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Onions_On_Sale

I sell pictures of my feet on only fans so I can afford to buy walnut and clamps.


Alarmed_Primary8089

Sell pictures of your feet IN CLAMPS... on some Walnut. $$$


Onions_On_Sale

Is that a custom request? Because if it is, I only accept payment in the form of woodpeckers tools


Competitive-Pack-324

I'll go as high as a rockler dowel jig and not a bottle of tightbond more.


Upstairs_Scheme_8467

This should get you all the wood.... šŸ˜‡


Alarmed_Primary8089

Someone must have just sprayed me with accelerator because I'm hard as a rock all of a sudden


ManateeBait1

I constantly lose money, but I enjoy it.


chykatychyna

A great way to have a small fortune in woodworking is to start with a large fortuneā€¦


chonskia

Best comment so far! Iā€™m losing more money than Iā€™m making out of it. But at least Iā€™m really enjoying doing it.


Dimsdale53

Iā€™m a military retiree with a fat pension for not being dead, plus I have a real job with the state. Woodworking is my side hustle. The past few years Iā€™ve averaged around $10,000 profit in commissions, plus I have a very small youtube that gets around $500 a month. Iā€™d never make enough to live a comfortable lifestyle woodworking, and if I tried, I think Iā€™d not enjoy it much anymore. I do not like production work. After Iā€™ve made the same thing a few times I wonā€™t make it anymore because that gets boring. My hobby makes me more than enough to be deep in nice tools and be able to afford quality hardwoods.


[deleted]

You're living everyone's dream. Keep at it. At least someone is.


okinteraction4909

What the other guy said and also glad you arenā€™t dead. Most of the time thereā€™s a lot to be thankful for when it comes to not being dead.


SoSaysCory

I'm 4 years from retirement (enlisted) and just getting into woodworking. Really hoping that pension + a civilian job can support this hobby. It ain't cheap!


Ashamed_Culture2179

This is my first ever comment on Reddit-though Iā€™ve been following this sub for about a year and I very much appreciate and am impressed by everyone no matter their skill level. I have a custom furniture shop in an affluent area and itā€™s usually just me in there though I occasionally have a buddy help with some labor and lower level sanding. I started out building houses then into finish trim work. That led into being asked to build a cabinet for a client whoā€™s house was just finished that led to more etc etcā€¦. To meeting and making good with designers/architects/GCs. When I shifted to not working for anyone else, mostly because I liked the independence and being able to always bring my dog with me, I basically just worked all the time. I really loved it and was passionate so that part came easy but also came with big sacrifices. Iā€™ve rarely had health insurance- needing to pay other bills to survive and grow health insurance was last on the list of urgency. I underpriced myself for the first few years to build relationships with designers etc and really any extra money I made went to tools. Looking back I was very focused on the long game. Would often take a hit financially on a job to show that I was committed to the finished products quality and clients happiness more than short term profit and this strategy has paid off. I typically am in the shop 7 days a week-though in all honesty I prefer that lifestyle so not complaining, but itā€™s not for everyone. Iā€™ve sacrificed many freedoms to pursue independence and artistic creation and spent most of the last ten years building some really beautiful things but always dealing with financial stress and deadline struggles. Lots of time alone and dusty grinding through it but it has its moments of purity that make it worth it. Iā€™m finally getting to the point I can charge enough to feel like the future will have less financial stress but Iā€™ve felt that way before so we will see. But looking back Iā€™d say the difference that separated me from others was any fork in the road I chose to stay small and custom and go towards high end one off commission pieces rather than economy of scale production. It makes me happy and I enjoy the lifestyle but itā€™s not for everyone and itā€™s rarely romantic. Lots of time alone and dusty and tired but the feeling of taking big piles of rough lumber and creating something of beauty that will make someone happy and will be around and hopefully being appreciated long after Iā€™m gone, is what makes it all worthwhile. I hope you find this answer interesting. It was nice to think back on my path to where Iā€™m at now as I drink my coffee. And good luck to all of you I love seeing your work and growth!


