5 Woodworking Projects That DON’T Sell | Do Not Waste Your Time!

5 woodworking projects you want to avoid. In this video I discuss what projects you should avoid in woodworking so you can make money. If you are just starting in woodworking this video can save you time and money. Beggining as a woodworker is hard enough, do not try to make a woodworking business by selling items in this video. Can you make money woodworking? Yes and you can make money selling the projects in this video, but it is very hard to build a business making the products in this video! I hope this information helps you get to the next stage in your woodworking journey!
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Timecode
0:00 - Intro
0:24 - #1 Projects with Plans
2:00 - DISCLAIMER
2:21 - #2 NON-Customized Generic Products
3:35 - #3 Coasters
5:03 - FRIOCOOLERS.COM
5:14 - #4 3D Carvings
6:39 - #5 Wood Turnings
7:48 - Outro

[@naturaIIydifferent]

Woodturner here. Yup, you ain't paying the bills making toothpick boxes , bowls, or pens. But that's why I have a painting business. It supports my tremendously expensive hobby lol.

[@STILLWILLPHOTO]

There is a guy in my county who sells his custom pens to judges and elected officials. I asked him how he was able to make a living and score that kind of client. He said, "They've never seen anything like it and nobody else was offering to them. To add a premium fashion to them created an envy in the political space and the market was born." So, he's still crushing it.

[@roscobaatjies2232]

Yup I agree with everyone's comments, however, you find 15 gas stations in one stretch, do you think each gas station is in service "just because " you go out for the day "50 restaurants within same facility, and each and e everyone is occupied " whether there's a million woodworkers in a neighborhood or just 5, everyone has their own technique and specialties they offer their clients... don't quit what yall passionate bout,

[@ClintonCaraway-CNC]

Don't listen to a KZbinr who has taken a small part of woodworking, made a business out of it and now thinks he's a "expert". I've been a professional woodworker my entire life and I can say from experience that you can make a great living doing it. 99.9% of the world are not woodworkers and will pay you to build the things they can't.

[@kakarotjone]

You did not listen to this video

[@lindashealingart]

I agree I sell everything he said don’t sell

[@arthurthegreatandpowerful3841]

⁠@@kakarotjoneand you are apparently very dull

[@DigitalGus75]

What he is an expert in is not woodworking. His expertise is in accounting. You’re right, you can make a living out of woodwork. But he’s not talking about making a living. He’s talking about mass production at scale. Most woodworkers don’t have a $10M business. This guy does. That makes his advice on unit economics worth listening to.

[@dorianalexander2730]

@@DigitalGus75Ooookay Capitan defend a hoe 🙄🙄

[@heathowens8581]

The author does like to from scratch, kzbin.infoUgkxbnOKZBE4evMO5V2vroHeCjq6d_MV6wJO shaping and trimming wood from large blocks into fine finished products. As another reviewer mentioned, most projects require a lot of high-dollar equipment that most of us don’t have the room or budget for. But, knowing how to do these things, even if we won’t be able to practise the full stack project, is still great.

[@davidwhitehead5134]

I really appreciated this video. Getting insider tips is never a bad idea. I was going to make coasters. That is a bad idea. You saved me a lot of time, money and frustration!

[@danny100333]

I can tell you really care about wood working and the art itself. Giving great advice and especially getting so passionate and raw about it while telling us shows that you only mean good. You are doing a wonderful job, keep up the good work!

[@cutting-it-close]

I appreciate that!

[@codygarrard]

As someone with a wood working business who does a lot of woodturning you are 100% right on it being a bad choice if you want the business to be scalable.

[@makermornings3340]

I would rename this to 5 Projects that I cant sell. Because I have literally sold every product, multiple times, that we were just told not to sell. I dont like videos of people telling others what to make or not make. Every market, location, ect is different. Big city people might like more modern looking items, but people living in the country like more rustic items. But just because it doesnt work for him, doesnt mean it wont work for anyone else. Not everyone is looking to have a $5M wood working business with 1 item.

[@rhodrimorice7746]

Again, loved the video! Like people have mentioned you can do all of these as a business, but they are not scaleable, or you have to scale to the extreme!

[@timsawyer9231]

I turned pens for a few years regularly, made some crazy pens with expensive exotic woods, epoxy, leather, denim, various metals and gems. They take quite a while to sell and never bring in what they should. The amount of time you put into a single simple wood pen works out to be about 45 minutes once you get your grove down. The problem is that most people won't spend $100+ for a pen, so you need to be down in the 20-30 range before they move at a decent pace. That works out to approx $30-$40 an hour for you, minus materials and pen kits, you're down to 25-30, depending on what you use, minus time invested in listing, packing, shipping, etc.. Now if you start adding epoxy to the mix, your cost goes way up and you still can't sell them for more than 30-40. The idea is to make something and have it gone to the buyer as soon as it's done. There were times when I was sitting on 100+ pens just waiting for them to move... All told, with prepping, making, listing, packing, shipping, you are busting your ass for maybe $15 an hour profit and it's not consistent AT ALL. You might as well work at McDonalds, that would at least be a consistent pay check. That being said, I still love my lathe, and I love making pens, but these days someone needs to order one. Most times I just make them as gifts for friends/family. Take my time, make something that fits the person, make a box and all that. It's much more enjoyable that way.

