What is the Best Compliment You've ever Received on Your Work?

[Andrew Joiner]

I used to get paid for my woodworking and design ability. A happy client handing me payment was a satisfying experience that I got regularly. I miss that.

Now, I only build for me and my family. Yes, family and friends give me compliments. However, sometimes I feel under-appreciated.

I designed and built a dining table last winter. I'm very happy with it. A week ago I got a special ego boost. We had 20 women over for a fund raiser. One of the women in attendance was Fiona. She's young, beautiful and turns heads around our town. As everyone was leaving, Fiona touched my table and looked me in the eye. She said" you made this" Yup, I said. Then she said" it's very sexy". I'm still grinning!

[Bruce Volden]

I once rcv'd $100.00 for about $10.00 worth of engraving. Customer makes knives (very nice ones) and had me engrave one, said the check is in the box with the knife. Engraved the knife and opened the envelope to find the Ben Franklin. Called customer and said he over paid---he told me NO I DID NOT -- keep it. I like customers like this, but hate the bookwork of adjusting things on the business side!

Keep grinning and keep building.

Bruce

[Craig Behnke]

Fiona touched my table and looked me in the eye. She said" you made this" Yup, I said. Then she said" it's very sexy".

that is a perfect first line of a Xaviera Hollander letter.

[Larry Edgerton]

$5K bonus.

Larry

[Jim Finn]

Best response I got was overpayment. I got that three times in seven years of making and selling my wood work.

[Prashun Patel]

The few times people have said, 'you have a good eye.' The craftsmanship is a function of your tools and time. Having a good eye for design is much harder to attain.

[Ryan Mooney]

A couple of times I've gotten exclamations of "wow" after an involuntary double take which pretty much does it for me :D

[Rod Sheridan]

My FIL who is a retired cabinetmaker evaluated my Morris chairs and only had 6 complaints about them, it was pretty high praise.

A few weeks later my MIL was down visiting and mentioned that on the way home my FIL had remarked on what an outstanding job I had done on the chairs. Her comment was "Would it have killed you to tell Rod that you thought the chairs were nice""

His comment was " I would never tell him that, how do you expect him to improve if I don't criticise him?"

Well, I guess it's kind of like damning with faint praise............LOL..............Rod.

[Andrew Joiner]

that is a perfect first line of a Xaviera Hollander letter.

Yes, that's why I'm still grinning. Better than the 2 monetary tips I got over many years in the business.

[Richard Coers]

Given a one man show at an art gallery and the place was packed on the artist reception evening. She's carried several pieces at a time since that show, 1 1/2 years ago. Nice reward for a 40 year road to skill improvement.

[matt swiderski]

When my wife told me that I was finally at the level that I could start making furniture for the house, as opposed to just for the garage.

Matt

[Michael Yadfar]

Somehow, a girl I have a thing for had a picture of my chicken coop on her phone and didn't even know it was mine. She was showing the picture to one of my friends who also raises chickens and was like "You should build this coop. It's very nice and you chickens would love it." Then I was like "hey that's my chicken coop!" Then she told me that it's really nice

[Steve Rozmiarek]

Thanks Andrew, now mine doesn't feel so good. I can't really imagine better!

[Mark Wooden]

A second, high profit order.

[Roger Feeley]

When my daughter was married, I was enlisted to make wedding favors. I made 85 cheeseboards and 85 chinese checker game. Every guest got one or the other. I was thrilled to learn that there was a sort of underground market of people trading back and forth.

[Ernie Miller]

In 1968, three years into my 34 year teaching career, I taught a class in beginning strings (violin, viola, and cello) in Queens, NY. Eight years later I got a phone call from one of the students in that class. He said he wanted to come over to see me. He drove for three hours to get to my house, where he took out his violin and started playing - beautifully. He was a senior at the New England Conservatory of Music - majoring in violin. He said, "I wanted you to hear me play, and to let you know that you made a difference in my life". Greatest compliment ever!

