One does not have to create a difficult plan in order to make a part time and full time living out of woodworking to make extra money. The shift from hobby to small business seems for a first-timer challenging work but is actually quite easy if one knows how, when, and where to start.
Skills
The Beginner
If you’re interested or has a passion for woodworking but is just a beginner, you should learn the basics and art of wood making by either entering in a college which offers woodworking courses or apply as an assistant in a carpenter’s or woodworker’s shop.
Self-teaching is not recommended for the work that involves woodworking is difficult and dangerous. The best way to learn the skills of wood making is through school, training, and work experience.
The Hobbyist
For people who already have made woodworking as a hobby, it is assumed that they have already made several projects. As a starting businessperson, the hobbyist should identify his or her area of interest and specialty. In so doing, one can do favored projects of high quality then have some time later for experimenting to learn new skills.
If you’re new to woodworking, it’s suggested to start with easy-to-sell small crafts that do not need too much time, effort, and materials to produce.
From Hobby to Business – Things to Consider
Strengths
An amateur woodworker deciding to make a part time and full time living out of woodworking to make extra money must be familiar with the woodworking skills that he or she is good at. For example, are they particularly good at building pieces with intricate carving, or are they better at reusing reclaimed materials? Are they better at cutting or at designing? Knowing the skill will help in one’s choice of products to sell and help identify the other skills that are needed to be improved or learned.
Time and Money
The starting businessperson should think about how much time one can spend doing a project. An easy to make project for starters is recommended.
If you’re considering scaling up from backyard work to small-scale production, study investing in additional tools, equipment, and costs in advertising and selling.
Projects
Producing small crafts like bowls, toys, small chairs, or cradles are suggested. As sales grow, one should improve woodworking skills to accommodate much more challenging projects like kitchen tables, shelves, or dressers.
Marketing and Selling
You can sell the products in country and trade fairs which require no or minimum participation cost. You can also build a website or even just a blog of an Instagram profile.
You could also try selling to relatives and friends. Besides buying the products, relatives and friends can market the business through “word by mouth” which happens to be one of the powerful forms of advertising.
Income
Expectations of profits determine the starting size of the business. Earning a few dollars on the side requires only a few investments in effort, time, and money compared to a goal of making the business as a major source of income.
Supplies
One can buy wood from:
– Vendors who provide ready-made, pre-processed wood of many types
– Online ordering which has several collections of wood types to choose from
– Lumber yards or outlets
Tools
Expanding from hobby to small business to make a part time and full time living out of woodworking to make extra money would require additional tools aside from what a beginner or hobbyist already has. Some of the additional equipment includes a:
– Jigsaw for around $60
– Wood Router
– Circular Saw that may cost from $50 to $150
– Tablesaw for about $300
– Random Orbit Sander for about $100
Products to Sell
For a startup woodworking business, the following are popular wood products which, with quality production and a little advertising, may possibly provide income four times the investment.
- Birdhouses
- Wooden Toys
- Beard Combs
- Side Bookcases
- Wooden Spoon and Bowls
- Picture Frames
- Wooden Clocks
Be it earning for just a few dollars or as a major income stream, having one’s hobby as the source of one’s livelihood gives undeniable satisfaction.
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