woodworkers?

[mirage1988]

  This might not be the right forum for this, but who here makes a living in carpentry, carving, woodwork, or cabinetry? So far dale, 45-70, and myself are the only ones I have been able to pick out. Work here is scarce, got some good ideas earlier about picnic tables and adirondack chairs, going to give that a try, not really the same as cabinetry, but work is work, who knows, maybe I can give the chinese a run for the money!

[CannonKrazy]

Around home this time of year people spend a lot on bird houses and feeders for the spring. You will pay 15 to 20 bucks for a simple blue bird house made of cyprus. Also wooden planter boxes to dress up the front of a house is popular. People are going to plant flowers in the spring so this is a great time to build some for sale.

[DalesCarpentry]

Around home this time of year people spend a lot on bird houses and feeders for the spring. You will pay 15 to 20 bucks for a simple blue bird house made of cyprus. Also wooden planter boxes to dress up the front of a house is popular. People are going to plant flowers in the spring so this is a great time to build some for sale.

I built a four room condo for our Fintch's about 6 years ago. They make babies every year there. I have to say it is very cool to watch them. In the summer while we are in the swimming pool they even land on the rails of the pool. Dale

[45-70.gov]

there  was  an old man in town  built adorondike chairs
he  was from the adarondikes  i think too
he would dumpser dive
get warped  and sale  lumber  for mateials

got  the odd paint  that got  mixed wrong at paint stores
his trade  mark
i  new  his daughter well  for years
set  up his tools so he could work better and gave him an impact driver

he  took  them around  and had them out on consignment  at several stores
easy  to spot his work by  the colars
he  was  expected  not to make  it  more than a year  5 years  ago
he just passed a few weeks ago

i  think those chairs kept  him going

if nothing else..........christmas shopping will  be covered

[mirage1988]

That was my granpa!- doctors told him to take it easy- he did, only changed car and truck tires, no more tractor tires. I wish I was half as tough as that old fart!

[holahead]

I work for a company that builds custom cabinets and does custom millwork. I have been there 9 years in April. The last two years have been very tough on us. When I started there was 26 workers in the shop and now we are down to 12 workers. Most of those leaving in the last two years. We had contracts for restaurants  Ruby Tuesday, Applebees, O'Charleys, and Chilis. We where doing about 150 stores a year and working 50+ hours a week. All that is gone now. We still do about 5 Chilis a year and now we are doing local banks,courthouses,and schools. Are what else that will bring cash in. I am a custom cabinet builder but still have a long was to go to be as good as some of my co-workers who have been doing for 25+ years.

[greg916]

I do woodworking as a hobby, birdhouses/feeders, chairs, tables, some furniture. Never made any money on it, but think I could if more time was devoted to it.

[45-70.gov]

any one  got  any other suggestions  of projects
for  sale  or fun

i have been thinking of a shooting rest/ range box
with spotting scope built in  and all

also been  thinking  of a hunting box
built on a hand truck for extended day in the woods
carry  rifle ,  shotgun,  22 rifle,ammo,  lunch, chair [possibly built in], water, extra clothes
lockable  and chainable to a tree

a shooting  bench would  be  like  a quarter of a pick-nik table
make  them simple and cheap  enough  they  go  out to the woods  to stay

any  of these could be sold at a gun show  or flee  market

[magooch]

I've been a woodworker for longer than I can remember and over the years I've built projects for pay, but only as a sideline.  I did manage to learn some lessons along the way.

First, never even start a project without getting enough money up front to pay for all materials.  Never agree to build anything that can't be sold to someone else if the original client backs out after the project is underway.  Don't try to compete with builders in Mexico and the orient.  They seem to be able to build stuff and ship it here for less than we can even buy the wood.

I always do all my design work myself and never work from other people's plans.  I only build projects out of high grade woods (oak, maple, black walnut, mahogany etc.).  It takes just as much work to build out of cheap wood, but the finished product will never have the value of good wood.  I tend to stay away from teak; it's too hard on saw blades, cutters and bits.

Never buy cheap tools and power equipment.  You can't have too many clamps.  The best finish I've ever found is water based outdoor polyurethane.

Don't take up kayaking; it leaves very little time for working in the shop.

[45-70.gov]

i  just bought 5 kayaks

and  have  you seen any home made  kayaks   
and  i have  built a kayak from  boyscout  plans

i  often follow other peoples plans  as  that is what i am usually hired to do most of the time

i  do  prefer  the better  woods
but spruce  sure does sand  easy

recently laminated 2 peices  of ply wood and carved  a new stock for my machine gun

[deltecs]

any one  got  any other suggestions  of projects
for  sale  or fun

i have been thinking of a shooting rest/ range box
with spotting scope built in  and all

also been  thinking  of a hunting box
built on a hand truck for extended day in the woods
carry  rifle ,  shotgun,  22 rifle,ammo,  lunch, chair [possibly built in], water, extra clothes
lockable  and chainable to a tree

a shooting  bench would  be  like  a quarter of a pick-nik table
make  them simple and cheap  enough  they  go  out to the woods  to stay

any  of these could be sold at a gun show  or flee  market

A good shooting reloading bench plan of various configurations and sizes would be most interesting to me and I'm sure others, especially with locking doors and cabinets.  Each reloader has their own ideas on the ideal shooting/ reloading bench but it sure is nice to see the different configurations that could be incorporated into an existing or planned reloading bench.  I'd like to make a new bench as mine over the years has grown way to small for my purposes.  I think a good reloading bench with plans at a shooting show would be profitable with pics as to sizes and design.