[@ChubyMuffin]

Very hard pill for an upcoming wood worker but such valuable lessons. Keep up the great content!

[@ChtoDelaetMaks]

I really like this guy telling how to make money, and not to make beautiful products that no one needs. In the very first video that I watched, he said that you should not make too large an assortment. Focus on your product, make 5-6 variations and be the best at it.

[@radiationroom]

Or you do one of a kind items and charge accordingly like I do. Ask yourself “do you want to be a factory or do you want to be an artist/craftsman?” Each approach has its advantages and drawbacks and are completely different philosophies. And you can get rich or lose your shirt either way.

[@keithmarlowe5569]

Well put. Ferrari vs Fiero. Rolex vs Timex. @@radiationroom

[@Zalzany]

That is how you should start... making 50 things sounds neat but also labor intense also this is for online then in person You selling in a booth cool. But on like etsy 20 things listed it will tell you is good but you need flagship you need to make a name for yourself with one type thing with varations. then you branch out after you got like 100 reviews, and some loyal customers. Like I saw great guide on embrodery machines I kind jack of all trade autistic lol. I I am looking at this because I got hobby CNC for a personal project for my booth, I am making acrylic light up sigh with it. And I want see what else I can make. Like my autism I high funcitoning so I can "blend in" with normals but you give mechacal things i play with out for hours on end lol. So I already workin with that little cnc figure out its in ands outs. But some of my other stuff I 3d print mostly I made pins with it to try something diffrent I like them not a ton of demand crazy unique not many doing it. but honestly I better off making patches with some my designs then 3d printing pins. Anyways I looked at embrodery and best advice was don't do 8 things do 1 type of thing till you get customers who trust you. He pointed peopel awnt do iron ons, hats, shirts, etc he said pick one do patches and just patches then when you get a name for yourself introduct hats. And same deal I took a class in my community college and we covered marketing artwork and of all things we saw videos made by woman who made spanks said same thing make one thing do it right, till you get customers. She has multiple lines now, but she did just spanks at first. Granted she got crazy she was doing self-promotion at stores all over country so had money to begin with, and she paid people she knew to show up and act excited at her events lol. Granted I started an etsy and I got 50% code for people I know to buy form me and leave reviews lol So I can't talk to much lol.

[@dancoleman8467]

Thank you for this advice. I'm just getting started and literally was just thinking about embarking on some coaster making. Thank you for redirecting me. This video has saved me from that headache. God bless.

[@dunrob13]

Agree on all your warnings except coasters. I make them from scrap and have as a cheap draw to my booth which usually gets additional sales 👌

[@cutting-it-close]

I agree to use them as marketing and branding items, but I would not try to make them a flagship product or try to pay bills with them.

[@Zalzany]

Its good marketing tool sure, but not bread and butter I think that was the point. I have seen some people make some cool ones but they run out of scrap, and the margins are nice for side hustle but they want quit their job money they need a flagship item to sell and sell some coasters here and there for side money, or slap that logo on it for marketing. I mean I can sell 3D-printed dragons pretty well at my booth but online forget it there is so many people with same licensed dragon files its just hell to sell them online cold turkey with no reviews or loyal customers to defer to it lol. I mean my etsy gets views, but my only customers so fare have been my professors who didn't even know about the stuff till I showed them it at school art sale lol.

[@jothammcmillan8854]

Thank you for the excellent advice. I am trying to figure out how to make things that are interesting to me design-wise but sell for reasonable profit. So far, I'm not even close to figuring that out but you're probably saving me from some bad approaches. I always wondered how people could charge enough to make up for the material and time costs for some of their projects (such as coasters, bowls, etc).

[@radiationroom]

The way to make money turning bowls is to get really good AND fast at it and to cut from wood that you don’t have to pay for. My primary source of wood is driftwood from the river or DOT roadkill. I also barter my chainsaw skills with various arborists in exchange for tree trunks. There is always large quantities of free wood to be scored if you ask around. Marketing your work is key. Matthew Peach and Wortheffort have good tutorials how to do this. You also need to know your market and how to price things. Church sales and street fairs are your friends.

[@matthewwalpole2649]

This is great advice. The only exception is depending on where you live. I live in Cyprus and there is barely anyone making smalls so the market is great for someone like myself as I have barely any competition. So everything I make and sell is very new and unique to the majority of people in the island.

[@Zalzany]

That is more local I can sell 3d pritns well at shows with my booth, but online yeah its hard as hell with all the printers with same files as me. I got cnc for acrylic light up signs printing the rest of it on the printer, and found out one co2 laser is expensive but will do that job way way way faster lol. And two I like making the vector files for cnc. Like I started making my own simple objects as well using vector files exported to auto cad format. Its why I am looking this little 3018 pro cnc and debating maybe I should make more things out of softwoods, and less out of plastics... There is actually less people doing that in my area then 3d printing lol. But he is talking flag ship like own/lease your own workshop business. Little stuff is neat and I could probably work hard and get to point I can get my own place and set up in a garage, and not need a normal job doing it. But this guy is talking he has business with a workshop and employees. Hence pointing out the stuff like the wood pens are neat but you train some one to make those they just save up and get a lathe in their own garage or shed and they can quit and make their own. Like I have had helpers with my 3d print stuff at my booth and really pick up fast they can do this themselves for a couple grand and be on same level as me since all my good sellers are licensed files lol.

