Becoming a professional woodworking or not

That covers it up pretty well Jim.

If someone were to ask me that question, my initial response would be “are you nut?”

Just looking at what folks sell on etsy and the price they sell it at, I think it’s a loosing business.
Catering to the custom made crowd still has some money to be made but like you pointed out it takes time to develop that kind of business.

For me woodworking is a hobby . A very relaxing , enjoyable hobby . Just me and the project , music from the 70 s , no hurry , no dead lines , when it’s done , it’s done . Trying to come up with a unique idea .

Very well written and thought out piece Jim, thank you. I have come to realize that selling my work takes a lot of enjoyment out of doing it because of deadlines, the insurance and trying to get a fair price for the customer and myself. I find much more joy in giving something to a friend or a family member than selling it. So as of today woodworking has become a hobby again and I feel really relieved. Thank you.

woodworking is a art if you love working you never work a day in your life I have made about everything there are in wood to make I make furniture crafts made money its in your blood .jim do what your heart feels you are the one who knows what you can do

I have been working in wood all my adult life for my living, working in custom cabinet and wooden boatbuilding shops. It has not been the easiest road to travel on, but has been very satisfying. I opened my own studio 8 yrs ago and it is indeed the hardest thing I have ever tried. I believe in chasing your dreams but be determined and beprepared for hard work. Great topic Jim

Thanks gang for your input .

Yes Lanwater
it does seem many folks that sell products on places like etsy seem to have products that have a very minimal profit.

Bruce
even though I have a decent shop and a customer base I many times long for the fun of woodworking as a hobby. In the future, I’m sure I’ll be able to spend more time on projects I’d like to make.

Thanks Jack
we all have to evaluate whether or not woodworking as a business works for us. My post was not meant to discourage those in the business or even those considering woodworking as a living,but just to point things to ponder if you want to take the plunge . If you think it’s time to just be a hobbyist enjoy.

Yes Jim
you have made a vast and wonderful array of projects ,I’ve really enjoyed viewing many of them.

Plansandrails
I think you have used a few of terms a person in the WW business should think about,being very satisfying , knowing it may not be the an easy thing to do ,chasing your dreams and being determined and prepared.

Good post. Wood-working is now a hobby,and will stay that way.

Madts.

Thank you for your wonderful insight in your own experiences. Well written Jim. If I could I would like to add a few things… In any business venture a person must answer a few key questions before starting that will help make informed decisions. Have you done market research until you have exhausted every single angle to properly estimate revenue. As with any five year business plan, how much do expect to pay out with no income for a full two years. This must include a lot of normally hidden costs. Like a donation to a local charity that may provide some hidden marketing. It also has to include every known expense and account for increases every year, nothing goes down in price but their is always increases even in the water bill. A good business plan takes at least a month to research, at the end of which you should be able to determine if this venture will allow you to carry forward as a full time job, or maybe just part time for a period of time. I have made a half dozen business plans for people over the years, everything from hairdressing, to hotel ownership. Any way you proceed you must consider yourself an artist that is trying to make a business doing something you love. For some just breaking even is reward enough. For the majority of us we do it as a hobby with a few tools being paid for among the way and loving every minute. Having done it both ways I can say each has its own challenges and rewards. I wish anyone willing to try the best of luck, and remind them to do the research as it will answer questions without going thru complications.

Thanks Mads Enjoy!
Very good information and suggestions Thorreain thank you for the adding some great ideas to help folks who may consider WW as profession or even those who are currently engaged in the WW business.

Jim
What you said is very true and some good advice .
I have done wood working for many years and still love it but to make a living doing it will most likely be a struggle for many .
I have seen guys come and go over the years and it is always the same story of high expectations but not enough business knowledge leading to failure .
For me it’s a hobby now in retirement and I love it having fun and giving most of my projects away to deserving people and I get great satisfaction from that .
Klaus

Thanks Klaus
Your work pro or hobby is always top notch.

More joy in giving to someone than being paid .

It is a joy to be able to give to others but those of us that are in this crazy occupation need to make a living too.

Thanks for posting this Jim, I know from my own experience that skill and commitment alone won’t guarantee success as a cabinet maker. Without a market for what you can produce, I feel you are beating yourself up for nothing, and at the mercy of the economic climate.
I have a brother who has been what we call a joiner for nearly 25 years – making sash windows, stairs, doors etc, all items that can only be custom made. I think that’s the difference – there’s no one else to go to for that type of work,and he has a constant stream of work – whereas a fine dining table, freestanding wardrobe etc, anyone can jump in their car and take a Sunday afternoon looking at these things in different furniture stores and there’s choice and prices on display. It takes a very special client to not have that mindset of shopping around and unfortunately, in my experience at least, there simply weren’t enough people to go that route for me to sustain woodworking as a business.
Yes, it’s tremendously satisfying to design and make something for someone and know you did a good job and your client loves it, but all of that don’t pay the bills. I don’t mean to be down about it, because there are success stories, I can think of at least half a dozen on here and on the other place, and they deserve their success because they are exceptionally talented woodworkers. One thing that strikes me as I think about those people that come to mind is they all have their own, very distinct style. You can tell who made a piece just by looking at it – such as Dan Mosheim, Les Hastings, BentlyJ.
I’m fortunate enough to have a trade I was able to fall back on and look forward to when I can start making furniture again as a hobby or as I, or my family need it, without the pressure of trying to make it pay a decent, regular wage.

All of your work I’ve ever seen Renners is top of the mark in my opinion.

opps double post

Good points all around Jim. I’ve been involved in woodworking and all the related trades for a while now (since about 1975) and can say from experience making a successful business out of it can be challenging. But that’s not to say it can’t be done. We formed our current business 2 years ago and are already seeing a profit. For me, all aspects of the business are enjoyable even the office work. We are also very fortunate in that we are able to do a considerable amount of custom one-off projects in addition to the usual production cabinetry.

For me, it has been important to keep expectations realistic and expenses within a strict budget. Thanks to a skilled partner/wife, we remain debt free which is critical. Unsupported debt will drown a company. Supported debt, leases or purchases of specific income producing equipment such as CNC’s, must be approached with caution and a very critical analysis.

This can and will be a fun gig if you keep everything in perspective.

Great post Jim, and many insightful comments from others. I think that it is everyone’s dream to make their hobby into a job; after all, we start hobbies because we enjoy them, unlike many jobs which we do simply to pay the bills.

I think it would take a very unique and special set of circumstances to be a self-employed woodworker. Either you could live in a city with a large population of wealthy clients and you are able to produce unique/fashionable/sought after furniture, or the right combination of luck/skill and social exposure results in widespread acclaim and business. For every Nakashima, Boggs, Maloof and Krenov I’m sure there were equally talented woodworkers toiling away in obscurity.

That’s great that it’s working out for you Bill,keeping debt down and tight monitoring of whether you’re in the red or black is critical.

You have made Lots of good points Manitario Thanks for you valuable input.

I heard about the complicated insurance requirement for shops Whitacrebespoke.
Much more complicated than a regular business and more expensive too due to the accidents liability involved.

Great input.