Ironing board or mobile table??

[Vetty]

OMG what was I thinking not using a ironing board to do clients nails on :irked:

Look it's not hard to get a table for £15 or less to take with you.

It's slightly different if your in a salon, you can use it as a way of attracting clients, something maybe a bit wacky..BUT you can expect these girls starting out to sit doing nails on a bloody ironing board!

I thought this was a site for professionals or wanting to become professional

lol it's madness :hug:

Why is it madness? I'm mobile and most of my clients have a dining or kitchen table that we sit at - I protect it and do their nails..... A couple that don't have a table happily get their ironing board out and usually are surprised at how suited to the job it is. As Nailzoo has already said it's height adjustable, narrow enough to work on and saves another trip to the car when, as he rightly pointed out, time is money.

I also am full-time a mobile Nail Tech who does this for a living. It's about doing the best nails, offering the best service and making decent money doing it - no-one has binned me for being unprofessional and plenty refer their friends, irong board or table.....

How dare you judge people for thinking of a practical solution to a problem that only comes up every now and again..... I'm not perfect and never will be, but don't call me unprofessional because I sometimes do nails on ironing board.

 

[kezza*]

An ironing board,,,,, I've heard it all lol
I never thought of that,,,, I use client's table's I do have A small fold up table that I take but find I never need it. I would worry about the ironing table clampsing,,,, I wouldn't use it,,,, you wouldn't think of taking your decorating table to do a massage on....
Maybe for a short term whilst you set up but I'd make sure I get a table asap...

 

[nailzoo]

OMG what was I thinking not using a ironing board to do clients nails on :irked:

Look it's not hard to get a table for £15 or less to take with you.

It's slightly different if your in a salon, you can use it as a way of attracting clients, something maybe a bit wacky..BUT you can expect these girls starting out to sit doing nails on a bloody ironing board!

I thought this was a site for professionals or wanting to become professional

lol it's madness :hug:

What's to stop you putting a bit of plywood on the top so it doesn't look like an ironing board?
Some peoples minds are so limited.

Can you find a table that has a great width, lightweight and an adjustable height depending on the chairs your client provides.

What if your wonderful table has a height difference to the height of the chairs your client provides?

It's better than doing them on a dining room table that has a width where you are constantly battling to get them into your work area without breaking your back.

THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX.....

 

[nails2nails]

Vetty calm down it's just a discussion; try not to take every word so literal :irked:

And no I don't think it's professional, you can dress it up in words all you like but it still remains the same.

The poster was not asking to use the ironing board on the rare time, but ironing board OR table.

We can all think outside the box, but I don't think it's good that anyone just goes to clients homes and asks them to dig out a ironing board to do nails on, yes it goes up and down, but it's also a accident waiting to happen.

You wouldn't go to a nail class and then have them pull out a load of ironing board for you to learn on, why because that would be UN-PROFESSIONAL!!

Good lord I can't believe Im having a conversation about a iroing board :lol:

 

[Bagpuss]

When i was mobile i did the whole ironing board thing for a while...then because some posts on here by people like some of the people who have replied on this thread i felt i needed to buy a "proper" table.

Then when my skin grew thicker and i didn't have to prove to anyone that i was a professional regardless of whether i used the clients ironing board or used my own table i decided to go back to the ironing boards...it worked better...perfect size...height adjusts...everyones got one....it ticks all the boxes for me...and not 1 client turned their nose up any more than they did when i turned up with my own table and asked if they had chairs....is using the clients chairs unprofessional too then...???

Use whatever you feel comfortable with and what works for you and take no notice of the "unprofessional" police !

 

[nails2nails]

I think people are picking and choosing what is professional and un-professional on here.

How many times is it always said on here BE PROFESSIONAL, now someone wants to choose between a ironing board or table, it seems the ironing board is winning!

Go figure

 

[Vetty]

OMG what was I thinking not using a ironing board to do clients nails on :irked:

I thought this was a site for professionals or wanting to become professional

Vetty calm down it's just a discussion; try not to take every word so literal :irked:

Maybe if your use of smilies was a bit less frustrated/irked I would have taken you a bit less literally, and trust me I have no need to calm down - I'm quite used to heated geeky discussions and don't take it personally!! The 'roll-eyes' smilie especially often gets geeks backs up......

Tbh, this is a perfectly valid discussion as it gives new/wannabe tech's plenty of food for thought

 

[nails2nails]

Ok ...Vetty I take back my smiley faces...

