The Formula for Success? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from SGT Grigsby, a Serviceman in Italy who asks: “I am exiting the Military in a couple of weeks and on to Furniture-making school (Thank you GI Bill), My questions are: when you decided to start your own business, what was your formula for self success? How did you balance income versus new tools before the WW’er fame? Did your market shift (meaning did you start out doing finishing work and then ease into furniture design?) I guess i just need to know if it’s just a little luck and a lot of effort or is it just being in the right place at the right time?”
And this was my response:
First off, congrats on the furniture school. That is awesome. And of course, thank you for your service to our country.Now I try not to get into the habit of giving business advice, since my experience is rather limited. I only ran my business for about 2 years before I started The Wood Whisperer. And obviously that changed everything. So I can’t really offer you the wisdom of years of experience. But I did learn quite a bit in that time and I will share some of that with you.
So my formula for success? Hmm…not sure I had a formula or even a definitive plan. If there was any secret, it was remaining flexible and going where the money was. Now I don’t know if that would have been sustainable over a long period of time, but that’s what led me where I am today. So obviously mine is a unique case.
First, I learned to juggle. Meaning…I became a jack of all trades. Finishing, refinishing, on-site repair, cabinetry, built-ins, commercial jobs, and of course, studio furniture. They were all fair game for money. Keep in mind that the crap jobs can always lead to new builds. Several of my refinishing customers eventually turned into custom furniture customers. And nearly all of my custom furniture customers were repeat customers over time.
The next thing I learned was that not everyone wants your “best” work. Your best work is very expensive and should be reserved for the customers who are willing to pay for the time and effort you will put into it. So figure out ways to scale back the cost, without making tremendous sacrifices in quality. But sacrifices will need to be made in order to keep your doors open.
Another thing I had to do was stop thinking like a hobbyist. Hobbyists buy tools and supplies because the want them. A business-owner buys tools because he needs them. And in many cases, this can be more fun because when you do buy a tool, you should buy a GOOD one that will not cause you more expense over time. Also, hobbyists tend to work a lot in small bursts. When I finally had a full 8-10 hour workday to utilize, I had trouble adjusting. It wasn’t until I worked in a refinishing shop and started partnering with other craftsmen, that I realized just how much I could accomplish in a full day.
Also, make sure you get to know some of the other craftsmen in your area. Not only can you pass work back and forth to each other, you can also collaborate on major projects that you could never accomplish on your own. And leave your business cards everywhere! Nicole was a master at this. lol Make sure you target the markets that have the most money. It may sound shallow to say this, but people with more money are more likely to spend it on custom furniture.
Oh and the final piece of advice would be to learn how to run a business. You should not take this lightly. Without a solid understanding of how a business should be run, you are much more likely to fail. Look for either continuing education night classes or even free seminars given by the city that will help you choose what kind of entity you want to be and how to run it. That’s about all I can come up with right now. Good luck my friend, and keep your nose to the grindstone.
Sander or Scraper? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Jeff who asks: “Marc, generally speaking, when would you advocate using a sander, and when a scraper to finish a surface?”
And this was my response: “Well to put it bluntly, I never use a scraper for final finish preparation. My scrapers are tuned so that they take a pretty aggressive cut, which makes them useful for leveling. But I don’t really like the surface they leave behind when compared to a nice 180 grit sanding. That’s not to say you can’t get a killer finish prep with a well-tuned scraper, its just not my preferred way of doing it. Call me lazy, but I would much rather sit there and let the sander do all the work while I daze off into space and think about whats for dinner.” :) But, I know people that swear by the scrapers and as a result, save money on sandpaper. So there is definitely some merit to it. To each his own I suppose.”
Does anyone out there use scrapers before finishing?
Using Clamps Vertically or Horizontally? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Doug. “Hi Marc, Just watched the latest pod cast - good stuff as always. As I watched you glue up the doors, it occurred to me that I, we, you seem to turn the clamps with the “thin” side doing the work. Is there any reason we can’t turn the clamps on the side and use the bigger footprint? Inquiring minds want to know.”
And this was my response: “Hey Doug. No reason you can’t do that. I just find that the clamps are much easier to use in the vertical position. If you lay them horizontally, you will have trouble turning the handle. Many times, I will use one or two clamps vertically to secure the piece and keep it raised in the air a few inches. Then I will add a few clamps horizontally to take advantage of the extra surface area. Keep in mind though that when the clamp is on its side, there isn’t much vertical clamping surface. So for thicker boards, this would lead to excessive pressure at the top of the joint. But for thinner material, it should work perfectly.”
Recipe for Sanding Sealer? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from a viewer who writes: “I’ve really enjoyed your podcasts, they are all very informative. I recently found myself more exited about woodworking. Though I’ve had an interest since childhood, I never really had the resources, till now (my wife also supports my dream). Anyway, I was watching one of your podcasts and you mentioned a recipe for making your own sanding sealer. Would you mind repeating that on an e-mail, or even easier, remind me what episode I’ll find it. Thank you so much for the added inspiration, though I’m starting later in life than you (36, I know this is going to be a lifelong passion. Once again thanx Marc keep it up!!”
And this was my response:
“You just can’t underestimate the importance of spousal support in something like this. I know far too many people who have to work against the grain just to get a new tool. That doesn’t seem like much fun, lol.”
“As for a sanding sealer, I usually just use shellac. Typically a 1 lb cut. There are two ways to do this. I either buy pre-mixed shellac (Bullseye SealCoat), and dilute it from 2lb cut to 1lb cut. Or I simply but dry shellac flakes and mix my own using denatured alcohol. So its not a true sanding sealer by definition, but it accomplishes the same thing. Oh and just a word about true sanding sealers. In general, they contain material that can interfere with finish adhesion to a small extent. The stuff that makes it easy to sand is the same stuff that can weaken the bond of the finish to the surface. So in general, I stay away from commercial sanding sealers. Shellac on the other hand, provides a great base for just about any finish. Hope that helps.”
Finish for a Plywood Bathroom Vanity? - Question of the Week
This week’s question comes from Gordon who asks:
“Hi Marc. I have a customer who has requested a bathroom vanity, where the sink sits in the middle. My problem is that she is requesting it be made all of wood and I am worried about a top that could be exposed to sitting water. Is there a finish you would recommend that would hold up under those conditions as well as something that might not be too hard to apply? I talked my customer into a plywood top versus all solid wood. I assume this is the best way to go to prevent expansion and contraction. My second worry is sanding through the veneer if I have problems with the stain and getting a perfect surface.”
And this was my response:
“This is one of those cases where you have a tough decision to make. True standing water protection just can’t be done without the use of a thick film finish. But most folks don’t want their vanity top to look like a bar top. So you need to do something with a thinner film. But the thinner you go, the less protection you have. So, that’s the game you have to play. In cases like that, I let the customer make the decision, since ultimately they have to live with the results. If you want the beauty and look of true wood and wood grain, you simply can’t pile on the finish. So it might not be a bad idea to make up some sample boards so the customer can see the look she will get from each level of protection. You can start with maybe a simple wiping varnish, 3-4 coats. Then move up to a full-strength varnish, 3 coats. Then move on to a spar (marine varnish), 3 coats. Then move up to a poured epoxy finish, which will make it look like a bartop. I think this is probably the safest approach and will help you deliver the product with confidence.”
“Using plywood here seems to be a wise choice. With the humidity swings in a bathroom, you want as much stability as possible. Just be careful when you trim it out, because that’s where you will burn through the veneer if its going to happen. Flushing up the trim is always the risky part. As for the rest of the ply, a light sanding with 180 grit is all you should have to do before finishing.”
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