So, I've been drawn to the world of trades since I was in high school but have always been discouraged, either because of my bad back, gender or complete lack of experience. I've really decided though that I want a useful trade to ply that will not only allow me to command better wages but also might be something I can make money off without having a boss, as well as being useful in my own personal life. I've been thinking about carpentry, since it seems to be physical work I can actually handle and also has a plethora of options to go around.

The thing is I don't know a damn soul where I live who knows the first thing about it. On occasion I've seen ads accepting apprentices for locksmithing (I applied more than once and was turned down each time), or concrete, but never anything for carpentry that doesn't require having your own tools.

Since I have no tools and at the moment no extra money to spend on loads of the bigger, specialized ones, I was considering placing an ad looking for a possibly retired craftsman to teach me for free. I've been iffy about placing an ad 'cause well the idea of meeting up with a strange man I've never seen before in a garage full of saws and hammers kinda freaks me out a little bit.

Schools are another option, however the nearest school that teaches these sort of things is in another city and I don't have transportation. And besides loans aren't something I'm too hip on. I'm (mostly) debt free and prefer to keep it that way.

Does or has anyone here gotten in at a place where they could learn about it? Have any tips? I was hoping working in services would allow me to meet people with crafty skills but they don't tend to visit yippy cafes, at least not in Kansas.

i was an electrical apprentice for a few years. best thing to do to just get your foot in the door at least and not be too worried about gender issues would be look into the local unions. the downside is anywhere you go to work in a trade will require some basic set of tools, so if you have none you need to find a way to get them.

ive also just completed a 1 year course at a votech for automotive, and did take out a few loans to cover the cost of tuition and transport. i travelled 7 miles a day round trip. loans arent bad as long as yopu start working right after school and pay them on time. part of teh cost of school was a toolset plus if youre good you can get teacher recs which helps to find a job.

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to the winch, wench.

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Originally Posted by dotty wokker and laugh about it all you want. you wont be laughing when my friends dos the fuck out of your hard drive.