The time has come to ask the big question...

[jimdad07]

I am finding the saw and milling addiction to be overwhelming. That being said, I need to find a way to make it pay for itself, after the bills are paid, groceries take most of the rest. How do you guys make the hobby pay for itself? I am in to cabinet building, but the wood has to dry for a long time before I can do much of that. I also would like to tinker with rustic furniture, but am not sure if there is much demand or what to even sell anything for. I am just starting to toy with the idea maybe starting something beyond a hobby.
Here are the cabinets I built for my mother in law over the winter:

 

[820wards]

Nice cabinets Jim. I think that most people on this site mill for either fun, need for wood for their own projects and because it gives them wood you would normally not see in one of those big box stores.

Me, I do it for fun and wood for future projects.

Chime in guys.

jerry-

 

[luvsaws]

Very nice work
I think you could, if you have the time you could make a go of it!

 

[BobL]

Nice work JD, it looks like you really could make a go of it.

RE: How do you guys make the hobby pay for itself?
My choices are in the negative. I either work on woodworking milling projects at $X per hour or I go to therapy at $X+ per hour. I have had many requests and made a few things for other people but found it too stressful so I no longer do it.

 

[jimdad07]

Nice work JD, it looks like you really could make a go of it.

RE: How do you guys make the hobby pay for itself?
My choices are in the negative. I either work on woodworking milling projects at $X per hour or I go to therapy at $X+ per hour. I have had many requests and made a few things for other people but found it too stressful so I no longer do it.

Have you ever thought about making Alaskan mills? You have made some good ones.

 

[RVALUE]

I am finding the saw and milling addiction to be overwhelming. That being said, I need to find a way to make it pay for itself, after the bills are paid, groceries take most of the rest. How do you guys make the hobby pay for itself? I am in to cabinet building, but the wood has to dry for a long time before I can do much of that. I also would like to tinker with rustic furniture, but am not sure if there is much demand or what to even sell anything for. I am just starting to toy with the idea maybe starting something beyond a hobby.
Here are the cabinets I built for my mother in law over the winter:

That top pic looks like my kitchen, UNFINISHED!

 

[jimdad07]

That top pic looks like my kitchen, UNFINISHED!

I put the last face on the island two months into it. This is only the second kitchen I have ever done, but it is just like putting fifty small projects into one. Built this one over many nights and weekends. Was worth the learning experience.

 

[820wards]

Nice work JD, it looks like you really could make a go of it.

RE: How do you guys make the hobby pay for itself?
My choices are in the negative. I either work on woodworking milling projects at $X per hour or I go to therapy at $X+ per hour. I have had many requests and made a few things for other people but found it too stressful so I no longer do it.

Guys, Bob's got it so bad he's paying for a shrink....

Also, I have used some of the slabs I have milled for bartering. I have made deals with rancher friends for hunting privileges in return for milling bench slabs.

jerry-

 

[mtngun]

I either work on woodworking milling projects at $X per hour or I go to therapy at $X+ per hour.

I feel the same way. A day in the woods is great therapy.

Have you ever thought about making Alaskan mills?

Then it would be a job.

I enjoy tinkering with saws, but if I started doing it for money, then it would be a job. And I don't care how much you like a certain activity, if you do it 5 days a week (or 6 or 7 days a week) week after week, year after year, it eventually stops being fun.

Actually, it is easy to justify my woodcutting addiction, because I heat with wood ...... and my heating season lasts 9 months. If I heated with electricity or propane, we'd be talking several hundred dollars per month times 9 months. Spending a few hundred each year on saws seems reasonable by comparison.

 

[bobsreturn]

I always thought a day in the rainforest and milling was therapy , can be expensive though .cheers bob

 

[gemniii]

After watching this site for a while I've come to realize that unless you've got either:
Special motive - got to cut up a tree anyways
or
Special wood - very valuable to someone else
or
Special sales ability - A high demand by an established wood artisan

there is no way you will be able to cut up trees into lumber and make enough $$ to survive on with pride.

If anyone with a CSM can cut a tree there is no special value in it.

In the case of the OP's cabinetry, it looks good, but I hope the details are a lot better than his photography.

My grandfather was a home carpenter/cabinetmaker. He made a living of it. But he wouldn't if he had to cut and dry and plane his own wood.

My prime reason for being here is to learn enough to accurately cut trees I've got to make raw, rough lumber I can use, in the same real close area that it grew up, while I'm RETIRED (i.e. paid for).

The OP could probably make a living off cabinetry, but he'd need a lot of start up time to cut, dry, plane and match his own wood.

