How to become a professional woodworker
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- čas přidán 11. 07. 2024
- My name is Keith Newton, and I have been a professional woodworker for several decades now. I've made everything from dining tables to custom guitars and violins. Recently, I have gained a following on Instagram and many aspiring woodworkers have asked for some advice on how to get started So, I figured I would make a video for everyone to watch with a few tips that I've gathered from my years as a professional woodworker.
You can view my Instagram at the following link, or by searching my name.
/ keith_newton_originalw...
Here is PixelCut, the tool I mentioned for creating product photos:
www.pixelcut.ai
00:00 - Intro
00:08 - Why Sourcing Materials Matters
01:25 - Ideas For Sourcing Materials
03:10 - Spec Pieces vs. Pieces That Pay The Bills
05:44 - How To Decide What Kind Of Spec Products To Make
07:12 - Building A Book Of Business
11:27 - Pricing Your Work
I hope that this video was helpful to those of you who would like to make woodworking your full time job. If you have any questions or video suggestions, please let me know. You can comment here or message me on Instagram. Thank you for watching.
Amazing Advice and Ideas! Thank you brother!
Thanks for the info. I retired five years ago and bought a saw mill. I am a wood turner by passion and a table maker sometimes. I have about 900,000 lbs of hard wood in what was a horse arena. Walnut oak ash and cherry. Also Osage Butternut and some other rare woods. It’s been the best five years of my life. Your advice is spot on. I am just outside Toronto Canada on a large farm with a huge bush lot full of tight grain maple and ash.
I like that your workshop doesn't look like a tv studio 🤓👍
Thank you for watching!
I've made a full time living as a woodworker for 38 years to be precise. I followed you right up to the point you explained how you price your work. What I actually took issue with is just how poorly you explained it.
That is literally the single hardest obstacle any woodworker will have to overcome. You'll have material costs, overhead operating costs from sandpaper to utility bills, mortgage or rent, machine upkeep, maintenance and replacement, taxes and the list just goes on. You have to at a minimum learn to be a book keeper or in my case merry one.
Also when you said, " add in a little bit for labour" I nearly choked!. If you're not properly calculating a fair price for your efforts, skills & knowledge than you're making your profit at someone else's expense!. I don't think that's what you're doing, but it's how it sounded.
When I was a lad growing up my neighbour who was a great craftsmen, teacher and my first employer was always fond of saying " For free, I can go fishing !".
I totally agree with your take. For me, the costs need to be granular. I know it’s not for everyone, but it helps me to know exactly what the costs are across the board. Accrued machine costs, utilities, appreciation and depreciation on the property, work related expenses of all types. This is how one can see if they are solvent at the end of the day. Maybe I’m too analytical for most, but it’s just a plain logical approach and it can be super interesting as well.
i think this carpenter is heart strong not math strong and it reflects in the pricing method. for those who have a spouse who is math strong and supports you: God's blessing is upon you.
Knowing the cost per each -nails, screws, sandpaper ect ect. Knowing the cost of a 1/8 inch bead of glue 24 inches long is also valuable. Streamlining your processes is also critical. Knowing how much electricity each machine uses is critical. There are many more cost factors that go into it. With enough time and effort I believe if you truly want it you will have it.
I appreciate the feedback and I do see what you mean now that you have pointed it out. I'll make another video going into more details the costs and hopefully that'll clear it up.
Note to self: Buy a forest so I have my own wood.
😂😂 my old boss had that kinda luck
Work at a production shop. You'll have plenty. I do.
😂😂😂
I have that luxury, hopefully we will be moving into our new house in a few weeks. I’m just getting started, but I can’t wait to learn.
It's not as hard as it sounds
I stumbled across this and really enjoyed hearing about how you're handling the business part of your trade. I'm not a woodworker, but I've been a self employed stonemason for the last 21 years, and there's so many parallels in making a living in the each of these crafts.
I've haven't needed to do much marketing in order to stay busy over the years, but I've finally started to let myself turn down some of the projects that don't inspire me in order to save room for more interesting stuff. That can be scary when you need to earn a living, but the tactic of reaching out to designers and architects is something I haven't done enough, so you've motivated me there!
Thank you for watching and congratulations on your success, it's not easy staying busy for 2+ decades on your own!
I love the advice about looking after your fingers.Back in the days you could always know a joiner /woodworker at the bar buying a drink.He fumbled a bit with the coins.One or two ends of his fingers we're missing
Thanks for sharing those nuggets of wisdom!
Much appreciated!
Glad it was helpful!