It just seemed to me that a poster was asking which to choose...and yes maybe ironing boards have been used but I'm sure it's not something that we could say to the poster is better have than going to buy a nail table surely!

I'm sure also that we can't turn round to her and say this is a professional way of being...

Nailzoo is using it as a way of art/display using it, not having it in the salon doing nails...well I think thats what he meant lol

Anyway thats all I was trying to point out to the poster (tracie1)

xx

 

[nixnewcastle]

I agree it is a good discussion and in relevance to being single and having to make ends meet without a partner. I am also single and pay for myself and i agree with the statment about your travelling time being wasted earning potential which is why i am no longer mobile. Some months i find im quiet but when im busy and was mobile i couldn't fit all my treatments in that clients were wanting to book because of the time i was spending travelling (even working until 9 at night) so I got a beauty room and dont waste any time travelling now and since i have found im busier again. I made good money being mobile which im sure most people on here do but my whole aim behind being mobile was to get enough clients to start a beauty room

Also I did have both a foldable table and chairs in my car when i went out to do mobile work but I was lucky enough that most of my clients had a dining room table or a kitchen table I could use but i made sure it was always covered incase i spilt anything.

I do think the ironing board idea is probably ok if you've been doing that clients nails for ages and have already proved your professional and good at what you do but i think starting off you have to be careful as to what impression you give off

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

I think people are picking and choosing what is professional and un-professional on here.

How many times is it always said on here BE PROFESSIONAL, now someone wants to choose between a ironing board or table, it seems the ironing board is winning!

Go figure

Yes I do agree that a professional approach is encouraged here on Salon Geek but we also recognize that not everybody has the ability or the facilities to have a professional nail table outright. Many responses to threads are to help people get on their feet and begin their career.

How many careers/jobs (anything) have begun out of a damp basement or a garage or a cubbyhole and gone on to be successful, professional businesses with state-of-the-art facilities?

Think about it. No need to get aggressive when someone else is just trying to help.

Maybe if your use of smilies was a bit less frustrated/irked I would have taken you a bit less literally, and trust me I have no need to calm down - I'm quite used to heated geeky discussions and don't take it personally!! The 'roll-eyes' smilie especially often gets geeks backs up......

Tbh, this is a perfectly valid discussion as it gives new/wannabe tech's plenty of food for thought

I wholeheartedly agree with you Vetty. We all had to start somewhere along the line and not everybody has got money to go out and and buy an entire professional nail kit all at once, including a professional nail table. If the ironing board works then why not?

Actually I think NailZoo's idea of a cover is really novel and funky. His comment about 'thinking outside the box' is very true.

Mobile hairdressers cut peoples hair in the middle of kitchens whilst their client is perched on a bar stool. So what? As long as the job is done properly and the client loves her hair..... who cares about the kitchen and the bar stool? It's a mobile job, not a salon one.

 

[Enchanting Beauty]

i'm only a student but I use a table when visiting friends and family for home study. managed to pick up a foldaway table with lockable wheels off eBay for £69.99 with postage!

 

[Bagpuss]

I didn't used to use an ironing board because i couldn't afford a table....i chose to use one because it was perfect for what i needed....its not too wide so you don't have to stretch over the table...its long enough for all your stuff..lamps ect...i just like the shape..

If it bothers you using the clients ironing board then take your own...:lol:

 

[Mrs.Clooney]

I didn't used to use an ironing board because i couldn't afford a table....i chose to use one because it was perfect for what i needed....its not too wide so you don't have to stretch over the table...its long enough for all your stuff..lamps ect...i just like the shape..

If it bothers you using the clients ironing board then take your own...:lol:

Absolutely! And ironing boards are height adjustable and you can park you legs under them.

As a student, I waxed my first client (non paying although this is not the issue) on my dining room table :lol:!!!! Placed a duvet cover on the top with lots of cushions.

Great height and very sturdy but it took me 2 hours to do half a leg wax . We still laugh about it now.

 

[bombini]

I don't think its professional to use a ironing board. I think its professional to use a purpose built nail table.

Thats not to say I don't see the advantages of using one as they are lightweight, height adjustable etc. but imo I just dont think they are very professional looking.

I accept that some clients probably don't care either way but there are also those that do and I wonder how many of those would actually outright say to the therapist that they thought it was a bit naff that they have been asked to get the ironing board out.

