Losing motivation to keep pursuing the hobby

[Robert gree]

Hoping y'all can get my moral back up. First things i am one of the younger members here at 20 years young. I got started in woodworking when i was young in just general construction projects with my dad. I then moved on to crafts and BMX and skateboard ramps in my early teens.

When i was 14 i built my first subwoofer enclosure and by 18 i have turned it into a small home business. There have been some bumps in the road and there are some more now.

I just moved into my grandmothers to help take care of her and am converting the garage into a shop. First purchase was a Grizzly G0605X1 table saw to replace my old worn out delta contractor saw.

As my eagerness and love for woodworking progresses so does the cost of the machines and tools. On the list now is jointer, larger planer, bigger dust collector and a drum sander for the cabinets i have to build.

My issue is i love this as a hobby and dont want to turn it into a business but i would love to get some return to help offset the cost of machinery and to get my work out there. The enclosures i make are purely MDF and why are a joy to build, Lack in the beauty of cabinets table and fine wood. Why i have personal projects to build for the home and future, Those are far and few between. Would love to have a few commissioned pieces to fill the gap in the shop and get some real wood shavings around the shop. People just are so satisfied with going to the big box stores and getting particle board furniture.

A real joy i have found is in my new lathe. Finding turn-able lumber is the issue that is begging to be turned into something.

Im searching for small or large projects that i would have a good chance of selling or even something on the in-expensive side i could give to charity.

[Harlan Theaker]

Patience...

You don't have to run out and buy all the tools tomorrow. Take your time, scour CL and other used sites... lots of great deals to be had.

As far as commissioned work goes, try to find a consignment shop in your area and see if you can't make a piece or two for them to display. Alot of woodworking is through word of mouth, so work on getting your name out there as a quality craftsman or if you're not there yet, maybe look into taking some classes.

[Bill ThompsonNM]

Particularly woodturners. I think you'll find most groups inspirational, a good source of information on where to get good turning wood locally--and it will carry over into other woodworking.

And take a class: I took some Windsor chair classes from mike Dunbar when I lived back east--all handwork, no machines, but my ability to use hand and machine tools rocketed ahead. Working wood is working wood no matter how you do it.

Bonus-- I think you'll find lots of 'little' projects turning wood. You might also consider boxmaking, with fine woods -- they don't use much so materials are less, they're very marketable and you have a lot of experience with mdf boxes. You might even find that there are clients who would like very fancy speaker boxes at a premium

[Pat O'malley]

I agree with Harlan, patience. I'm 49 been doing this only maybe 5 years almost every tool I have bought I waited for it to go on clearance or got it used. I haven't made alot of stuff but my joy comes from giving to family members and seeing the joy in their faces as oppose to selling it. As far as a business, if you can make a living from something you love to do, you are one lucky man. Whatever you do I wish you the best of luck...Pat

[Carroll Courtney]

Force to be patience,when the pockets aren't deep.I wish the wwing bug bit me at the age of 20,instead it was girls and 68 Camero.I'm in my mid 50's and still collecting tools that I feel I need(you have a long ride to go)Patience.Which started when I was around 30.Besides collecting tools,I wish there had been schools like up north so that I could learn the trade besides learning from my mistakes.I'd have a masters degree by now if that was the case.I make mis furniture,cabinets,tables etc for money to support this habit.Word of mouth is the best advertisement.
Your already ahead in the game,your interest is there.Make what makes you happy,turn some pens and sell to purchase pen parts so that it will at lease pay for itself.Make some above average yard furniture and sell at a flea market,don't make it flea market grade"above average",if one sells,then it sells and if not then you have some nice yard furniture.In the process,try to make alittle profit or break even till you get rolling,if you grow tired of it then shut it down for awhile,its a hobby w/few benefits.Good luck----Carroll

[Robert gree]

Very true on all points. I guess i have it like im dieing in 10 years when i have a long life ahead of me. I have other interest mainly American muscle cars and i have a small place for mini-trucks. The most costly hobby (girls) i am over for awhile. After coming home and finding my fiance with another man and having her and my 2 adopted kids ripped away from me but a negative outlook in that aspect.

