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Thread: Do people talk you out of wood working?

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Houston, TX
    Posts
    437

    Do people talk you out of wood working?

    Every time I'm building something, someone always comes along and says you don't need to build that, just go do this or buy one of these. I was making wooden ramps and someone came by and said you can just use my vehicle lift. Lol. Yes I guess all these tools are just for looks.

  2. #2
    Use the man's vehicle lift if he's offering, Travis. You wont regret it.
    But yah, I get some of that too. Until they see a piece of furniture they like and realize they can't afford it. Then they think my woodworking is great. Funny how that works.
    "All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing."

    “If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.”

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2014
    Location
    Houston, TX
    Posts
    437
    No it wasn't going to work. Too wide.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2017
    Location
    Winston Salem, NC
    Posts
    133
    No, and the main reason is that we've had enough mass market furniture that "kinda" worked for what we wanted it for . . . but it didn't last well for the long haul. If I do it, it's exactly what I/we want, it's guaranteed to fit, and it both looks nice and is mostly bomb-proof. Plus, if there is ever a problem with it - it's 99%of the time fixable.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Location
    WNY
    Posts
    9,648
    No, most people hope I'll make something for them.

    John

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    SE PA - Central Bucks County
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    65,694
    Quote Originally Posted by John TenEyck View Post
    No, most people hope I'll make something for them.
    Same...although the common theme is that they "think" it's going to cost less than at the store and for many of them, their favorite stores are places like Wally-World. Not going to happen. LOL

    -----

    Travis, there are many folks who are lost to the concept that we can make things and even enjoy it. Enjoy the craft for your own reasons!
    --

    The most expensive tool is the one you buy "cheaply" and often...

  7. #7
    The scenario your going to run into is that many people who walk into your shop are going to arm-chair quarterback everything you do. Its easy when your not doing anything other than looking over someones shoulder who is trying work, has the back channel conversation of being profitable, doing the drawings, shipping the paperwork, thinking about the install process, all while they are making product, and you will have some "yay-hoo" in the shop yammering endlessly that "what you should be doing... " .... "you know what you need...." " you need to go here and do .... "

    Everyone has the answer and they will diarrhea an instant response to whatever your doing without thinking 0.05 steps down the road to where their "nugget of wisdom" falls flat on its face which turns out to just be a money losing jaw jack into a "spitballing" conversation that in their minds is about profitability when in all reality the facts of the situation are that you should have escorted them out the door of your shop forcefully the instant they walked in.

    There are some good rules in this business whether your in business or not.

    #1. Eliminate ANY and ALL non-profit potential traffic from the shop.

    #2. Have a firm, direct, rude, and or forceful, means to evacuate any non-profit potential individual from your shop as quickly as possible.

    #3. And this is likely the hardest... Eliminate any back chatter in your head from any of the above individuals while your working in your shop.


    People will walk into your space daily who have never made a bird house and begin to tell you everything you should, could, or must, be doing differently, without a single ounce of thought with regards to your workflow, why, how, the downstream repercussions, and so on. Because they account ZERO DOLLARS FOR THEIR TIME, its a beat off for them to stand in your shop wasting yours while you have to explain the flaws in each of their solutions.

    Your single most effective option is to simple kick them out.. immediately.

    I cant tell you the people that I have been so relieved to offend beyond belief and have them walk out the door knowing they will never come back. They are the individuals that will never spend a dime with me. They will never recommend anyone to me. And the people in the circles they run are exactly the same as them.

    More often than not I have had someone contact me and say that XYZ (blowhard) said you kicked him out of your shop... which makes me think your someone I would like to have do work for me...

    Dont be afraid to defend your boundaries. Foot traffic will cost you more lost time than most any other money loser in your shop.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Feb 2019
    Location
    Cincinnati, Ohio
    Posts
    968
    Somewhat. My wife often makes the argument she'd just rather order something, and have it show up. Having seen some of the things her family has made, I think she's secretly worried it will turn out like that.

    Also I find Ikea hard to compete with. At one point they had a pre-finished line of Pine furniture that was very good, at impossibly low prices. For good enough, it's not something I think a wood worker is going to be able to beat in a home shop.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Lancaster, Ohio
    Posts
    1,346
    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Bolton View Post
    The scenario your going to run into is that many people who walk into your shop are going to arm-chair quarterback everything you do. Its easy when your not doing anything other than looking over someones shoulder who is trying work, has the back channel conversation of being profitable, doing the drawings, shipping the paperwork, thinking about the install process, all while they are making product, and you will have some "yay-hoo" in the shop yammering endlessly that "what you should be doing... " .... "you know what you need...." " you need to go here and do .... "

    Everyone has the answer and they will diarrhea an instant response to whatever your doing without thinking 0.05 steps down the road to where their "nugget of wisdom" falls flat on its face which turns out to just be a money losing jaw jack into a "spitballing" conversation that in their minds is about profitability when in all reality the facts of the situation are that you should have escorted them out the door of your shop forcefully the instant they walked in.