People are always saying on here that mobile should be charged at the same price (or more) than salons so I would expect the salon experience at home.

 

[~Jenny~]

An ironing board,,,,, I've heard it all lol
I never thought of that,,,, I use client's table's I do have A small fold up table that I take but find I never need it. I would worry about the ironing table clampsing,,,, I wouldn't use it,,,, you wouldn't think of taking your decorating table to do a massage on....
Maybe for a short term whilst you set up but I'd make sure I get a table asap...

That comment made me giggle!!! xx :hug: xx

 

[~Jenny~]

I have been mobile for over 10 years and have only recently changed to a home based studio but thats because its easier to work around my little ones. I have had to work in allsorts of properties and situations, in my experience you do the best job you can in the circumstances...you never know what your going to be faced with when mobile...there are so many variables!

I personally wouldn't use one but only because knowing my luck the blooming thing would colapse on me and send all my stuff everywhere!!!! LOL!!

I don't really see the need for this to get so heated....Like bagpuss said, if it bothers you using an ironing board then take your own table!

Each to their own xx

 

[Tracie1]

Blimey!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I've only just had chance to come back on and was hoping that i'd get a reply!

Thank you to everyone who replied - its given me lots to think about.

Im still not sure what to do (loved the idea of taking your own ironing board!! But wouldnt fit it into my ittle C1!)

Got to admit though, if I booked in with a mobile tech and they asked for mine, even though it'd be covered - its a little personal isnt it your ironing board? Your nice freshly washed clothes being on a board that may have a whiff of monomer! Not sure if I'D like that.

Then again Ive been using it while ive been doing friends and family and its SO convenient. As crazy as it sounds to some of you I PREFER working on an ironing board!! I get arm ache instantly if im stretching across a dining table thats too wide or at a funny angle and therefore I do produce better nails, which is what its all about.

If I didnt have a doubt about the professionalism then itd def be ironing board its perfect in every way BUT I havent got regular clients yet and if a client doesnt like it word soon gets around... and they wont re-book.

I want to be a good nail tech and offer a great service. I want to have clients re-booking. But who is to say this will all work out for me? I dont want to spend £100 or so on a table IF there are other suitable options.

You've all answered my question in your own way which is what I wanted.

Thank you again for all your comments - Pro's and Con's have been taken on board!

 

[nailzoo]

This is another post that I have thought about (it's been almost 24 hours since I posted my thoughts).

I didn't choose to edit my post (which I usually do if I feel I have been harsh) or used incorrect words.

A word that I regret using in my post was "pretentious", as I do understand professionalism. I actually used that word in defence of those techs that are starting out and can't afford a table.

The ironing board idea really tickled me (but it makes sense) and is very practical.

Now on the other hand, I don't think it is fair to "demean" others and accuse them of being unprofessional by using the good ol ironing board.

I think doing nails on a dining room table is "impractical", note the word "impractical", rather than offending.

A nail table should be a certain width and a certain height (and often these practical measurements are not met by a dining room table either).

We all had to/have to start somewhere, some have a huge budget for startup costs and some don't.

What if the tech using an ironing board did absolutely amazing nails and the person that brought professional table and chairs did crap nails?

I think your work should speak for itself, I know my clients would come to me if I set up a table in a public toilet.

This post has inspired me, I am gonna design something that will change your minds about ironing boards.

It may take me a few weeks, but I will reinvigorate this post when I am finished.

Just incase you doubted the synchronicity and timely happenings of last nights pictures.... bugger, the one on the right is the one I found in the garbage and the one on the left is my tired old ironing board.

 

[NoLimitNails]

I don't mind the idea of using an ironing board, to me it's just as professional as using clients diningtables or likewise.

What puzzels me the most is if it's the idea of the ironong board itself or if it's because it's the clients ironing board that bother people the most.

If I revamp my booard, new coating, maybe new shape, and call it an adjustable lightwight tabe, I bet most would buy it. As said it's almost perfect it just havn't got the right name.

Looking forward to see your table Carl, i bet i'll blow us away..:hug:

 

[*sarah*]

well jeasey peeps! came back to see what had been said, and to be fair I'm really shocked at some of the replies! put the snob head away dudes :lol: I would choose the ironing board over any kind of portable table, or dinning table any day! I also work in a lesiure centre and have a lovely nail station but no matter how I try cannot get it in my boot :lol: (jokes) xx