Im thinking ill make a few pieces for consignment and auction. :) I have a great passion for hand tools. Mainly my plane collection still trying to acquire a nice set of chisels

[Myk Rian]

I retired at 55, 6 years ago. First thing I made was a lighthouse for the well head. Wife wanted to replace the junk one that was there. That cost her $750 in tools to make it. Right now, I'm finishing a 3ft tall LH for $100. People love them. A mail box post also went for $100. Simple projects can bring cash in.
I've been told that I should make things for the craft shows. That's production I don't want to get into.
Right now I'm experimenting with Xmas ornaments on the lathe I just got.

[Michael Weber]

I'll likely get hammered for this but many people have a variety of interests and different hobbies over the years. I seem to have a character flaw that keeps me from keen interest in any one thing for very long. Still have my woodworking tools but doubt I'll get much more serious use out them except for home improvement work. I'm no spring chicken and my various hobbies have run from Gardening to Jaguar cars then to MG restoration, Neon (built a shop in my garage and taught myself glass bending and processing and even sold a bit of stuff like signature signs), Silversmithing (very difficult to do well at least with just books for learning) and some jewelry making. Then it was WWing but I know I'm on the down slope of that. Want to get busy fixing up my new "old house" so am holding on to the tools for now. Perhaps your the type person that will develop a wide range of interests over they years and develop them as hobbies. I'm not saying to give it up but to keep an open mind to your maturing and developing interests. It's even possible to leave a hobby for a while then return to it later with renewed vigor.
Feel free to totally ignore any and all the above because for all I know I may have no idea what I'm talking about. It's just been my personal experience.

[Sean Nagle]

Robert, as others have mentioned, have patience. If you are making money off subwoofer boxes, that's great!! Work on some other projects for yourself when you have time with the tools at hand and specialize in the sub boxes for income. I'm a speaker and sub builder myself but I've never made a penny from any commission work so you have accomplished so much already. Let your sub building and sales fuel your tool purchases. Do your "fine woodworking" for yourself.

[Robert gree]

Found some motivation to get out in the shop and start restoring my old craftsman lathe. Ill have to post some pictures tommorow in the daylight. I got the bed surfaces sanded clear of surface rust there is some slight pitting but not much. Now i need to sand blast and repaint and re-make the stickers for the lathe and ill be good to go.

[Thomas Canfield]

Robert,

Watdh out for the lathe!!!!!!!!! I started out my shop to do some flat work and had not planned on a lathe. Now I have moved up to the Powermatic 3520B along with the Jet VHS mini. Wood for the lathe does not seem to be a problem. There seems to always be some trees being cut and free wood available. I have also accumulated some dry purchased turning stock of the last few years, but the free wood is very attractive. Some of the worst looking tree sections make the most interesting pieces. And then there are always the pens and bottle stoppers. I also enjoy the PSI small expanding collet for turning small bowls about 2 to 3" diameter from scrap 3/4 and 1" material - quick and good gifts for the women. Don't loose interest.

[John Downey]

That's a tough one Robert... and I don't really think there's a "right" answer to give you.

But a couple things I've discovered over the years might help :D

First, there is no single right way of doing anything, especially in woodworking. Various tools might make jobs easier, and you're sure to find some guy hanging around a forum to tell you that you can't do without some tool or machine, but I've found you can usually get by fine using your head rather than your wallet. For me that's half the fun.

Second, selling stuff is hard. Really hard. I worked for a guy once who was very good at it, better at selling than building I thought. I still don't quite know how he did it. There is no easy answer to how to sell what you make, or at least none that I've found. Closest I've ever come to successful marketing is always just making what I like and associating with groups who like the same things but don't share the skills (pistol grips in my case). But I think half of it was just dumb luck :D

I'd think in Florida you'd be able to find lots of good chunks for turning. Look for "urban lumber" or the like. All sorts of good stuff grows down there as ornamental plants, trick is going to be finding who prunes it and some how getting it to dry in all that humidity :D

[David Keller NC]

Robert - A couple of observations. If you like making subwoofer cabinets, then expanding into custom speaker enclosures that are veneered with highly figured wood grain may help you to get some practice at the marketing aspect, allow you to sell your work for more, and not require much more in the way of tools than what you already have.

