This Accident Will Define My Furniture Making Career

[@MalcolmCrabbe]

All that lovely hard wood and plastic is used for the glazing ! - I built a similar unit from 18mm melamine (oak finish) and fitted 4mm glass panels (edges ground all round). Having kept and bred snakes for 38 years perspex just doesn't last and will soon need replacing. But the end result looked great and congratulation on your first commission

[@RobinLewisMakes]

I was worried about that. The client and I went back and forth on it but because of cost he settled on Perspex. At least he can upgrade when the Perspex eventually looks bad

[@JohnHeisz]

Love the build and the video was a pleasure to watch - they keep getting better!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks John!

[@SirLesMeyer]

Great build Robin. As a serious DIY guy (I am sticking to that), while helping my son build a 2100 high by 900 wide bookshelf, gluing the 2nd side we had the same challenges that you had. Brought a smile to my face. Your one was even more challenging. Great result that you can be proud of and a customer who can be fortunate that someone of your integrity finished the project for him in the manner that you did.

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks you! Good luck with the book shelf

[@recipio6561]

Thanks for sharing. Glad to see you wearing boots near the end of the video. I think I would have used some kind of K/D fixings and a 6 mm back to avoid all that heavy lifting. Also the ' laptop ' type of hinges sold by Rockler in the US would have allowed a soft close top. Woodworking is a long learning curve.😀

[@Kitbash.Carnage]

Hi love your videos ❤ KitbashCarnage hear at the age of 31 iv recently got back into the warhammer/kitbashing community agen after taking 15year brake to pay bills and so on . I have taken the leap head on and started a youtube channel along with Instagram, Facebook and Tiktok. It's hard with this algorithm thing is somthing to get used to along with editing and so on but my love and the flame for my lost passion has been reignited more then ever and dont plan on stopping soon . Along with having lots of content plans and already in the pipeline and also a Revamp to all social media with new header picture and profile picture from a digital contractor I sorced I hope to just gain more traction to the community iv came back to 🔥 Regards KitbashCarnage

[@lw8882]

"Add a day" - cut to the bandsaw not working for thinning down boards. Yeah your mate gave you some solid advice there. Good on him.

[@TheIdeasGuy]

Hey mate. I’ve only just found you but I like the way you build your videos so I’ll be subscribing. Cheers. On pricing stuff, I work out materials and multiply it by 1.2, then I work out how many days I expect it to take and add 1, or 2, or 5 etc. (depending on the job size - I add about 20% to my expected timeframe). I quote on a day rate. The quality of my work speaks for itself and I always do my utmost to make sure my customers are happy with the entire experience and end result. My quotes are always expensive but I back that up with a fantastic experience and top-tier craftsmanship, farther backed up with the best possible after-sales service. If my products fail, I fix them. Thankfully that hasn’t happened for a few years now (touch wood)!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Welcome. Interesting about the day rate, definitely simplifies it! Thanks for the advice

[@toddwilliams254]

What a great video. I've been doing disruptive technology start-ups for the last third of my career--and almost every day feels like you first commission. Here's my take: You not only get used to it, you get better at it and actually begin to enjoy all of the envelope pushing!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks!

[@RealMcFruit]

We all have those "Oooh nooo" moments but working with wood you almost always can repair it. Even cutting out a piece and glue a replacement in again works like a charm. One comment to your grove routing like at minute 20:20. I would not use the straight part of the router base but the round one. The round part has always the same distance to the center so any little wiggle or twist will not result in the router going away from the center. Keep up the fun and good work!

[@johnbirdsall677]

This always worked for me...the rule of halves and doubles....it will take you double the time and investment to make half of the profit you calculated,(and do not be afraid to price your work accordingly)...good luck

[@moneymakingmikeg.9555]

Robin, this came out really cool Man!!! It's exciting to think of how many cool snakes will be housed in it. Glad it was OK after it slipped a bit. Hoping all is well Bud, Dirty Jersey out!!!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Hahaha not sure I want to think about that 😂 thanks man

[@dainermade]

Did enjoy! Start to finish, very well done mate 🎉

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks man

[@Darrell_Coquillette]

Congratulations on that first step. It turned out great. Now you know what needs to be done in the shop to make things flow. Maybe an assembly table in the future?

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks. As the weeks go by it gets further and further up the todo list

[@nielsverhaar6005]

That was a fantastic production and video. I really enjoyed the video and the way you explained the process. Well done and hoping yiu have a long and happy career in Furniture Making.

[@Dazza19746]

You really want an inch minimum blade width and about 3 TPI. The carbide tip ones are great. Also the bandsaw buddy is great to align fence with blade drift. I can rip 200 merbau no problem

[@rickscarpellotherapy]

I needed to see this. Particularly the “ oh no” moments. Did wonders for the confidence. Great build! Cheers to many more 🙌🔥🙌

[@skipflorey2511]

Robin, Enjoyed the video, please get more commissions so we can see the progress you’ll make and hopefully a profit.

