Here is the Link Go for it :) https://www.facebook.com/northamericanwoodworker

Now and days I hear woodwork from home, business opportunity, be your own boss build furniture all day without ever leaving your home. Now and days everybody has a system that works for a business some will sell you a book on it others will send you plans, and one will even give you your own 800 # tied to your cell phone. Now I know right now you are dreaming of making dust and it magically turning into money. Well let me fill you in on a little secret. No system you buy will ever work 100% let me explain One of the things is we as hobbyist do is run to the nearest lumberyard for our material well we pay retail or get a small discount on what we use well when you get into a system you tend to do the same thing sometimes you luck up on a small time operator lumberyard that works with you and gives you a 20% discount WOW your rolling big now Right? NOT
What separates the pros from the DIYer’s is where we get the material, the hardware, and the knowledge to work with. right now I know your thinking like this cat right here

My God he is killing my dream, my little business, my hopes!!!! Well to tell you the truth I am I was thinking the same thing was running the same game as the books I read said to do. I followed some of them to a tee but I asked for advice and it sometimes worked but I always seemed to fall short as a woodworker till I got baptized not by no preacher or water but by a sales rep in the cabinet industry in knowledge Knowledge I hated to hear but soon became sweetness I tried to fight and reason to stay dry hoping to not get doused with this seemingly painful words tearing my little world apart but it made sense. What was this holy grail I was handed? Well it is simple 1. just because you do woodworking does not mean crap to anyone I know you do but no one cares you do woodworking it is what you can do for them. 2. Buying big box most of the time they try to kill the little guy distributors that work with woodworking shops are the way to go (note: you need to be a licensed business)
3. The three P’ not the pigs but Products, Place, And Perceived value it all boils down to this one if you are offering the same things the competition is or using retail materials that any common store sells then you are just asking to be the laughing stock of the town and get beat up on labor cost. Why would I pay $65 dollars for imported cheap plywood when I can get domestic grade top of the shelf for about the same cost. The place sometimes we run into friends and family that support us but that is not always the way for some some just can’t afford you or the materials putting up flyers only pisses people off or gets the cops called, ads bring in the common crowd but one of the things I learned from a jobs class is networking basically starts with you finding people who appreciate nice built things, and are willing to buy but be warned to #1 again put your business out first (what you offer) then elaborate on your self and finally Perceived value If you show up dirty don’t have the displays, products and the ability to show and explain then you will always be the garage woodworker who can never get that new toy because no one values me because I am always competing on price instead of value and as a executive one told me Value only has value if it is valued !! Now sometimes I am like the cat in the picture but then that is a good thing sometimes we need to Know that we are in the wrong area going the wrong way even if the fields are green and grassy I hope this is some help and in 2013 the tide will change I will post more on this here in this Blog So yo think you can go pro Stay tuned

The wise Albert Einstein once quoted once we accept our limits we go beyond them, well not much has changed in my realm other than I had my surgery and am back on my feet. The reason for my title is after my last post I went on what I thought was a good roll. Boy was I in for a shocker of what my limitations were and whom was causing them, yes people put limitations on you too. In July I had bought $480 buck of cedar lumber from the lumberyard I always dealt with ( mind you this was the Last of my savings prior to layoff) when the truck arrived I had 22 8ft 5/4×6 cedar boards well I was befuddled called the lumber yard and was told I had bought 11 16ft boards and they cut them down sound fishy? it did so onto research I priced 1800 Bd ft of the same cedar wholesale for about .90 per lineal ft cost shipped is $1750 I figured something was up but I had to get ready for IWF I was going and the person whom I called a friend who was up visiting lived a half a mile from the world center in Atlanta well this fell through two days before as he left without cause or to be heard from again. So back to what was going on with the lumber after not showing at the IWF one of the salespeople for a major tool company called to see why well as a discussion pertaining to the lumber came about ( he said it sounded fishy too. ) Hmm I shrugged it off till I got a Phone call from John ( the guy at the Lumberyard) saying he had someone interested in my chairs. Well the guy called, it was his buddy wanting to buy my templates and mass produce my chairs ( put me out of business before I start) I told him no and started asking questions only to find out John had been jacking the wood prices Sky high high to cut out my profit well what followed was a not so nice three way phone conversation. After the incident the sales rep called me back as I discussed it with him we figured he charged me about 3.25 a ft for the boards well as I seemingly sulked about loosing my lumber supplier he referred me to a company he works with they referred me to a local distributor for cabinetmakers after a phone call to them I had everything (more references) ranging from finishes to hardware and lumber. Still no cedar though. I tried marketing only to find out the local high end communities discourage backyard non franchise common place business marketing of flyers ( soliciting as they call it ) After several business attempts I went door to door only to be nicely asked by the police to leave ( I was scaring someone) after this I went to ask a local business to set up in their parking lot only to be informed I had to ask the board and get a permit well As I inquired they obliged but for a $150 a day fee Wow, OK, off to Lowe’s and Home Depot they have a job board right WRONG !! they took it down at the beginning of this year to prevent any fly by night ops and to promote their services. Damn back to square one. but one bright spot is I found a little community outside the high end one (kinda of higher end one too) that is acceptable to small fries like myself with no competition around so I might have gotten my big break but now I know what my limitations are I can move past them Hopefully I will be on here more too :)

