A client's simple comment made me rethink my whole approach to trim gaps

I was finishing up a custom bookcase job in a Portland home, feeling good about the fit. The homeowner, an older guy who used to be a boat builder, just stood there quietly for a minute. Then he said, 'You know, on a boat, you never fill a gap you can close.' He wasn't being mean, just stating a fact. I'd been automatically reaching for the wood filler on a 1/16-inch gap at the crown, but his words stuck with me. I took the piece down, recut the miter joint with a slight adjustment on my miter saw, and it fit tight. No filler needed. It took an extra fifteen minutes, but the seam was perfect. Now I ask myself that question on every trim job. Has a client's offhand remark ever made you change a basic step in your process?

2 comments

2 Comments

haydenj9014d ago

A boat builder said that?

coran6314d ago

What, you think @haydenj90 I can't build a boat?