[@stevecorry2118]

Thank you, my new friend, you are exactly right about pen turning. I have been turning pens for 7 years and it is hit or miss. I am 81 and retired, so I do it for fun and give away more than I sell. My 3 sons and my wife don't need any more pens, but I have a small shop and continue to amaze myself and have fun doing it. Thanks for the videos.

[@Stepwel4two]

At markets people buy my products because they are one offs, individual, I don’t use cnc machines either.

[@dian3145]

Really appreciate the style and content. Started with the what to make video and ended up here. I agree with the stand on coasters! It’s a race to the bottom with 2 million entries.

[@aaronknight740]

You save my life and my money tbh. I was thinking of following these exactly. I think it's better to make unique stuff from and for my culture

[@theodoremisiewicz8741]

Great advice, I like 3-d carving, a bit of turning but have never tried to sell them because there’s just no market that will pay what I would need to make a profit.

[@chrishayes5755]

3d carving metal is a whole other ballgame $$$.

[@kreech68]

I think that this was a great video - these are really honest opinions! Doing this stuff for fun is one thing. Trying to sell a few things at one or two weekend events is another. Kijiji and Craig's list and eBay and ETSY is another level. Making a living - you need a different attitude to this. I'm going to go find and watch your "what sells" video. (remember, what sells isn't necessarily the thing that you "like" to do, or the thing that you "like" to give away to family members as Xmas gifts)

[@Markevans36301]

I'm not saying there wasn't some good advice here, but it is kind of ironic that some ******* on KZbin is telling me not to listen to some ******* on KZbin.

[@cutting-it-close]

🤣

[@joshuabray37]

Thanks for this… I’ve kind of wondered about most of these.

[@rogerwaters5477]

And the first ad at the end of the video,,,a laser engraver making COASTERS! 😂 Great video as always! Thank you.

[@CycleverseGames]

Thanks for the great tips. I just bought a CNC to produce a specific part I need for an existing business, but am trying to figure out if there is a side hustle available. You made me think long and hard about how much effort I am willing to put into it.

[@Zalzany]

This same I 3d print got CNC to do an acrylic sign for my booth now looking at guessed it coasters, and charging docks to have that table top cnc pay for itself lol.

[@giggles8458]

You are so right about No.1 Project plans. I watched a video where the fellow comes up with plans of things that are already on the market, he showed us how to make a birdhouse, of course, he's got KZbin, so he had already sold the birdhouse for a couple of hundred dlrs, about a month later, someone listed the same birdhouse style for 50 bucks, while the same style is being sold for over 100 bucks. I bet you 150 bucks, the seller of the 50 bucks item came from the guy who does videos and sells plans of things that are already on the market. The birdhouse, he did built live on KZbin. Of course, the outcome, as you may see was disastrous. Good thing that the seller stopped selling the birdhouse on Ebay. I am a woodworker. Thank you for sharing. Pam's husband.

[@adambergendorff2702]

Great video!! Most everything I make is out of metal, but the advice is all good. Still looking for the right product to move to the next level. Fantastic humor mixed into the video, I hate coasters too!

[@JesseRedmanBand]

You actually nailed it. Especially 3d carving

[@ubitnik]

Just have fun making things for yourself and maybe someone might want to buy one off of you. The adventure of the craft is the true value. I am just starting out with pallets and already having fun just coming up with my own ideas.

[@cutting-it-close]

Totally agree with you! It comes down to the question of if you like business or woodworking more?

[@ubitnik]

Hopefully I end up with a nice balance of both when it is said and done. Decided that my first project will have to be a workbench. @@cutting-it-close

[@oldguy1030]

Raymond Loewy's theory: "Most Advanced Yet Acceptable" Net effect is: 1. To sell something surprising, make it familiar. 2. To sell something familiar, make it surprising. I think someone could substitute "superior" for "surprising" in some cases/markets. There is a tension between neophilia and neophobia. To conquer the neophobia you need to have familiarity. To appeal to neophilia you needs surprise/boldness.

[@coppulor6500]

good stuff thank you!

[@local429brother]

Awesome video. Have to be diverse yet creative in the products we make, look at freight costs and undercut the big box stores on large items that are simple builds. I got a 5K laser a year ago and it’s taken so much time to learn, so many cheesy designs things definitely not worth the time to make. There is some products that it can help embellish. Full time woodworker for 9 years with a shop and retail store. Very busy. Plans can help if ya don’t have time to design and prototype , modify them to suit your needs.

[@tracyhubbard4637]

Thanks for all the advice and videos! Quick question..... I'm in the market for a small desktop router..... are you able to recommend one to start with?

