and his response was "no matter what I told the customer that the parts would be there and they were, I would rather be on time and trustworthy than to miss a deadline because of equipment failure and lose the customers confidence". I just could not see the wisdom in that philosophy. Because he ended up lying to the customer about a bad batch of lacquer so there was absolutely no difference. It taught me to never over promise only over deliver. His pride got in the way so often but he was a successful businessman nonetheless. But we never sent out questionable lacquer again I promise you that. So, lesson learned. Oh and we ditched the pin router for a cnc and a point to point too. Gotta be able to depend on your tools as well as your people. Has nothing to do with this video but I thought I'd share the memory.😂

[@thesage1096]

he or you or anyone was ot tardy with the work, a machine malfunctioned, it not something that could have been predicted. just call the customer and explain the truth, any reasonable person would understand if you were on target but a machine malfunctioned and ur gonna be set back by a few hours. just say hey this happened ul get it first thing in the morning. i mean, im sure its not like they were gonna install the parts over night or anything. the delay would have even been a non issue if the parts were sent to site before the installers arrived. atleast thats just how id have done it. in my line of work i _always_ say il try to get it to you by such time. if a specific time is pressed for, i add one week to my estimated time and then say, "but il try to get it to you sooner if possible"

[@Finn-McCool]

@@thesage1096 this was 1988. The boss had a timeline and he stuck to it. The machine let us down. The boss was a stubborn mule who was connected to his word as if it was a contract. The parts "needed" to go out because the van "needed" to be built and he took a stupid chance against the advise of the entire shop, of which I was a member. Your point is moot. The shop survived on a JIT model and the process caused a situation that the boss had already promised a delivery date for the goods and had already pushed it out and he was convinced that the parts "NEEDED" to go out more than they needed to cure. He was unable to admit defeat, he was willing to claim that he delivered poor quality merchandise; on time, rather than miss the deadline. It doesn't matter what you would do. -✌🏼

[@thesage1096]

@@Finn-McCool allrighty man, i know it doesnt matter what i would do...i was just saying something man. peace

[@dustinpomeroy8817]

Your bosses mentality is why America is the current state it is in ,he's not the only person with that mentality,most of the older guys in manufacturing that I've ever had have that same mindset.

[@chuckbaker8413]

I’m so impressed with your professionalism...!! I have been doing what you do for a very long time... since 1976... I started in the woods south of Seattle, WA. I was learning from a old Swedish carpenter ( so grateful) he was second or third generation carpenter...He told me (1 of many things) that a good carpenter isn’t one who never makes mistakes... a good carpenter is one who catches his mistake and figures out how to fix it so no one ever knows”... You did not have to tell us about something that happened because your phone rang while you were laying out the LVL or you went to lumber yard at lunch and we’re in a hurry when you got back or a thousand other reasons something got slightly off... but I respect that you did tell us... it shows confidence and class..

[@irishlordweil2550]

Tremendous respect to you sir. You are an amazing teacher because you remain teachable. I love to build structures but I only do it for friends and to help people out. When I was younger I worked for a man who would tell me that I was a fine example of the dumbing down of America whenever I made a mistake. He was a Master Carpenter. He would introduce himself by his name followed By Carpenter Extraordinaire. I learned some skills from the other men that worked for him but I couldn’t learn from one so arrogant and that knew everything. Your humility makes you a great teacher and you are helping the novice learn from your mistakes. Thank you.

[@firesurfer]

Hah! A little extra time and money. I was at a job in the '80s where a round concrete core for elevators was going up and the form rotated 1/8'' to 1/4'' each time they jacked up the forms. By the time they got up 15 floors they were out nearly 6''. The elevator guys said dude, what's up with this s**t? The concrete co. had to eat the cost of fixing it. Jackhammers were going on for weeks. This was the Marriot Marquis Hotel in Times Square. If you are ever in TS go to the sky lobby on the 8th fl. and take a look.

[@kozemchuk]

Wow. That's an expensive mistake!

[@paulsaracino3074]

Oh man,😧 my heart sank. I loved seeing the little man at the end though!🤓

[@chrispratt8374]

So much respect for these men framing at their age it’s pretty labor intensive

[@TheLombardProject]

Strength of character and durability of spirit to put the truth out there. Much respect.

[@charger440]

Sir, You have earn a lots of esteem from the viewers by sharing that situation! Thanks for sharing that precious moment!!!

[@jchasew342]

Thanks for being transparent here. Remember this, the ones who make no mistakes are the ones who are sitting at home not trying.

