When you start a woodworking business, there will be costs involved. A woodworking business can seem to be expensive to set up. But if you plan for it, this doesn’t have to be the case. Tools are a major cost. You can control the tools expense by starting with necessary and gradually building up the arsenal.
Other costs are more immediate in nature. Lets have a look at all the major costs of starting a woodworking business.
Tools
Before taking on a woodworking project or beginning to work in a certain niche you have to insure you have the right tools for it. Either that or you can one, choose another more suitable project or you can buy additional tools. Read more on how to save money on tools and supplies.
Tool storage is also a part of expense on tools. Build or buy what you need to put away your tools securely and safely. This will prevent accidents, prolong the life of the tools and make working in the shop more efficient by letting you find what you need in an instant.
Wood and other raw materials
There will be many options to get wood and other raw material to complete the wood project you are working on. The easiest source is probably the closest depot store, if you are lucky enough to have one that stocks wood.
Read this post on the best places to buy wood.
Wood is probably going to be your largest recurring expense. So it makes sense to save money every time you buy. Read the following posts to save money on buying wood.
Startup Costs
There is the cost of setting up a wood shop depending on where you are starting at. For example if you are converting your garage in to a woodworking shop, it’s going to cost.
Some necessities will have to be provided for. You need adequate ventilation, lighting and safety measures. Depending on the project that you choose you might have to rig up electrical circuits, work tables etc.
At all times you will have to insure that your woodworking shop poses no hazard or source of bother to your family in the rest of the house and the neighbours.
Cost of additional labor
Are you looking to hire help? Many woodworking businesses do and just as many do not. If you starting a woodworking business making outdoor sheds or patios, you are definitely going to need to hire other help.
You can control the cost by hiring help on project basis.
Woodworking plans
Seasoned woodworkers make their own woodworking plans. But its really great and even necessity to have a set of professional woodworking plans. It makes the job really that much easier as you know exactly what you are getting in to and what you are going to need.
Having a good woodworking plan is also a good idea to estimate the cost of the project beforehand. This comes handily if you have to give and estimate to the customer. Woodworking plans can be bought online, got from books, woodworking magazines etc. Just make sure that the source is reliable and the woodworking plans you are getting are accurate.
The simpler the project you choose to work with the lesser will be the start up costs.
If you choose a project that requires power tools you will need to rewire the wood-shop to make sure that there are enough electrical outlets in all the important places. You will need a separate circuit breaker for the work shop since most of the woodworking power tools are high powered devices.
You will need to have additional lighting installed since the garage and an outdoor sheds are not known to be among the most well lit places in a home.
Here’s a couple of interesting articles to read: How To Setup A Wood Shop, How To Convert A Garage Into A Wood Shop.
Cost of Work benches, tables, stools, shelves etc.
What about work tables? Even if you are working with hand tools like saw, hammer, chisel etc. You will need a sturdy table and stool to sit on she you are not standing up and working. Depending on the size of the project, you will need bigger or multiple work tables.
It is a good idea to have a separate light for each area of work. A portage light over the work table on one that is movable on a stand. That way you can always focus the lighting on the area where you need it the most.
Dust Collection and Removal System
There has to be someway of managing the dust in the woodworking shop. You can install a simple exhaust system if you are not producing a lot of saw dust. However, simply blowing the dust outdoors is not recommend. Where is it going? In your house? In the neighbour’s house?
Saw dust causes health issues. So you need a way to mange them with a dust collection system for your woodworking shop. Thankfully many of these come at a very reasonable price. They are easy to rig up to virtually any kind of tool.
Get some simple tools and buy as you go along. Get a small tablesaw, not too small, a chop saw, a drill, some pipe clamps, a square, measuring tape, a few chisels, pencils, wood glue, hand saw and you can make lots of projects. After that I would buy a planer and jointer if you can afford it.
I started making planter boxes using a small table saw attached to the side of a non wood working bench, a no brand name miter saw, and two drills, one cordless one electric. So far it is working out just fine.
But some day would like to expand my shop.