[@andrewbrown8148]

Great info video and very entertaining~! Keep up the passion rant. Love it~!

[@cutting-it-close]

Thanks so much!

[@Nexus804]

I find this interesting coming from a channel that was built on CnC'd plywood. Great business, asking story but ultimately doesn't really reflect why people buy handmade wood items. No individuality, not everything needs to be made in the tens of thousands to be successful

[@astrophysicistguy]

As someone who had a custom woodworking business for over 25 years I can tell you the path to making money woodworking is in making custom things. I started out making unique woodworking items that I sold at higher end arts & craft shows for about 7 years. Then I got tired of making numerous copies of the same thing - 30 of this, 30 of that, etc for just one show. I then moved into making custom cabinets & canopies for large in home aquariums. When I was doing it there was no place to get a solid oak, walnut, etc cabinet for a large aquarium. Store bought ones were this cheap pine & it looked terrible against a $2000 tank. It helped that I had owned marine aquariums for 20 years so I knew exactly what customers needed/wanted in a cabinet. The tag line for my company was: If you can draw it I can build it. I only did 3-4 a year since it was just a side business and one cabinet/canopy would usually take 3 months to complete. Probably can’t make a full time living at it but it was pretty nice yearly side money! Bottom line: make stuff no one else is making - “one-of-kind” sells! BTW - epoxy river tables? Check out Blacktail Studio on YT, the guy makes & sells $15,000+ tables and is a full time YTer - it can be done but he stuff is - wait for for it - one-of-a-kind 👽👽👽

[@Zalzany]

The whole point of this is to hit point you got employees so you can be sick of making those things, but you got employees making it, and can sell enough to keep them and yourself paid :P If you do custom work or sell at booths you got work more on marketing and its easier to get custom work orders when you been selling for years and got people vouching for your stuff. I can start an online shop tomorrow but unless i convince like 20 people I know in real life to buy from me and do reviews with pictures its just gonna sit there. Having unique things or custom options, like I got hobby diode laser so make my goal is make my own unique charging station with my CNC I got for a project, then I hide my logo on there some where, and offer name engraving for a few bucks more. But this guy yeah he wanted to he could get a booth and send 2 employees to sell his wares for him, while he stays home or works in workshop lol. Its not quite the same level.

[@rashidhakim8103]

Amazing presentation, an honest opinion.i truly believe your suggestion about scalability. The items you pointed out are definitely not worth producing when there are machines which can produce so cheap. And one must check out the dollar shop's products which are so cheap, ruining all the craftsman's incentive

[@peteyscott45]

You're dead on about coasters. I make money as a hobbyist with cutting boards at $200 each from exotics woods but wasted an entire weekend when I took a custom order for coasters. There were so many thin strips on each coaster, annoying holders to build, and the laser engraving took forever. Pretty sure I made less than $10 an hour that weekend...

[@dreametching4052]

I follow the K.I.S.S. analogy ("Keep It Simple, Stupid" - not that I'm calling you stupid!) if I am doing a bulk order for coasters, I do them as loose coasters only and charge extra per unit if they want holders for X number of coasters. I had an order of 80 coasters for a wine distribution company and ended up turning around $35 per hour thanks to being able to bulk-etch them 9 coasters per run.

[@randymainini9390]

Great video with great advice. I enjoyed watching

[@mattapple2105]

Very good presentation and stage presence, and very entertaining, well done !

[@devincomiskey3482]

The ONLY reason I make coasters is to give something for people to buy to, basically, get in the door. They're certainly not worth the time spent on them. I do cutting boards. But I also make electric guitars. That means I buy a lot of exotic woods and that's what I use for my boards. I don't have a single board of cherry or maple. But I do have wenge, canary wood, bloodwood, birdseye maple and the like. My biggest issue seems to be pricing. Like you allude to in this video: what are you going to do differently than all the other guys doing the same thing? Thanks for your helpful advice! I've been trying to grown my woodworking business (to no avail, so far) and haven't had much luck. I'm recently unemployed, so there's more urgency to start selling more. I'll use some of your tips.

[@88michaelandersen]

You didn't say "don't make sheds" and that's why I decided to start learning woodworking today. I'm growing my flock of chickens, and I want to see if building coops is cheaper than buying them.

[@AngieWilliamsDesigns]

This is another great video. I may or may not agree. But I think you have great points. I’m not looking to mass produce and do large scale production. I agree about 3D carvings and bowl turning. And mostly about the other things. I can open marketplace and find at least 3-4 different woodworkers in my area (small town) that are making things that I’ve seen or have the same plans for. But I don’t see their product pictures change much and I’ve been watching a couple of years. So it makes me think they aren’t doing anything new. For things like that… I still love making them for my booth. And I end up with loyal customers that like my work, trust me and refer people to me. But if someone’s wanting to do more of a large scale business… you’re right. As far as plain items that aren’t uniquely shaped…. I am in the middle of the road on that. I started doing things like that to decorate my booth to help sell furniture. Yep. Hobby Lobby sells them way cheaper. So does Walmart. HEck… dollar tree even has things. But… my customers don’t buy decor from there. They want to support local artists. Local makers. So I still do well with that. All in all. Great video. Great advice. thanks for sharing.

