Custom Woodworking - Always Learning
Learning new skills to care for your family and promote confidence and autonomy.
Continuing to learn and develop new skills is the most important part of working and growing as a person. Custom woodworking is the vehicle to be always learning, always growing. Woodworking on its own is a huge collection of various skills. Using a variety of tools to create whatever you have in your head requires knowing how to use them all, and in innumerable combinations, to do what is necessary. Creating bespoke furniture involves much more than woodworking skills. You need to learn metal working, handling epoxy, how to use different styles of hardware and a multitude of other skills.
For thousands of years people have advanced technology in all endeavors and tools for making things are definitely no exception. The modern woodworker needs to learn computer design, computer programming, and small amounts of organic chemistry along with their knowledge of wood species, metallurgy and hand tool use and maintenance. If you maintain your own tools and set up your own shop then you also need to know electric motors, circuits, pneumatic systems, and plumbing. And of course, if you run a vehicle to work out of or make deliveries, then you must have a basic understanding of mechanic work. Most furniture makers can’t escape learning to finish at some point as well. Paint and finish is a whole science all on its own that takes many years to master and is constantly evolving.
Coming Soon to a Wood Shop Near You - New Skills!
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Coming Soon to a Wood Shop Near You - New Skills! 🪚🔨
While all these skills may seem impressive to those outside the trades, this list of skills may be intimidating to those of you beginning a new woodworking company. But fear not new woodworker! You have many years to learn all these things. Skills are learned incrementally during each new design project. The more variety of projects you take on, the faster the skills will come to you repertoire. But where do you go to learn new skills?
In the age of information technology, including YouTube, Google searches, Instagram, etc. there are many ways to learn whatever new skills you need. They are also excellent sources of inspiration for new designs. Whatever sources you find, use them to inspire and instruct. If you happen to have local woodworkers in your area ask them for help. This site will have articles will have some instructional articles as well, so come on back!
Camper Flip-Blank Slate
So a guy left a filthy disgusting camper on my property. . .
It all begins with an idea. I was walking around our new property in southern Arizona and was appalled by the amount of old trash and nonsense that was left in every single corner. In one corner I found an old camper and, at first I admit, I was not thrilled. I considered it a piece of trash that would have to be disposed of and I was only thinking of the hassle and expense someone left me. But then, I got to thinking rationally and decided it could be a gift.
The insides were definitely disgusting. I couldn’t imagine how many rats and other animals had used this thing for a privy and hangout spot. Besides the utter filth, the design itself was pretty useless. The bath room was basically unusable. This presented a perfect opportunity for some custom design. It got my creative juices going to think about all the different floor plans and custom furniture designs that could be incorporated.
The first week or two was just spent gutting this monstrosity and the more I tore out, the more options that presented themselves. After considering all the options and going round and round with myself, a thought occurred to me. What if the custom design I decide on is not what the buyer wanted or dreamed of in a vintage camper. What if they actually wanted office space or a food truck but I turned it into a camper? Why should I get to have all the fun of designing the space? That’s when the Blank Slate design came to me. I decided to put in the wall sheets with screws so they could be removed and rearranged. I would re-coat the roof and fix the damaged and rotted framing. One big, clean, air conditioned space where someone can make all their custom design dreams come true.
And so, I have a vision of a clean blank slate. One where anything is possible and there will be no time, money, or materials lost by going in the wrong direction. A perfect place to execute a vision for the future. An open canvas for a custom design.