Should you turn pro?
Somerset, NJ 2017
Should You Turn Pro?
Turning is one of the most fun and rewarding hobbies there is. Most of the raw material literally grows on trees. Harsh winter weather can provide a windfall of raw material and the equipment needed to begin woodturning as a business is minuscule compared to most other businesses.
If you love turning wood as a hobby, don’t do it for a living. When it is your job, most of the fun quickly leaves. In all seriousness, I know very few turners who make a significant income strictly from turning wood and selling their finished wooden products. The best analogy I can give you is something that happened to me several years ago. I loved to bass fish and living in the south, I had the weather in my favor. I had a nice bass fishing rig and all of the gear and money in the bank. I fished every day for two straight years. I thought I was very good and would surely be the next Kevin Van Dam, Roland Martin or Hank Parker. Never won a dime, went down in flames, sold the boat and haven’t fished in more than 15 years.
When I was considering the possibilities of making a living in the world of wood turning, I interviewed a handful of the most successful nationally recognized woodturners about going full time while still needing a full time income. Their advice was unanimous. Woodturning is a wonderful hobby, but a very difficult job. My good friend from England (and now Spain), Chris Stott author of Turned Lidded Boxes – 50 Designs, said it best. I had asked if one could make a decent living turning wood. Chris said emphatically “Yes! As long as you can live decently on $15,000 a year.” He was deadly serious, very prophetic and exactly on target.
I am asked this question frequently so here is my advice. If you have another major source of income and are looking to earn a part time income, turning wood can provide that part time income easily under the right circumstances. The puzzle pieces needed are, 1) several of the right items to make which sell readily, have a low cost of materials and can be made quickly with an affordable price point, 2) work space sufficient to do the production and storage for the finished inventory, 3) outlets to sell your items, 4) enough time to devote to this endeavor. If you approach it like a business and do everything necessary to run a business including accounting and taxes, you have a chance to be successful.
Finally after many years of considerable effort, Sweet Janice and I are among the few professionals we know who earn a decent living from woodturning as a full time occupation. Our success doesn’t come from producing finished wooden items. Our success has come from providing tools, accessories, jigs and fixtures and how-to videos to other hobby turners. When you see us out on the Woodworking Show Circuit, the cost for us to be there is tremendous. Each week we take a huge financial gamble that the weather will cooperate, that you will come and spend money with us that we have the correct mix of products in the right quantities and a thousand other variables have to go our way in order to make a profit. Most weeks it pays off, but some weeks it doesn’t and we can lose big on those rare occasions.
Spring craft fairs and Artist Markets are just around the corner. Start small and go bigger and better each following year. Keep good records, study the trends and keep a notebook for later review and reflection. Everywhere we go here in the spring of 2017 most people are excited and happy about the future of our great country. There is a positive attitude and hopefulness we have not seen in a very long while. There isn’t a better more fun part-time business around because wherever you go there you are.
Here is my inspiration for this week’s message: Ps 37:4 NIV Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Col 3:23[HCSB Whatever you do, do it enthusiastically, as something done for the Lord and not for men. Proverbs 22:29 MSG Observe people who are good at their work - skilled workers are always in demand and admired; they don't take a back seat to anyone.
I have prepared a very short video showing a typical texturing demonstration which I do for audiences at The Woodworking Shows each weekend this time of year. Although I’ve done many thousands of these, they never get old. I hope you enjoy this three and a half minute video.
Short Texturing Video (3-1/2 min)
Here is a quick tour of our Woodworking Show Booth for 2017. Hope you will come see us when we come to a city near you. https://youtu.be/2Owz3p3axzY
This Week's Sale
Three of our most popular kits for the spring,
just in time for the spring craft fair season:
Top Chuck Kit Acorn Makers Kit Pepper Mill Kit
$99 each or $275 for all three.
Get free USA shipping when you choose all three
Introducing
If the link doesn't work immediately, we installed a new redirect which may take a few hours to activate. Try again a bit later.
My IT department has been working their fingers to to bone trying to convert my How-To DVD's to play on tablets, smart phones and all of the modern platforms that were not available when I began offering them. Our decision was to utilize a FREE app which is universally compatible with all platforms currently offered. These videos are for purchase, they are not free. They are complete and menu driven just like the original DVDs. I will be adding more titles after the show season is over. If you have purchased DVD's before, these are exactly the same. If you just want to view them on the modern platforms, you will need to repurchase each title.
How it works.
These videos play through an APPLICATION (app) which is free to download and is about 10 megs. They will play on virtually any device, but you have to have the app installed on each device just like any other modern program. It was quite costly on our end to have this done, but we are still able to offer quality full length How-To woodturning videos at fair prices. Thanks for your business. We are delighted to finally be able to offer our material for your viewing enjoyment on the device of your choice. Hats off to the IT department at Ronbrownsbest.com.
Here is the link to get started:
http://www.ronbrownvideos.flickrocket.com
The 2017 Woodworking Show season is in full swing. This week we are off to Nowhere! Boy can we use the rest. See you in Detroit March 3rd - 5th, 2017.
For dates and venue locations, Click HERE
Janice and I are scheduled to be at all of these shows. We look forward to seeing you again and we have lots of new items this year. Please understand that during the show season, phone calls can only be returned when we are in the office (Mon-Wed). Orders will follow the same schedule. I am able to answer eamils from the hotel, usually, in the evening.
Quick Note:
We have lost the date for the Milwaukee show this year so their won't be a Milwaukee show this season. They were not able to schedule a replacement show on such short notice.
Including Bottle Stopper Designs - 50 Plus classic designs. Free PDF.
Amazing Doughnut Chuck™ Instructions
ProGrind Instructions
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