Starting up a decent workshop

Dream job. I imagine it's a pretty competitive space... social media would be one to develop as soon as you are certain this is going ahead.

Good luck!

Have you seen Jord's Woodshop on YouTube. He has great 'local' clips and a number of discussions about setting up and tool reviews.

Come on Metrix, .... any excuse for new toys

drool.

You might also consider a Domino machine rather than a mortiser, depends on exactly what you are producing and the price point. I have the under over 12" combo, a good machine, I don't use a sander, I pay per piece to run what I need through someone else's full size unit. I do have a saw that will take a dado set, quite handy however few local machines (Euro style) will take them so you are generally relying on the American style machines. The euro style will normally have a retractable splitter, the yank ones you generally have to take the fixed splitter off. I have generally been able to use others machinery first to work out what size suits what I do, as long as you can access larger thicknessers and jointers a smaller combo unit will do most of what you need and not be much of an inconvenience. Trying to make a living from this type of work is a challenge, it is a small market, however if you have a bit of a design flair (I don't) you should be able to create a niche, I am a hobbyist but do get requests to produce stuff, but as its friends usually only charge for materials so my experience on the marketing side is worthless.

A 14" bandsaw should be all you need and the Jet one you reference has good guides and is a nice unit, I have the Carbatec version, its ok under powered which simply means you need to make sure your blades are sharp. If I was to repurchase it would be the one you are looking at.


There are books on workshop set up, I'd like a full size saw but don't have the workshop space and don't intend sacrificing yard space to extend the shed. In any case if its sheet goods off to the cabinet maker and paying for a few cuts is worth every penny compared to the capital outlay for a hobbyist.

Originally Posted by METRIX

I wouldn't say it's really competitive, yes there are a few doing it and they charge a fortune for it, if you offer a quality product at a reasonable price people will buy... .

Yeah, your price point could set you ahead if you can really sustain it. My suggestion would be not to underestimate how important having online pricing (even a guide) is... as you say, many people will see quality and assume huge associated costs.

Will be interesting to see how it progresses.

Just a couple of things to add:
Dust extraction.
And keep an eye out of on machinery auctions, you may be able to pick up a bargain.

Metrix, if you want detailed user info on Carbatec, contact this bloke: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCaW...ycHwvkrrYccaFw

Metrix, if you get this up and running in the next couple of months, let me know. We'd be keen (depending on price ;-) ) on something very similar to what you made in the bathroom (with re-cycled messmate). There is a couple of guys I know of around our area in inner Melb who I was going to talk with, but if you're up and running, let me know.

Are they going to be flat pack? Then you could send one to Perth

Originally Posted by toooldforthis

Are they going to be flat pack? Then you could send one to Perth

OMG you said f!@t p@__ in Metrixs' thread! :eek:

Originally Posted by OBBob

OMG you said f!@t p@__ in Metrixs' thread! :eek:

I tend to use four letter words a lot lately

It's a dream metrix, but you won't make money out of it. People have to be in love with the process and the origin of the wood to pay $3k plus for a dining room table or whatever. While there are always people prepared to pay, there is a lot of hours that go into it.

if you want to because you love it, go do it, if you want to make a reasonable living, think about it again

I sincerely wish you the very best of luck. I've dipped my toe in that same water with "bush furniture". Everyone loves it, oooh's and aaahhhh's over it but when asked if they would open their wallets guess what. Nope. I'm as sure there is a market for it as you are. I think arsing that one customer that has a lot of the "right kind" of like minded friends is all it takes to get the ball rolling. Unfortunately (or fortunately) one has to make a stock pile of pieces for display (that can be sold of course). I have 5 pieces of ironbark furniture under the house gathering dust. They will go (back) to the farmhouse when I build it. I got so depressed with the whole process of no one buying that I almost burnt the lot. Then I changed my mind and decided to give the pieces away. Then I changed my mind again and decided that no one other the me actually deserved any of them and everyone can get forked. . Now I don't know where to go with it. I'm hoping bowls are easier to sell than furniture.

My brother was in a similar situation - he does it part time for extra cash, as the work comes in waves (normally word of mouth from friends of former customers).

