# Living the Wood Life- how I make a living



## ErikF (Apr 3, 2012)

A few years ago I started entertaining the idea of making a living off the wood industry. I envisioned a one man shop putting out one-of hardwood furniture pieces. I read all about the struggles of the trade and even posted a few topics about it on here.

I don't build furniture for a living but everything that I do throughout the day revolves around the world of woodworking. I'm writing this to encourage anyone wanting to be full time in this industry. I'm also writing this because since Nov, 2014 I don't feel like I've worked a single day even though I "work" seven days a week. It's a blessing.

What I do: 
I build woodworking tools- saws and marking gauges specifically. I started out with only basic woodworking equipment and now have a small machine shop to do all the fab work in house.

I sell hardwood- like most woodworkers, I'm always looking for deals on Craigslist. It started with "that's cheap! I bet I could resell that if I was patient", and it worked out. I now have a couple full truckload orders being prepped to ship out. I found out that the best deals are at the source (foresters and land owners) and now go to them when I need trees.

I sell slabs- when I moved home I saw a giant log of ash on township land. It was too big for them to move when the tree was taken down due to the ash borer so it was destined to rot. A few phone calls, a trailer, and a winch from harbor freight netted me that log for free. It scaled out at 934 board feet and I had to find someone with an Alaskan mill to pay for milling service. I now have a log/slab inventory that keeps getting bigger.

Logging- this is my newest development. Spending time involved with the sale of timber and woodworking has allowed me to make educated assessments of trees. I knocked on a few doors and am now doing a selective cut of mature black locust and cherry. QS black locust anyone?

Things aren't always roses and Popsicles. I work a lot, I don't have a guaranteed paycheck, hazardous environment, and a growing overhead. So far this month I've had to drop $900 alone on tires. Everything I could consider profit has to go back into the business.

The good! The $900 of tires kept my equipment and trailers going. Work doesn't feel like work. I get to pick out the most prime pieces of wood for myself! I save a lot of trees from being wasted. Most people I talk to on a regular basis have similar passions and interests. I'm outside a lot. My daughter comes to work with me when things aren't going to be unsafe. I don't have a boss. I work with my hands.

I hope someone finds this information useful.


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## helluvawreck (Jul 21, 2010)

It sounds like you have a wonderful and rewarding occupation. May you always be happy in your work.

helluvawreck aka Charles
http://woodworkingexpo.wordpress.com


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## WoodNSawdust (Mar 7, 2015)

As the old saying goes "find something you love to do and you will never work a day in your life."

I am glad you have your something.


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## Woodbum (Jan 3, 2010)

to paraphrase: "May the wind always be at your back and the road rise to meet your feet and may the sun shine warm on your face" You are to be envied.


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## donwilwol (May 16, 2011)

Good luck Erik. And thanks for taking us along for the ride.


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## chrisstef (Mar 3, 2010)

Best of luck Erik. Do what you do brother.


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## 280305 (Sep 28, 2008)

Thanks for sharing this great story with us. I wish you all the best!


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## rwe2156 (May 7, 2014)

I admire your finding a job that is not a job.
I am lucky do be doing the same, although its not ww'ing.

Everything you describe is "right up my alley" so I envy you.

I would just say that "making a living" is quite a subjective term, as I'm sure you know.
Many people are trapped in jobs, and could be free to make a living at what they love - not because of lack of opportunity, courage, or know how - but because they have bought into a warped version of the American dream and cannot maintain their standard of living without a high paying job.


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## waho6o9 (May 6, 2011)

May you continue to have good fortune going forward my friend.


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## shipwright (Sep 27, 2010)

Good on you Erik. 
After a life of building wooden boats I can understand completely how you feel. I have often said that I never "worked" a day in my life when in fact a lot of the time I was "working" really hard and sometimes long hours. It's all about how you define "work" I guess.
Another old cliche that I believe in is "The harder I work, the luckier I get". I got so lucky that I could retire at 55. Of course the first thing I did was build myself a wooden boat. .... 

Good luck Erik, you've made a good choice.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

Erik
It seems you've found a number of ways to make a living ,congrats on innovative thinking.


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## summerfi (Oct 12, 2013)

Glad things are going so well for you Erik. Keep on livin' the dream my friend.