[Rollie Kelly]

The hug and kiss my 3 year old granddaughter gave me when I gave her a half scale walnut Queen Anne cupboard for her doll clothes at Christmas.

Rollie

[HANK METZ]

What is the Best Compliment You've ever Received on Your Work?


"I'm not going to sue..." :p

[Brian W Smith]

Theres been many over the last 40+ years,but one that sticks out is a little cute.

Small-med sized private college.The project was a little N. of 500k.We're having a meeting,and "everyone" is there.Deans,president,bankers,etc.I'd say there was a dz well heeled businessmen/educators....and then me,haha.Like usual,I'm much preferring to be somewhere actually "working" than talking about it,but generally being polite and not speaking much.

Can't remember exactly what the consternation was,which illustrates the point exactly....as it no doubt didn't amt to a hill of beans.But,the gents were getting right "tight" over this or that detail.I'm standing next to the pres. when he speaks up and stops their nonsense with...."I don't know why ya'll(my version)are so worried about this....BW is going to do it exactly how it's supposed to be done".I never cracked a smile.....and neither does anyone else,long pause and then everyone starts bustin out laughing and they all just walked off in different directions.

[scott spencer]

"not too shabby..." :rolleyes:;)

[Keith Hankins]

I used to get paid for my woodworking and design ability. A happy client handing me payment was a satisfying experience that I got regularly. I miss that.

Now, I only build for me and my family. Yes, family and friends give me compliments. However, sometimes I feel under-appreciated.

I designed and built a dining table last winter. I'm very happy with it. A week ago I got a special ego boost. We had 20 women over for a fund raiser. One of the women in attendance was Fiona. She's young, beautiful and turns heads around our town. As everyone was leaving, Fiona touched my table and looked me in the eye. She said" you made this" Yup, I said. Then she said" it's very sexy". I'm still grinning!

I've enjoyed the ooh's and ahh's and I think thats the best. Someone referred to me as a "true craftsman" with delivery of my last one, and that was really nice. Of course the $300 tip was a sweet topping to boot.

[Eric D Matson]

One of my buddies who doesn't really understand the whole wood working concept was over and said "Holy crap. That looks good. Looks like something you could buy at Target." I don't exactly know how I should take that. Is it good? Is Target a step above Walmart? I do understand he may have had a little much to drink but still leaves me wondering. Lol.

[Sandra Mart]

What is the Best Compliment You've ever Received on Your Work?


"I'm not going to sue..." :p
heheee..
http://watchfree.me/11/w.png

[Kevin Womer]

I am my own worst critic, but if my wife likes my work whether if it's for our home or someone else's then that's about the highest praise I can get. She has learned this from me, as I often point out finishing mistakes and the like when I am done with a project.

[Craig Behnke]

[QUOTE=Rod Sheridan;2233500] " I would never tell him that, how do you expect him to improve if I don't criticise him?"

Your FIL could have easily complimented you and provided incentive for you to improve your work. Your FIL could have said "wow, very nice work,...it's fantastic. From my 30+ years of experience, I see a few things you can do do to make you pieces even more refined, to take them from great to spectacular. If you're interested in hearing about those details, let me know and we can talk about it."

boom,...problem solved. gives deserved praise and entices a craftsman to share knowledge with another craftsman to seek ways to make their work even better.

[Cary Falk]

"You don't charge enough."

I have also heard many times " that looks store bought." It is like fingernails on a chalkboard to most of us but it is meant as a compliment from them.

[glenn bradley]

Someone liking the work enough to come back and order more. I can't really ask for better than that.

[Rich Engelhardt]

Any time someone can't really tell something I've done has altered what's already there is praise to me.
By that I mean if people look at the whole - like this kitchen - and can't tell the pantry for instance has been added, then I take that as praise.

[Cody Colston]

Tears of gratitude for a woodworking gift.

[Myk Rian]

Tears of gratitude for a woodworking gift.
Yep. I got some of those.

[John Goodin]

My neighbor said, "Wow! Looks just like something you could by in a store." Now that I think about it those weren't real nice words.