One aspect of this that isn't often mentioned is that unlike many other business pursuits, you've a vast quantity of individuals that build furniture, jewelry boxes, humidors, and just about everything else you can think of that do it as a hobby and sell their work for very little to compete against.

So the trick is not to compete against them. That generally means that you must either be making things in a general category that is over the top and that many of the hobbyists don't have the skill or inclination to do, or be making something that is a niche. There are many examples of successful professional artistic-type woodworkers that make things that just aren't available in the local Rooms-to-Go, and have a clientele that are willing to pay for it. Such a clientele does take years to develop, but take a look at Christian Becksvoort's website. What he makes isn't all that complicated, but he excels at it, and his customers know that what they're buying is the best of the best of that particular style.

The artistic-type label is opposed to the kind of woodworking that's more production oriented, such as kitchen cabinet makers, built-in storage makers, etc... That kind of woodworking also requires providing a high-profile product but the market is considerably broader, so it generally takes less time to build a loyal clientele. The downside for many is that it's production work usually executed under tight deadline pressures, and often means dealing with general contractors that put heavy price pressure on the products. Nevertheless, I would hazard a guess that this group far exceeds in numbers the artistic-type that build custom furniture and collector's items.

What others on this thread have noted and emphasized cannot be over-stated - it takes hard work, and artistic vision and most especially perseverance to succeed. Expensive machinery is very low on the list of requirements. There are many chair makers, violin makers, black powder rifle makers and guitar makers that have almost no powered equipment, yet are still highly regarded and economically successful.

[Dennis Lopeman]

Robert -

It looks like there is no future for you in woodworking so what you need to do is pack all your nice tools up and wait for me to arrive with my truck to ease you of this awful hobby.

LOL

I hear Mangrove is a good wood to work... Ur in FL, right?

[Brian Kincaid]

If you lack the energy or interest put the tools down for a while, but don't sell them. Read, take walks, find your inspiration, save your money.

At some point you will likely have a strong urge to go build something. Start with something small that you can accomplish with the tools you have and experience the joy of finishing something you are proud of.

Then if you are ready to take the next step consider the money you have saved up and look for used deals or companies us SMC'ers are fond of.

Life is short. Enjoy what you can. I find that the best hobby I can have is to have fun. WW is one of the ways I have fun.

-Brian

[Darius Ferlas]

To me this is still just a hobby but it kinda turned into this urge to replace all of my store bought furniture. I'll need years to accomplish that, but meanwhile, by chance, I had an opportunity to make some chomp change.

I made (for free) a puzzle board for people at work. They use it in the lunch room and it gives them the possibility to work on a puzzle for weeks without the need to disturb the pieces. They simply move the board away when not in use. The board is basically a picture frame, 24" by 30" and the sides are 2.5" wide. The surface is a white laminate MDF. My cost was about $10. So far I had six orders at $40 a piece.

Last weekend I finished a small sewing station for the wife of a friend at work. Again, chomp change at $350 for the whole thing.

I probably averaged $5/hr in my income by since it is my hobby it's better than nothing. The meager income bought me over 200 bf of decent walnut.

My approach is simple - I'll make $0.00/hr if I just sit there and watch TV. And that's on a good day. $5/hr easily beats that.

[Will Blick]

My only contribution is..... you are young.... youth can never be restored... so be wise about these years.

While I love ww, age is hard on many of us in this craft...unless you build really tiny stuff... hauling wood, heaving lifting, constant sharpening hand tools...it all takes a toll on your body, and you feel it. How I yearn for my 20's again. But it's still gratifying, but not like it was when I was younger, and did not feel the pain all the time...

So with that thought... don't jump to conclusions yet, take your time, see where life takes ya...you are off to a good start, at least you are selling product, that is more than most small scale ww's ever do....

And yes, this craft really creates tool lust... its a natural and costly...but as mentioned, there is bargains out there... this is why it make sense to stay in restricted area in ww, and not do everything...as the more areas you enter, the more tools you need / want...