who should I pick??

[Rick]

Hi all.  I am wondering who you would recommend for training and why?  Has anyone been to more than one place?

I look around the internet and see so many "teachers" and am not sure who to believe in.  At a quick look I can see many on youtube, Buddy Rhodes, Something Better Company (aka Brian Gauthier), Cheng concrete, The Concrete Countertop Institute and so on.  There are many more but I don't feel like looking them all up.   They can't all be great can they?

I have been doing this for about 3 years now and it is all self taught (over 20 in concrete).  I love making counter tops and doing any interior decorative work.  I am good with concrete and read a lot on anything I am doing.  I find I can figure out a lot by reading/watching about what others do. Forums like this one help with more specific questions, also, I never take on more than I can handle in my limited space.

I wish to take my skills up a level or so and want to make a good choice.  Mostly, I do not want to waist my money or time.

[Cody Carpenter]

This would all depend on what exactly you are trying to get out of the class. Mix designs, mold making , GFRC, wet casting? They all tend to  specialize and focus more on certain technique or finishes. Its impossible to teach everything in a 1 week course . What areas are you looking to improve?

[Jim Ralston]

You should pick me!

480.299.0704

[Philip Ferreira]

If you don't feel like looking them all up then just pick the first one you find and say f it, i'll go to this one because i don't feel like looking any more up.

[Cody Carpenter]

If you are wanting a great 1 on 1 class Ralston would be a great choice, you could more than likely fly him in to your city and do some training in your shop, or fly down here to phoenix and get an a** whoopin in GFRC. or Tommy may be rolling through your town at some point and that would also be a good option. Cheng and Buddy I believe both teach you how to use mixes with there products, so you would be missing out on some important insights on the mix designs for different applications, but if you want to purchase there products then hell go with it. Brandon also holds classes here in Phoenix, but as I said these multi student training courses will be limited to a specialized area. I think Jeff teaches numerous classes focusing on different aspects of weach process so that you really cover everything in detail and dont just skip through things. 

[Robert B]

I would take Jim's, Buddy's, Gore's, & Tommy's....... when you finish your going to be able to do everything except make professional Brogurt. To learn brogurt you have to prove yourself worthy, you dont choose the brogurt class, it chooses you! 

[Rick]

I am guessing you did not figure out I was not going to look them all up to post on here....nice try with the sarcasim.

 
Philip Ferreira said:

If you don't feel like looking them all up then just pick the first one you find and say f it, i'll go to this one because i don't feel like looking any more up.

[Robert B]

call me crazy but i think he did figure out you were not going to look them up and thats why he made the suggestion.

Rick said:

I am guessing you did not figure out I was not going to look them all up to post on here....nice try with the sarcasim.

 
Philip Ferreira said:

If you don't feel like looking them all up then just pick the first one you find and say f it, i'll go to this one because i don't feel like looking any more up.

[David Burke]

id take cody's class if he taught one. next would be Gore but he might shove cotton in your mouth. 

[Rick]

Thanks to most of you for your comments.  I am looking for only sertian areas not the whole thing.  I'm glad I asked or this may not have donned on me. 

 Cody Carpenter; When you say Jeff, is that the guy from the concrete countertop institute?  I have been on therir site and it did look interesting.  Has anyone ever bought any of their "self study" material? Or take any of their courses?  Thanks again people.

 

Any more input is welcomed...

[Cody Carpenter]

I was referring to the concrete counter-top institute (Jeff Girrard). I took three of his classes few years back in the same week. I took advanced mold making which teaches you how to use different products for making molds such as plaster , rubber, expandable foam, ect. This one wasn't very helpful for me since I had already been working with some of that stuff, it didnt get into to much depth but still gave me a bit more insight at the time, the mix design class was very valuable to me and helped change my approach to what I am putting into my mix. I also took a sealers class Which covered some different sealers, but focused mostly on E-3 2K applications, but things have also changed since then, and I'm sure Jeff has a few more tricks up his sleeve. 

I have thought about holding some classes, but this may not happen for about a year or so, since I am trying to get my company back in gear, and have a very busy schedule this year. It takes allot of preparation to properly get things together for a class, literature, advertising, ect. but I think it could be a rewarding experience, I just don't want to turn into another guy with $$$ motives behind my mouth. The politics of concrete can be a bit ridiculous sometimes, and I would prefer not to get caught in the middle. 

Rick said:

Thanks to most of you for your comments.  I am looking for only sertian areas not the whole thing.  I'm glad I asked or this may not have donned on me. 

 Cody Carpenter; When you say Jeff, is that the guy from the concrete countertop institute?  I have been on therir site and it did look interesting.  Has anyone ever bought any of their "self study" material? Or take any of their courses?  Thanks again people.

 

Any more input is welcomed...

[Dave McVey]

Only the best advertise on CCF. Buddy, CCI, Tommy Cook.

[Todd Bisig]

In 2006 I whent to Cheng's advanced training class, mainly because I thought he was the most well known, which I thought would give me instant credibility with clients. Not the best move. It was a pretty good class, but knowing what I know now, 6 years later, I would want to learn from Mike Karmondy of Stone Soup, and Jim Ralston. I'm sure that Buddy, Jeff, and Brandon would all be great people to learn from, but The experience that Jim Ralston has and the projects that Stone Soup has done and seeing their equipment would go a long way when you get these projects that you have no idea how to handle.