| SoloWoodworker |
Page last updated ©2009 Charles Plesums Austin Texas USA | |||
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WelcomeFor over 50 years I have been a hobby woodworker. People saw my work and asked me to build things for them. I liked doing it part time, so a few years ago I "retired early" to build furniture full time. Basically I am doing what I love to do - and discovered people would pay me to do it. Not only do I like making things, I love the challenge of satisfying other people's dreams. An amazing number of people have expressed awe (or jealousy) that I would take the step. And perhaps an equal number of people assume that a complex business structure is required to sell something you make, so they haven't started. It's easy! I encourage you to take the step, start small, and just do it! This site will share how I did it. What this is NOTI am not a lawyer, tax advisor, or accountant. Anything I suggest is based on advice I have received that I believe is legal and honorable as it applies to me. It may also apply to you, but that is for you and your legal and financial advisors to determine. This is not another of many guides of how to start and grow a business. There are lots of books and articles on building a growing business that are better than this. Instead I am trying to fill a void - have a business that keeps me busy and happy - a real business, not just a hobby. A business that makes a profit proportional to the effort I put in. A business that is fair to other woodworkers who must feed their families from their work. But a business that does not grow. (Despite not growing, my business has paid for all machines, materials, and expenses, and has always been profitable.) People can't imagine why I don't want a tool or technique to increase my sales, allow me to hire helpers, and produce more. After over 40 years in business as a professor, manager, technician, and consultant, I don't want to create a big business. I don't want to be a manager (again). I want an activity that is fun and keeps me off the golf course. See the page "about us" for more of what this is and is not. For examples of my work, see www.plesums.com/wood. Pages will be added to this web site as time allows... be sure to check back. My initial unrealistic goal was to add a page per day but it is running more like a couple pages per month - basically when I feel like I have enough new info to put together a page. Your comments, suggestions, and experiences would be appreciated. Your questions may even generate a "general" answer that becomes a new page - many of the pages have evolved from email or forum discussions that I have had. SoloWoodworker - SoloWoodworking ???There is a group of custom furniture and cabinet makers in Canada that had a web site www.solowoodworking.com that is unrelated to us. (Group, solo? I don't know!). The site did not work for several months, but has started working again with a one-person (whew, solo) business, but every attempt to contact them - through their site and through email has failed. If you know about them or their site, please let me know. |
What's NewI have always felt that building kitchen cabinets was not a good business for a small shop. I have now documented why. I have a page on making cabinet doors that has been significantly updated, along with an updated spreadsheet for calculating the size of each door components. New page was added on various types of saws, especially those with round spinny blades. There are also special pages on bandsaws and resawing. It was expanded to show how to build a cheap bandsaw blade tension gauge. Be sure to see the series on finishing, now up to 5 pages long, including updates based on the next-generation product that replaced my favorite USL. |
This site (layout and contents) is ©2009 by Charles A. Plesums, 5702 Puccoon Cove, Austin Texas 78759-7177. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. | ||