[@cutting-it-close]

Love these types of comments, it's extremely helpful to get this type of feedback. Glad you enjoyed the video! :)

[@Zalzany]

Its more about online then in person in person is marketing you got good enough display, are decent looking, nonthreating, and good sales skills you can sell most generic things you can think of to some one. I saw a dude selling bracelets next to my booth for 30-70 dollars... No joke he did them with beeds, I would paid 5 bucks but his display was awsome, they were pokemon color themed. He had a custom cnced 3 tier display for them. And cnced bits with multiple little bumps for more then one size of bracelet to go into them. On that braclet holder there is a slit for his own fake pokemon cards with info on back about the product. He then had his friend in short shorts and a very tight shirt that shoed her belly with his logo on it, helping him sell with her hair in freaking pigtails at one point. yeah the line to see his booth was giant, and he made so much money that night. But if he put those online he would make 1/10 the sales. In fact he has a shop and the CNCed displays were new first night he had them, and normally it was him and his partner in tank tops both dudes selling but they got a friend of theirs to show up. And he got sales bump online as well from all that. But this is more about buisness as in this guy has a warehouse he owns or leases, and employees he doesn't have to go to events, and sell in person he gets orders from online or what ever. And if he did events he could pay employees to go for him. That is diffrent level. I want hit the I can work out my garage, and not need a day job level. This is "I am owner operator with employee" level he is talking about.

[@tonyworkswood]

I agree with all your five points / explanations. I've been through all of them over the years. I closed my woodworking business ten years ago after thirty-five years of trading. Now, it's just a hobby shop, somewhere to sit down and chill out with the occasional commission. Every avenue is flooded these days due to cheap imports and CNC output except for the lucrative high-end bespoke market, but you have to be in the inner circle to obtain obscene prices for what sometimes is very basic work. I enjoyed your video. Well said, it brought back memories. Thanks Tony

[@cutting-it-close]

Tony, I really appreciate all of what you said. Couldn’t be more true of the high end market as well!

[@az21bob666]

good side bisness and maybe you do something really cool that people offer you a good amount of money for.

[@shaynesabala]

New subscriber here. I’m not interested in making a living doing this but I did enjoy your light hearted humor. Good stuff.

[@kurt1522]

I do agree with customize it as best you can, develop an individual style that sets your product apart.

[@Ryan-mn6on]

Tough talk from a shill from "Big Coaster". This video has inspired me to go make coasters even harder! Also you are not my supervisor and cant tell me what not to make.

[@cutting-it-close]

Big Coaster 🤣

[@stuartsimmons956]

Dam you! I was just in the process of modeling a catch all tray enveloped in tentacles. Now I don't know if I should bother. Was going to sell them at an art show in October. Thanks a lot:)

[@Viora2010]

Your video depresses me but you are absolutely right. Ever tried to earn something with handmade wooden stuff myself but almost nothing sells. People would rather buy a soulless product at Ikea for half your price or buy from a trendy shop that has their stuff made in China or Thailand by the 1000 at a time for 3 times your price (because they are hip). People generally prefer to buy characterless junk that you find in everyone's living room.

[@Zalzany]

That kind of stuff you need to sell in person or get social media following for. Like out the box no name online sales its you vrs every one else, and its rat race to the bottom for who has lowest prices till you can get like 2k reviews that are great, so people go "oh that 20 bucks more but look at all these reviews!" Or you got have videos and tiktoks of you work sigh. Like I know people who did that they get like 20k followers on social media, then announce a new thing, and like 100 people want to order it in the first week.

[@rb67mustang]

Thank you very much for taking the time to create this very important EYE Opening Video.

[@israeltorres2847]

Thanks for the tips!

[@cutting-it-close]

No problem!

[@American_Made]

Add pool cues to that list too. There are many reasons, buyt the main is one is you won't make money unless you buy the best woods and have a really good cnc that can inlay really tight pockets and parts with NO glue lines. that's the first hurdle, the second one is making cues that HIT good is something many cue makers never figure out. If you can't produce cues that are better than say Mcdermott, then just don't. you will waste your time and a lot of good wood that would be better in the right hands. it also takes years to get really good at making cues. There are no shortcuts.

[@christopherconnelly177]

Best woodworking info on KZbin, thanks for the great tips!

[@jafquist27]

I am so unbelievably happy and vindicated to hear you say it. Epoxy river tables, etc., are not a way to build a business. Their day in the sun came and went. It wasn't even a day in the sun. It was a, labor-intensive, time consuming, capital devouring flash in the pan, at best. I was a little surprised you did not toss in cutting boards with coasters. Can anyone reading this even count the number of cutting board makers they've met or seen on KZbin? That ship sailed long, long, long ago. Do yourself a favor and leave cutting board making alone, aside from, maybe, one for Gramma. There are too many cutting boards in the world. Any child can make a cutting board, and they frequently do. And guess what... people are going to be more inclined to buy one from a child anyway, no matter what it looks like.

