I was sanding my drawer boxes for way too long before a job in Portland showed me the light

I was on a kitchen remodel in Portland, sanding drawer box interiors to 220 grit like I always did. The homeowner, a retired engineer, asked me why I was putting that much effort into a surface that only holds socks. He said, 'You're adding three hours of labor for a finish no one will ever see or touch.' I stopped right then and realized I was building to impress other cabinetmakers, not to serve the client's actual needs. Has anyone else had a client point out a totally pointless step in your routine?

2 comments

2 Comments

shanen541mo ago

My buddy's client asked why he was hand-sanding a closet shelf that would just hold boxes.

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patcoleman1mo ago

That's the kind of pride in work @shanen54, you just don't see enough of these days.