Carpentry Apprentice to qualified chippie! meet Eliot Duff, this is Chippie Chat!!!

[@lyallgriffiths4866]

Eliot is an unbelievable carpenter..and did I hear right,he's only been practicing for 5 years?!!!!!...his socials and the standard of work he produces is mine blowing

[@EJDCARPENTRY]

@@lyallgriffiths4866 Thank you, means a lot.

[@petemoring67]

Back in the day - Pre Internet ... Being self-employed plasterer - Used to ride to top of hills in the area - Look for Roof Timbers - Make a Bee-Line - Go in and ASK! .... Also sending out ten letters a week to random Builders in the Yellow Pages - As well as riding around local areas, and if I saw a pile of sand on the front, I'd be round the back checking if They'd got the plastering Sorted! .... Looks like Yer lad there had the right attitude from the OFF!!

[@samgreig6947]

Just to touch on your point about getting up early Rob… I think this is something I could improve on… I get lots of work, and I think I work hard, once I get going I tend not to stop, I happily work on site late into the evening and then go to look at jobs on the way home, will spend the evening at the computer doing quotes etc. But I tend to leave my house around 8am each day, which isn’t stupidly late I know but I think it would take me to the next level if I could be out by 7 let’s say. I do like my sleep and I do honestly believe in the “night owl/ early bird” concept… just curious if you have any tips for early morning motivation for those of us that struggle to get the ball rolling first thing. Sam

[@Chippie_em]

Great to see you guys together!!! Elliot’s a super star and a great guy!!

[@ukconstruction]

Well I reckon that you would be great on an episode of Chippie Chat Em, let's sort that next year!!!

[@Chippie_em]

@ I would love to join you for one. We’ll catch up in the New Year

[@joehart3826]

Scott Brown Carpentry shout out! Get in!

[@richardtomkinson9951]

Great video, good to see young folk coming on board on this wonderful trade.

[@amhjoinery2060]

Great chat robin and eliot. I have to agree with robin he is the best young carpenter this country has and he’s going to go far. I’m proud to be able to call him a friend

[@EJDCARPENTRY]

Thanks for the kind words Alex, been great to know you over the years now and appreciate all the help.

[@russellthompson5151]

So interesting to hear you talk about your early days, pre battery power tools. Remember those days well, catching your hand with the pump screwdriver and drilling holes with the Stanley hand dril and brace and bit.

[@steverushaw8761]

Eliot is a bright young man with great ambition to do things the right way and a credit to his chosen profession…it’s so difficult finding good honest reliable tradesmen..even the recognised well known trade directories are littered with unreliable individuals.

[@jonfenwick6200]

That train stop was impeccably timed!

[@paulcloona9331]

Great chat .great to see young talent coming along. I see you answered what i was going to ask about the garden gazebo with the church spire. Looking forward to that one. Id love if you could film a round roof . Also show how you'd cut long splayed cuts on jacks and hips that are bigger that 45 degrees. Keep up the good work robin 👏

[@daihedral9269]

I'd like to see an update on the Skilsaw you got from your old boss.

[@Oli_Hudson]

Merry Christmas! Thanks for all the vids this year, and long may it continue! Cheers

[@ukconstruction]

Cheers Oli!! happy christmas to you too, I will do my best !!!

[@scottnever8732]

he was an amazing lad

[@SteveStevieboy]

Evening Robin and Elliot ,I agree being punctual is very important and can I add that respect for your clients property goes a long way too. I always get compliments because I hoover up at the end of the day😂! Merry Christmas both of you👍👍

[@ukconstruction]

Nice one Steve

[@goober-ll1wx]

I'd personally love to see some more 2nd fix stuff as I'm going to be building a house next year and doing 2nd fix myself, so any tips would be great!

[@dpryce9801]

Great video, great chat but I'd have been seriously worried about that train and all the screeching noises it was making! 😁

[@ukconstruction]

😅

[@samgreig6947]

100% back the idea of you doing some sort of training course also 👍

[@paulzirker706]

I'd like to see 2nd fix and some cabinet making joinery. Loved the series on your doors. Matching whats already there for example.

[@ukconstruction]

Hi Paul. I will do some in the new year

[@Ultimate-roofing-square.]