Flyers- cost $250 Result: No contact or leads

Postcards- Cost $175 with postage No results

Flea market $25 Result: sold one junk item for $20 no profitable leads plus it seem to be more junk anymore

Facebook ads $100 Result: 75,000 reach 25 likes no leads

word of mouth free getting referrals is a joke at best but let me not give my stuff away free I am a demon from Hell

What I want to know is from you guys professionals, Backyard sellers, and all others is what is a profitable and easy way of achieving customers? What do you use? What is the cost? and do you have something profitable to sell is it easy to make? Sells Quick? I am looking for furniture or larger items like benches Etc. I have a list of tools here they are

Table saw
Scroll saw
mortiser
router table with routers
shutter jig
drum sander
Spindle sander
jointer
planer
miter saw
dovetail jig

This is all for now I would like to hear back fro you guys

As I begin this series on shop organization I must give you a little background for my reason and inspiration first off my reason. My shop is small 12’x16’ total of 190 sq. ft. I have acquired more tools, and machines so space has shrunk and my original layout is not working anymore. What to do? what to do? One of my options is to build onto my shop expensive and not really feasible. Another would be to build a new one Nice but no on that. So with these two gone all that is left to do is modify what I already have. Now for my inspiration While strolling through Lowe’s I always admired the tool chest by cobalt for the mechanics tools roll around, plenty of drawers and the door for the fridge give me an idea on how to build mine :)

After reading a book called two second lean I stated a list like in the book of what annoyed me the most Come to find out there were quite a few repeat offenders here is a list

Tool Layout- Either tools/ processes getting in the way or conflicting with each other

Small tools – I was losing time looking for them or losing them in the dust / clutter

Large jigs or tools- always getting left on the tables or floors or just wherever

Portable tools- always laying down and never placed right

One word Sawdust

My first box is made from pallet wood and resembles the top tool chest built by Heluvawreck

it will store the following small tools

Top Till / Lid

6 Chisels
2 #4 Planes \
1 Block Plane
Bevel Gauge
dovetail saw
2 marking Knives
1 rabbet plane
1 12” combo Square
4 in hand rasp
1 jack plane

Drawer #1

12” dividers
9” inside Calipers
9” outside Calipers
6” inside calipers
Dovetail Gauge
Door hinge Gauge
6” Dial indicators

Drawer #2

4 12” Irwin Quick grip clamps

Drawer #3 Router collets/ bushings, Drawer glide jig, Door handle templates, and kreg Pocket hole Clamps.

