Highest paid woodworkers?

[John Sincerbeaux]

Just a thought i had the other day. If you look at this metric; board foot vs. profit. Who makes the greatest profit from the board feet of wood? I belive using this metric, luthiers maybe the highest paid woodworkers? There are many luthiers who’s base price for a commissioned guitar starts at $30k. A custom guitar built by luthier Ervin Somogyi would start at $80k and thats just the start.
I dont know what cabinet makers make these days but i cant imagine they make thousands of dollars on a couple board feet of wood? In addition it is interesting to think the enormous inverse between space and equipment required to process the large amounts of board feet (cabinets) vs. building a high-end musical instrument.
This thread is by no means a rub on ANY pro woodworker. Just a fun and curious thought i had.

Merry Christmas

[William A Johnston]

Wow,. I certainly picked the wrong wood working career.

[Mike Heidrick]

Betting those luthiers who make $30-$80k don't identify as a woodworker.

[Bill Dufour]

How about people who write stuff on a grain of rice?

[Mel Fulks]

Docs that remove splinters.

[Bill Dufour]

I bet the folks who made wooden heat shields for spacecraft earned a pretty penny.

[John Sincerbeaux]

Betting those luthiers who make $30-$80k don't identify as a woodworker.

I wouldnt tell a luthier that. A talented luthier knows more about wood species, wood movement, joinery, engineering of wood structure and design than anyone here would ever care to know. And I didnt even mention “tone” which is why all the things i mentioned are so critical.

[Andrew Joiner]

Wendell Castle get's my vote.

[Yonak Hawkins]

..Perhaps the likes of Sam Maloof ?

[Eric Van Cronk]

I bet a Greene & Greene chair rivals pretty much anything else per board foot cost.
At the end of the day, it’s just a chair (and a wise investment)

[Mike Cutler]

Nicolai Medvedev.
His intarsia work, in both wood and stone, and the combination of the two, are featured in museums around the world. He is still alive producing work today.
You would have to be extremely wealthy to purchase his work.

[Andrew Hughes]

+1 on Sam Maloof his Zircote Rocking chair is second to none.

[Mike Cutler]

I wouldnt tell a luthier that. A talented luthier knows more about wood species, wood movement, joinery, engineering of wood structure and design than anyone here would ever care to know. And I didnt even mention “tone” which is why all the things i mentioned are so critical.

I'm thinking George Wilson, here on the forum, could converse quite easily with any luthier. ;)