[@argylemanni280]

The guy making this video makes "giant letters that function as piggy banks", which a child could do. So... yeah. There are guys feeding their families with epoxy tables right now. I've been around a lot of "cottage industries" and one thing they all have in common is people will tell you that everything you think might be popular isn't actually popular. Then you find guys making a good living off every single product that supposedly doesn't sell.

[@RevolutionPaulRon]

Resin tables when done professionally are in demand, are they not? Im not sure why youd add that piece of furniture to the list when no wood slab is exaftly like another, which is what you said you should aim for... your logic is that people only make resin tables because they look good in video form, and the end products just hang out collecting dust? It seems silly

[@incineratedink4124]

I disagree a bit on the coasters. I can throw 12 slate coasters on a bed, nap, wake up, toss on 12 more, do the dishes, and so on. I move them all day long @$6 each. I get more if I customize. I do this part-time but sell out (200+ coasters) every trade show and get tons more custom orders(extra fee). For me, coasters are .30 each, with zero effort and a decent profit. I don't try to ship at all. The weight is not worth it. But I always have a bed full of coasters engraving- every time I hit "go" and walk away I know there's $70-100 waiting for me when I come back in a couple of hours.

[@jamesreeves8091]

I love your videos, some of the best I've seen with real business advice. I have a question, just started my small garage wood shop... shipping is killing me, any advice on how to ship / who to use? Thanks!

[@liquidrockaquatics3900]

Shipping is part of business and should be passed to the customer

[@altonT]

My ex mother in law never understood why I refused to make small woodworking projects and sell them. Kept trying to tell her I don't like working for 50¢ an hour. Get a customer, ask what they would like, build it. Don't waste your time on small things unless you are doing it for fun.

[@CaptCorpMURICA]

Woodturning was a profitable way for me to get into woodworking. I have since advanced substantially since then, but I wholeheartedly agree that it’s not a technique that can support a family. I still turn, but it’s mostly for gifts or components of other woodworking projects now.

[@dgperforms1]

That's awesome. But, to scale to that level, it's marketing and being able to keep up with the orders. Website, Marketing, SEO....you get the point

[@RiderRickMaker]

I've only made 3 coasters. Yes I admit, I have been down that dark road..! :D - Subscribed! :)

[@excaliburmining6194]

This is some of the best and funniest stuff I have seen all month! Thank you for the laugh, NO COASTERS!!!

[@floknight5072]

I love all your pieces of advice, but as a French fan, should I apply these knowing the fact that I'm the only one owning a cnc business in a VERY large area? Thx for your videos buddy, you rule !!

[@jonlanier_]

Most guys are not looking to make a living at woodworking. Most of us just like the side gig and make a few extra bucks. I make pens and bowls and even cutting boards and make some nice side change. With Bowls... take the same advice he gives. Make something unique and different. You can tell a hand-crafted bow from one made in a factory. And my customers know the difference as well.

[@tompatrick9070]

Love the honesty

[@GunfighterAlpha]

Funny, I find the various cutting/serving boards and trays, coffee/end tables, cabinets and things like garden obelisks, trellising and so on to be great sellers if you're not looking to build a 7+ figure enterprise. A guy just trying to make a living in his garage gets along pretty well with the aforementioned end products.

[@jonlanier_]

Yea... this guy is about a huge business. Not the side guys... I don't want employees... reason why I do it.

[@Zalzany]

That is side buisness and if you don't got booth to recruit shoppers you got compete with every one else doing same side business online. That was the point he doesn't hustle at art/trade shows. He has employees under him, and he works out of a warehouse not a garage. I would love to hit that point hustling isn't bad, but its so much work.

[@GunfighterAlpha]

@@Zalzany I've managed a multimillion dollar company before and I personally much prefer the smaller business model. The people become numbers in a system, the passion for work turns into mass production and the genuine care and concern for your customers is out the window. Again, speaking to the average YT browser, this advice is applicable for a fraction of the %age of viewers. This entire video to me was "lets shit on smaller businesses and do it like I do it if you want to make money"

[@MrKamdesignsllc]

Thank you for the informative video... You are Awesome. I'm just about to retire and I have a full shop but I only make my own custom designs.

[@cutting-it-close]

You are so welcome!

[@mattlehnardt783]

Thanks a TON for this video, it probably applies to just about any business. this is business GOLD! for anyone wanting to develop a product and a business.

[@cutting-it-close]

Your welcome! I really hope it helped!

[@davidndahura7437]

True small projects can't make a living, much effort and number you need to reach profit but same time they attract enormous expenses, I have learned this , cheers.

[@douglasvine2516]

You are absolutely correct. Many youtubers sell plans and dreams of sales. They also give incorrect pricing information as well. I sell on Etsy and have to compete with the morons that sell similar products at a loss. I have contacted a few of them and they quote the prices given by the youtube video. Maybe they don't understand Etsy fees, packaging and shipping costs. Understand that the channel's business model is selling plans, views and not products.

