Thanks guys!
Luckily, selling of woodworking projects isn't a make-or-break thing for me. Basically, since my wife won't allow many more pieces in our own house, I have to build and donate/sell/gift in order to keep the hobby and learning curve going.
Donating and gifting are the easy part, but that gets to be expensive. So, over the past couple years, we have setup all the legalities to be able to properly sell. Our approach in pursuing customers has been word of mouth which keeps the volume very manageable. And, when it comes time to accept work, we look to take on just one customer at a time, and focus on projects that I can confidently build (with a little bit of something new to allow me to practice another skill). Our pricing model is basically "materials x 2" (with adjustments up or down based on project complexity) which allows me to cover shop expenses and put a couple bucks in my pocket (which are usually reinvested into tools I don't own yet).
The good news is that this approach has allowed us to:
- Keep my learning curve going. I'm active in the shop nearly every day now.
- Upgrade my shop continually (but incrementally)
- Meet a steady stream of really cool and thankful people that truly appreciate that I'm giving them the best I can build at a fair price
In this particular case, I sensed from the beginning that this customer would be different. I was enticed by her connectivity and that this could lead to other customers.... forgetting that my entire approach is built on low volume and basically not caring too much if I don't sell work consistently.
In short, I broke away from my approach, ignored my "Spidey sense", and got burned.
What makes me feel ok about it is...
- The end projects turned out as something I can be proud of. The table and bench are nicely built.
- I kept my (infamous) temper and took the high road.
- I covered my costs while learning to stick to my approach from here on out.
and
- The guys here at SMC are a great support group... teaching, coaching, advising. MUCH APPRECIATED.
- Bob R.
Collegeville PA (30 minutes west of Philly)