And BobL could probably "patent" some of his Aussie Mills.

 

[jimdad07]

After watching this site for a while I've come to realize that unless you've got either:
Special motive - got to cut up a tree anyways
or
Special wood - very valuable to someone else
or
Special sales ability - A high demand by an established wood artisan

there is no way you will be able to cut up trees into lumber and make enough $$ to survive on with pride.

If anyone with a CSM can cut a tree there is no special value in it.

In the case of the OP's cabinetry, it looks good, but I hope the details are a lot better than his photography.

My grandfather was a home carpenter/cabinetmaker. He made a living of it. But he wouldn't if he had to cut and dry and plane his own wood.

My prime reason for being here is to learn enough to accurately cut trees I've got to make raw, rough lumber I can use, in the same real close area that it grew up, while I'm RETIRED (i.e. paid for).

The OP could probably make a living off cabinetry, but he'd need a lot of start up time to cut, dry, plane and match his own wood.

And BobL could probably "patent" some of his Aussie Mills.

Cell pictures stink. What I meant was in order for me to get into it the way that I would like is out of the question for me right now because like a lot of other people, my family and I are living on the edge of pay the mortgage or feed the kids. I heat with wood, so that justifies having the saws, but it is hard to come up with trees to mill on a regular basis. We have a lot of land in my family but most of it is hay field, and the trees we do have are littered with tree stands. Perhaps my best bet would be to just keep going like I am and just be happy with the occasional downed tree that comes my way. Not really looking to make it full time, just a fun side line, but I can see where it could be stressful.

 

[Andrew96]

Well JimDad, I work full time for myself....with wood. Supplying raw materials is not where the money is. Nor...I feel...is cabinet making. Everyone does it, it's not hard to do. The money is in custom work. Developing a name for yourself doesn't happen overnight. The raw materials are not that large of an expense in the big picture...but when you need it, you need it now! I mill to get cool stuff for my own projects..and for the fun of it all. Therapy if you'd like. A good change from it all and a way to get out of the shop. I'd say...be happy with what you can get in the way of trees, and make something with them. If you sell it off, do another. Custom made to order is the way to go (pick your product...be the master it). Do it on your time and make sure it's enjoyable. You never know what it will turn into down the path/trail/road but it's a long way before you get to pavement.

 

[HUCKLEBERRY]

jimdad,

There are many tweener steps you could and probably need to take if you'd like to do more work for yourself. There are more opportunities to show your work and advertise now than there ever have been. Resources like Craigslist, Ebay, and even starting your own website are relatively inexpensive and a good way to build your business skills without "quitting your day job". Your decision could be easy if you let it make itself. If at some point you are making enough off of your hobby that you are losing money by not doing it full time it's a simple choice. The most important and difficult part of the decision in most cases is being totally honest with yourself regarding whatever thing you are pursueing.
-Can I sell it? (Do you have solid evidence that you can?)
-Am I disciplined enough to: keep my own books, budget and not overspend, only promise what I can deliver, save during the good times etc.
-How will my decision effect my family?
-Have I really taken everything into consideration such as operating costs, insurance, travel expenses and time away from family, slow periods etc.

I've worked for myself doing work that I love for about six years. I wouldn't trade it for anything but it is a struggle. Many times I look around and think that the security and steadiness of a good "day job" would be nice. In the end it's your call. Just make a good decision based on solid evidence.

 

[discounthunter]

i think woodworking falls into the starving artist catogory. my biggest project so far was a computer desk for my house so no money made. ive used some wood for game calls but i could have easily used any other means to cut that wood up. i like having a mill just for the fact if a good pieces of tree come along i can get something out of it. as far as making money well,thats what i have a full time job for.

 

[mtngun]

As hobbies go, at least chainsaws produce something useful.

Compare that to golf. How many golfers make enough money golfing to pay for their clubs, bags, carts, balls, shoes, country club membership, etc. ?

How many golfers heat their home with golf balls ?

Has anyone ever built a house with a golf club ?

Seen any furniture made with a putter ?

 

[jimdad07]

Thanks for the input guys. As I said, I was thinking more of an enjoyable side line and paying for the saw/milling hobby. I have to work on the side any way to make ends meet, I wire houses on the weekends and work in the HVAC/Refrigeration field as a technician on commercial equipment during the day. I love what I do, but I would love to do side work right out of my wood shop and be able to spend time with the kids when I want to rather than spending most of my time away from home, plus it would be cool to pass the love of working with the wood down to my kids. I do understand that milling the wood and then trying to sustain a full time shop with it is not realistic, but I think a few small projects a year may be.

