Start A Woodworking Business – A Complete Guide

It’s challenging and equally rewarding to start a small woodworking business from home. Even more so if it is a one-person business as most home based ventures tend to be. These here are a compilation of the popular woodworking posts on the subject of running a small but successful and flourishing woodworking business.

New Entries

1. How to tune, setup and maintain a table saw.One of the most important and frequently used tools in a workshop, it pays to know your table saw a little intimately. Whether you are setting up a brand-new table saw or you need to spruce up an old faithful, this knowledge will hold you in good stead. This one is about tuning and maintenance of a table saw so that you get the best results from it every time year after year.
2. How To Sell And Market Your Wood Crafts –  A definitive guide.Sell more, earn more. That’s the mantra to success for any kind of business. It is also one of the most frequently asked questions on this blog. Woodworkers everywhere want to know how they can sell more of their wood crafts or get more custom woodworking jobs. This article is about the various and many effective ways you can promote and sell the wood crafts you make.
3. How to cut plywood for straight and clean cuts every time.Sheet goods like plywood are popular because of two main reasons. They are more stable than wood and more cost-effective. However, a plywood board of decent quality plywood is still expensive. Also, because of the way it’s manufactured one has to treat it a little differently than wood. This article is about how to handle plywood, get clean cuts and the perfect finish for your projects every time.
4. How To Make A Perfect Birdhouse.This is one of our favourite, all time, evergreen wood projects. But you and many others may not realise that what we like in a birdhouse might be very different from what our furry little friends like. This article is all about building a perfect birdhouse for the right bird. It includes information like the right size, height, shape et cetera. This one is not about us, it’s all about the birds.
5. 3 hand planes every wood shop should have and their uses.Get the most beautiful finish on the wood surface that is impossible to achieve with any other kind of tool. Level that surface and make tenons that fit perfectly. All that and much more with 3 hand planes. This article describes the 3 hand planes that every woodworker should add to their workshop, and some of the magnificent uses they can be put to.

Getting Started

1. Top 10 Wood Items to Make And Sell.What’s the secret to making more money with wood crafts? Well there are no secrets really, just some good old time-tested strategies. Along with the strategies there are also some time-tested wood crafts with a history. It is the history of being popular with people and proven best sellers over the years. This article combines compiled a list of 10 such bestselling wood crafts in popular woodworking categories. Enjoy reading and feel free to add your own input at the end of the post. We would love to hear your ideas.
2. Start A One-Person Woodworking Business
   
   Why a one person business is a common and even a recommended way of starting a woodworking business from home. It is easy to set up and has many advantages. Learn how you can get started on your own.
3. What Woodwork to BuildAddress the commonest query of starting a woodworking business. What woodworking craft or furniture should you make that is both uncomplicated to build and profitable to sell.
4. 7 Ideas and Concepts For A Woodworking BusinessThere’s so much you can do with woodworking. Here are 7 specialized ideas and categories you can start your woodworking business in.
5. How to Start With Your Current SkillsStarting a woodworking business with a current skill set is not only possible but highly recommended. Learn how you can use any level of ability to start a woodworking business and then grow into other specializations per your choice.
6. How to Setup a Wood-shop
   
   Setup a great wood-shop even in a limited space. Learn how you can make a workplace that is safe and productive. Learn to use space efficiently so that you can do more, in less time, working mostly by yourself.
7. 9 Wood Craft Ideas That SellUse these popular woodworking craft and furniture categories for your own woodworking business. These woodworking items are always in demand and have a proven track record of many years of being high selling woodworking products.
8. Wood Toy Projects.Well, it’s a sensational niche to work in, making toys for children. But alas, this field of woodworking is also over run with laws and stipulations that makes it almost impossible for an individual woodworker to make and sell children’s toys.

   However, it is definitely worth checking out what legal requirements you are bound by where you reside. In this article discover how making children toys and children furniture could be a very profitable move for your small woodworking business. Discover the secret behind why wooden toys can be the highest selling crafts you make.

9. 7 Great Ideas For A Woodworking BusinessEveryone knows that there is tons you can do with a woodworking skill. These are 7 different ideas for 7 different kinds of woodworking businesses you can start.
10. 10 Safety Habits For Every WoodworkerEvery woodworker should know this. Safety in the wood-shop comes before everything else. A quick revision of the do’s and dont’s in the wood shop.
11. 7 Things That Usually Go Wrong In A Wood-shop and How To Fix ThemYou will know this when you read it. These are mistakes or problems that most commonly occur with every woodworker. Learn the easy fixes to your woes.
12. 10 Great Ways To Improve Your Woodworking Knowledge and SkillLearn more and build better. That’s the motto. Here are some easy and effective ways to learn woodworking from the scratch or to get more savvy.
13. Complete Guide To Buying Wood, Veneer, Plywood And Sheet GoodsLearn all there is to know about different kinds of hardwoods, softwoods, veneer, plywood and all kinds of sheet goods. Make the right choice.