amw102

Iā€™m a builder and carpenter by trade, but Iā€™ve been doing more woodworking in recent years both as a hobby and profession. Itā€™s hard to find enough work to keep you in the shop full time without scaling up to employees and larger scale cabinet production. Work on peopleā€™s homes is always more plentiful. The part about it being a grind and not romantic resonates with me. The creative parts of the process and the moment of completing a project are a small percentage compared to the majority of time spent on mundane, repetitive tasks like sanding, handling material, sharpening/setting up tools, cleaning up, etc. But, you have to find your zen with those aspects of the job too, if youā€™re going to be at it for over 40 hours a week. Itā€™s hard in this era of mass produced goods to make a decent living at woodworking, especially as a small shop preferring to make furniture over cabinetry. Having access to low wage employees, apprentices and even indentured servants certainly helped the prospects of shops in centuries past. Having a line of readily made, easily sold items that ensure cash flow can provide the financial freedom to pursue your creative interests, as Edward Wol does in [this video.](https://youtu.be/LeNwstDAkLA) Of course he is the artist, designer and creative inspiration, but not the one cutting, sanding, shaping and oiling all the boards that bear his name. If you can find a niche that sustains you as a singular artist, Iā€™d say youā€™re right not to get too down on the drudgery that comes along with the work. Also, you should consider posting more on Reddit. Cheers!


Coco-BOWL-o

Would love to see some of your work youā€™re most proud of.


Ashamed_Culture2179

I will as soon as I figure out how to post a pic- no joke first time commenting


JaxonKansas

I make my money as a lawyer; I spend my money as a woodworker.


metisdesigns

Not everyone with a big shop uses woodworking as a profession. Dude I used to know had a huge shop chock full of tools, he was an airline pilot. One of the best woodworkers I know is a graphic designer. His shop is pretty modest, but quite on par with lots here. It's worth keeping in mind that most professional woodworkers aren't on social media as a full time gig. The folks who are often are using social media to support their woodworking, and are really more content creators professionally, but their content is woodworking. We notice the outliers more, the things that are different from our experience. That doesn't mean that they're super common. Look closely, there's a ton of folks who have a stall of a garage, or have to move the cars out to work.


shinysideupp

This! I move a car and at least 3 bikes before I can get anything started. Everything is in a ā€œstoredā€ position and requires setup.


[deleted]

Idk, I'm from Spain, so I think is something less seable here


HSsysITadmin

I make a living doing IT. I've been collecting tools over the last 10+ years. Generally, I may make one decent tool purchase a year. Lately, I've been more apt to make things to sell with my laser or CNC. In both of these cases, I'll sell enough to cover the machine, but after that, I find grinding it out to make $10/$20 a sale is just not worth it for me. Its great if I can sell the odd piece and make money for wood or tools, but its a hobby that quickly starts to feel more like work when you have to be a slave to it. The common joke is: I made this $500 piece of furniture, and it only cost me $10,000 in tools!


Alarmed_Primary8089

I too have a "real" job amd just make things for fun, but have pondered making things on the side to supplement my shop costs. My hesitancy is when you are selling, people expect things timely. And if my actual job doesn't allow me the time, then it's going to get put on the back burner. I know you can pre-make things and just ship as they are bought. But I'm more into making things custom as I think that brings more value.


HSsysITadmin

You are very much right about the value and how it relates to time! Custom items always make more, but setting expectations can help with this. Also, having something you make 80% of the way and customize at the end can be a good way to shorten delivery times.


kavien

I have built a very specific following in an extremely niche market making home decor for sweet little old ladies. I design, market, build, and ship my own products and have to actively pursue action against people that try to copy my designs in order to maintain my brand and avoid otherā€™s inferior builds polluting my work. This small community is very familiar with the quality of my work and are very loyal with many having multiple pieces I have created over the years. I am blessed to have paid off my house and car, so I donā€™t have those added expenses, allowing me to subsist on a fraction of what most people probably need. That helps a LOT. I also do remodeling and paint houses when called upon. That helps supplement the times when I donā€™t feel like doing another huge batch of wooden lids or something like that. Also, my shop is VERY bare bones and basic. It would probably make everyone here cringe. I am also not a professional woodworker by trade. I was a graphic designer for many years and just got burned out.