Very true. My landlord and i get critisized alot for doing work around the house by a housemate. Its amateur work, not perfect and we make mistakes all the time but the lad who critisizes us sits watching tv and does nothing

[@zschudrowitz155]

This video is really great not for the mistake but for the humbleness. I'm a novice at building stuff and it was great to see you doing math and drawing what you're building. I do that too and thought I was being slow or dumb. And even then I'd mess stuff up. I thought master craftsmen such as yourself just had it all in your head and could crank through projects with ease and no mistakes. Thank you for being humble enough to show that even at your level you still make mistakes and drawing stuff out is the thing to do. Thank you, thank you! All the best, Z

[@robertalexander9931]

Mistakes happen! You just have to move on and your right you can't beat yourself up over it. Thanks for sharing and making the rest of us feel better about our mistakes.

[@ramonpizarro]

I always get massively chewed out for any and all mistakes I make, even the smallest ones. I try dammit, but like you said I'm only human I'm still in awe when I see two guys just walk up and bust out a huge chunk of a house

[@wecomeinpeace5082]

I hear ya brother. It'd be nice if these guys realized that some people respond better to this guys approach. Godspeed mate.

[@AALHADES]

Bosses who chew you out just for making a mistake are bad bosses. Now if you are being chewed up for a repeated mistake.......well, you have to own that.

[@Handlesplus]

Apparently there is a university somewhere that runs a course in building. Every class you sit in front of a screen watching Essential Craftsman! 😉

[@williambrooks276]

Mr. Wadsworth with the amount of skill , knowledge , and knowhow that you possess and display on your channel I wouldn't even give it another thought about those stairs not turning out right according to code the first go around. I think it speaks volumes about your character that you were willing to share that mistake with us , your viewers. It shows us that a man as gifted as you sometimes makes an occasional mistake and helps the rest of us maybe not be so hard on ourselves but rather take solace in the fact that we can make mistakes but just realize that we made a mistake and move forward.

[@residentialremediesresiden7178]

I always thought I was watching these videos alone until I heard "what? He made a mistake?" in the background. What I hadn't realize is my wife listens while I watch! Thanks for making a series her and I both appreciate! 😂😂😂

[@JustNobodyButME]

It's amazing how just a 1/4" can be such a big deal.

[@IVORY123100]

You can be off a 1/4 " and it's not a big deal .. That only applies between the greatest to the least in difference .. So a rise of 7.625" on one step and the least is 7.375" it meets Code .. but if it is 7.875 on the greatest and 7.5" on the least .. Though the difference is the same It exceeds Code on maximum height and thus no good

[@XineasHD]

One more reason to love your channel. You're man enough to show your mistakes and own them. Hats off to you! Keep the good stuff coming.

[@kevindearing2315]

Thank you sir for sharing what any professional contractor has faced. It doesn't make us less of a professional. It's part of being human. Too many things on our minds or just simply messing up. It's what you do after the fact that makes you a professional... or just a hack. You sir, are a true professional!!

[@andrewmagana8093]

a man who admits his mistakes is a humble honest man, I am really enjoying watching this man work

[@stevewallis8197]

As I've found out to my own cost more than once, there's truth in the old adage - Measure twice, cut once.

[@scruffy6151]

Agree i have even gone back and measure one more time when I think i have measured wrong.

[@suspicionofdeceit]

I witnessed a $3000 gluelam get cut 12” too short, and the subsequent explosion and hammer throwing. This isn’t so bad.

[@miked8227]

Oh my, that hurts me to even think about it.

[@suspicionofdeceit]

It was a hot shot carpenter and a custom order glulam, so it was a 3 week wait on the replacement. I actually found it quite humorous.

[@maxwilm76]

Had a guy cut a whole stack of 8 ft 2x4's down to 92 and 5/8's by using the drop block from the first board as a gauge..

[@fouroakfarm]

Now THAT is a bad day

[@Gottesacker86]

Admittedly, I cut a cedar 4x12 beam about 3' too short once. I transposed the 20'-4" to 204"... that sucked pretty bad.

[@t.d.mich.7064]

Your comments about craftsmen at the top of their game certainly rings true! I worked in the tool and die trade for 50 years, and one could definately see the difference in quality and speed of the young journeyman versus the seasoned veteran's abilities! I for one, was learning things during the last weeks, prior to retiring. You are never going to know everything about your trade, and being human, will always slip up somewhere along the line, or on the wrong side of it! (;:

[@cervezatorres5700]

I like your honesty and how you're not afraid of admitting that you made a mistake.

[@Brosephyung1]

Mistakes like this happen to everyone, all the time. I on the other hand have never made a mistake in my life. Every staircase i build is perfect...

[@teeemm9456]

Ha, I've never made a mistake building staircases!

