Well!  Glad to have some support here. John, maybe the best lesson I learned
in woodworking was the value of listening - not only hand but power tools.
There is another dimension of clarity and quiescence that comes with the
right sound;  the harmonics of craftsmanship.  Eric, the argument for
multi-tasking is not one I buy, in general, although I remember watching
some guilders at a trade show listening to opera, and that looked like it
worked (brush the jaw bone and float the leaf), and I like cleaning and
organizing the shop listening to reggae.  As for cell phones - 9:00, noon
and 3:00 - break times, unless as Ken says, to maintain work flow.
Best,
Leland

-----Original Message-----
From: The listserv where the buildings do the talking
[mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of John Leeke
Sent: Monday, December 07, 2009 11:06 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [BP] Our Incredibly Precious Trades Heritage + mobile phones

> On another note (John?)
> what is y'alls' thoughts on cell phone activity on the job site?

Cell phones? Just like iPods and boomboxes, these devices are 
distractions from the work. The obvious distraction is that while 
fiddling with the phone the work is not getting done. But there are more 
important issues.

I have noticed that some of the best craftspeople and artisans I have 
worked with need and used the audible connection with their work to make 
the work better. If the carpenter can hear and listens to the 
ssssssssnick, ssssssssssnick, sniiiiickKKK of the wood shaving passing 
over the steely edge of his hand plane he can use that connection to 
know more about how the work is going, know perhaps when to shift the 
angle of the plane, or when the edge is getting dull. Subtle but 
definite improvements to craft work can be made through the ears. In my 
own work this has been true since I was a kid.

Some will say their music gets them in the "zone" with the "flow". Their 
music may make them feel better while they are doing their work, but it 
is a disconnect from the work. They make get some good work done while 
listening to something else, they could get better work done while 
listening to the work.

I know of one case where a worker saved his life when he heard a subtle 
creak for the scaffolding just before it failed, while the worker right 
beside him who was wearing an iPod lost his life. Of course I do not 
know that his happened BECAUSE of the iPod, but I do know that I will 
never wear an iPod while up on a scaffold.

All else equal, I will select a worker who listens to his work rather 
than an iPod or cell phone, and have sometimes actually used this as a 
selection technique.

John

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