[@ericsyvertsen5880]

I'm cracking up, I do craft fairs all the time, and I get so many woodworkers come up to me and show me pictures of what they make. I don't have a tremendous of experience in woodworking, but I do have a lot of years practicing common sense. Your coaster suggestion is spot on, just had this argument with a guy yesterday....Too funny !!

[@JeffZ137]

I needed to hear that about 3d carving. They are so cool and fun to make but sadly have not sold any. Look nice on my wall though!

[@edschultheis9537]

I think the main problem with making 3D carvings on a high quantity production scale is that there just is no simple way to significantly reduce the machine time in order to significantly improve the manufacturing efficiency. Machine time has a definite hourly rate attached to it, and time is money. In the end, the more refined the carving, the more time the CNC machine has to spend on fine detailing with finer and finer resolution. The machine speed can be increased somewhat by buying a more expensive and sophisticated machine, but then you have a more expensive machine that has to be paid for. A more sophisticated machine with multiple cutting heads can be purchased, but then each head has to be kept busy most of the time to pay for itself.

[@JeffZ137]

@@edschultheis9537 Yeah for sure. I like to get at least $50/hr machine time at minimum but can't see charging the time that a 3d carve takes. I have seen those machines with multiple heads and look pretty cool , especially the rotary ones.

[@jonathanthink5830]

excellent advice! i thought i have been missing the busses ..... :-)

[@radiationroom]

Thank You!!!

[@mrcarlpaton]

Haha the coaster comments made me! 😂

[@dawidwiton]

Awesome ❤

[@gdreading9088]

Great video . . . The truth can sometimes hurt !

[@cutting-it-close]

Truth!

[@BobBlarneystone]

I did ok for a year or two making pens as a sideline, but only because my day job was the kind where people actually used pens. I kept no inventory. I made a pen only after talking with the client. But nowadays, tablets have pretty much eliminated keeping handwritten notes.

[@ThFitz]

I'll take free plans every day of the week - and likely get inspiration from some of them for ideas of my own. I do not own a CNC anything, and never will, by choice, because my woodworking is done by me, from my ideas, not by a machine using someone else's ideas. I sold my wood lathe many years ago, and not regretted it since. At times I get inspiration from what others make, but I do not copy what someone else makes. I custom design all I make, normally make just custom canes, custom banks, and kids rockers, for sale. Most everything else I design and make is for my own use, or as family gifts, possibly donate something.

[@fordonmekochgalenskaper5665]

I use plans, but that not means that I follow them strict, I can add or remove features to give them a personal touch, I just use them as a base.

[@cutting-it-close]

I agree, use them as a base and make them your own. Don’t recreate the wheel, just modify it

[@picturesfromtheworld208]

Yep! That's what I do.

[@rikleman]

Can very much relate to the intensity of your objection to coasters. Don't do it everyone.

[@PumpiPie]

So you are saing. Dont do woodworking.... :)

[@PumpiPie]

@@fyreundubh yeah, dont start if you dont love doing it. And start has a hobby. Than maby one day you get a good idea, or you build up a customer base so you can go all inn.

[@radiationroom]

That is exactly what he is saying. Reduces the competition.

[@rudybenavidez3630]

​@@radiationroom that's the feeling I get from this ha

[@sirguy6678]

Basically, Don’t quit your day job.

[@argylemanni280]

I've heard it in so many industries. "There's no money, there's no money!" It's only true for the majority of dopes who don't even try. I can see the writing on the wall for this guy. He doesn't manage his employees or his money well. You can just tell. And since there's no spark of creativity in him he'll fail as soon as his basic products finally stop moving. It's unfortunate that he's not salting money away for that inevitability but what can you do to help some people...

[@robertmattox9715]

Wow why is ppl hating on this guy ? Ppl forget this is his opinion take it or leave it . And he did actually say yes u can make that stuff and make some money. And he is right the big wood working companies who have machines to do what ur doing w ur hands yes they can make em cheaper and faster . Can u still make $ off it yes . I believe he only trying to tell u that u won’t get rich off coasters and bowls

[@salimyasini3100]

I find this helpful as i'm trying to professionalize woodworking , I no longer want it to be a hobby

[@robertcloe2140]

There went my dreams of coaster making! Lol...

[@dreametching4052]

If you have the right market, you can make a little extra money, but it's not something you're going to be turning thousands of dollars a month unless you find the right customers. I make coasters for a couple of monthly farmers markets and depending on the given month can sell up to 50 coasters (price per unit would vary depending on where in the world you are, but I charge $4 per unit), so there's a cool couple of hundred dollars for maybe $20 of prefabricated coasters.

[@Itslvle]

A normal wood lathe is a difficult thing to make real profit on. That's why you don't really see woodworking shops with lots of lathes. CNC's, lasers, large planers, thicknessers, table saws, shapers (large routers), but no lathes. It's just way too time consuming per one item as you often have to remove so much wood. It's also a bit of a problem that you have to remove so much wood since wood costs money. Only the automated a-bowl-a-minute machines are profitable as a large (not one man) business adventure. Buuuut, if you're just a woodworking enthusiast that likes to make stuff and just want to keep making stuff for your own enjoyment, you can undersell what you make so you can keep buying more raw materials to support your hobby. The key word is hobby, not a business. I feel like that's what most lathe enthusiasts do. They go through a fair amount of material and just want to keep turning wood, but their cupboards and their friends cupboards are already full of bowls and they've realized they can sell the stuff that they want to make anyway and people actually give money for it yay! It's not a business-mindset, it's a way to support your hobby/passion.