[@Alex-rq9jj]

I know u said that u already redid the stringers but can I make a recommendation for the future, the notch u cut a the bottom of the stingers move that to the front of them and put the licker in front so that it keeps them form sliding forward incase something goes wrong with the hangers up top or anything like that, I also use it for exterior stairs and anchor down the kicker plate into the concrete

[@Alex-rq9jj]

I also put a 1 inch back cut on the treads so that people with big feet have a bigger tread and also it looks good with the back slope

[@jimjones4345]

Haha my sounds like you watched Larry Haun build stairs.

[@Alex-rq9jj]

@@jimjones4345 I have seen it but however that's how I've always done my stairs.

[@johnnywilkins4320]

Yep !

[@matteberry58]

An honest transparent man will share his mistakes to help others. An I secure prideful man will hide his mistakes and then laugh at the other guy that makes the same mistake. You're the former of the two men and for that I'm thankful.

[@perryvath7617]

Thank you so much for this. I’ve wasted so much time going down the wrong road before. You make me feel human. I feel better now.

[@antondeannova7016]

Thx scott... I love u Like my father

[@RBCharger]

I knew what the mistake was when I saw you doing your calculations on the board. That was good carpentry technique but with stairs, it always comes down to planning. Building code for risers is 8" max. That is an easy number to remember. 121 3/4" total rise would give you 16 risers so that would be 7 5/8". That also tells you how many treads you are going to have. Wait a minute . . . you only have 134" run for 15 treads? Less than 9" per tread is not going to work out so you have to stop right there and figure out how to get more run. Treads should be between 10 and 11 inches deep. Standard treads are 10 1/2" by 1 1/8" That is what you should use without ripping them down. Also, when you draw out your stairs, draw the top tread and riser, the common tread and riser (those in the middle), and the bottom. Drawing out every stair on the measurement sketch is just a distraction that takes away from the brain power for details of the top and bottom.

[@IVORY123100]

Unless Code has changed The Maximum rise is 7.75" and Minimum tread depth is 10" Perhaps certain locales allow 8" .. I know that spirals allow a greater rise per step .. Most tread material is 11.25" which is perfect to apply to a 10" run .. Allowing for a 1.25" nosing ..Yet maintaining a 10" minimum run .. I am an automatic carpenter .. After years of boo boo's .. I found better ways .. Measure from subfloor to subfloor , generally this the way to go unless the flooring on the bottom is thickset bluestone that has a depressed floor .. and consider not all treads have the same thickness Some might be 2" slabs of oak .. But for simplicity on 98% of stairs .. The process is this .. Measure subfloor to subfloor .. Divide by 7.75 .. If the number is 16.136 throw out the .136 and divide the rise by 16 .. If the number exceeds 7.75 .. No good !! .. Divide by 17 and the number will be less than 7.75" .. Bingo !! .. 17 rises 16 runs @10" BTW I am not doing any math right now , just the procedure of inputs .. So if the rise comes out to 7.625" and 10" run .. that works .. Other things to consider will be if the header above was placed in the right spot .. Too far forward and it might be proud of a corner .. But back unto the rules .. Since the flooring generally is considered 3/4" top and bottom and treads are 1 " thick .. . Then the stair carriage has to be dropped 1/4" so all treads finish out the same . .. So 7.375" rise from subfloor to framed stair carriage on the first step , then continue at 7.625 the rest .. The top of the framed stair carriage will then be lowered to 7.875" .. I was boggled why his skirt was spaced with 3/4" .. Could be a situation where there is no skirt possibly ? Big enough to drop drywall in behind and a zig-zag base shirt or sawtooth skirt ?? Generally a 2x is whats used for that spacer .. .. I prefer the bottom notch on the stair carriage to be on the outside not like the what's shown on the inside .. I like the outside because it creates a slip hook and makes alignment easy .. Under compression .. and a 2x stop on the header above as a stop as well .. No dangling the carriage and smacking it around ..Also it's a sweet technique to straighten the two sidewall stringers from top to bottom before attaching to side walls . then building the support under the floating stringers .. Another piece of advice .. back the center rises back an 1/8" a riser that proceeds in the middle is a little more difficult to cinch up with a tread . .. My last trick .. When stairs have been figured out at whatever the rise and run is .. Say 7.625" rise and 10" run .. Don't lay it out with stair gauges .. Run the math on the hypotenuse .. 7.625 squared + 10 squared = " Say 12.097 " input that number as a constant and lay off the stairs on it's hypotenuse .. You can be within a 1/16 " of perfection to whereas the stairs end on the bottom .. unless the floor is severely unlevel .. That's another input consideration but I wont talk about that LOL ..

[@coloradobeevac9959]

Appreciate your humility that you are willing to share the few mistakes you make along with the majority of successes you have.

[@toddniehaus]

Thank you for the humility of admitting to mistakes. Nothing is more frustrating to me than dealing with someone who projects an image of infallibility. No one truly learns from an experience unless they've done it wrong first.