# How to hire other woodworkers?



## DaveD9664 (Apr 6, 2015)

Hey everyone!

I have a successful business crafting wooden jewelry out of my shop. But I am in need of extra hands. Skilled hands. I dont want to post a "job offering" on this forum if it's not allowed, so does anyone know or have any suggestions on how I can hire extra skilled woodworkers? All they need is a drill press, small band saw, and a belt sander. I have training videos as well, and they can work from their own space and send the inventory to me through the mail. The pieces literally take 5 to 10 minutes each.

I need some suggestions on how to hire a good woodworker in the US.

To be clear here, Im not posting this as a job offering. I just want suggestions. If you feel inclined to ask me what the job is, PM me.

Dave


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## controlfreak (Jun 29, 2019)

As a business owner I recommend you give some thought about what your relationship will be with this "new hire". It can make a big difference in things like liability, taxes and insurance. Terms like employee, associate and subcontractor can make a huge difference. Beware that just because you use a term to classify your relationship doesn't make it the correct one. Things can change fast in a litigious world. It probably helps if they are doing piece work and you are buying finished pieces but only an attorney can give you the advise you need. Sorry if I am putting a damper on things.


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## DaveD9664 (Apr 6, 2015)

No no youre totally right. I want to have them be a freelancer that I buy pieces off of. I dont want an employee that I have to have a ton of liabilities for.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

You need retired or disabled people which shouldnt be hard to find. I'm one of them…..


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## jeffswood (Aug 17, 2011)

You may also want to be sure to protect you IP as best you can. After all, you subcontractor will know how to make you product and be aware that it is profitable for you. Their barrier to enter the market about compete with you won't be too hard.

Having said all that, I can recall see a wood item that I could not figure out how to make.


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## JCamp (Nov 22, 2016)

I'd think here (if it's allowed - contact cricket) would b as good a place as any. Really any woodworking site or Facebook page would b. 
Just a couple things…. have a lawyer set it up so u won't lose ur shirt if someone gets hurt. If possible I'd suggest trying to part out the work so that no one person understands the full process of how ur boxes are build so that they don't try to take it over.


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## John Smith_inFL (Dec 15, 2017)

Dave - what part of the world are you in ??

.


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## Phil32 (Aug 31, 2018)

If you expected to find qualified woodworkers on a site like this, you would identify the specific skills someone should have prior to watching your training videos, then look at the projects people have posted. Do their projects involve the same skills that are needed for the tasks you want to farm out?


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## mattjrogers (Jan 2, 2013)

I do lots of contract product manufacturing. Send along your project. Look up Clean Air Woodworks on Maker's Row - a website for connecting manufacturers and brands needing manufacturing.


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## DaveD9664 (Apr 6, 2015)

> Dave - what part of the world are you in ??
> 
> .
> 
> - John Smith


Oregon, USA


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

He contacted me and wanted an email to send me photos. I told him to put the photos online. No response….


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## Dark_Lightning (Nov 20, 2009)

In an intellectual property control environment, I can see where a person wouldn't want to post pics online. So much theft. But if the guy is legit, he's going to need to take a little risk. I have all kinds of ideas for making money, but am not really interested in doing the work myself, so I'm in the same kind of boat. I'm thinking that a couple items that I have made in the past could have a resurgence in sales if they said, "Made in the USA" on them. I'm retired, and don't need the hassle. Hmmm…maybe I can convince one of my spawn to get into the act.


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## therealSteveN (Oct 29, 2016)

> He contacted me and wanted an email to send me photos. I told him to put the photos online. No response….
> 
> - JackDuren


Was my thought too. Post the pic of whatever it is, and state will buy all you can make for $XYZ. Why so much drama, and why would he need an email for that. At the start a PM should be same same. Interesting.


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## DaveD9664 (Apr 6, 2015)

Hey everyone,

The reason being is that literally no one else makes these pieces the way I do. If I had enough for a patent Id get one! I sell alot of them on etsy and am used to dealing with copy cats for my other not so unique jewelry. So please forgive me for being paranoid  If anyone is serious about making some extra money, you wont get rich, but I am offering freelance style work. Email me at [email protected] Thank you all for commenting and understanding.


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## JackDuren (Oct 10, 2015)

> Hey everyone,
> 
> The reason being is that literally no one else makes these pieces the way I do. If I had enough for a patent Id get one! I sell alot of them on etsy and am used to dealing with copy cats for my other not so unique jewelry. So please forgive me for being paranoid  If anyone is serious about making some extra money, you wont get rich, but I am offering freelance style work. Email me at [email protected] Thank you all for commenting and understanding.
> 
> - DaveD9664


Simple pm photo would be private…


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

In my experience, getting any product made cost effectively is all about your setup.
The folks that have the right tools to produce certain things effectively will do a better job and for less money than anyone else.

The trick to successful outsourcing is to find the guy who has invested in the right tools and setup to make the kind of product you want to make. This is not likely to be a hobbyist type woodworker, unless he happens to have the specific equipment needed.

Example: The guy I outsource my dovetail drawer boxes from spent nearly $2M on drawer making equipment and I get them better quality and cheaper than any of his competitors, even though we are relatively "small potatoes" to him.


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## DaveD9664 (Apr 6, 2015)

> In my experience, getting any product made cost effectively is all about your setup.
> The folks that have the right tools to produce certain things effectively will do a better job and for less money than anyone else.
> 
> The trick to successful outsourcing is to find the guy who has invested in the right tools and setup to make the kind of product you want to make. This is not likely to be a hobbyist type woodworker, unless he happens to have the specific equipment needed.
> ...


How did you find him? And does he do other stuff?


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

Funny story, I was at AWFS in Las Vegas about 20 years ago, contemplating buying a $40,000 Mereen-Johnson CNC dovetailer and he walked up behind me and announced that he had just bought one.

I joked that maybe I should just buy my drawers from him. 
Turns out he is from my area and was just expanding his operation. 
I've bought drawers from him ever since.

He does do component work, but mostly case goods type stuff.

Not so much jewelry baubles.


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## DS (Oct 10, 2011)

If this is something small that can be turned on a lathe, like a bead, there are automated spindle lathes that spit one out every couple of seconds.


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