A good mate started life as a framing carpenter, but had a passion for fine joinery, and ended up doing fitouts for a mid-level kitchen company. He got sick of seeing them charging $100+/hour for his services, and paying him $25/hr (at the time). Finally he had the realisation that he could probably go out on his own & do the same, and even if he only got 50% of the work he had with them, he'd still be 100% better off financially. First job he got the walls were way off plumb, and drove him crazy correcting it. Architect visited and he made mention of how he had to pack things out & come up with clever ways to hide obvious flaws in the frame, but this one particular frame was out by 25mm from top to bottom, and had a full height pantry beside it.
He convinced the arc to talk to the owner about fixing the wall - which meant calling back the gyprock guys, but the result was worth it. That arc kept him busy doing kitchens for several high-end renovations, as well as new builds, and he managed to pick up a few more along the way. Now he's doing custom joinery for all manner of high-end properties, and even some corporate customers - he redid the boardroom at one large company near my work - new cupboards, hidden TV, and a huge 25+ seat boardroom table (in 4 pcs).

The hardest part is getting the first few jobs - but you have the capacity to get through that quiet start-up period, and I reckon if you got on board with a few architects & project managers of high-end renovations, it wouldn't take long before you would be spending 3 weeks making it all, and a week fitting it out on site.

I wouldn't mind handling that for a bit but can you easily get such big timber lying around!

I can. No problem

Originally Posted by METRIX

Now this is a nice machine

Think your shed size requirement just went up ...

Bandsaw? Make one of these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiDJp6utmUM. But use plywood (torsion-box construction) instead of solid wood for less chance of warping.

Originally Posted by fredgassit

Bandsaw? Make one of these: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aiDJp6utmUM. But use plywood (torsion-box construction) instead of solid wood for less chance of warping.

Can'tseethisoneeither!

Originally Posted by phild01

Can'tseethisoneeither!

What is this "no spaces" issue? It doesn't happen to me on any browser!

BTW, I loaded the youtude vid just fine

Originally Posted by r3nov8or

What is this "no spaces" issue? It doesn't happen to me on any browser!

BTW, I loaded the youtude vid just fine

Yep every so often typed spaces get ignored.

When I click on the video I get this and when I click on watch video, nothing happens.

Metrix, all power to you. I plan to "make things" when I give up the day job/retire 'early' (whatever that is these days) for some spending money. While I have over 20 years service in one large company I've held 8 very different roles so boredom is not an issue for me. In the past I've made various 'fine joinery' things but a 2.4m low-line TV cabinet/storage is the largest, and I refused to pay way over the odds for showroom examples. Took me a while but as a fun leisure activity I don't put a price on my time and I added to the tool collection. 10 years later people still ask where I bought it. We all have dreams, and following at least some of them, however small, is the spice of life. The very best wishes for you on this journey

Originally Posted by phild01

When I click on the video I get this and when I click on watch video, nothing happens.

I'm using Firefox right now and it launched straight to playing the video for me. Weird

Looks like your browser's screwed up Phil.
You may want to try resetting it in the options. Google/Bing will show you how if necessary.

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Looks like your browser's screwed up Phil.
You may want to try resetting it in the options. Google/Bing will show you how if necessary.

Am thinking similar, I tend to leave many tabs open. But the spaces thing, not sure!

Originally Posted by METRIX

Thanks,

I would look at making modern bathroom vanities, and entertainment units as these are items that appeal to a wider audience, if there is one thing I have learnt along the way, is not to restrict your product or service to a small niche market, keep it appealing to everyone there are enough people out there making tables and chairs.

.

this is the one I got made - 3 pieces of roofing members from the reno, thicknesser and jointer then dominoed together.
on entertainment units - I think this is declining rapidly at the moment, TV's are so thin and light, they are being hung on walls, and nearly everyone I know now only watches online material and listens to online music, so the days of stereo systems etc and needing to put them somewhere are going (speakers are more often becoming active with own amplifiers)

Originally Posted by METRIX

That-one-looks-nice, disagree with entertainment units demising, yes the typical bulky pine thing that housed a big stereo is a thing of the past, nowadays these are pieces of low furniture bordering on art rather then a big ugly box, new units have smart storage as part of the design that house a set amount of equipment required for modern day setups

I still need somewhere to put my switch, Android box, optus box, a small PC (because the in-built browsers on smart TV'S suck) plus I do a lot more on the PC connected to the main TV than just browse the net.

Then there is the Sonos bar sits on the unit, soundbars are hot sellers, and not all of them can mount on a wall, and not everyone want's it mounted on the wall, I know I don't as it looks ugly on the wall, my TV's are always wall mounted, with all concealed wiring that enters the entertainment unit so you see nothing, my unit has 5-6 connected devices hidden inside a sleek walnut / brass legs / handle less low slung unit and you would never know anything in inside it, this is the type of thing I am talking about.