[@ToddMade]

Beautiful work Robin ! Really bought that one back for the dead! Never give up I love it

[@coolabahwoodworking]

What an intro well done mate! Huge project

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks man

[@jimmcnett]

liked the video. I have never seen a snake tank build. Wood choice was perfect. Congratulations!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thank you very much!

[@Frantichairguy]

I understand why you were adviced to round up by the next day. It allows you to quickly estimate a price for labor with a calculator once you fixed your rate and still gives some wiggle room. The last thing customers want are price bumps.

[@williammcarthur1260]

Invest in a fence that can be angled to account for the drift in the bandsaw blade, you’ll get better results.

[@seanalexander9531]

Wow, fantastic work Robin! I felt a little bit of anxiety following this build as the story unfolded. Well done 😍

[@fancraft1266]

I thought the guy on the thumbnail was Cam from Blacktail studio 😂 🤦

[@briansbuildsandoutdoors4936]

Nicely done Robin. I'm sure the new residents will be chuffed with their new digs. All the best.

[@atomictyler]

next tool to buy...track saw with proper dust collection! came out great!

[@matteout_woodworking]

I had a strap break 2 miles from a delivery once on a Highway. A garden swing went flying out of my truck. Not fun telling your clients... All of them that you lined up that it will be another week of wait times because of an accident.

[@fathogwoodworking]

Great video Robin. It was good to see it all come together well. Maybe not the most money earned but plenty of experiences a learning on this one. Glad you kept at it!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks man

[@pedullastudio]

Well done mate! Great video

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks man, appreciate the watch

[@trentwalsh8168]

Excellent video. And another to watch afterwards!!! Thanks :)

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Awesome, thank you!

[@NoLumberLeftBehind]

Imposter syndrome is very real on commissioned projects. Thank you for a great video and project!

[@woodfather]

Great one Robin, and there's nothing wrong with butt hinges! Where did those long reach clamps come from, my eyes lit up as soon as they were on screen!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks man. They ponys from Timbecon, cannot recommend them enough!

[@garethkortegast7002]

Well done mate. Very impressed. Hey just quickly. When measuring internals have you tried measuring 100mm in from one side and marking it then measuring the other way back to the 100mm mark?. Quicker than cutting 3 time to make it fit i have found. Anyway great job. Keep it up 👍

[@RobinLewisMakes]

That’s a good tip, thanks!

[@foresttourer2457]

Nice done!) Great job 🎉

[@marksutton5374]

Congratulations beautiful work.

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks

[@cathybenson5119]

Wow, a channel from my home town. Lol. Have a good one, mate. Do you do restorations? I have a china cabinet in need of restoring.

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks Cathy! Can definitely take a look, depends on what’s involved. Send some pics through and I’ll take a look [e-mail]

[@MelbourneMaker]

Great work mate! Loved the build and story.

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks man

[@GumtreeHillWoodwork]

My man! That was such a brilliant video. No fat whatsoever, from start to finish was full to capacity with intel & visual treats!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thank you! Really appreciate that coming from you, been enjoying your videos recently

[@GumtreeHillWoodwork]

@@RobinLewisMakes I appreciate it 🙏

[@resinatewoodco832]

Dude, you be a real wood worker. Great video mate, nice work on the cabinet 🤘🏼

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks man!

[@DiHandley]

Just remember that “Persistence overcomes resistance” “If you’re not making mistakes you’re not trying hard enough”

[@tickfarmwoodworks]

Good job! Now Joey and Bryan gotta show some respect, 'cause you too are a PROfessional woodworker. 😊

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Yes, I like this! 😂

[@OfficialMarcusR]

Great video - would you mind sharing the final price or maybe a break-down of total cost material- and time-wise?

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks! I lost track of the hours but the quote was for just under $4k. My expenses were around $3k

[@lw8882]

With the gap on the hinge side of the box, couldn't you just put a single hole like you did for the back of the cabinet for a 240v cable? I guess the client can't move the power cable then though.

[@DamianDArienzo]

Great you kept going. Great build!!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks

[@AlAmantea]

Congrats on taking that first leap. It's a doozy! However, if you think about the amount of time and energy you spent on remilling those timbers to gain an extra board, you would have been much better off, and days ahead in the project to simply purchase enough materials to have what you needed without having to remill and do glueups. Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. Every project will teach you something whether or not you are willing to learn the lesson. The key is to carry that lesson forward and be flexible in your processes. Large bulky projects do not necessarily need to be built as one single piece. In fact, I almost never recommend doing it that way. You need to consider the logistics of not only your own ability to move it around, but also the client's capabilities as well when it comes time for them to move it due to rearranging, changing locations, changing homes, etc. While it can seem to be an easier or simpler task to do something that large as a single unit, it rarely ever is in reality.

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks! Completely agree, next time around I’ll likely use a plywood with the same timber veneer. Easier to work with, more stable, same result!

[@andysegelke3798]

Great build. Inspirational. What's the stuff that forced you to open the doors? Prospex? Prospects? Am I hearing that wrong?