I hope you enjoy journey to a clean shop and efficiency in a small place :)

thank you and God bless all of you

wwww.facebook.com/impressionswoodcraft

Click the vote button you will be redirected to vote

Thank you all greatly because of guy’s like you I have made all the way up to 363 Letks make Impressions Woodcraft #1

Seven simple questions make up the plan

1. Who am I ( What makes me do what I want to)

2. What Do I make (product)

3. How am I going to sell This? (marketing or selling out the back of your Truck)

4. How am I unique with my woodworking ( niche)

5. Where do I want to go ( Growth and capital)

6. How am I going to get there (projections and 5year plan)

7. What’s Next? ( When you get to where you wanna go)

You can waste time and money on the plan like I did or you can make it simple and put the effort into your business. Even the Urban Entrepreneurs or UE’s need a plan but as UE’s we need to focus more on the business end than the planning. We don’t need the financing we will make it as we go. All profits after taxes and bills go to us not shareholder’s, Banks, or investors. Plan wise and you can make it Plan foolish and waste time and you will sit there and do nothing and allow failure to be an option. I story I remember a story I was told once an eagle and rabbit was sitting and talking and the rabbit asked the eagle can I set and do nothing like you the eagle replied sure well along came a hawk and ate the rabbit the moral of the story to be doing nothing you must be very high up!!! As An urban Entrepreneur we Just can’t afford to sit and do nothing So Stop reading and get to Planning !!!!

I know it has been a while since I posted here on LJ’s but that is because I have been busy in a sense and on another I was in a major funk :( So Get your glasses and a cup of coffee this is going to be a long post I hope you enjoy.

All year has seen setback one after another wondering what was wrong I went on a research binge well her is my story of why Get ready this is deep!!!

This past Sept 27th I attended a Presentation put on by LRMR Marketing and The Cash Flow called 330 CEO’s Well during my venture to do a 60 second elevator pitch to win 10,000 Dollars for my business I met a lot of great people and learned immensely about what I was doing wrong LOL :) One thing I found out was I was an urban entrepreneur and got to learn from some others about what it took. What is a urban entrepreneur?

1. SLANG: Elegant way of saying someone is a street hustler; someone who makes money selling illegal merchandise (or legal merchandise illegally) on the street or in an urban/ghetto area out of his residence or an illegal place of business (ex. warehouse, back of a grocery store, etc.).

2. PROPER: One who owns a business that caters to the city life, or owns a business located in a city. The term entrepreneur is more correctly reserved for one “seen as a business leader and innovator of new ideas or business processes.”

As woodworkers Well off or starving Under employed, Unemployed, or Just loving what we do we don’t want to be classed with the guy selling bootleg DVD’s out his van on the corner but let’s face reality ask yourself these Questions.

1. Do I have a store? or do I sell my wood working out the back of my truck ?

2. Do I have a 50,000 sq ft shop with the latest tech to mass produce? and employees at my disposal ?

3. Do I have a passion for what I do but no Funds to do it with but have the basic tools to make it.

We are the same if you answered the questions right if you didn’t you shouldn’t be reading this post.

The top ten things that define an Urban Entrepreneur (taken from under 30 CEO)

The term “urban entrepreneur” has two principal connotations: someone who starts with no resources and builds a company or brand into a success; and someone who uses the perfect blend of book and street smarts to run their business well.

1) Urban entrepreneurs stand at the intersection of street smarts and business smarts. We are agile, passionate and inspirational.

Typically, UE’s admire the business moguls who have made use of the skills they learned in the streets to help them run their businesses. One obvious example is Jay-Z, who lifted himself from a rough upbringing in Brooklyn’s Marcy Houses and turned himself into a global icon.

2) To be an urban entrepreneur is to choose a different path — one built on creativity and resourcefulness. When resources are limited, we must create them; when unexpected barriers come up, positivity must kick in; when our peers say we can’t do it, we must continue to climb.

UE’s are loaded with great ideas and concepts for products, but generally have little startup capital to work with. In some cases, though, limited resources can be a gateway to entrepreneurship. One year a man named Michael Kittredge wanted to give his mother a heartfelt Christmas gift but couldn’t afford anything fancy. His problem ended up the greatest thing ever to come from crayon wax and rope: Yankee Candle.

In 1998, Kittredge sold his company to a private-equity firm for $500 million, having along the way inspired many other entrepreneurs — including his son, Mick, who founded his own company, Kringle Candle, last year.

3) To me, urban entrepreneurship means the opportunity, the ability and the desire to do what is needed, where it is needed most.