All About Woodworking Tools

1. 21 Must Have Tools For A Woodworking Business
   A list of must have tools to run an efficient woodworking business. Everyone wonders at some point of time what tools will be the best and long-lived addition to their wood shop.One wonders where to start… and where to end, if there is such a thing when it come to buying woodworking tools. This posts starts with the must have tools that one can begin, and goes on to an advanced list  or those taking their work shop to the next level.
2. How To Measure, Mark And Cut WoodMeasuring and cutting wood is about 50% of the work you do. Beg to differ? More like 75%? The point is that every woodworker knows that the slightest of mistake while measuring and making the cut can prove to be very expensive both in terms of time and money. Therefore, it’s highly rewarding to get the measures and cutting techniques right. In this article we talk about some effective tips and tricks to help you make the right cut every time.
3. 7 Kinds Of Hand SawsDid you know that there were more kinds of saw you could use for your woodwork? You probably know about the 2 different kinds that are used to rip and cut the grain. But to add to the fun of using these indispensable hand tools, we are going to tell you about 7 handsaws you cannot do without in your wood shop.
4. How To Use PlanesSmoothing your wood projects by hand. A router and a table saw are fast workers. But sometimes it is just easier and faster to reach for a hand plane and put the finishing touches.
5. How To Use Chisels To Clean, Make Cuts And Joints.“Hand tools deliver the kind of work results unmatched by any power tool.” This or something to this effect has been said my many experienced woodworkers in as many prestigious publications. There is no woodworking job you cannot do with a worthy set of chisels and a mallet. So here is delving a little bit into making joints and other fine cuts using chisels.
6. How To Sharpen Hand Tools On A StoneIf there is one golden rule for getting good results from woodworking hand tools, and enjoying using them, it is to keep them sharp. If they are not, you will never get accurate results, no mater what your technique. Fortunately, it is not difficult to keep your hand tools sharp. There are many ways to do it, and this article discusses how to sharpen them on a sharpening stone.
7. Using Portable Power Saws

   Circular Saw And Jigsaw, the 2 most common kinds of portable saws in a wood shop. Most people expect to do rough work with these saws. But if you know what you are doing, they can give you surprisingly accurate and ‘final’ results.

8. The Table SawThe most go-to tool in a workshop, table saw is the first serious power tool all woodworkers aspire towards. This article is specially helpful if you are in the market for buying a new table saw. Modern table saw comes in many sizes and designs. Get familiar with features you need to look for when buying.
9. The Band Saw

   The band saw adds a tremendous amount of versatility in your woodworking. Suddenly it’s possible to cut curves and shapes out of food. A good band saw is a formidable tool and just like any other power tool, it also comes in several variations. This article hopes to get you familiar with the different basic features of a band saw and also with what you should be looking for when purchasing one. Discover some pro tips and tricks along the way.

10. The Woodworking Router

    Is there any woodworking task that one cannot complete with just a router and a generous set of router bits? This post is about getting you up to speed with the working, features and capabilities of a woodworking router. This is extra helpful information if you are looking to buy this much loved and coveted power tool for your workshop.

Business Basics

1. Commercial Woodworking Tools – Do You Need Them?Even though some resources may have you believe that you need commercial woodworking tools to run a woodworking business, read this post to learn how you can get the best out of your existing set of tools without investing highly in commercial grade tools.
2. How To Cut Enormous Costs On Wood, Tools and Woodworking Supplies

   Learn how to save money on all your woodworking supplies and materials, whether you are buying for a professional job or a pet project for home.

3. Hiring Help – Does Your Woodworking Business Need It?Hiring help has its own share of complications. Learn where to get the help you need when you need it without complicating the taxation and revenue affairs of the woodworking business.
4. Advance Payment Policy

   Learn one of the most important principle of accepting payment for your woodworking jobs and contracts. How to accept advance payment and how to avoid loss on any woodworking job, always.

5. Photo Albums, Blogs and Websites

   Learn more about creating your portfolio of work with photo albums, digital albums and online photo galleries. Discover the advantages of creating simple one page websites and how you can get them setup in minutes.

Getting And Dealing With Customers

1. 4 Really Cheap Ways to Promote Your Woodworking Business

   A business is nothing if you do not have customers. Discover some great and really cost-effective ways of advertising your woodworking business that deliver targeted customers without putting a dent in the business cad flow.

2. How To Deal With A Potential CustomerIt takes work to convert a potential customer in to a paying customer. Learn the ways you should deal with a new potential customer so that you either make the sale or get the woodworking job in the offing.
3. Giving Customer Service – Dealing With ComplaintsLearn to follow-up and deal with compliant and turn a complaining customer in to a lifelong customer who gives you more revenue and refers more sales to your woodworking business.
4. Working for Contractors and Government Contracts.The important things to keep in mind when doing woodworking jobs for other contractors. Learn if you should take these jobs, and what to expect if you do.