becoming a cabinet maker

[Max Power]

What is your advice for my business Bob

 

[nathandavies]

mailee sums it up quite nicely. I make cabinets for a living, using as many machines as I can afford to speed things up. the idea of making things with hand tools is wonderful but unfortunately unrealistic unless you have a reputation, even then you are a bit of a novelty. I was talking to a rep the other day and said to him that I wished i'd worked harder at school so that I could make more money in an easier way and woodwork was a hobby. that being said it is in my opinion a wonderful way to make a living, whilst you are making a living, but like any other self employed business, if you have no paying work it's a killer. if you do give it a go, good luck and at least when you get to 80 you won't be thinking "I wish i'd given it a go"

nathan

 

[doctor Bob]

I too have resigned from my well paid secure job that supported my wife and familly ccasion5:

I am planning on doing cosmetic surgery as I hear the pay is quite good.

I have no equipment other than my wifes kitchen knives and absolutely no experience whatsoever

Do you think Ive done the right thing :?

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Whats the worst that can happen .......

 

[Max Power]

Woo Hoo just a few clients like that and this time next year Ill be a millionaire (hammer)

Now wheres she put those knives :?

 

[nathandavies]

some nice work there bob. how many people have you got working for you?

 

[Cheshirechappie]

Well, you've read the voices of hard-bitten experience above. VERY few people make a living as hand-tool only woodworkers. That said, google 'Tony Konovaloff', and see if you can track down a copy of John Brown's book 'Making Welsh Stick Chairs' (http://www.abebooks.co.uk is probably your best bet).

More people make it as self-employed cabinetmakers, furniture restorers and the like (and those are related but very different skills); however, as with any other walk of life, success needs a sound footing - starting with the necessary skills. Aquiring those can take years. The old apprenticeships were generally for about five years. Modern full-time courses are a bit shorter. As you're doing that, you can start to put together a body of work to show potential clients. Then you'll need to develop the business and marketing skills, find premises and equipment, build contacts for timber supplies and so on.

It can be done, but it'll take time and financial investment. It'll need, above all else, sheer bl**dy determination to overcome all the obstacles that will arise. It's said that most people over-estimate what they can achieve in a year, but underestimate what they can achieve in a decade.

Other people have done it. So can you. If you REALLY want to.

Good luck, and keep us posted!

 

[Baldhead]

I too have resigned from my well paid secure job that supported my wife and familly ccasion5:

I am planning on doing cosmetic surgery as I hear the pay is quite good.

I have no equipment other than my wifes kitchen knives and absolutely no experience whatsoever

Do you think Ive done the right thing :?

:shock: :shock: :shock:

Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit.

BH

 

[doctor Bob]

some nice work there bob. how many people have you got working for you?

7 of us altogether.
Another apprentice should be starting next month

 

[nathandavies]

pm'd bob

 

[cutting42]

Hi Mani (when you get back from the Pub)

I do not know most of the posters here but I have met doctor bob and seen his workshop. He has nailed (haha, see what I did there) the concept of making a living out of woodworking and it has nothing to do with hand tools unfortunately.

Some of it depends what stuff you want to make but mostly it depends on what people are prepared to buy. Most households are prepared to spend thousands of fitting out a kitchen but only spend hundreds on bedroom furniture despite the skills and cabinets being largely the same.

The other profitable area can be art pieces, if you have the creative ability to build beautiful and desirable objects be they tables, chairs or sculptures, all you need to learn are the practical skills to turn your ideas into reality. You can do this at college and get qualified as a student or you can pay for one of the many residential courses around the country (many in Devon for some reason) to learn fine hand skills. Trouble with art is that the people who buy art are often snobs and will only buy a "name" so you have to create one.

I have a good friend who now makes high quality furniture in his double garage. He started as a site joiner, moved to fitted cupboards and odd jobs and from those contacts got his first furniture commission. From then on he transferred his earning from less joinery and odd jobs to more and more high quality pieces. However he does have a table saw, spindle moulder, bandsaw, planer, thicknesser as well as a fine collection of hand tools. He came with me to see Bobs workshop and he realised he was not efficient enough and really needs to get a bigger premises and better machinery as he can't keep up with demand and he is still not making enough money.

Best of luck

 

[Max Power]

Making and installing kitchens is certainly one of the better ways to make money as a woodworker Gareth, but would the semi automated conversion of sheet material into boxes fulfil the original posters ambition to be a cabinetmaker :?

While both Rembrandt and my nephew (a car sprayer) could both be described as painters I doubt many would consider their work the same

 

[Jacob]

Bedside cabinets is a good idea for a start up. Post up some snaps of yours?
If they are any good make a batch, not just one at a time. Do 10 as efficiently as you can and then sell them for whatever you can get. Give them away if necessary - you want experience and turnover.

 

[cutting42]

Making and installing kitchens is certainly one of the better ways to make money as a woodworker Gareth, but would the semi automated conversion of sheet material into boxes fulfil the original posters ambition to be a cabinetmaker :?

While both Rembrandt and my nephew (a car sprayer) could both be described as painters I doubt many would consider their work the same

Depends if you want a hobby or a profession!

Many have described in detail how hard it is to make money at this regardless. My approach would be to to focus on making a living and then branch out into fun stuff.

You can easily make a small fortune making fine furniture, just start with a large one!

 

[powertools]

I'm not qualified to say weather you could make a living from this idea or not. Woodwork is my hobby and unlike you I am prepared to accept the many down sides of work in order to be able to do the things I enjoy in my spare time.
One thing I am qualified enough to tell you is that running a home based business is the most frustrating thing you could possibly try to do, the only person who thinks you are at work is you and any problem that arises among your family and friends they will turn to you to help because they are at work and you are at home.

 

[Max Power]

Give them away if necessary - you want experience and turnover.

Sounds like an excellent business model Jacob, You should promote yourself as a Sales and Marketing Guru as well as a Sharpening Guru. Perhaps even write a book and film script, I can see it now "My journey from rags to ruin"

 

[Jacob]

It's not a business model.
You have to get started which may mean flailing about and making mistakes (if they are really bad you give them away or burn them :shock: ). But you might hit the jackpot from day one. You won't know if you don't get started.
PS and getting started is the beginning of being of able to make "business models" cash flow projections etc. You have to have some input to start with.

 

[nanscombe]

Give them away if necessary - you want experience and turnover.

Sounds like an excellent business model Jacob, You should promote yourself as a Sales and Marketing Guru as well as a Sharpening Guru. Perhaps even write a book and film script, I can see it now "My journey from rags to ruin"

How many hobbyists start out by just making things, to get the practice, and giving them away to family and friends. The main difference being they are not relying on them as their main source of income.

One day a friend of a friend sees it and asks "Where did you get that?" and you may end up with a commission that you wouldn't have had if no-one ever saw your work.

 

[RogerS]

Give them away if necessary - you want experience and turnover.

Sounds like an excellent business model Jacob, You should promote yourself as a Sales and Marketing Guru as well as a Sharpening Guru. Perhaps even write a book and film script, I can see it now "My journey from rags to ruin"

Not to worry, Max. Not sure how you can have any "turnover" if you are "giving things away"

 

[Graham Orm]

Given me an idea actually. I have an up market customer who seems to like me. I'm sure she'd be happy to 'borrow' a piece indefinitely and show it to her friends, with a view to commission on any sales made thereafter.

 

[Flynnwood]

Just to bring this topic back into the real world for the OP.

90%+ of business ideas fail because of inadequate cashflow. That's it (the point) !