Eliot is a great lad, inspiration to all. Dan.

[@ukconstruction]

Hi Dan, you are also an inspiration to Eliot I know he thinks alot of you!, have a great Christmas see you in the New Year!!

[@Ultimate-roofing-square.]

@ thanks Robin. It was a pleasure to work with him on a few occasions. All the very best.

[@LukeHansell-r8o]

Brilliant chippie chat, Elliot is wise well beyond his years! Robin are you still planning on the church spire inspired roof construction? Any complicated roof structures I.e bastard hips etc are always my personal favourite. I think a really in depth kitchen fit video would also be interesting as there isn’t many currently. Ps Robin you’re a legend!

[@ukconstruction]

Hi Luke, thank you for your king words!! I am going to be doing my spire in the new year, I have a nice roof that I am filming at the moment and I will do a kitchen video in next year also!! cheers for watching mate!!

[@deadlevelwillie]

Great video and some memories for me there after finishing my last two years apprenticeship in Yorkshire, grown up and looking for work which wasn't all that plentiful in 1970, by 1980 I answered an ad in the local Yorkshire paper for carpenters in Dorking, down I went, got a room and it all began proper, after that, taking jobs you hated just to get a living, then feeling like your in heaven when a beauty comes along. I even went shuttering when it got tough in winter, a different game where you're subtracting when working of plan😊but I had it sussed in a few days, and remeember showing this cowboy how to shutter a communal staircase, a lot of those guys were hardy labourers who picked it up. We had to cut 4X2 bites by hand one day as the Skil Saws were all being used, so I cut them by hand with my Disston, Brian the irish lad with me and he was giggling, I said " what you giggling at? he said, Ah you're a chippy alright...what makes you say that ? still giggling, I can tell the way you use a saw....he was a labourer chancing his way and thought I was the same, even though I told him I was time served. Good old days looking back and lovely watching yourself and young Eliot here. I am following your Garage Oak project Robin, hope you have a nice break and Happy Christmas with the family.

[@ukconstruction]

Lovely story, I can connect with it!! and Dorking is my local town!!, Have a great New Year and thanks for watching my videos!!!!

[@dab6151]

Just a great video. Thank you for giving the opportunity for someone Just starting in the trade to talk honestly about gaining employment and finding the right job for himself . Nothing comes easy in life,but hard work gets you there. As someone who has just retired and looking back on my career which started as a humble plumbing apprentice working on a local authority Where most of the people I worked with were just happy to be working very close to where they lived and happy with their lot. I worked on maintenance, site work and even the imperial war Museum doing lead work on the roofs but my highlight I feel was helping apprentices to learn skills . I see some of the lights or should I say men and they’re like an extended family to me who I have seen grow up start their own businesses and succeeded. It’s giving me great pleasure and watching your videos. I can see that you are getting the same rewards.

[@ukconstruction]

Thank you for your message and watching!!!

[@deadlevelwillie]

Oh, I then ended up after that Dorking job in Richmond for 20years, lived in East Sheen., then Cheltenham for 7yrs, now back in Yorkshire.

[@eldoradocraftsman3733]

Superb. What I’d like to see on a Future Chippie Chat would be a ‘Shoot out’! Hammer and Chisel’s at the read to see who can swing a door from scratch, the fastest. We want Quality please gentleman. Also Robin, Ed & Eliot, it would be great to see how you price your work. Preferably interior work like built-ins and second fix. Nice one. Great stuff as always 👏🏾👏🏾

[@ukconstruction]

HI Bro, will take these ideas on board!!

[@japo2930]

Regarding the subscription/roofing square. I absolutely can’t wait for the square to become available, I’d expect the square to pricey but have the app as a counterpart, much like the Smallwood book. I think the subscription is a great idea for people who perhaps don’t want the pricey upfront cost maybe?

[@idriselmi4101]

Chippy chat is back. Nice to have chippy chat back

[@antonoat]

Thanks guys, very interesting! Merry xmas, have a fab 2025!

[@lewisbrotherscarpentry]

This is great

[@ukconstruction]

Thanks Josh!!

[@fritz4345]

That was a great interview format.