What a friendly and pleasant conversation it was. Thank you for sharing with us Keith. I hope you continue to share. Warm greetings.
Thank you
Great video! I am not a professional woodworker by any measure, but I thoroughly enjoy working with wood and your comments. Keeping any company vertical is the key to success. I am glad you highlighted this, as profit makes the difference between having a hobby you love and making a living doing something you love. I subscribed and will be on the lookout for more videos. Thanks again!
Thank you very much! Very kind of you and glad to have you.
Thank you for sharing. I'm looking forward to more videos from you in the future.
Thanks for watching! I’ll have more in the next week
Thank you for this video. I follow you on IG and now you have a channel. Great stuff and I look forward to more videos.
I appreciate that, thank you!
looking forward to more of these videos, very insightful
Thank you for watching!
Thank you for the inspiration! It is nice to see a woodworking shop and not a woodworking museum.
Thank you for watching!
Love your work and insight in the industry!
I appreciate that, thank you for watching.
Thanks for all the good advices.
No worries!
Great advice. Looking forward to other videos.
More to come. Thank you
Hey! Just found your channel. I've been woodworking about 10yrs now. I'm in Visalia, grew up in Fresno.
Well hello, happy to see someone from the valley here. Thank you for watching!
Excellent advice in here. Would add though that many people who are aspiring to be professional woodworkers might not want to put too much effort into material sourcing right off the bat. Learning how to build things effectively and market yourself is going to be your first priority. Once you start making money and gain experience in whatever niche you begin to occupy, then perhaps looks to save money by sourcing more raw lumber products... or not even. Do you make more money milling raw lumber and saving on that or delivering finished products to customers? And then of course weighing what is more satisfying to you as well. If you're making enough, it's not always about making the most money.
Fantastic lesson 👍 thank you very much
Thank you for watching!
This is awesome. I can’t believe you’re in the 559. Great talent and amazing content.
Thank you for watching!
I'm a handyman starting my business and your insights are brilliance.
I'm glad they are helpful. Feel free to let me know if there are any other topics you'd like me to cover.
Just found your channel, great advice from someone who knows the ropes, excited to learn more 👍
Thanks and welcome!
Very good detailed explanation of the other stuff a professional woodwork shop is build of.
Thank you for watching, I'm happy to hear you found it useful.
Happy I found your instagram. And lucky you started a CZcams!
Thank you very much!
Thank you sir!
Thanks you for watching!
Love it man!! I’m a local and have been doing a lot of cutting boards lately and am beginning to want to make the jump into making small furniture and eventually making nice desks and tables. I see what you mean though about finding a way to source wood I think that’s one thing I really need to figure out realistically if I factor in the time spent on the board vs my day job I’m losing money due to supply costs especially since people enjoy different species and varied colors and patterns in boards and that’s not to say my boards are cheap that’s just how much wood costs these days ready to go.
That's great to hear that you are making boards. It can take a while to nail down the business side of things.
i run a tree service and we just made our first table top from a tree we cut down and had milled. this was very helpful. it is kind of you to share as you have. thank you.
That is awesome! I'm glad this helped.
Great video! Lots of good info.
Glad it was helpful!
I've been a woodworker for many years and love watching all of your videos. Keep going
PS: Your workshop looks like mine 😂
Thank you for watching!
I, too, harvest my own logs from my farm, have it milled, air dry then kiln dry it. I have lots of boards that I have $0.35 bd ft that are worth upward of $10 bd ft.
I enjoy your insights! I love to learn from those who have been there, done that! Rod, from Tulare.
Hey Rod! You're close by.
@@KeithNewtonWoodworking yep, I get most all of my hardwood and sheet goods from Fresno/Clovis
Thank you!!!!!
Thank you for watching
Hoping for a part two ! Thanks
Thank you for watching, any specific questions for another part?
About how do you get your inspirations : )
Watching form Winnipeg Canada. Neat perspective
Watching from Morden Manitoba 😅
Well thank you both!
Great start to the channel! Hoping to start posting on mine again soon lol. Instagram takes up too much of my time 😅😅
Thank you!
Very nice. Recently made a table inspired by you.
That’s very kind of you. DM me a picture on Instagram!
@@KeithNewtonWoodworking will do!!!
awesome
Thank you!
I love your work too!! Do you kiln dry your own logs? I thought I saw in a previous video of your that the kiln you were building is now a shed. Thanks for the great advice. I am just starting out and have slowly built up a workshop, so that I can eventually do it full time. I love your channel ❤
I don’t use a kiln. Air dry
Thank you Keith. I'm retired looking for a hobby that makes a little cash. This video helps!