[Carl l.]

I think you all might want to read this link before you give away or sell anything.
http://www.savingadvice.com/blog/2009/03/04/104179_consumer-product-safty-improvement-act.html 

Some of the woodworker's here get togeather and make child's toys for Chirtmas for free.  They can't do it anymore because of the testing cost's to much. I don't agree with it This also includes clothing and etc. This is our Goverment at work. Carl L.

[Carl l.]

I am sorry that link doesn't work. I will try to get it working. Carl L.

[Carl l.]

It works just scrool down to the bottom of page to A sad result of the consumer product saft improvement act. Carl L.

[Cabin4]

Build gun racks. You would likly have plenty of buyers right here. If someone built a quality vertical rack like this with a locking mechinisam on it, I would be a potential buyer. I'm in the market for one that can hold about 30 long guns. If that means buying 3 that hold 10 each, that will work.

[DalesCarpentry]

Build gun racks. You would likly have plenty of buyers right here. If someone built a quality vertical rack like this with a locking mechinisam on it, I would be a potential buyer. I'm in the market for one that can hold about 30 long guns. If that means buying 3 that hold 10 each, that will work.

That is something that is very simple to build. Thanks for the good idea. Dale

[JonnyC]

  This might not be the right forum for this, but who here makes a living in carpentry, carving, woodwork, or cabinetry? So far dale, 45-70, and myself are the only ones I have been able to pick out. Work here is scarce, got some good ideas earlier about picnic tables and adirondack chairs, going to give that a try, not really the same as cabinetry, but work is work, who knows, maybe I can give the chinese a run for the money!

Mirage- what do you carve?   Also - I have a friend that makes adorondic {sp.} chairs out of cypress for water resistance- just a thought.

[Graybeard]

We have a forum specific to this topic. I'll move this there and leave a shadow to let folks know.

[Horsefeathers]

I had made Adarondack chairs in the past but  have seen Chinese imports cheaper than I could make them.Horsefeathers.

[mirage1988]

Jonny-
I used to carve ducks when I was in school, am a cabinetmaker now, just looking for project ideas to sell on the side.

[JonnyC]

any photo's of your decoy work ?

[Brett]

I'm a cabinet installer/finish carpenter.  I subcontract with several commercial cabinet makers to install their cabinets and do trim work in hospitals, doctors offices, schools, etc.

Work for me has been fairly steady so far I'm just praying it stays that way.   

[Ahshucks]

Didn't have much luck selling my adirondack chairs this past summer.  But, all the marketing I did was to put them out on the front lawn rather than going to shows, flea markets, and trying to contract with retail stores.  Did have some lookers though, and a real estate agent wondering if the for sale sign was for my house!    

With the price of red cedar, it's nearly impossible to compete with a good finished product and make something for your time.  Could buy in bulk, but then I would have to invest in a storage area.  Hardware alone can cost a bundle.

[Cabin4]

Great looking chairs. If my wife see's these pics, I'll likly have to contact you to arrange for a purchase.

[DalesCarpentry]

Yes very nice. Good job. Dale

[Cabin4]

Build gun racks. You would likly have plenty of buyers right here. If someone built a quality vertical rack like this with a locking mechinisam on it, I would be a potential buyer. I'm in the market for one that can hold about 30 long guns. If that means buying 3 that hold 10 each, that will work.

I ordered one of these in a 14 gun version with a full length attached storage compartment today from a company in Texas. They are the only place I could find in the country that make these to order. You pick the type of wood and finish, they hand build and ship.

I think you wood workers could sell many of these. There’s only 3 places in the country that make vertical gun racks.

[DalesCarpentry]

Build gun racks. You would likly have plenty of buyers right here. If someone built a quality vertical rack like this with a locking mechinisam on it, I would be a potential buyer. I'm in the market for one that can hold about 30 long guns. If that means buying 3 that hold 10 each, that will work.

I ordered one of these in a 14 gun version with a full length attached storage compartment today from a company in Texas. They are the only place I could find in the country that make these to order. You pick the type of wood and finish, they hand build and ship.

I think you wood workers could sell many of these. There’s only 3 places in the country that make vertical gun racks.

What (if you don't mind) have to give for it with shipping? Thanks Dale

[Cabin4]

Build gun racks. You would likly have plenty of buyers right here. If someone built a quality vertical rack like this with a locking mechinisam on it, I would be a potential buyer. I'm in the market for one that can hold about 30 long guns. If that means buying 3 that hold 10 each, that will work.

I ordered one of these in a 14 gun version with a full length attached storage compartment today from a company in Texas. They are the only place I could find in the country that make these to order. You pick the type of wood and finish, they hand build and ship.

I think you wood workers could sell many of these. There’s only 3 places in the country that make vertical gun racks.

What (if you don't mind) have to give for it with shipping? Thanks Dale

$365 delivered. Made of solid oak with med stain and 2 coats varnish (the type that gun oil won't mess up). They offer 28 speciies of wood and variuous stains. I went with the economical oak. Pine was  less but the oak will match some of the other stuff I have. Here's a link to the actual place.
http://www.gunstands.com/rifle.htm

[JonnyC]

Maybe you could also try fishing rod racks ? Just a thought

[billy_56081]

I have an ex aunt, that make a ton of money in crafts. Little garden signs, bird feeders, bird houses ect. ect. Talk to your wives, get some input from the feminin side and sell them at craft sales and flea markets, for every set of chairs or gun racks you sell you can sell a ton of these little knick knacks.