Makes a change from cutting up logs.

[Richard 1234]

How much for the piece (very nice by the way) I would of thought that it would need to be £1300 to £1500 if not more. Am I miles out or does it take so long to make that even at that price you are not making much? Top job

[Woodworks]

That's sounds crazy, I bet people who can do work to such a high standard with skills which must have taken years to acquire are probably far and few between. I'd have thought you'd be worth 3x that, its sad really if that isn't the case. Still if your enjoying the firewood and you get your main/regular income with that you could try being a bit bolder with your pricing on the furniture making side?

 

 

Spot on Matt

 

Since the logs started paying their way I have upped my prices to £18 and still have jobs coming in. Probably could have done it ages ago but with no fall back was reticent to try. Nuts as it is have been able to charge that for chippy work for a few years.

Edited September 10, 2014 by Woodworks

[Graham]

I'd always thought that tulip timber was used for carcassing in utility furniture. Just shows that a craftsman can utilise it to turn it into something exceptional.

[AcaciaRental]

Looks smashing! Brilliant bit of work, lovely colour wood too. You'll have to put up some pics of the top bit when its done too!

[devon TWiG]

Fair question that I will try and answer.

 

I have struggled with furniture making for 20+ years. I have only made a subsistence living from it for various reasons.

 

1. It takes so many hours to build pieces like this.

2. I am appalling at pricing so have time and time again under estimated how long a job will take

3. I have never been brave enough to charge more than £10 per hour for the risk of ending up with no work.

4. It's hard working on your own in a dingy workshop so never have really put enough hours into it.

 

No one to blame but myself for many of these things

 

I have discovered that I love chopping down trees and smashing them into firewood. I wrestle with it myself but just doing what makes me happy for a change. Not giving up the woodwork as I am sure the poor old body is going to start protesting about the current line of work so expect to find myself back at the bench more and more in a few years.

That sounds incredibly like me !!!....

[jamesd]

Just seen this thread, and that is a quality piece of work. Out of interest how did the client dry the timber and do you think it will be stable enough when it goes indoors? (heat changes)

[se7enthdevil]

tulipwood is surprisingly stable once dry and moves very little at the worst of times.

 

it's a very under rated timber in my opinion and i think we should be using this instead of mdf and chipboard.

[Woodworks]

Just seen this thread, and that is a quality piece of work. Out of interest how did the client dry the timber and do you think it will be stable enough when it goes indoors? (heat changes)

 

He had left it in stick in the garage for several years. I gave the boards an initial plane and then left them to settle for a month in the workshop to make sure they were stable. As Steve says tulip is a very stable timber and there was almost no movement from initial planing to final planing.

[jamesd]

He had left it in stick in the garage for several years. I gave the boards an initial plane and then left them to settle for a month in the workshop to make sure they were stable. As Steve says tulip is a very stable timber and there was almost no movement from initial planing to final planing.

 

Ok thanks for the information!

[Woodworks]

Finished a dining table just before Christmas but no pictures until today.

Pretty much the customers design in Oak.