[gary Zimmel]

Mine was being a runner up in a contest that Fine Working put on for shop cabinets.....
A lot of our members here gave the project a thumbs up.
For me getting a compliment from a fellow woodworker is the highest praise I can get.

[Andrew Joiner]

Thanks Andrew, now mine doesn't feel so good. I can't really imagine better!

Yes, Steve it was pretty cool. I do have one more compliment that may even beat Fiona's words.
33 years ago I entered the Daphne Awards. It was a furniture design contest put on by the Hardwood Institute. I got a notice that my piece, another table, was selected. The awards were presented at the Waldorf Astoria. I got lucky, my design came in second in it's category.

At that time George Nakashima, Sam Maloof, Art Carpenter and Wendell Castle were my heroes. Wendell Castle was there and I got a chance to chat with him. He asked "which design is yours?" I pointed to my table and Wendell said " You should have won first place, your's is my favorite"

[ken masoumi]

When my wife told me that I was finally at the level that I could start making furniture for the house, as opposed to just for the garage.

Matt
Same here.
This the best praise she recently gave me after showing her my my work:
Me: Do yo like it?
wife: yes.
Me: Do you really like it?
wife: yeah,what's there not to like,I don't have to love it do I?:)

[Jerry Murphy]

My FIL who is a retired cabinetmaker evaluated my Morris chairs and only had 6 complaints about them, it was pretty high praise.

A few weeks later my MIL was down visiting and mentioned that on the way home my FIL had remarked on what an outstanding job I had done on the chairs. Her comment was "Would it have killed you to tell Rod that you thought the chairs were nice""

His comment was " I would never tell him that, how do you expect him to improve if I don't criticise him?"

Well, I guess it's kind of like damning with faint praise............LOL..............Rod.


I love this story!

[Jim Finn]

Yes, the best ones come from other woodworkers. I remember a friend of mine that spent five minutes trying to find a flaw in an inlay that I did. He never did find one in it. He did not say much but he sure examined it closely. Wanted to know if I used a CNC machine or a laser. (I have neither)

[Michael Roberts]

One of my customers described a sideboard I made for them as "better than Moser." That one will forever stick in my mind since his house is full of Thomas Moser's furniture.

[Dick Brown]

Best compliment you can ever get-- "When others try to copy your work!"

[John TenEyck]

I did a curved balustrade for a former colleague. I was about 2/3 through the job when his 80 year old father, a former cabinet maker, stops by one afternoon while I'm working. There are at least 6 other tradesmen in the house at the same time, all within earshot. He walks around and looks at my work for at least 15 or 20 minutes. Then, finally, he says loud enough for everyone to hear "You sir are an artist.". I'll never forget that. Money's nice, but that was better.

John

[Bruce Wrenn]

When a customer says "I wish I had called you first!"

[Mark Blatter]

that is a perfect first line of a Xaviera Hollander letter.

And possibly the opening line in the divorce trial.

[John Piwaron]

A second, high profit order.

This website ought to have a like button. I'd press it for this. :)

[Royce Meritt]

A while back I made a mounting plaque for my brother-in-law's European Mount elk rack. Normally the taxidermist supplies the plaque when she does the european mount but my BIL wanted one made from some Burr Oak we cut on his farm. The plaque was approximately 18" wide by 30 some inches long made up of 3 glued-up boards.

When my BIL took it to the taxidermist she said, "That's really nice. Normally we don't see these made from one piece of wood."

Guess I did a good job on the glue-up. Even I will admit that you had to look pretty closely to see the joints.

[Cody Colston]

that is a perfect first line of a Xaviera Hollander letter.

Xaviera Hollander has to be, what...about 80 years old now? :D:D:D

[Larry Fox]

Hey - that thing you made for me a while back hasn't fallen apart yet. :)

[Bud Ackerman]

Several years ago when I made the LOML a mantle and she was skeptical. When It was done and finished she said, "OMG it looks like..... real furniture "