An aptitude for filling marketplace voids is one thing UE’s tend to have in common. It begins simply, often in childhood — that kid who, in the immediate aftermath of a major snowstorm, is knocking on his neighbors’ doors, offering to clear their driveway for a fee? He’ll grow up to be an urban entrepreneur. Find a void, fill it — lock in and conquer.

4) Urban entrepreneurship means financial independence, creative freedom and being able to inspire other urban youths to follow their dreams.

You’ll find that most UE’s place a high priority on giving back to their community — altruism that stems from knowing the feeling of having a great idea and needing just a little help to get over a hurdle. Why take our word for it, though? A sense of community pervades the comments of many of the other 100 Urban Entrepreneurs:

5) I’ve always enjoyed taking an idea from nothing and turning it into something. The excitement of discussing entrepreneurship with kids and seeing the desire in their eyes makes being an entrepreneur priceless.

6) Urban entrepreneurship is the power of understanding how to bring out the best in people to build an empire that thrives on community and the people who make your idea a success.

7) Urban entrepreneurship means building an empire and leaving a legacy while not forgetting where you came from. Success means nothing if you don’t help others along the way.

8) Urban entrepreneurship means my success is not solely for my benefit — that we have a greater responsibility to reach other young “could be” urban entrepreneurs to illuminate their path with the beauty of our light so that they, too, can delight in the joy of success and pass it on.

9) Urban entrepreneurship means investing resources in yourself and that which is directly around you.

And, finally, urban entrepreneurship is about aspiring to reach the greatest heights of economic success — for with success comes freedom, and the chance to pass on your wisdom to those who follow in your footsteps the way you followed in those who came before you:

10) Being an urban entrepreneur means the ability to manifest your fullest potential of the true spirit of the American Dream — to have the freedom to carry on the journey of entrepreneurship, while remembering who you are and where you came from to leave a trace of inspiration and know-how along the trail.

As an urban woodworker working out of our basement and garages having family instead of employees wanting to sell our woodwork to the world have a different set of rules The rules of the SBA and the Business practice of the main street don’t apply to us. We might not be able to secure $50,000 in loans or capital, we might not be able to spend thousands on marketing or business sometimes all we have is a circular saw and a cup of coffee and a dream. In part two I will cover the basics to get started

I hope this post don’t get removed due to the lack of being directly woodworking related but I desperately need your advice,referrals, and prayers as A situation has arose that affects my woodworking and possibly even threatens my business. I have been on my job for close to 5 years and am grateful to have income I have been injured four times two have wound up with twist and sprains one was hidden and never reported (I was told to shut up It never happened or I Could lose my job) now I am sitting here with a possible hernia I reported it to my supervisor yesterday as I went to the hospital ( the incident happened Friday) I have 48 hours with Ohio to report it. I reported it with the hospital @ around 4:pm. here is the problem I am having One my supervisor delayed the 24 reporting notice for the company till 7 pm tonight to make sure it was past 24 hours later and I may not receive medical help I know how they operate trying to hide things cover up accidents rig job bids and promotions and harm anyone who gets in their way. My workload was increased till I wound up getting hurt doing every nasty and heavy task in the building due to me standing up for my rights the union held decisions out till I lost the time to fight it other than them (statutes of limitation is 6 months they replied two years later) Right now I feel like not only physically getting kicked in my manhood but emotionally as well This is where I need you help if you are an Safety person, Attorney, or ACLU or know someone who is please PM me and let me know I don’t want this company to get away with murder (they will if they wind up killing someone)
Thank you to all you great LJ’s