[@btrswt35]

I think the key is to find a need or niche and try to fill it.

[@61spindrift]

No...Really?

[@btrswt35]

@@61spindrift yes... Absolutely

[@MrRenoman2011]

Awesome video

[@kevinh5349]

Cutting boards. You forgot cutting boards. EV-ree-one wants to make cutting boards. On the other hand, these vids are for those who wish to make a living doing woodworking, not the hobbyist. The hobbyist who wants to sell at craft fairs, etc., can successfully make many of the products this guy avoids. Also, for the extreme small timer, customization is often the key.

[@kengthao5945]

Now I want to make coasters and bowls.

[@HilmanAfandi60]

Thanks you so much my friends.

[@502deth]

i used to turn pens to sell YEARS ago. it was barely profitable then when it was unique. now a days, they are everywhere. i have a friend who i taught how to do it and gave him my suppliers. i will never admit this, but hes probably become better at it than me at this point because i havent done it in years, but he sells about MAYBE a dozen a year. hardly enough to keep anyone afloat on that alone. one kind-of disagree though, is the "plans". i start most projects with plans. i will agree about making flat out generic things from textbook plans is boring, but, while i could have an idea in my head, and be able to completely flesh it out in real life, my problem comes in knowing how the human body works. i can make a great chair that looks awesome, but you cant fit in, or is uncomfortable as hell. i like to use plans so i have a base model, like, ok, my seat needs to be this high, this wide, at this angle, ect, then ill flesh out my design around that so that i know it will actually be a USEFUL piece when done. again, i dont agree with the "rule" of "dont use plans", but i think i completely agree with the spirit of the rule.

[@David.M.]

How true!

[@gremlin7900]

Well, went from a factory job running metal CNC machines and made stupid good money.... now I'm trying out the craft business and had a family friend teach me the ins and outs of building a house. But now that's in the air I'm left with a Xtool laser, and the basic array of wood tools, circuit and a top of the line sewing/embroidery machine. My finances are stable and the hobby business has had bad luck the last 6 months but I'll just cruise along life like i have always done. However after watching this video my dreams of having a wood cnc, 3d printer, lathe and all the other automated machines as a custom craft shop are kind of dyeing off. Guess I got suckered into the dollar signs on youtube saying how profitable doing work yourself is, I glossed over the importance of a competitive market. Which just so happens to be one of my draw backs in luck in life so now I'm sorta lost. Been a heck of a ride for the last few years and not many people probably would care to hear but hey, being lost but stable ain't so bad.

[@Itslvle]

I think coasters can work either as a random addition to larger items (a nice little touch that's practically a everyday use item business card) that are done when you otherwise would have downtime on your laser cutter/engraver or if your doing small scale fare business, they can be a product that's cheap enough to buy so people start flocking to your table and already open up their wallets. As a step-up-learning-project they can also help you step up your mass-production mindset and get you to start running numbers on profitability, but really it's a waste of money in and of itself. Coasters however are not the money maker themselves, unless you want to make pennies or have a mega-factory that scale things up to the 11th degree (and still need an excellent design and keep turning out new excellent designs if you want to operate from 1st world countries with higher labor costs).

[@jronmanbuilds]

in theory you could just charge high enough prices to make a living.....

[@Itslvle]

@@jronmanbuilds That's assuming people actually want to pay for those higher prices when the competition sells for less...

[@Zalzany]

@@jronmanbuilds That only works in person sales when you can wow them, online sales you gonna have people with the same product cheaper, its way harder unless you already built up a following first.

[@jameswaters3599]

I was sent a program from Anna White. It stated, "You can build this table for $100". I told my client it would be $1500. The discussion ensued that she didn't understand why I would charge so much. You would have to have all the tools and a wholesale, tax exemption with home depot to even buy the materials for $100.

[@mj.sorrondegui]

The titles on many of those videos are click bait-ish and many assume you have all the tools. Also, huge change in wood price before and after the pandemic.

[@marcowaters3698]

Oh mate! I'm crying for the laughs. Good job!

[@SebastiaoAfonso1989]

it is the hand gestures for me lol

[@mihaijiplea8371]

I don't agree with not making things that are made on KZbin or have plans made. The people who make the plans wanna sell them because it's a lot more passive to make money off of plans rather than selling and shipping products. Even if you'd make more money from the product itself, it's a lot easier to just sell downloadable plans. Also this doesn't lower the barrier to entry. Woodworkers know how to make something even if they see it on the shelf, they don't need a guy telling them how to do it step by step and newbies need thousands of dollars in tools and a lot of learning hours to reproduce the products.

[@WEALRO]

Making a living is different than making a killing-I absolutely think you can make a living doing any of those things but to get over the hump and make a killing no not happening