The Businessman

[John Hart]

So…a businessman walks into a craft show. He walks up to Dave’s booth and spots this beautifully finished Cherry End Table complete with intricate hand carvings and ebony inlay. The price tag says $375.00

The businessman says to Dave, “Wow, that table is gorgeous! I’d like to order a bunch more! How much will you charge me to make 50 of them?”

Dave thinks a bit and says, “I’ll make you 50 for $700 a piece”

The businessman reels back and says, “$700 a piece! You’re only selling this one for $375! Don’t you know anything about volume pricing?”

Dave smiles and says, “Yeah, but I enjoyed making this one….you’re trying to make me work”

[Mark Singer]

John,

Like I have always said "You shouldn't do everything for money....and ...you can't do anything without it..

[Jeff Sudmeier]

John,

I like that one! Sure rings true doesn't it! :)

[Jim Becker]

LOL! :D My thoughts exactly...the less fun it is, the more it's going to cost. No question.

[Tom Hurlebaus]

John,

Many thanks ... now I'll have a new comeback .... Tom

[Jerry Olexa]

Well said!!

[Mark Singer]

John,

This is a very good post and discussion....I think most of us at SMC are woodworkers for the love of it....not really to make money. Even the guys who do it for a living are passionate about their work...Like Todd Burch and Per Swenson for example...they love what they do and they do it very well! If you really are in production I believe the numbers , the dollar signs become most important...you can't have a real expensive machine not producing....thats business. It becomes like Ikea...wood comes in one door a button is pushed ...the computor does the thinking....and out comes the product all finished and packaged and sent to the store...No one cut a single mortise, no one planed a single board, not even hand or machine sanding...it all just happened and very quickly...The wood was just processed like information in a computer....I don't consider that woodworking...


Celebrate the guy with the small shop....making his sketches...resawing from solid wood...Celebrate the man with a simple shop and tools he has learned to use and use well...
Celebrate a table design that will only be built once... and not mass produced.
and celebrate the passion that comes with working wood ...feeling it...touching it...knowing which way to plane it...hand rubbed finishes....
Sure there is a lot of real expensive equipment you can buy....."it slices and dices"...it doesn't mean your having more fun, it dosen't mean your passion for the craft is any stronger....it doesn't mean your a better woodworker....you may not even be a woodworker at all! ........Just the guy who pushed the button...:(

[John Hart]

Bravo Mark, Bravo!

[Jerry Olexa]

[....I think most of us at SMC are woodworkers for the love of it....not really to make money. Even the guys who do it for a living are passionate about their work...Like Todd Burch and Per Swenson for example...they love what they do and they do it very well! If you really are in production I believe the numbers , the dollar signs become most important...you can't have a real expensive machine not producing....thats business. It becomes like Ikea...wood comes in one door a button is pushed ...the computor does the thinking....and out comes the product all finished and packaged and sent to the store...No one cut a single mortise, no one planed a single board, not even hand or machine sanding...it all just happened and very quickly...The wood was just processed like information in a computer....I don't consider that woodworking...


Celebrate the guy with the small shop....making his sketches...resawing from solid wood...Celebrate the man with a simple shop and tools he has learned to use and use well...
Celebrate a table design that will only be built once... and not mass produced.
and celebrate the passion that comes with working wood ...feeling it...touching it...knowing which way to plane it...hand rubbed finishes

Mark: Extremely well-said !!!! That last paragraph (above) may end up framed in my workshop! You expressed accurately the way I feel about WWing! Bravo!!

[Kent Parker]

Ahhhh....very nice Mark!!

A thought that comes to mind that I relate to all things crafted of wood..."Music without feeling is little more than a noise"......

KP

[Tom Hurlebaus]

Mark ... Mark ... Mark ... you've done it again. I too need to somehow post that in my shop .. being a scroller I'm trying to decide on the pattern. Of course I'll footnote with "Mark Singer 2005" if you don't mind ?

Tom

[Mark Singer]

Tom,

Thanks....I just want everyone to have fun and enjoy woodworking at their own level without the pressure of feeling they need to buy expensive machines that are really for production.. not a real woodworkers shop....you can experience and enjoy the journey...."getting there is more than half the fun"....


Mark ... Mark ... Mark ... you've done it again. I too need to somehow post that in my shop .. being a scroller I'm trying to decide on the pattern. Of course I'll footnote with "Mark Singer 2005" if you don't mind ?

Tom

[Kurt Aebi]

Right On, Mark & John!

Love What you Do & Do What you Love - How much better can it get??