It has been a while since I was last on here, not much to talk about been chasing down leads and coming up with some work but nothing big yet !!! Today I was roaming a different Lowe’s and found a queen Anne Leg 19 7/8” in length for only $20 really? found out from reading the carton made in China !!! Solid cherry, Good sanding Job Best of all I didn’t have to make it :) Here is where the line blurs. To make such a leg would cost about $45 from Osborne wood products WTH?? Why? well my friend here is why using a spreadsheet downloaded from This Is Carpentry I will explain. Assuming the Chinese Mfr. got the wood at the price of 7.50 Ft retail of the lumber at $14.50 cost figuring the going wages are .65 an hour And assume two hours production cost of $2 PER Capita for a cost of 3.30 per leg $17.80 total Net cost mark it up to $18.50 with shipping add $1.50 Profit or $6.00 per table assume 100 people buy 4 legs at $19.50 making a profit of $600 up it to 100 stores and profit goes up to $60,000!!!! In this country people don’t want to pay Why? Well figure out The labor cost from My company Impressions woodcraft :) Lets figure if I have one of those fancy automated machines that can whip out one in an Hour ( the Chinese Don’t have One LOL ) Well I may get a break of $1.50 off the wood from buying it bulk Labor cost of 15.00 Per Hour Plus FICA, SS, And taxes total $21.50 or 17.50per (divided in half by employee/company) $32.50 plus add in overhead of $10.00 per hour and it rises to $42.50 add a modest profit of $ 3.25 for a grand total of $45.75 now here is where the kick in the nut’s come Lets say you have a total of $75 of lumber before legs add in the legs from Lowe’s for a total of $80 total $155.00 add in 6 hours Labor at $35 per hour totaling $210 for a grand total of of $365.00 A dollar a Day :) or Going with Impressions Woodcraft’s legs the same table would be $468.00!!!! My Question is it ethical or not to use these legs regularly, Occasionally, or not at all Just would like to hear from my LJ’s and I will post my answer in my next Blog Just thought I would throw the bait out there Goodnight :)

This weeks subject is about bidding or Job cost not only from a professional standpoint, but from a hobby point if you want to build or asked to build cabinets :)
One of the most annoying things I hate to do is bids for a cabinet(s) a lot of work from design to final finish choices
One of my secret weapons is a free cabinetware program it will take you about 4.5 hours to learn and set up but will save you countless hours in headache of bidding :) I will post a link at the end of this blog.

OK you just downloaded this software got asked to build a cabinet vanity, got your bid, and cut-list in your hand, Ready right? Slow down !! Now that you have your biddy in your hand make sure you keep it away from the hens. What are the hens? Well anyone knows that a hen will peck at the ground till there is nothing but dirt left especially if there is not a whole lot left. Well sometimes customers, shop inefficiencies, and time will pick away at your shops profit. (This economy really brings the hens out )
Here are the three biggest hens

Customers

You seemed to have found the Ideal customer right? Well that depends upon where you found them I found mine at a rummage sale basically. Low end flea markets, community yard sales, and fairs are bad Ideas to begin with. They are loaded with hens that pick at everything from material cost to your labor. Sometimes you don’t always find these hens until they are in your barnyard :) They could be great customers cash paying, energetic, and helpful but then comes the delivery day, one spouse likes it the other don’t ( they both agreed to the terms of the bid) and they want a discount. Standard business says don’t But here is a twist FEED THE HEN Give a discount but not too much, a little peck will hurt but not as much as the clucking of a angry hen or customer!!!! Future jobs will bring a higher price as you know the hen will need extra food, and you will learn to identify hens in the future :)

Shop Inefficiencies

This is another hen if you don’t keep it in the coop will peck away at your profit bag :) One good example was when I went to install drawer guides. As a hobbyist taking 1/2 hour installing and adjusting pair is fine but In production work it won’t fly A drawer guide jig will bring it down to 45 seconds per side!!! Cost? 25.00 Without one? 1/2 hour @ 35.00 = 17.50 2.5 hours = 87.50
Who is gonna pay NOT THE CUSTOMER BUT YOU !!!!!
Other inefficiencies range from not having cut-lists to machine problems these vary from shop to shop so start looking to coop these Hens :)

Time

This is the biggest Hen of all that will eat away without you even thinking about it. Time is money :) Now before passing judgement on this subject let me explain. Per say you are doing a 10’x10’ kitchen well developing a drawing, materials list and Cut-list can eat up precious time this is the reason a CAD program like e-cabinet systems will save you big time Although limited will save you countless hours of work at your cost :)
Covet your cut-list it is your guide to make all of the parts right the first time!!! As far as installations are concerned. Feed the hen again I f the job will take less than 15 min just do it for free but if it seems the barnyard is large then you must get more seed and charge for the installation the cost should be equal to your shop rate or less, LESS ? Yes less you don’t have any real overhead ie: electric, tools, Etc. so charge less Feed the hen :)

If you keep all of the hens in the coop they won’t be eating up everything. As we all learn biddies are baby chickens, that turn into hens and we all know the fate of most chickens :) Do well and your biddies will grow and feed you well as a woodworker Next week I will be starting part one of Production tips for wood workers Pro or amateur.

