FAQ
Do you review products that you receive for free?
Yes. As a very small company, we do not have the resources to purchase the latest and greatest products for review. After all, our job is making educational videos, not reviewing tools. But we are fortunate enough to receive products from various companies who are looking for some kind of exposure on our show. Ultimately, if the product is good enough and if the situation calls for it, these products may be seen in use on The Wood Whisperer. And if I am so inclined (and when requested by viewers), I may even post my experiences with the product as a review on the website. I am a straight shooter when it comes to product reviews and I have burned a few bridges with my honesty. Just because I receive a product for free does not in any way predispose me to presenting a positive review.
How do you make money?
In order to keep our content free, the The Wood Whisperer receives support from three sources: sponsorship (equipment and funding), viewer support, and ad revenue. Sponsors are specifically selected by me, based on the fact that I like their products. This is critical since sponsors frequently send us products that are used on the show, and I will not use a product I do not like. Viewer support comes in the form of shirt and DVD sales as well as our affiliate programs with Rockler.com, Woodcraft.com, and Amazon.com.
A fourth source of support, is my wife Nicole’s job. Without her financial support, this little dream of mine would never be a reality!
How do I enter the giveaways?
All you need to do is comment on one of our posts. Every month, we’ll pick the random winner(s) from the comment section of our blog posts. So the more posts you comment on, the better chance you have to win. And no forms to fill out!! Just an FYI, only real constructive comments will be considered. Things like, “Here’s my entry!” will not win. For more details, see Giveaway Page.
Is that really your garage and how big is it?
Many of our early videos were filmed in our old house, which had an attached 1500 sq. ft. garage. Our current, and hopefully temporary, setup is a standard 3-car garage. I prefer to call it a shop though. :)
What’s your favorite glue?
Well, my favorite glue depends on the application. I like Titebond II and III for most standard indoor/outdoor projects. For veneering I like to use Unibond 800. Truthfully though, epoxy is my favorite adhesive. Unfortunately, because of its price, its impractical to use in every application.
What respirator do your wear/recommend?
This is by far the most comfortable unit I know of. Comfortable enough to wear all day if need be. With a down-firing exhaust, you will never fog up your glasses or eye protection again. 3M Resipirator
What equipment/software do you use to make your shows?
I am a Mac enthusiast and I create all of my podcasts using Final Cut Studio, GarageBand, and my Mac Pro. My camera is a Canon XH-A1 and my microphones are Shure SM-11’s for the lavalier mics and a Blue Bluebird for Wood Talk Online and voice-overs. Our lighting setup consists of two light boxes from Steve Kaeser Lighting and Accessories, although we rarely use these in our videos.
How can I get a customized comment avatar?
Many of you have already noticed the new avatars next to your names in our comment threads (the default is the Wood Whisperer logo). I have installed a new plugin that works with Gravatars. Gravatars are Globally Recognized Avatars. It’s a super simple way of personalizing your comments on many websites around the web. If you leave a comment on a Gravatar-enabled site, it will automatically recognize your email address and assign your avatar to the comment post. It’s free and all you need to give them is your email address and a picture to use as an avatar. Sign up here.
How did you get where you are today?
I would be more than happy to give you some insight into how I got where I am. And believe me, I still have a long way to go. So grab a cup of coffee and get ready for a long story. I started out working in biotech right out of college. Like many of you, I had a good career ahead of me…….and hated every minute of it. I had a horrible commute, a bad relationship with my boss, and my love for science was quickly diminishing. Now on the other end of the spectrum, my woodworking hobby was getting more and more serious. I just couldn’t get enough shop time. In fact, my wife started getting quite annoyed with me because I wanted to spend all of my free time working in the garage. I loved spending time with my wife, but there was just something about being in the shop that really healed the wounds of the work day.
I started doing jobs here and there for friends and neighbors, which really planted the seed for my thoughts of starting my own business. After a while, we decided to move from Southern California to Arizona. Since I needed to quit my job anyway, my wife suggested I take some time to apprentice with David Marks (that’s a whole other story). After the short term apprenticeship (and I use this term loosely), we made the decision to start the business. I had to start from scratch. But I had two things going for me: a nice big garage for a shop and my wife makes a healthy salary. Things were tight for a while, but I managed to get by with only a few jobs here and there during the first year of business. During that time, I started to offer woodworking classes out of my shop. I also started shopping myself around as a woodworking instructor and scored a few jobs at woodworking schools around the country.
So by the end of the first year, I had a good website, lots of business cards, lettering on my truck, but not enough business to pay the bills. In order to help out, I got a full-time job with an engineering company here in Phoenix. I still ran the business on the side and I learned a few lessons. First, I was reminded how much it sucks to work 9-5. I also learned that I would be miserable doing anything other than following my dreams. So once we got through the rough patch, I decided to double my efforts and go back into woodworking full-time. And just to make things a little easier, I started working for a refinishing shop in Phoenix a few days a week. I had a steady flow of customers and felt pretty comfortable for a year or so.
And of course, in November of 2006, we started The Wood Whisperer. Nothing has been the same since. What started as a fun little side project has taken over my life and career and I wouldn’t have it any other way. We are still evolving as a business, but one thing is clear: The Wood Whisperer is our future.
So at this point I may not be the best person to give advice on how to make the jump to woodworking full-time. Clearly I am taking a different path that I originally anticipated. But if could give any advice it would be this: Build up the business while you have the security of a steady paycheck. Start doing some advertising. See what kind of prices you can command for your work while it really doesn’t affect you or your family. I would also suggest not limiting yourself to just building custom furniture. Build anything and everything people are willing to pay you to build. Don’t turn down refinishing jobs. They are a great way to make a quick buck with very little material investment. Also, if you are so inclined, consider submitting articles to magazines. The more you spread yourself out, the less likely you are to fall on your face. If one part of the business is slow, you can always rely on the others. By the time you have more business than you can handle in your spare time, its time to crunch the numbers and see if you could survive doing the woodworking full time. That’s the system that worked for me, and consequently that’s the system I recommend to others. Results may vary. :) In my opinion, this is the safest way to make the shift.
So its not easy, but its not impossible. You need three other things: skill, luck, and a VERY supportive spouse if you have one. If your spouse doesn’t share your dream, then you are dead in the water. There will be times that you have to make sacrifices as a family, and if your spouse is not on board, this can put alot of pressure on the marriage. Fortunately, the business was my wife’s idea and she has supported me every step of the way and continues to be an integral part of The Wood Whisperer. I hope my experience will help you in achieving your dream.
Check it Out!
Premium Membership
Keep Up With TWW!
Shop our Affiliates
Latest Video
Proud to be Sponsored By:
Support our Advertisers
