New Bloke Intro

[Stevie-Raw]

Evening Folks, just a quick intro. Ive been reading the site for some months now and though it was about time I showed my face as it were.

I packed in the 9 to 5 at the end of December because for the last ten years I've wanted to make a living out of working with wood rather than fixing computers and selling electronic components. So in January I took on a lease for suitable workshop premises and started to kit it out with the necessary machinery.

It sounds pretty foolish when I see what I've just written but its one of those instances where if I don't do it now I never will. Just starting to pick up a couple of pieces of work here and there and for the first time in a long time I love going to work. Its hard and its one hell of a challenge especially when I don't have 20 yrs experienec as some of you guys do but I'm prepared to give it my best shot.

Anyway feel free to ask any questions, take the mickey etc I've got plenty of questions myself....

Cheers
Steve

 

[Digit]

Brave man Steve, the very best of luck to you and welcome!

Roy.

 

[brianhabby]

Welcome to the forum Steve.

One of the problems with making a hobby into a job is that sometimes it ceases to be a hobby after a while, the fun goes out of it if you know what I mean.

Anyway I hope this doesn't happen to you and wish you all the best in your endeavours.

regards

Brian

 

[PowerTool]

Hello and welcome to the forum

Anyway feel free to ask any questions, take the mickey etc Cheers
Steve

Oh,I'm sure someone will in time... :lol:

Andrew

 

[Smudger]

Good luck!

 

[oddsocks]

Steve - good luck and I'm envious - never had the courage to do it.

Please keep us posted with the highs and (hopefully not many) lows.

Do you have a speciality that you intend to focus on (i.e kitchens, softwood, hardwood cabinet making, fitted wardbrobes etc).

Dave

 

[Stevie-Raw]

Thanks guys.

Yes I know what you mean Brian. I used to visit a customer who was a graphic designer but in his spare time he would build his own custom motorcycles based around a Harley Davidson engine. He was desparately unhappy in his day job but when I suggested he made a living out of something he actually enjoyed and was very good at, he had that very same concern. Last time I saw him he'd packed it in to become a furniture restorer. Compared to riding a Harley thats probably quite a fast paced lifestyle.

 

[Mr Ed]

Welcome Steve

Sounds like you've done something a lot of us have considered, me included, but not (yet) had the balls to do it!

Cheers, Ed.

 

[Stevie-Raw]

Dave, I'm trying to go down the Bespoke hardwood furnituremaking route. i don't expect to get my own way on this all the time. As it is I've just agreed to take on a small furniture repair which isn't really what I want to be doing but its a foot in the door in a local village which has the potential for providing some furnituremaking work. I think at this stage I have to consider anything and everything and if I'm confident I can work to the standard I belive I should be working to then I should do it. Anyway, its all new, its all exciting(well some of it!) there's so many unknowns somedays I just don't know what I should be thinking about!

Steve

 

[Raggy]

Hi Steve, Welcome to the forum and good luck with your venture

 

[devonwoody]

I came back to woodwork as a hobby after retirement and looking back on my working life I would have liked woodwork as a career.

If you perhaps can get some bread & butter work (carpenter/joiner) and also develop a trade at the high end perhaps that could be a way to succeed.

 

[Philly]

Welcome aboard, Steve!
Good luck in your new career,
Philly

 

[BradNaylor]

Dave, I'm trying to go down the Bespoke hardwood furnituremaking route. i don't expect to get my own way on this all the time. As it is I've just agreed to take on a small furniture repair which isn't really what I want to be doing but its a foot in the door in a local village which has the potential for providing some furnituremaking work. I think at this stage I have to consider anything and everything and if I'm confident I can work to the standard I belive I should be working to then I should do it. Anyway, its all new, its all exciting(well some of it!) there's so many unknowns somedays I just don't know what I should be thinking about!

Steve

Hi Steve,

Welcome to the forum, and good luck with your venture.

The was a thread recently which contained some good stuff on this - not all of it from me! :lol:

https://www.ukworkshop.co.uk/forums/view ... hp?t=24294

In the early days it is going to be very difficult picking up the high-end commissions you are looking for. You are quite right in considering other areas of work in order to help getting you established.

Don't dismiss fitted furniture, though! It's where the work is. And the money!

Cheers
Dan

 

[Waka]

Steve

Go for it, lifes to short to miss out on what you wnat to do, if it works great and if it doesn't, you've only gained by trying.

Oh, welcome to the forum.

 

[woodbloke]

Good luck with the venture and welcome to the forum - Rob

 

[Digit]

I walked away from a senior position at age 50. The hours were long, some of the customers a pain and financially I'm better off retired.
And I'd do it all again!

Roy.

 

[Newbie_Neil]

Hi Steve,

Welcome to the forum and good luck in your new venture.

Cheers,
Neil

 

[Benchwayze]

Welcome Steve.
Well if you have the patience to mess with pesky PC's then you should do fine with woodworking.

Either way all the best of British. Enjoy the Forum.

Regards
John

 

[recipio]

:wink: good luck from a fellow newbie. I'm a GP and would quit in the morning to make furniture but how would I fund all those lovely tools !

 

[BradNaylor]

:wink: good luck from a fellow newbie. I'm a GP and would quit in the morning to make furniture but how would I fund all those lovely tools !

I was going to say that a £100k+ salary would buy a lot of tools before you give up the day job!

Then I noticed that you're from Ireland...


...perhaps GP's aren't quite as well paid in Ireland!

:wink:

Dan

Welcome aboard, by the way.