Need good tools for a woodworking career

[andy bessette]

... It took me two min to look up current estimated prices for the OP...

...Something the OP could easily have done himself, since he's already setup a shop.

[Van Huskey]

The reality is that 99% of the time, if those are the questions being asked, you're not ready.

Honestly, that is the subtext if this entire thread. This has the feel of cocktail napkin planning. That said if the OP clears up some things he will get plenty of useful answers.

I should also point out that while cocktail napkin planning may sound pejorative (and I suppose it is) Fortune 500 companies have started on a napkin in a bar. The odds of success do however go up with planning and this is the type of business that needs all the help it can get.

[Simon MacGowen]

The reality is that 99% of the time, if those are the questions being asked, you're not ready.

Couldn't agree more, though the many inputs expressed in this thread (by people of all kinds of woodworking or business or entrepreneurial backgrounds) should still benefit the OP if he is open to ideas.

Simon

[Prashun Patel]

I know someone who started his own business making furniture. I am unsure of his financial success (yet!), but there were a couple wise moves I've observed him make:

1) He figured out what kind of things he ought to make. "woodworking business" is too general. He determined a specific type of furniture, the consumer he was targeting, and the things that differentiated his product from the competition
2) He worked as a hobbyist for a couple years and had some tools - mostly hand - but did not purchase much else immediately. He knew what he wanted but took a year or two to assemble everything. In fact, his plan changed over this time, so the tool requirements evolved over time.
3) He made good friends in the industry whom he talked to extensively to learn the pros and cons - people who were doing things like he aimed to do. You'll find that people are more generous than guarded about sharing their experience; there is no secret to a lucrative career in this field; it takes a large amount of talent and hard work - both in the shop, and behind the desk.
4) He did not take on any debt.


That last one may be unavoidable, but I wouldn't do 4 until you do the first couple steps.

[Simon MacGowen]

https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/11/s...-business.html

Furniture stores, according to the above, have recorded one of the worst start-up statistics. Woodworking should not fare much better.

Simon

[Simon MacGowen]

Just stating the fact (or reality).

Simon

[Carl Beckett]

I watched a youtube video recently of a quite famous woodworker (sorry cannot remember his name). He made beautiful pieces, has an established name and followers.

But at the same time stated that the bulk of his income came from cutting boards. He had a niche making birdseye cutting boards, which paid for everything else.

Just an example of a niche.

[andy bessette]

PP--very good post.

[Simon MacGowen]

But at the same time stated that the bulk of his income came from cutting boards. He had a niche making birdseye cutting boards, which paid for everything else.

Just an example of a niche.

I could never imagine myself making only cutting boards (which I do not consider a furniture piece) day in and day out as a hobby woodworker. To do it for a living to feed my other interests (including raising my family) or dreams? I think I probably would and if there were no better career alternatives.

Way back, someone was featured in the FW, making srollsawn bookmarks for a living. He sold them in the thousands and thousands.

Simon

[Todd Bender]

You gotta be a special kind of stupid to work for yourself.

I resemble that remark.
Truth is, sometimes being your own "boss" (the customer is always the real boss) is fantastic and sometimes I'd rather go deliver pizzas for a living.
This business is full of ups and downs, payday is up, tax day is down.

[Darcy Warner]

I know a guy that makes just boot Jack's.

[Warren Lake]

im going to make toothpicks, if I get a lathe then I can make the round ones as well, then my mom really likes Stimudents. Maybe some of those as well, thanks for the ideas

[Carl Beckett]

I watched a youtube video recently of a quite famous woodworker (sorry cannot remember his name). He made beautiful pieces, has an established name and followers.

But at the same time stated that the bulk of his income came from cutting boards. He had a niche making birdseye cutting boards, which paid for everything else.

Just an example of a niche.

This was it: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LeNwstDAkLA

[Jim Becker]

This talk of having something that pays the bills hits home for me for sure...I've been actively working on ideas for several items to do just that...bring some regular cash flow as well as provide things to work on while the CNC is working on other things since I have to be there in the shop while it cuts. Whether it's an appealing cutting board, or small boxes or whatever doesn't matter. It's a good business practice, especially for a new business, to have things that provide regular work and revenue while pursuing "bigger fish". Honestly, this actually plays well into the OP's desire to get a business up and running too, because quite often the "tool requirements" can be more modest for "keeping the lights on" work which allows for time to properly develop more involved products and services.

[Van Huskey]

This talk of having something that pays the bills hits home for me for sure...

Not just in woodworking but in business in general new successful businesses often have one or a group of products or services that are quick easy sales (usually with a relatively low price) that help cover the overhead. When you have something consistent that covers the overhead it takes a lot of pressure off.