[@RobinLewisMakes]

“Perspex”. It’s a brand name for clear acrylic I think, but it’s the best kind available so it’s become a term used for clear acrylic

[@onehandedmaker]

Hi Robin, That cabinet was a monster and I had to watch to the end to make sure you defeated it! The video was great and I really appreciate the way you discuss the good and bad of the build process, very informative. Good to see another maker based in Australia and I like your website. Well done. Checking out your background wall colour which is pretty similar to the colour I just used for my video backdrop and it looks good, so I may have made the right choice. Regards James One Handed Maker.

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks James! Black walls have changed my world, best decision I made. Where about in AU are you?

[@onehandedmaker]

@RobinLewisMakes In Port Macquarie NSW. My walls are a charcoal colour and I just upgraded to smart LED lighting but haven't tested the lights for video yet. What state are you in?

[@christiananson4630]

aussie blacktail, cam from down under!

[@ArchEdge]

Robin - when you cut your dados for the shelves, do you always run the straight edge of the trim router along the guide? I was always show to use the round side.

[@RobinLewisMakes]

I used to use the round edge but the wood whisperer put out an interesting video about it. Using the round edge assumes the bit is perfectly centred, which it might not be. Using the flat edge means that you don’t need to worry about that. He goes into more detail, I’ll see if I can link in this comment kzbin.infoVOup7Jm0bE4?si=j5xLiKjsHSBfVA6V

[@ArchEdge]

@@RobinLewisMakes wooooo ok, that is interesting. Might have to have a look into to that, or at least, accurately measure my router base to see if its centered.

[@guillermo7777]

Congrats, first time watching your Chanel, the video was pretty long, but i enjoy it… hey if you don’t mess it up, you don’t learn, we all being there at some point, one time i broke a long piece of granite trying to lift it up, me and my friend Richard, imagine long piece of stone,me on one end, and the other guy at the other end, of course it will be deflect in the mid point and powwww, Broke on my responsibility, I’ll never forget that day, but i learn, well thanks for the content, nice video, greetings from Santa Cruz bolivia,

[@RobinLewisMakes]

That’s must’ve been a very tough day! Thanks for watching

[@col0342]

Thanks for the tip (Carbatec bandsaws - or at least yours - cough at abuses)

[@thetechnician832]

Not bad mate.

[@paulmatthews2276]

Love this video - so informative!

[@mrghm]

I would have brought 19mm boards or 25mm sawn not brought 50mm and ripped So much extra work, nice job

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks. Yeah next time I’ll be using plywood or dressed, that’s not something I want to repeat!

[@מעייןהמלבלבתחייםםםם]

Great work!!

[@Deandsmcarpentry1]

Awesome work

[@riversidewoodworks]

Great video mate

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Thanks bro!

[@Chippie-O]

As somebody who has spent the last 4 years as a first time business owner running a handyman business, when there's more than about $3-500 in materials, ensure your deposit covers ALL materials and a chunk of your time...when the other person does a runner, you'll be out time, but not dollars, hurts that little bit less.

[@RobinLewisMakes]

I’ve heard this story from others furniture makers too unfortunately

[@Chippie-O]

@@RobinLewisMakes Yeah, unfortunately all to common through all sorts of trades, heck not just trades really. Take it easy mate, good recovery on the drop, as many have said, mastery is not in the perfection of the final thing, but in the management of the stuff-ups and mistakes that would put less experienced persons back.

[@sattchy_tis4212]

That literally just happened to my vanity top I was building for my wife.

[@johnshakespeare3004]

Great project but isn’t Australia one big reptile enclosure??? Keep going good luck buddy!

[@RobinLewisMakes]

😂

[@MrHandyDad]

One is like none, and two is like twenty... Ask me how many times I broke stuff trying to go alone?

[@thenobleplatyous101]

How many? Not nearly as many times as I have fuct up a project going at it alone 😂😂

[@barberspaddockwoodworking]

Congratulations, 1 down.....and I'm sure hundreds to go....😄

[@ErgoCogita]

When fitting final pieces together and everything is snug, the first thing I think is, “something’s wrong, this is right.”

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Haha 😂

[@bobpc2918]

That's a serious click bait! 😲 Nice build and experience though.

[@hunkulous1462]

Nice

[@nuiipointer]

14:33 from the thumbnail

[@brucepottorff6870]

X2 on an assembly table

[@FixitFingers]

Nah, he just dropped it for dramatic KZbin effect 😂😂😂

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Don’t give away my secrets 😆

[@williammaxwell1919]

Not many furniture makers can claim as their first commission a cage for a "red-bellied black snake".

[@RobinLewisMakes]

Hadn’t thought of it like that, but I like it!!

[@EzerArthiom]

Your logo reminds too much of Yandex....

[@lw8882]

Carbatec is the closest ally of everybody in Australia outfitting a woodworking shop. s2g

[@pietjepuk9575]

Pressure about this build ? Dude it's a plywood box with dividers , not like it's expensive hardwood with dovetails and intricate inlay 😂🤣😂😂👎👎👎👎