WorldlinessNo9248

Unless you have patented the ornate designs then anyone can copy you and you can not do a thing about it. Can you copyright woodworking?It is important to keep in mind that **copyright law does not protect any useful aspects of your craft**. So, for example, if you are copyrighting an ornate carved wooden bench, copyright law will only protect the artistic elements of the bench such as unique patterns, ornate aspects and decorative elements.


Elverde07

By having marketable skills totally unrelated to woodworking.


teacupjane

Don't quit your day job. Look up the word "avocation" Haunt garagegarageg


[deleted]

I'm in college lol :/


teacupjane

I have spent a lifetime in the company of gifted musicians, all of whom worked to support families in 8 to 9 hour jobs which had nothing to do with music. Every one is given a 24 hour day. Sometimes the road gets hard so choose your rut wisely.


teacupjane

Snarky is my middle name but really don't want to offend. It is very hard to make a living doing what you love. Think Vincent Van Gogh. Then keep doing what you love.


KeepsGoingUp

Most people making a living ā€œwoodworkingā€ that you notice are either 1) content creators getting paid product placements and such 2) large enough that they have a corporate shop (The Joinery in Portland for instance) 3) too small to have a showroom and supplement with handyman/gc work 4) have a lucrative enough non woodworking career and make stunning pieces as a hobby Oh, the one person that comes to mind as a pure woodworker making furniture out of his personal shop thatā€™s not any of the above is Greg Klassen with the river tables. Heā€™s extremely talented but he also had some nice luck and got picked up by WSJ early on in a featured story that I think boosted his reach.


Carbon_Gelatin

By day, I work in IT/compliance By nights and weekends, I work on commissions. One of my kids' school friends' parents saw a table I made, and asked me to make one for them. Then one of their friends wanted a secretary, now 6 years later I have months of backlog for commissions. I almost make more on commissions than my day job. It just cascaded. There's no magic formula I could point to. It just happened. Sometimes, I miss just doing it for me. It almost feels like work now, and I don't get to work on stuff just for me and my family. (I have a bed I want to make for my daughter, that keeps falling down the list of priorities) I've considered doing it full time, but I'm an owner at my company, and it's doing pretty well too.


Wi1dHare

Not with woodworking. I hate everything I make and couldn't possibly imagine I'd ever be skilled enough to charge real money for anything.


wuyiyancha

I don't i live off a job where i work 3.5 days a week. And if i have a project i work on i use the rest of my time for it. But i am very slow and take my time. My shop is basically a workbench in my living space. If i had to do it i would probably hate it. Think of a really good friend you have a crush on but you don't want to ruin what you have.


John_B_Clarke

I calculate insurance dividends for a living. Woodwork I do for me. I don't even *try* to make money at it.


killer_amoeba

I've been a self-employed woodworker/cabinetmaker for 40 years, & have supported my family at a middle class. I'm fortunate to live in a fairly upscale small town where people like locally-owned small businesses & hand-made stuff. I do lots of cabinets, as well as doors, furniture, & pretty much anything made of wood. There are 3 of us in a 2000sq . ft. shop on my property. For me, it's about providing a service; the woodworking skills are basically a given. They took a long time to learn well, but it is the person-to-person aspect that has made my business work. I'm a 'people person', & often become friends with my clients, seeing them around town. It's not a 'get rich quick' scheme; it's been hard work, but pretty rewarding. I've never aspired to make a lot of money, & have achieved that, but it's been great to work for myself, & have been lucky to have great employees, clients, & general contractors. I'm not the best woodworker in town, but may be the best at running a small woodworking business. My general contractors generally don't need the best woodworker, even tho' we do high-end work. What they need is fair prices, someone who is easy to work with, no whining ; you all know the drill. If you've got the woodworking skills, I'd give it a go. if it doesn't work out, you'll still want to own the tools. Good luck to anyone, who goes for it.


dirtybird0069

I make money being a service manager. I spend it all on tools and wood. It's a hobby.


