A question for the pros

[Brian Ashton]

Was just wondering... Of all the bonafide professional furniture makers. Those that can actually live off the proceeds of furniture making without the assistance of a well paid spouse... How many of you have completed one of those intensive "fine woodworking" courses. Or how many of you are self taught.

[Sam Murdoch]

Self taught with a lots of practice and embarrassing results and beaucoup research by way of reading magazines (old school) and of course now - picking the brains of the SawMill Creek community.

[Jamie Buxton]

You may be asking the question in the wrong forum. Making a living at fine woodworking is difficult enough. Doing it without power tools is close to impossible.

[Jim Koepke]

Oops, I took the poll before realizing it was only for those who knew what they are doing.

Some times I (con)-vince people into giving me money for what I have made. So far this year not enough to buy a six pack.

jtk

[Sam Murdoch]

You may be asking the question in the wrong forum. Making a living at fine woodworking is difficult enough. Doing it without power tools is close to impossible.

Yeah, hadn't noticed the chosen forum but I am by no means a strictly hand tool woodworker.

[Frank Drew]

I never took any courses in woodworking but can't say that I'm self-taught since I learned a great deal from the older, experienced woodworkers when I was entering the trade, first in a custom millwork then in a furniture shop making high-end reproductions, with a stint as a carpenter in between. The level of my woodworking knowledge when I started was essentially zero.

[Dave Cav]

I agree you'd probably have a much better (and more useful) response on the General W'working forum. On another forum I frequent some of the members attended the North Bennett Street School, and are apparently quite successful.

[Brian Ashton]

You may be asking the question in the wrong forum. Making a living at fine woodworking is difficult enough. Doing it without power tools is close to impossible.

I thought about putting it in another area but I suspect the results would have been similar.

I've started another thread that expands on the reason behind why I asked the question. I called it going pro

[Brian Ashton]

Self taught with a lots of practice and embarrassing results and beaucoup research by way of reading magazines (old school) and of course now - picking the brains of the SawMill Creek community.

I can remember at 14 taking the hour long bus trip to the city library on a number of occasions just so I could sit there and pour over antique furniture books they had in their reference only section. I had no interest in learning the names for the styles or when that style came into being (except Chippendale - love Chippendale style)... I just wanted to take in all the interesting shapes and dream about making them one day. I haven't changed much over the last 35 years, except I don't dream about making them but I still pour over pictures of furniture. I still couldn't careless if I can name all the part on a chair - and to be honest I still can't... But from simply looking at and taking in what would be 10s of thousands of pictures of period furniture over the last 35 years I've developed a good eye for detail and proportion. I started a furniture picture library of my own a few years back of pieces and parts I find on the internet that are of interest. That folder has nearly 3000 pictures in it and I often refer to it now to find direction and fuel inspiration... One of my favourite sights for finding pictures for a long time was Sutherby's Auction sight. They've changed it a bunch and it's hard to look back through previous auctions and capture the pictures now but I've found ways around that - Macs are good for that LOL.