[@waynecharlton954]

Good luck to you young man

[@EJDCARPENTRY]

Thank you

[@paulasser1589]

A drill what’s a drill, when I started we had rawlplug tools and smashing your hand with a hammer was all part of a days work. When we did get a drill on site it was like rocking horse poo trying to get hold of it.

[@neil-mv3it]

ed has had the best training you can get with you robin great video as well

[@ukconstruction]

Thank you Neil

[@paulfinnonjoinery]

missed the chippy chats. you lads are lucky where you live with the money down south. slightly different in the north east, ive got a young lad who works for me. 18 year old and hes just started level 3 at gateshead college. think he was a little bit let down by the training provider who he was with for level 2. ive had a young lass who has asked me for work experience also. slightly older at 21 i think... but unfortunately i dont have enough for myself and 2 younger workers. its a shame that there is not the opportunity given by a lot of people who could teach the next generation.

[@BuildWithAE]

Great video guys make the platform free Robin no subscription, happy Christmas and New Year

[@ukconstruction]

Hi Guys!! Happy New Year!!! hope to see you in the New Year

[@BuildWithAE]

@ definitely catch up

[@blahblahblahblah9ful]

If you get any DIY'ers who have taken your content and built their own garden room / extensions , would love to see you travel to their build and go through the details with them.

[@paulfinnonjoinery]

And also merry Christmas gents hope you have a good one

[@paulfinnonjoinery]

oh and also... be good to see videos about calculating roofs. even the more simple roofs. everyone seems to have different methods. I remember ages ago you mentioned potentially a sharpening video. stuff like that would be decent

[@ukconstruction]

No problem Paul

[@paulfinnonjoinery]

@ nice one mate. I often get the young apprentice who works for me to watch your videos. Especially for stuff I either haven’t been able to do with him or even if I’m not sure of something myself. He once mentioned your name when he was describing something… as robin clevett would say…. 😂😂

[@deadlevelwillie]

Dorking, yea I slept in the park a couple of times after a good night in the lovely warm summer of 1980, the contractor done a lot of work for Surrey council, Leatherhead, Banstead, Epsom, Dorking, recyclical maintenace every 5yrs, so making replacing gates/posts, doors, windows/sills,barge boards on council houses that had massive gardens, painters would follow us, lovely houses, great people in Westcott? they'd be bought worth a fortune now, remember Derby day 1980 when Troy won, we were rained off and decided to head into Dorking, and have a bet, two of us, while waiting for the bus it lashed down so we ran to the Prince of Wales? with our jackets over our heads, bout 12.30, have a pint while it fared, up to the bar and the landlord was a portly toff with big "jimmy edwards" moustache, "2 pints of triple X please"(we had longish hair, I had a beard then, accent probably didn't help😃), the answer was, with his hands on the bar " I'm sorry, batt we doon't have a public baah", my brother laughed at him, and I said " could we borrow a towel then, joking", people in the bar, about 6, started laughing and we left. It had fared a bit and a bus came along within 10 minutes.Also worked on lovely rendered block of flats off the town centre. When we told residents on monday they said, our husbands don't go in there now, he's horrible and we heard they getting rid of him. I still tell that story today with the toff accent and all😂

[@ukconstruction]

Amazing!! I like your memories!!!

[@deadlevelwillie]

I often think back on Dorking, a lovely town, I also put new window frames, glazing on skylights of Dorking Halls roof. Happy New Year Robin, no doubt you'll be back on the frames Monday😊

[@identitywithheld1027]

You could establish a training academy.

[@darrencrowther1064]

There is still the burning issue of tool theft.

[@peaceranger7215]

Be interested and strive to be a technical expert..... not an installer...... and leave your phone in the van.

[@PMJ4]

Bet he wishes he became a plumber or electrician.

[@garywheeley5108]

Time keeping and stay off your phone 😡

[@Foz1]

I think he must have had wealthy parents or someone supporting him when he started out. It's a privilege to be able to take time to learn unpaid, to get the best tools, access to a workshop / storage space and a good van. All that is needed to take on work of your own. I'd say most people getting into the trade are of lower socioeconomic status and probably don't have access to that support. So they can get poverty trapped and will never reach their potential in such a timely manner. But that's great for employers that need good workers for cheap ;)

[@Redhoue888]

nativism or empiricism Thomarse?