New skills?

General Composites Discussions Composites Talk
#1

As a relative newcomer to composites, I have found that there is certainly a great deal to learn, and even after more than 4 years I am still very much a beginner, but have learnt to hand laminate reasonably well, and am able to make good quality GRP parts for off-road bikes, which I have sold all over the world, without having a single problem.

I have been lucky in the fact that someone who works for me, is a highly experienced laminator, who learned his trade through a proper 5 year apprenticeship scheme, and I am able to call on his expertise when I have any sort of major problem.

Thing is though if I asked him for advice, and then chose to ignore this, due to my feeling that my scant understanding of composites is of more value than his 35 years of experience, then he may well have good reason to feel I was a fool, and perhaps rightly so!

#2

:cool: …

#3

Not sure who or what that is directed to. BUT!!!

Couldnt be more true that you will irritate the person you ignore when you ask their advice.

Like yesterday. Brand new mould. I spent 2 weeks on it. The boss says: 2 coats of wax is enough. We dont have time for any more.

In my mind a big giant: WTF!!! warning goes off. Realizing that, that comment is going to cost them money, and me several days of work to fix gelcoat sticking problems.

I may be fishing on monday at 8am instead of grinding stuck gelcoat…as my WTF!!! warning happend exactly like I thought it would.

#4

Exactly the sort of thing I mean JRL…some people always know best, and often dont learn even after being proven wrong, through something costing them time or money or both!

#5

Yep. Atleast your aware.

We stayed at work until 10pm last night cutting that mould in half. Even then my boss wouldnt admit that the wax issue is why it stuck.

#6

As I work for myself, any mistakes made are down to me, and I have to bear the costs of these.

Always found that this is something that has made me think very carefully before taking on any new projects, and to ask if I am not sure on any particular points.