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## XquietflyX (Oct 9, 2015)

It's an awesome thing when you can do the thing you love, and it continues to be the thing that you love, for a living!!!!!

Now how much for a 12×12 x19 block of cherry?


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## Tennessee (Jul 8, 2011)

Good for you, Eric.
I had always thought a decent exotic lumber store would do very well where I live. We can buy domestic from the mills in the Smokies for almost nothing, but try to buy a piece of zebrawood, Whoh!!

And the worst part is the exotic lumber guys in North Carolina give tremendous wholesale pricing. 
But alas, I got too old and could not get the financing.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

Sounds like you really love what you're doing, and it sounds like most of it would be great exercise too. I've thought of doing the same thing but always back into "safer" investments. It would be interesting seeing a cost break down of a start from nothing to properly (if sparingly) equipped to do the logging & milling, drying & reselling. The few major expenses I can think of are a truck, trailer, saws, chainsaw mill (for slabbing), bandsaw mill, kiln and storage to name a few. Not to mention consumables like tires, fuel, oil, brakes, insurance, maintenance and the list goes on. Another thing that I've thought of every time considering this is insuring my ability to work, if you're using your body to work, your checkbook might suffer more than a little if you were injured. I've spoken with a few different agents about how this would work, and most policies would only offer short term payments assuming that you could return in full capacity to your pre-injury ability. Disability offered by the government would only cover the taxes the same government is charging so that wouldn't be something to rely on.


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## Sigung (Nov 20, 2013)

Eric, l love your post. I find it to be an inspiration. Thank you!


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## BasementShop (Nov 3, 2014)

Color me jealous!!!

Congratulations for filling a need and saving a tree!


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## boisdearc (Sep 29, 2014)

Erik: Just curious, do you kiln dry your wood? I was given some 2" thick ash years ago.. Woodborers had destroyed it I could tell by the first cut on my table saw..


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## SwainCustoms (Mar 23, 2012)

Awesome and best of luck to you. I am a woodworking small business owner myself, and I will keep your info on file for future wood needs…


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Congratulations on livin' the dream, Erik! I finally got a piece of that walnut you shared with several of us on the lathe and man is it hard! Hope to post it as a project in the near future, if I don't get side tracked … again. Good to hear you are doing so well. It is inspiring! Please keep us posted.


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## Pezking7p (Nov 17, 2013)

Sounds awesome. Are you getting your bills paid? Making ends meet? Well enough to put away for the future?

I think we all dream of this in one way or another but stepping away from the security of a "real job" is scary. Can you assuage my fears by saying you're doing ok? We're all going to make it and that sort of thing.


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## ErikF (Apr 3, 2012)

Thanks for all the kind words! 


> Erik: Just curious, do you kiln dry your wood? I was given some 2" thick ash years ago.. Woodborers had destroyed it I could tell by the first cut on my table saw..
> 
> - boisdearc


Most of the dimensional stuff runs through the kiln as well as some of the slabs. I typically have the material run through a vacuum kiln, it's an impressive piece of equipment. I've had 6×10 Cherry beams go from felled tree to dry (15% mc) in 2 1/2 weeks.



> Sounds awesome. Are you getting your bills paid? Making ends meet? Well enough to put away for the future?
> 
> I think we all dream of this in one way or another but stepping away from the security of a "real job" is scary. Can you assuage my fears by saying you re doing ok? We re all going to make it and that sort of thing.
> 
> - Pezking7p


Bills are paid and I consider "putting away for the future" to mean investing in more equipment at this point. My machines aren't pretty but they all work and I own them outright. I figure if things don't pan out I can sell everything then tell stories about the good days


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## Pezking7p (Nov 17, 2013)

Investing in your business is investing in your future imo. Plus like you said, you own your equipment outright so you've got that. Good job man.

I think I saw some of your saws on eBay last year.

Edit: you should get a tattoo across your stomach that says "WOOD LIFE".


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## terryR (Jan 30, 2012)

An awesome read, Erik! 
Very inspiring!

Best of luck to you…
Guess I need to purchase something to support you! Any 8/4 Locust?


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## daddywoofdawg (Feb 1, 2014)

Where you located?


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## daddywoofdawg (Feb 1, 2014)

Where you located?


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