I spoke to an upcoming online outlet with showroom in the trendy inner west of Sydney, Walnut / Poly entertainment units are one of the biggest movers they have, comment was we cannot keep up with demand for them, so somebody must be buying them, they are charging premium prices and the build quality is fairly ordinary upon closer inspection.

Such as brass legs spaced with ill fitting steel spacers, legs riveted together with crap fitted rivets, legs which have not bee re linished to smooth out the badly fitted rivets, or shadow timbers that were so rough you would swear these were rougher header then simply painted black, or the poly coating inside the unit is so rough you would thing you were touching sandpaper very ordinary, that's because they are imported from slave labor countries which have no idea of quality, it's all about what looks good from the top, it feels smooth from outside and close enough is good enough, and they are charging a lot of money for these.

Out our curiosity, why did you choose the timber feature in your bathroom you posted, who made it, and how much did it cost ?

Ok ok ok, you've thought about, I'm convinced!

not it sure why we decided on that, maybe just looked at lots and lots of vanities, and nothing really grabbed us, so builder brought up the idea of a cantilevered vanity out of recycled. I have no idea how much it cost, me and my son helped make it at the builders workshop, but with the steel in the wall and the hours, it would have been over 3k maybe?

3k? For a slab and a basin? Not from my wallet!

where would you set this up? is it just going in the shed and thats where you work out of or are you going to lease/buy a small industrial area shed

remember what ever you buy can be claimed on tax if you intend on making a profit off it and some places may give ABN holders discounts.

on entertainment units - I think this is declining rapidly at the moment, TV's are so thin and light, they are being hung on walls, and nearly everyone I know now only watches online material and listens to online music, so the days of stereo systems etc and needing to put them somewhere are going (speakers are more often becoming active with own amplifiers)

i agree with this to a degree look at most of the reno shows on TV, 90% of Tv's are now wall hung and the entertainment unit underneath basically holds a dvd player and is then used to store/display thing. the entertainment unit is now days is normally just a low line display cabinet which may hold 1 or 2 devices

Originally Posted by havabeer

i agree with this to a degree look at most of the reno shows on TV, 90% of Tv's are now wall hung

Most of these have awkward viewing angles and are far too high. I was going to wall hang mine but considered it better to make a low slung wall mounted unit.

Originally Posted by phild01

Most of these have awkward viewing angles and are far too high. I was going to wall hang mine but considered it better to make a low slung wall mounted unit.

Likewise, I get a sore neck if it's not at seated eye level or lower.

I get nervous because of how often we seem to rearrange furniture.

Sent from my Nexus 5X using Tapatalk

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Likewise, I get a sore neck if it's not at seated eye level or lower.

Depends on distance from screen. 75" screen with the bottom 1m up is too high if the seating position is 2m away, not so much if it's a big room where seating is 5m away.

the example on the block that got so many thumbs down was only 2m from the seats

Originally Posted by METRIX

I will be selling this house soon, next place I am looking at acerage so won't be a problem.

So my bowl will be a selling prop ?

On another note Metrix, how are you finding the bosch SCMS ? I can't handle my makita crapbag much longer. Contenders are Bosch like the one/s you have or a hitachi. Metabo, still not sure. Bits to like but bits to dislike also.

I'm considering the glide but they are even heavier than the SD I think ? Dragging the Maks heavy @@@@ out of the van is bad enough but I would pay the toll for accuracy. My biggest issue is potential saw abuse from others on site. I'm pretty sure the base is bent on the Mak. Stand a piece of skirting up against the fence - cut on the left side fence only and the cut is not square ( about 1.5 mm out) on the right side of the fence it's close to the point of being nearly acceptable. Lying timber flat on the deck is a lucky dip. It's a decent enough saw for framing but for what I do it's no where near in the ballpark. Some heavy duty mods are also needed for the saw bench which at present is a large pile of turds.

If you're not cutting rear big stuff I still find my baby Dewalt brilliant. So compact, accurate and quiet!

I'd go a smaller saw if I could get away with it OB but there is no chance unfortunately

Originally Posted by ringtail

I'd go a smaller saw if I could get away with it OB but there is no chance unfortunately

Yeah, it's a shame you can't give your current one a service and tuck it away for big requirements and get a small one for everyday stuff.

I was worried this wouldn't be sufficient but have been pleasantly surprised... but I'm just a weekend warrior.