Career Change

[NGK]

Hi all

I'm a 40 year male looking to change from truck driving into the wood/woodwork scene. Does anyone have any leads I could follow ie, where to look, who to approach, which wood work scene is in demand. I'm not looking for an apprenticeship (need to support my family at the same time).

Any advice/info would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Just George]

Where are you?

[pasey25]

Watsonia is in the northern suburbs of Melbourne

[Different]

Hi all

I'm a 40 year male looking to change from truck driving into the wood/woodwork scene. Does anyone have any leads I could follow ie, where to look, who to approach, which wood work scene is in demand. I'm not looking for an apprenticeship (need to support my family at the same time).

Any advice/info would be appreciated.

Thanks

I dont want to be harsh but stay driving trucks or if you have to get out and are willing to study then look to the stockmarket as a source of income.
There is NO future in woodworking except as a hobby!

Ross

[Tankstand]

You could start delivering wood for someone and get your foot in the door?

[Harry72]

There wouldnt be much constant income in one-off pieces unless you have an established name(takes years...).
Ask our Lignum, its what he does.

IMHO To make a living(enough to decently support a family $60K+) from WW'ing you will need to mass produce and be able to market/interest larger shops like Harvey Normans... while being competitive against imports and the furniture industry's worst nightmare "Ikea" (a big ask).

[martrix]

Look for an apprenticeship as a cabinet maker in a Shopfitting company. The highest paying area in cabinetmaking.
Not much solid timber work though.

Set yourself up with your own machines and slowly build up a reputation.

[Lignum]

If you are single... follow your dream and go for it:D

If you have a family (like you said you do) then think very hard because its very long hours (13 day fortnights for me) and hard work and not a great return $$$$ wise in the first 12 or so months

The one good thing is there is HEAPS and i mean heaps of work out there for decent quality solid timber furniture. I pulled the plug on all my advertising 8 months ago and now all potential customers are told i can not start for at least 12 weeks and then it takes a month minimun to finish it. Strangly most dont have a problem with that. Im still fending off a couple of cranky customers who have orders from Feburary:oo:

Its not all doom and gloom like some try to make out. Its no different to any other small business where they have to put in 55+ hours a week. So if you do decide to do it just remember it will be very hard work.

If your ever driving your truck around the Mordi area pop in for a chat:)

[Different]

If you are single... follow your dream and go for it:D

If you have a family (like you said you do) then think very hard because its very long hours (13 day fortnights for me) and hard work and not a great return $$$$ wise in the first 12 or so months

The one good thing is there is HEAPS and i mean heaps of work out there for decent quality solid timber furniture. I pulled the plug on all my advertising 8 months ago and now all potential customers are told i can not start for at least 12 weeks and then it takes a month minimun to finish it. Strangly most dont have a problem with that. Im still fending off a couple of cranky customers who have orders from Feburary:oo:

Its not all doom and gloom like some try to make out. Its no different to any other small business where they have to put in 55+ hours a week. So if you do decide to do it just remember it will be very hard work.

If your ever driving your truck around the Mordi area pop in for a chat:)

I agree wit everything you say Lignum but I would like to see you pull it off in Sydney the market is just not here and people for the most part want local service.

Ross

[Lignum]

Ross im far from pulling it off:) Even though im busy and so far behind in my orders im still struggling. It is very hard, not to mention very stressfull.

I come on here and im envious at how so many forum members can go home from "work" and do there thing in the workshop and make what they want. Im still to make what i realy want to because the public end up deciding what i make. Thats the worst part for me.

Lucky im single and live in the workshop (can not afford 2 rents) and dont have to worry about supporting a family, if i did i doubt very much if i would be still here

Having said all that, i love it:D

[Exador]

Ross im far from pulling it off:) Even though im busy and so far behind in my orders im still struggling. It is very hard, not to mention very stressfull.

I come on here and im envious at how so many forum members can go home from "work" and do there thing in the workshop and make what they want. Im still to make what i realy want to because the public end up deciding what i make. Thats the worst part for me.

Lucky im single and live in the workshop (can not afford 2 rents) and dont have to worry about supporting a family, if i did i doubt very much if i would be still here

Having said all that, i love it:D

Hear hear. All you've said applies to me as well, Lig, (including living in the shed) but I've been fortunate to have the milling as income support.

Last year (2006), which was our first year in the shed, we lost nearly $20k on the year and this year we expect to break even (just). Next year we hope that the regular customers will become more regular and we can start to make some money. If it hadn't been for the milling bringing in enough to keep us going, we'd have folded.