P.S. I would like to see how many smart aleck LJ’s can make this threat a good laugh too :)

Here is the link for the Cabinet ware program http://www.ecabinetsystems.com/

I know it’s been a while but I really haven’t had much to write about but here is a scoop load of info based upon my learning experience.
Two weeks ago I was commissioned to build a bathroom cabinet not much three drawers, two doors so I quoted a price of around $320.00 :) The customer loved the price, But Boy did I sell myself short, After a Google search I found out it was called a vanity and boy was there a price difference Paint grade sell for $650.00 and up for Oak and other hardwoods :) Now I would have been profitable except for a few quirks I did not expect. One was the lumberyard I deal with delivered Chinese Plywood :( Boy did this crap give me fits Splinter city. Second Blum drawer glides require a special jig to be productive and square Not easy without it. Third and most important was my utter Clutter and disorganization On one such occasion I counted 15 Minutes looking for a square I laid down After figuring a cost analysis I figured out I lost money due to this check this out.
As hobbyist we really don’t account for time because we really don’t need to, Organizing is an option and our work methods and tools really don’t matter.

Well do the math if your shop rate is $35.00 per hour a fair rate by today’s standard and you spend 15 minutes per day looking for tools supplies and Etc. Look how much you can lose

$35.00 per hour Divided by 4 OR 15 minute quarters

On a profit margin of 170.00 you just ate up all but $82.50

Really I got my fingers smacked by Murphy’s Hammer on this one next week I hope to cover how to bid profitably and I really learned my lesson about jumping the gun without any bullets :)
If you want to figure out how much things go for do a Google search on what you are building, Stay away from the stuff less than normal as this is most likely Chinese made stuff but look for the American handcrafted items Boy will you be surprised :)
As I leave here is a picture of the cabinet in my shop

Here is the link again :)

http://business.intuit.com/directory/info-impressions-woodcraft-akron-oh

Let’s try to make this a success :)

This morning I applied to be nominated for a small business grant worth $50,000 to hire employees and grow. I need My LJ buddies to vote and post to help get the numbers up here is the link below

http://business.intuit.com/directory/info-impressions-woodcraft-akron-oh

I know without a doubt you guy’s will definitely help I Thank you in advance, Please help me grow and give a couple people a job :)

With woodworkers safety week fast approaching I want to tell what happened to me today and the true blessing it turned out to be.

I haven’t been posting around here lately due to me getting into my busy season and other responsibilities like my church, home, You get the picture?
Well today was an uneventful day of working all day cutting grass at my church, however it is when I came home and went to my shop that it began. I received a phone call to start another Adirondack chair I was so eager to get it done I decided to start it tonight, My first mistake I made was I was reaching for something I dropped and BAM!! I struck my head against the bandsaws iron table, after a few swear words later I started back working Now with a slight headache and dizziness This my friends was the second mistake as I was cutting out the top of a slat when before I knew it I made contact with the blade I LET MY GUARD DOWN
I just wasn’t paying attention and after hitting my head I was feeling bad.
Well my friends I did receive a nasty bite mark however My lady friend reviewed it and determined it wasn’t very deep or bad so no trip to the hospital but a very painful lesson indeed, A wake up call, and a thank you upstairs, for protecting me, in light of it Please if you don’t feel up to it don’t go out there use my mistake as a wake up call too.
No I am not going to post bloody photos or bandages I don’t believe I need to however after this I am gonna try my best to make sure this never happens again.
All I ask is for my fellow woodworkers to be safe out there and please don’t post any gross pictures on this post I just can’t stand to see them and after seeing one of my own I had enough.
Take care :)