Naked carpenter: I wanted to stay clean

Published on April 23rd, 2006

His business partner

A carpenter who keeps his clothes clean by working in the nude was arrested after a client returned home early and found him building bookcases in the buff. Percy Honniball, 50, was charged with misdemeanor indecent exposure this week for the October incident.

He told officers he stripped before crawling under the client’s house to do electrical work because he didn’t want to soil his clothes, police said.

Honniball said Thursday that working in the nude gave him a better range of motion and that a skilled craftsman can work clothing — and injury — free.

Honniball was caught working naked in Berkeley three times in the last six years and put on probation for violating a city ordinance. Honniball said he doesn’t plan to do work in his birthday suit again.

I didn’t think there were laws like this in Berkeley.

12 users responded in " Naked carpenter: I wanted to stay clean "

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# 1 RTaylor said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 5:44 am

Many years ago I crawled under houses for a living. I used coveralls. I’ve seen the things that resides beneath houses, and it’s one place I don’t want to be naked.

# 2 Dark Firebird said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 6:46 am

He works naked? What would happen if he slipped with the hammer and nail?

Wait, no, nevermind…I don’t want to think about that…

# 3 andrewj said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 7:05 am

That activity could be a warning sign of even bigger problems.

# 4 johnie1 said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 7:22 am

when i worked as a roofer in Wales i once suggested to the boss that we wear kilts (scot style) (:

# 5 RTaylor said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 7:44 am

Off topic, but I’m disappointed the sites administrators failed to find a semi-tech angle to include that jaw dropping runway bikini shot of the new Ms. USA. I still have hopes it will show up by Monday.

# 6 SN said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 7:46 am

“I’m disappointed the sites administrators…”

How’s this one?!

# 7 Joanne said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 9:13 am

Just the thought of the splinters alone……jh

# 8 joshua said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 12:56 pm

Geez #6….those aren’t woman, those are the skeletons with swords….only minus the swords.

I guess Berkely has a border problem as well…..how did people get in that would complain about naked people running around(and under) their house.

# 9 Mr. Trying Fusion said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 6:56 pm

If the guy likes to go around with a breeze up his backside, let him do it at home. But doing it at work is a little weird and may offend some. Like so many things, keep it to yourself and don’t inflict your beliefs on me.

# 10 John Ralls said, on April 23rd, 2006 at 7:39 pm

I guess no one remembers the flap over “The Naked Guy” in Berzerkeley 10 or so years ago. That one was a student at UC who went about starkers much of the time. He was busted several times, but they could never get a conviction. The city council even tried to change public nudity from a misdemeanor into an infraction so that he couldn’t demand a jury trial. IIRC they had t back down after a public outcry. Honnibal must have pled out.

# 11 Michael said, on August 19th, 2007 at 4:54 pm

What’s the big deal? If the guy’s most comfortable working that way, so what? All that matters is that the job gets done. If I came home and found a contractor/plumber/carpenter/pool guy, etc. working naked, I’d be like “You go!” The human body’s not obscene.

# 12 Ben said, on September 11th, 2007 at 7:58 pm

I personally have no problem if someone wanted to work in the nude. I would work outside on our farm, on a tractor in the nude, so did my brother. But we were out of public sight, but neighbors sometimes saw us and had no problem with it. Male and female bodies are beautiful, show it, its ok!

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