I just got done completing a bed for our guest room just as my in-laws walked in the door to stay. I am getting quite a reputation for completing projects just in the nick of time for their purpose
(walnut boxes as gifts for wedding party had just been oiled and I was just putting the dining room table into place when the in-laws walked in for Thanksgiving dinner)
I feel like I sacrificed quality to get the project done and I am wondering how others deal with this. I have said that I will no longer do projects that have a due date on them, but that is hard when they are gifts.
What do others do in this situation?
Replies
just say "no"....
m
I am constantly late in getting gifts completed on their due date. My daughter's birthday was on 12/20 and I could not get the vanity completed in time, (still working on it). But she knows it will get done. Resist the urge to nail everything to get it done in time, might as well duct tape it - don't sacrifice quality. It will be done no sooner and no later than in the next few weeks.
It takes the fun out of what we do when we rush. I solved this dilema by telling my family and friends that eventually I will finish the project. If I want to work under stress I can stay at my job.
Welcome to the 'club'. I've got two signs hanging in my shop.
The first is " If it was not for the last minute, nothing would ever get done" and the second proudly announces "Home of the Incredible, Just-in-time Workload Management System." There are some (very few) people who get things done with time to spare and then there are the rest of us. Learn to live with it. No, New Years resolutions do not help.
SawdustSteve
You are not alone in this situation, I used to have this problem until I found my "factor rate". I would start on something and my wife would ask how long it was going to take and I would reply say 2 days, it would be closer to 10 days when I finished. My "factor rate" is 5, calculate your "factor rate" and you will be a much happier person.
Good Luck and God Bless
les
JOBY,
Yeah, more than once a customer has received a piece from me with finish still wet or delivered at the last late moment. Or my personal favorite- starting to nail up trim when paint is still wet <g>. And many times I have made the mistake in the shop of rushing to remove clamps, skipping sanding grits, lazily avoiding sharpening etc. But in general I look back and realize that I do put out quite a large volume of decent work for a one man shop. Hopefully others will at least appreciate that.
A story:
Two years ago I built a small comical display for friends who were promoting condom use among the local gay community; AIDS Awareness Day or some event like that. Well, of course I had to get one more coat of finish on the piece the same day they came to pick it up, thinking the finish would dry in time. They arrived early of course and I wrapped the piece carefully with much advice to them about the tacky finish. Three steps out the door, a gust of wind and grit, and the work took on a whole new meaning. I won't elaborate... ;+)
sawick
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