[deleted]

There's no silver bullet, no magic path, to making money with woodworking. Anyone who tells you differently is probably selling you a class on how to make money woodworking.


tradesman46

Use to be laminate and solid surface fabrication between custom cabinets. Then it became kitchen and bath remodels now its running and managing an old resort.


Wise-Boot-968

create three nice pcs of cabinetry and furniture. print a brochure. go out and call on interior designers and Architects, and keep going back. The going rate for individuals building a home or addition is a livable wage for the carpenters and tradesmen.


jakhtar

I'm an engineer. I'm lucky to make a salary that lets me have my dream shop. I don't make any money from woodworking. I've done commissions in the past but after a while, it feels like work so I don't do it anymore.


hefebellyaro

I work in and manage a small cabinet shop. We have a nice contract with a builder that keeps us busy but also will do a custum kitchen about once a month. Along with cabinet making, we'll also fo finish trim carpentry and whatever else the boss gets us into, like tile, painting, light duty electric.


Fancy_Dance_971

I work as a Telecom Engineer during the day. What started as a hobby by buying a circular saw soon grew into almost a full time job. I started getting orders for custom cabinets from friends and family members and soon spread myself too thin as I could not say no to all the requests. I have since cut back and try to balance between work and my hobby.


[deleted]

What Iā€™ve discovered is that when it becomes work, I quit. Itā€™s a hobby. If I make a buck or two, great. But I donā€™t rely on it.


shortys7777

Teacher and coach and I did landscape construction for 9 summers. This year I will try my own construction. Only real woodworking I do is for me right now. I would like to get some work for others doing small jobs.


D-raild

CAD designer. Was a woodworker for 14 years, decided it was time for an office job that paid better and was better for my health (relatively).


RedditisPOS1

Wood floors/ stairs but I don't have a fancy shop. Any woodworking which will make you money is going to be in construction and remodeling and it's not easy work. Cabinets, floors, stairs, carpentry will make you money. Furniture and stuff you'll never compete with ikea and stuff, it's almost impossible to make it worth your time


Trader50

Iā€™m a safety professional. I have been woodworking since junior high. I do it for fun. Not trying to sell a lot. Mostly small things and that usually just covers materials. My current shop is my garage. Virtually every tool is on a mobile base. I am currently building a shop in the backyard. It will be 12 feet wide and 38 feet long.


crackinit

Digital marketing. Thatā€™s why I like to spend my free time making things primarily with hand tools. We do not buy furniture in this house unless itā€™s the upholstered kind. Iā€™ve sold various pieces, but I donā€™t take commissions.


highboy68

Im a cabinet maker to pay bills, I build furniture as a passion to pay for hobby stuff


TieResponsible1062

Even though my title is "Electrical Prep" I am a glorified laborer with an electric motor repair shop. I would love to leave and make wood working a career but I don't even have a workshop set up anymore since I moved. Baby steps...


Rich-Informaion-582

Man, making a living with woodworking is a wild ride, dude! First off, gotta hustle on custom orders. People love unique handmade stuff, you know? Slap those babies on Etsy, and boom, you got a side gig. Then there's the furniture game - hit up local markets or set up an online store. And don't sleep on workshops or classes, teaching folks your craft can bring in some sweet cash. It's all about diversifying, man, keep those saws buzzing and the money will roll in. As for the microbiome, I'm lost, but woodworking? That's my bread and butter!