Mark DeCou's Forum Topics

Developing a "Presence" (formerly Image) of Yourself and Your Work for Customers. - 55 replies

Update from 12-15-2007: Skim Readers: I am learning in my computer-based writings, that folks seem to “skim” read, not fully comprehending what I am saying, as they miss details moving quickly down the screen. I haven’t figured out how to stop this, other than to write in shorter sentences, fewer paragraphs, and say nothing...

Business Cards, Brochures, and Promotional Items - who needs them? - 40 replies

During my recent church commission work, I had the blessing of working along side a really excellent craftsman (and nice guy) who did a bunch of remodeling work on the church. Since we were both working at the church, we went to lunch together, and I enjoyed getting to know him, and his wife, who also stopped by for lunch several times. One...

Folding Cabinet Saw Side-Table Extension Updated 1-19-2007 (copywrite 1-6-2007 & 1-19-20 M.A. DeCou) - 8 replies

I have been wishing for a bigger surface around my table saw so that I could cut big sheets of plywood, long pieces of hardwood, and have extra room to work on when my workbench is covered up. I have a small shop, 22’x32’, and it is cram packed with stuff. Anything I add to my shop has to be mobile, foldable, or storable. I use ...

You might be married to a Lumberjock, if............... - 25 replies

After some funny input today, I have decided to risk it all and open a new Topic, expecting that at least some of the input would be coming from the spouses of the lumberjocks. I don’t know whether my own wife will want to type in some comments, or just give them to me to type in for her, but here it goes: 1) From Obi: YOU MIGHT BE M...

Bosch Portable Table Saw Review (Updated 4-16-2007) - 17 replies

Recently I agreed to do a window trim project for a family, thinking that I could rip all of the boards to width at my house, and then cut them to length at the jobsite. Then after taking careful measurements the night before the job, I realized that each board would have to be ripped individually, as the older home and the new windows didn’t h...

Counting The Cost: Estimating Questions - 18 replies

I have struggled for many years to know, without much doubt, what a new project will cost to build. You know, the time, materials, overheads, etc. We all have different material costs depending on what material we use, and we all have different overhead costs. So, my real question has to do with figuring the labor costs of typical projects. ...

Oh My word, what about health insurance? - 44 replies

NOW HEAR THIS: I do not get anything from anyone for posting any names of health providers in this Forum. I do not sell insurance, nor get any commissions from any insurance companies (but I would be open to getting paid, so call me!), so what I have to say is a personal opinion, only provided to help open the discussion, and see what others a...

What Price to Sell it For? - 31 replies

Hey jocks:I was interested in getting some feedback as to what woodworkers think in relation to what pricing they are willing to sell their work for. Do you use time & material pricing, such that you figure up the material costs and add to it the number of hours it will take with predetermined shop rate per hour? Or, do you price things in...

Artisan vs. Craftsman - 23 replies

Hey Jocks:I’ve been thinking about something, and thought I would get some input. Most of us living in the USA, live, work, and sell our works, to a culture where the terms “craft” and “art” has become widely used, with variations as to the definition of the words. I also see that many woodworkers from around th...

Comments to Comments - 11 replies

Martin:I’ve been getting emails when someone puts a comment on my project, and I have been getting emails when someone posts a response to my Forum questions. BUT, when I comment on someone’s project, and they comment back to me with an answer to my question, I don’t know about it, unless I happen to go back to their project, ...