When they find out you're a woodworker

[smorris]

We had some of our friends from the Power Squadron (a boating education club) over last night to discuss an upcoming inter-squadron competition, our annual kite fly-in. Someone mentioned our furniture and the wife told them I made a lot of it which led to a shop visit. Next thing I know my shop has been co-opted to make 7 trophies. I've been at it for the last several hours and have the bases and kite shapes to mount to them made. Now to figure out how to join them...

Anybody else ever get sucked into that vortex when folks found out you were a woodworker? I don't mind, it is actually kinda fun to do and I take it as a compliment. I will post some pictures when I get closer to completion. One thing, the wife decided she wants the award on the kite body so she is out practicing wood burning right now, that'll teach her.

[charliex]

As of 5 PM I will be loading a 48" square table with 2 12" leaves in to my Neon to make a 900 mile trip to TX for a niece's wedding. It's in knockdown form for the trip.
A 48 x 72 table with 5 quarter hard maple top and oak base is not a project for a small shop without a 5ft by 7ft flat assembly table. An uneven garage floor is not a good substitute. My daughter told her about the crib I built for Kayle (granddaughter) and that prompted the request. I get at least 1 request a month for projects. Keeps me busy.

[Richard in Smithville]

This happened with me a couple of years ago.

http://www.bt3central.com/showthread.php?t=38830

[gsmittle]

Yep. One of my co-workers (very nice Math teacher; the only one I can talk to without hyperventilating) asked me to do three CD cabinets for 1800+ CDs. Out of red oak, and finished to match the other wood in her living room.

I'd planned to knock it out over my spring break in two weeks, but I have to go in for back surgery (again!) next week, so it will have to wait for summer.

I'd rather be in the shop than the hospital.

g.

[cork58]

I have folks that will request something, then I decide the best way to finish their order and give them a price. Most always they didn't understand the high cost of materials and time spent.

That said if my grand daughter ask me for a rocking horse with real horse tail and mane and real pretty wood, well you know the answere.

[leehljp]

I used to let people know that I do some woodwork, but then it overwhelmed me and it is hard for me to say "no." So I don't mention it anymore.

I once had a lady call me (in Japan) and tell me that she heard that I did woodworking. I said I did some. Then she asked me if I could fix her Cello (valued at over $10,000). I replied, "I don't know anything about musical instruments!" She had lost the adjustable extending support stand/rod and wanted me to make a new one. I asked when she needed it and she replied "No hurry (it was Sunday night at the time). Not until Friday when I have a concert!"

I made one, it fit and worked great, and she really liked it. A few months later, she found the original, but she still continued to use the one that I made.

When my girls ask me to make something, I tell them to give me a year at least. But the grandkids - give me a few days to a couple of weeks!

[LCHIEN]

I have folks that will request something, then I decide the best way to finish their order and give them a price. Most always they didn't understand the high cost of materials and time spent.

That said if my grand daughter ask me for a rocking horse with real horse tail and mane and real pretty wood, well you know the answere.

what, she has to ask????

[pelligrini]

Yep, but I normally don't let volunteer organizations know I do anymore. I've made a mess of trophies, mainly for a charity dart tournament my team runs every year. I've got several bases for our league trophies I somehow said yes to doing. (i have since learned to not say yes to anything during meetings where I might be drinking). I built that shopnotes dovetail key jig today for those trophies too. The old vinyl covered MDF bases are getting pretty ratty.

I will usually do things for materials and beer. A knock down cart for hauling around dart standards I did a couple years ago netted me a case of Guinness and a couple half boxes of screws.

[sblg43]

Now that I own a table saw (BT3000) I have the ability to do more woodworking and building. Built some things for family as gifts and some things for my church (where I am pretty active already) but not any pro bono requests from outsiders yet.

Although, I used to work in a furniture store where we sold a lot of hand made pine furniture from Tennessee. My boss decided to retire and close the doors. Since then, I myself have built some pine furniture for myself (and my wife). Recently, I met one of my old furniture customers and she said that she is gonna contact me about building her more pine furniture (since she can no longer get it from the store that closed).

I'm gonna make some money!!!

[Pappy]

A neighbor's anniversary party was held at THEIR church a while back and the preacher found out I did some woodworking. Shortly after I got there he wanted to know if I could glue together a broken back slat on a rocker in the nursery. I told him it couldn't be fixed and hold but I could make a new slat. I volunteered to donate the materials and offered a 'reduced' shop rate of $30 an hour for the 3 hours I expected it to take to rough cut and hand shape the slat. After getting the deer-in-the-headllights reaction I wanted, I told him I would be glad to fix it for them.

I took the broken slat home and told him I would let Claudia know when I was ready for the chair so I could drill out the broken pieces of the old one and glue in the replacement. That was about 6 months ago and I am still waiting for someone to bring me the chair.

Most of the people at work know I do woodworking. I have done some custom work for a couple of them at a fair rate.

Then there have been the conversations like:

"If I buy the wood you can make this for me, right?"

"Sure, for the materials and $35 an hour shop time."

"Well, how about I bring the wood over and you show me how to do it?"

"How about you invest a few thousand in tools and supplies and, when you get the wood, I'll come over to YOUR house, teach you to use YOUR tools, and only charge $25 and hour."

They usually get the hint by that time....

[drillman88]

I have done a few small repair jobs for friends. I dont mind fixing a drawer face that has broken away or something similar. I have had people see the plantation shutters I built and ask me to build them some for money. I try to politely tell them I couldn't spare the time to build them. Then they say they are so expensive. They are expensive for a reason...They have no clue as to the amount of work involved in that type of project.

My wife is my biggest problem. She volunteers me for all type of things. I try to get money for materials and things usually go south from there.

We are good friend with a couple that I try to help out a good deal. They have 3 small children and the man has no handiness in him at all. They will give me a gift card or take us out to eat sometimes as getstures of thanks.

Good luck with you trophies!!

[pelligrini]

Then there have been the conversations like:

"If I buy the wood you can make this for me, right?"

"Sure, for the materials and $35 an hour shop time."

"Well, how about I bring the wood over and you show me how to do it?"

"How about you invest a few thousand in tools and supplies and, when you get the wood, I'll come over to YOUR house, teach you to use YOUR tools, and only charge $25 and hour."

They usually get the hint by that time....

Nice! I'm going to have to remember & use that one.

[natausch]

The trick with keeping the words "My husband is a woodworker" out of your spouse's mouth is to alway keep the next two projects on their mind. The three project rule; what I'm working on, what I'm planning and what you want after that has worked so far with mine.

[atgcpaul]

I'm way too nice and my wife realizes that. Nearly everyone I work with knows
I'm a woodworker and since some of them have been to my house, they know
I'm good

That being said, though, I tell everyone who has a project in mind to get in
line behind what my wife already has me doing. They usually get the idea. My
wife reinforces it if they ever meet.

[thetimbo]

I practiced in our newly put together garage shop for about a year. Then I made a couple of pieces for co-workers at cost. That was all it took. Now I have people standing in line to pay 10% over cost. We'd never make a living, but I enjoy the look on their faces when I hand over the goods.