    There are some good rules in this business whether your in business or not.

    #1. Eliminate ANY and ALL non-profit potential traffic from the shop.

    #2. Have a firm, direct, rude, and or forceful, means to evacuate any non-profit potential individual from your shop as quickly as possible.

    #3. And this is likely the hardest... Eliminate any back chatter in your head from any of the above individuals while your working in your shop.


    People will walk into your space daily who have never made a bird house and begin to tell you everything you should, could, or must, be doing differently, without a single ounce of thought with regards to your workflow, why, how, the downstream repercussions, and so on. Because they account ZERO DOLLARS FOR THEIR TIME, its a beat off for them to stand in your shop wasting yours while you have to explain the flaws in each of their solutions.

    Your single most effective option is to simple kick them out.. immediately.

    I cant tell you the people that I have been so relieved to offend beyond belief and have them walk out the door knowing they will never come back. They are the individuals that will never spend a dime with me. They will never recommend anyone to me. And the people in the circles they run are exactly the same as them.

    More often than not I have had someone contact me and say that XYZ (blowhard) said you kicked him out of your shop... which makes me think your someone I would like to have do work for me...

    Dont be afraid to defend your boundaries. Foot traffic will cost you more lost time than most any other money loser in your shop.
    VERY, VERY WELL SAID!!

    Ron

  10. #10
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Lancaster, Ohio
    Posts
    1,346
    Not at home, at work yes or more so tell me how it should be done when they have no real clue on what to do.
    Just went thru this with a boss two steps up telling me i had to produce 60 shelf units on wheels in less than 2 weeks with no qualified help. Did I mention no saw to cut it with other than a hand circular saw. When i mentioned that he said to get him prices, like he can get 4-6k approved, and I can get a saw located, shipped in. installed and wired in 2 days, be damn hard to do in a month. Still have a few years to go till retirement, getting less every year. Fortunately i had bought a Rigid radial arm saw off of ebay and brought it to work to use for odds and ends. So trained one guy to help me cut Baltic Birch 3/4 plywood and we got to it. Then the boss gets the great idea "we" had to have an assembly line going with anyone who wanted to assembling shelves, fortunately only a few decent guys wanted to and actually learned and did good at it. The "assembly line" consisted of 6 folding tables, 2 air compressors, 4 nail guns and 2 routers. No time or money to set a proper line up. Everyone survived, one injury, a nail in the hand. Done ahead of time and I still have a job.
    Ron

  11. #11
    Join Date
    May 2018
    Location
    Lancaster, Ohio
    Posts
    1,346
    At home my wife doesn't care what I make or how long it takes, not even what it costs. She knows where I am at instead of being gone to a bar, golf course, strip club or whatever.
    She does get concerned about the tools I buy, mainly how much money goes out.
    Her criteria is it has to have knots so that people know it is real wood, no paint or heavy stain, minimum to no plywood, and moveable as she rearranges furniture constantly.

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jun 2015
    Location
    Northern California
    Posts
    664
    Some do, until they see examples of some of my work. Then some want me to build something for them, until I tell them what it will cost. Some say okay, some gulp and say they’ll think about it. Some return and say build it, some don’t. But no one has ever told me how to build something or asked why I do woodworking. Maybe I’ve just been lucky in that regard.

  13. No, I can't say that I can recall anyone every trying to talk me out of wood working.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Oct 2008
    Location
    Columbus, OH
    Posts
    3,063
    Oddly enough, I recently got a comment from someone in the woodworking group I belong to that he didn't understand why I was building a timber-frame inspired lumber rack... I was a bit stunned, so I just told him I needed one and I'm a woodworker so....? and then walked away.. Some people are just a grouch..
    Brian

    "Any intelligent fool can make things bigger or more complicated...it takes a touch of genius and a lot of courage to move in the opposite direction." - E.F. Schumacher

  15. I hear this all the time "Why don't you just hire someone". Its sad but I'm sure a lot of people here feel the same way but I don't trust anyone....well, there are a few and I have used those people but as a whole I just don't. If it can be built, chances are it will be built by me in my shop vs being bought. Recently just finished building my new house. Yes I did it alone with some help from my dad but out of the entire place the only thing I had a sub in for was the foundation, drywall and standing seam roof. Otherwise it was all a product of my hands. Framing, electrical, plumbing, insulation, paint, I milled all my own trim, beaded inset cabinets, tile, hardwood, etc. I guess people just don't understand what it is to have pride in what you do and would just assume let someone do everything for them. Not this guy.

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