What Carpentry In Scotland Is Like

Cold
How cold? Cold enough for me to dress like a snowboarder with a tool belt. Gloves are the notable exception to this immobilising look. I’m not sure why.

I was unloading a van on a particularly cold day this week. Baltic, staring at my own hands thinking “If you looked as painful as you are…”
The reason for not wearing hand protection is probably because you will be a “homo” if you do. (the ‘Homosexual Glove-Wearing Federation’ has a lot to answer for…)

Banter-filled
The Tradesman chit-chat in Scotland is top-notch. Plumbers, Sparky’s, Joiners and Painters all “ripping pshh” out of each other. Scottish accents make it tremendously entertaining (I should say Scottish language – I am in constant need of translation)
In duller moments there is ‘go-to’ conversation. On a work site in New Zealand it is Rugby or Cricket. Here in Edinburgh it is Football; ‘the weather’ is a close second.

and Primitive
I have never used a handsaw on a daily basis, until Edinburgh. 10 years of building work and I’ve remained beanstalk-ish throughout. Heavy lifting I can cope with, but power tools do most of the hard work.
A Carpenter no longer needs to be a huge lumberjack-like brute. I am not expected to saw a tree in half with my bare-hands, those days are gone. At least I thought they were. 
Here in Edinburgh we use giant rocks for deck bearers like we’re in The Flintstones. Until now I thought “Tossing the Caber” was an athletic event; In Scotland it is how you build a fence. 

Being a Carpenter in Edinburgh is similar to being one in Auckland, like Shelbyville is similar to Springfield in The Simpsons.

Fun Fact: A person who throws A caber is called a “Tosser”
Check out this Tosser…