 

[Sawmill]

This is what happened to me. In 1994 I bought a used Woodmizer sawmill for my own use. I added Hyds to it before I used it. Many people went buy and seen it sitting there and wanted me to saw lumber for them. I wanted to get use to sawing my own before I did anyone elses in case of a major screwup. Well as I sawed up my lumber the phone kept ringing off the hook. So in the fall of 1994 I did my first paying job with the sawmill. Then it went wild. I was working in the shop 60 hours a week and trying to mill at nights and the weekends being carefull of the jobs I booked ahead. In 2001 the shop where I worked for 26 years was in the process of being downsized and after talking with my wife and an accountant I took an early retirement package and the flood gates opened up. Within 3 weeks I had a backlog of 6 months. I never dreamed that there was this much business for a sawmill. I payed for the sawmill off in 2001 and then bought a skidsteer. I got a good deal and it was also paid off in 2001. In 2005 I bought a second mill with all the bells and whisles on it and I paid it off in 2006. This is the mill I sold with the business. As the ecomny slowed down the orders tapered of some but I always managed to have at least a 3 month backlog of business. This was all by word of mouth. I always tried to be fair and saw good lumber. I started out sawing at .20 cents a board foot and when I sold the business in 2007 I was sawing for 40 cents a BF and was sawing 1500 or more BF per day. I think in todays ecomny a person would have a hard time making ago of it beause of fuel prices and the cost of parts. I really miss sawing and nothing is more relaxing the being in the woods sawing on an Oct day with the sun shinning and the leaves falling. The biggest draw back I was a custom portable business and was gone everyday from daylight to dark. I was very impressed with the people that I sawed for I still get calls from some of them just to BS. I kept the first mill and used it some on our property where I now live. I really enjoyed the experence and would not hesitate to do it again.

 

[redprospector]

This is what happened to me. In 1994 I bought a used Woodmizer sawmill for my own use. I added Hyds to it before I used it. Many people went buy and seen it sitting there and wanted me to saw lumber for them. I wanted to get use to sawing my own before I did anyone elses in case of a major screwup. Well as I sawed up my lumber the phone kept ringing off the hook. So in the fall of 1994 I did my first paying job with the sawmill. Then it went wild. I was working in the shop 60 hours a week and trying to mill at nights and the weekends being carefull of the jobs I booked ahead. In 2001 the shop where I worked for 26 years was in the process of being downsized and after talking with my wife and an accountant I took an early retirement package and the flood gates opened up. Within 3 weeks I had a backlog of 6 months. I never dreamed that there was this much business for a sawmill. I payed for the sawmill off in 2001 and then bought a skidsteer. I got a good deal and it was also paid off in 2001. In 2005 I bought a second mill with all the bells and whisles on it and I paid it off in 2006. This is the mill I sold with the business. As the ecomny slowed down the orders tapered of some but I always managed to have at least a 3 month backlog of business. This was all by word of mouth. I always tried to be fair and saw good lumber. I started out sawing at .20 cents a board foot and when I sold the business in 2007 I was sawing for 40 cents a BF and was sawing 1500 or more BF per day. I think in todays ecomny a person would have a hard time making ago of it beause of fuel prices and the cost of parts. I really miss sawing and nothing is more relaxing the being in the woods sawing on an Oct day with the sun shinning and the leaves falling. The biggest draw back I was a custom portable business and was gone everyday from daylight to dark. I was very impressed with the people that I sawed for I still get calls from some of them just to BS. I kept the first mill and used it some on our property where I now live. I really enjoyed the experence and would not hesitate to do it again.

:agree2:
Sounds kinda like my story, except I haven't sold out yet.

Everyone else sounds like "the glass is half empty" kinda people. Even with a CSM, if you have the right kind of wood, and the right kind of customers I think you could make a go of it (Just don't quit your day job untill things are swinging your way).
Custom sawing, and specialty products are the best ways to make money with a mill.

Andy

 

[BobL]

As hobbies go, at least chainsaws produce something useful.
Compare that to golf. How many golfers make enough money golfing to pay for their clubs, bags, carts, balls, shoes, country club membership, etc. ?
How many golfers heat their home with golf balls ?
Has anyone ever built a house with a golf club ?
Seen any furniture made with a putter ?

That's my argument with SWMBO and her horse. Thing is she's pretty crafty (jewelry, crochet, sewing, etc which she has sold) herself so I don't complain too much.