I'm glad! I started as a hobby.
I'm intrigued by your commentary on having your own sources for logs vs purchasing rough lumber. Haven't given this much thought before, but it makes sense. Can you give a few examples for the cost of some of the logs you source? You have me wondering if investing in a small mill would be worthwhile. Thanks!
I'll be making a video soon because I have logs coming in from Oregon but this recent purchase was 4-5 logs about $10,000.
Keith, I'd be really interested to see that video. At first blush that seems like a lot but depending on the board feet and slabs obtained the numbers could be quite interesting. The local hardwood suppliers get anywhere from $6-15/bf for most hardwoods, and $12-18/bf for walnut.
I'm in the Napa Valley and feel like there are enough hardwood trees coming down in the immediate area that a small guy with an improvised logging trailer, some labor, and solar kiln in the yard could make headway in controlling costs.
You've made a compelling case for doing your own milling. However, at what point does the cost of doing your own milling outweigh having someone else do it for you? Not only the somewhat expensive cost and maintenance of the saw, kiln, and heavy machinery to move things around, but most importantly your time. Are you a woodworker or a lumber mill? If you spend X number of hours per week dealing with milling your own lumber, is this not X number of hours per week you are not producing end products or actually having any personal free time in life? A quote I like to repeat is "many things in life are cheap or free when doing them yourself, if you don't value your time."
Dude it actually costed me everything I ever had it ruined my life don’t take his advice
And yeah all my time gone can’t even crap
Sawmill, hire a guy to use it 10 days a year costs me 200 a day on average. I only had 12 pieces on my last big cutting spell and he cut those in 4 days. Dry in air here in fresno 1 year per inch of thickness. Spray for bugs before stickering . I never run out of material. I cut only 5 logs this spring. Yes I tie up money into material . But I sell green material and dry material so I get some revenue. I am on social security, I have been in business for years as a pro and hobbyist. I don't take vacation or have a outside life. I am struggling to survive as well. But sometimes, about once a month. I sell something. Then I reinvest all of it an keep going.
Just found your channel, I like your approach and content. Would be interested to hear more about how you build and finish Violins.
Noted! I'll make a video on that!
@@KeithNewtonWoodworking excellent thank you!
Sounds mighty fine to me thanks a lot talk to yous later.
Glad you enjoyed!
It takes what EVERYTHING takes, deep pockets!
It takes what everything takes, time. If you put the money you make from woodworking back into tools and a shop it’s totally doable. That’s how I got started while working with a below average salary. You can do it if you want it!
I'll make a video with some stories but I had to get creative early on in my career when sourcing material. Its certainly the hardest part.
Interesting take on your lumber supply. I assume this is only in the slab market, as I don't work with slabs but only milled rough stock. I have a few different suppliers and none of them are high enough to make me even consider milling it myself. It does seem like slabs have skyrocketed in price, probably due to their popularity. Slab furniture just doesn't do it for me like it does everyone else I guess.
That's great, if the price works keep it! Slabs are very popular right now.
Wow, I’d love to do guitars ( I play badly). Pity I’m not closer, would love to do an apprenticeship! I stumbled into woodworking only a few years ago……
I'll show mine off here some day! There is a lot of great information from amazing woodworkers online to learn from. I still learn everyday.
I am having hard time deciding my labor per hour or day. I have been doing woodworking in Turkey for 5 years now. Labor cost up here is really low. And the interest in high quality furniture is really low. So please tell me how you decide your labour per hour or day. Thank you for the great advices by the way.
Keith, where do you store the pieces you make until they are sold? Im trying to build in inventory in order to market my work.
I have 2 storage containers on my property.
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
thank you!
Keith - How do you process your logs once you but them?
Just posted a video on this actually!
Do you kiln dry your material as well?
I do not, just air dry.
Very inspiring the words you say ! I’m 45 , living in NJ . Are you hiring?
Thank you! I'm not currently.
I would love to be an apprentice for him and learn.
I'm not taking apprentices but if you're ever in the Central CA area, swing by and say hi.
777👍🏻💯🙏🏻
and remember if you want to make more profit you need to plant your own tree
I did plant black walnut trees. So far I have purchased over 2 lbs of black walnut seeds in the process.
dude is kevin costner from the future
Ha!
Wait, buy a mill is step one?
Step one is a bridge too far for most people. Only those truly motivated to create will find a way forward
the sound is low and unclear!
thank you for the feedback
I like that your workshop doesn't look like a tv studio 🤓👍
It's definitely used!