First real commission as a professional woodworker

that looks great alex i always find pricing one of the hardest parts of making stuff, once again well done looks lovely..

-- thats not a mistake... i ment that

Nice work, i especially like the finish you achieved.

-- Mark, Sydney, Australia

Congrats on your first commission.
It feels great, doesn’t it?

-- I may be schizophrenic, but at least I have each other.

Looking great, You’ll be making more I’m sure.

-- Guy,PEI

Is it a rolling island , or are the wheels a shop dolly ?
Your finish came out nicely. I have some White Oak projects in the works and that is my toughest decision to make …what color do I want them to be when I’m done ?

-- When did quiet and quite become the same word ? I'm guessing about the same time as your and you're did.

good job, i wish i could get some commissioned work.

-- Ike, Big Daddies Woodshop, http://www.icombadaniels@yahoo.com

Dusty56- it is just a shop dolly so i don’t have to kill myself moving it around my 20’x20’ shop. Personally I prefer a natural finish, but the client wanted it dark. If it were for me I would have tried my hand at fuming it with ammonia, something i have yet to try.

Bigike- search for some craft or art festivals in your area, thats how i got this job and another one coming soon.

-- You can't stand apart unless you're prepared to stand alone. Alex, Cleveland

Nice looking cabinet.

-- CJIII Future cabinetmaker

Hey good job, that’s a real nice looking piece. I know exactly what you mean by not charging enough. My first several commissions I underbid by quite a lot. Partly because I didn’t want them to freak out and partly because it’s really hard sometimes to put a number on something that you haven’t done before. I don’t think it’s right to charge customers for the learning curve of trying a new technique or skill. I do however think you should be paid what your worth. There’s a lot of time that goes into a project. There’s a forum here called Sweating for Bucks Through Woodworking
It’s in the forums tab at the top of the page.

I usually leave all of my pieces Natural as well , but sometimes you have to “blend” pieces together or a customer might have a color already picked out. Thanks for the feedback , and I’m jealous of the 20’x20’ workspace that you have : )

-- When did quiet and quite become the same word ? I'm guessing about the same time as your and you're did.

There is an excellent post on pricing your work at http://thewoodwhisperer.com/pricing-your-work/ put up by the wood whisperer (I am sure you have all heard of him and if not go check it out). By the way great job on your first commision. Be sure to read the comments after the article as well, there is a wealth of info here.

-- "One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it." Master Oogway

I like your cabinet allot. Good job! The first time I did a piece for money, I lost my shirt. I didn’t charge nearly enough.
What I have discovered is that there is a small number of people willing to pay what it’s worth. Good luck to you.

-- Emmett, from Georgia

First commision…awesome!
I hope there are many more to come in your future.

-- John in Arizona (but it's a dry heat!)

I agree with you it´s hardest part to charge, it would be ideal just only make things and some other person charge..great job you have done!!

-- http://www.facebook.com/pages/Puupaja/357028681017482

Wow, that is certainly something I’d pay for! Very nice color and design.

-- http://www.jordanstraker.com