Reboot

Been a long time since I posted. Well things are actually moving along rather well. I probably sold $2500 worth of product this year. Next year I'm shooting for $10,000. I hope to be in a position to be able to rent a shop somewhere. Yeah I know I'm dreaming big. But you have to.

I've done about 200 puzzles, and many of them are in Tubac. I hope to hear how those have sold soon.

I'm now starting to look at chess sets again and have five boards and 10+ sets in progress. I need to make some prototypes for marketing purposes, and cases for the pieces. I can get checkers at the local hardware store and will get a bunch of them. I will also get some flocking for the inside of the cases.

I'm going to be more serious about my blogging and to get going on several other self-improvement activities.

Whew!!! Getting Serious

Well, it's been a ride. I've done about four shows at cat shows and have gotten progressively more profitable. I'm now taking the plunge and have a booth at the Phoenix Cornfest at the Shriner's Auditorium this coming weekend, August 23/24. I've got almost $2,000 of inventory and am hoping for a very very good show. My goal is to make this hobby of mine self-sustaining.

The WEBSITE!!!

yes, I went ahead and built a website, you can find it at SawdustDreams.net.

Enjoy!!!

Signs Signs Signs

Here are a few signs I've made for myself and for special orders.

New Saw!!!

I found a serious deal on a Dewalt DW788 scroll saw. This is a serious upgrade from my 20 year old Delta scroll saw. It uses a different technology with much smaller moving parts which results in much less vibration which allows me to be much more precise.

Palm Springs show report

Much better show this time around. Was not as much gate, so the sales I made were all to cat people, but I garnered three special orders and sold three other pieces. One of which was a box, so that was very good.

I have to go gets some more materials for the work I just got, but that's good. It gives me something to do.

Now if I can get out from under honey-do's to be able to get work done (shhhhh!!!)

Palm Springs Weekend

I'm off to Palm Springs for a weekend of vending items. I'm taking a few new signs with me in order to chum up some custom order business. I'm also going to lower prices a bit and see if I can came up the price in volume. If nothing else, I'm having fun with it.

Holy Cow

Thomas, of BareFoot Woodworks finished his chess set. I designed it, but he gets credit for the manufacture and design and build of the board and case. It is one magnificent piece of work and I'm proud to have done a small part. Thomas's accomplishment is truly awe-inspiring.

Show Wrapup

I didn't get the gate and walk-through I was looking for, but I still had fun. I was able to talk to several people who were appreciative of what I've done and that made me feel very good.

I sold 5 pieces, and that provided a tidy little profit and enough resolve to go to another show this weekend. Wish me luck in Palm Springs!!!!

So, I have a few items to work on this week, such as desk or table signs.

Going to the Show!!!

My first show...

I'm going to the Cat Show in Pomona at the LA county fairgrounds on Saturday, April 19th. I have an 8 foot table to vend my wares.

Here is what I'm going with

21 Chesspiece Prototypes at $5 each
11 Business Card Holders at $8 each
3 Desk Clocks at $30 each
1 Diorama at $30
My one complete Chess Set for $395
The cat box for $35
The Coyote box for $30
The Fish box for $50
The Large Basket for $60
The Small Basket for $35
Several Keychain/magnet items for $8 each
The Square Box for $40
Two Bowl Holders and Bowl for $40
The Rocking Chair for $40
The Nut Box for $40
10 different Barettes, for $10 each
6 different letter openers for $12 each
and lastly, two Hurricane Vases with Glass for $65 each

Wish me luck.

Skipping ahead to what I built this weekend

I got into making boxes and baskets and vase holders so I got the big idea to make a fish box. This is how it turned out.




I also made this bowl holder. I love the way the oak turned out.



I used a slab of Padauk with this pine box to jazz it up.



My mother doesn't know it yet, but this vase holder is destined to be her birthday party.




This basket was my own design and wow, I love the way it turned out.



Another basket of my own design.



A cat box.... makes me laugh.



A picture frame will go in the circle on this diorama

Dammit!!! What's next?

Then I'm left with a conundrum, what am I going to do next. I'll try some little things like business card holders and letter openers.

The Chess Set

Here is the final product, in it's regal glory...

Various Chesspiece Prototypes

When I got going with the chesspieces, I looked high and low for patterns. There aren't many out there. So I kept asking and asking, and I was told "go make one." Well I didn't, I've made 15 so far. Some of the have worked, some have not, but I learned with each and every piece I cut. Here are a few winners and losers.

Then it hit me... what kind of finish would I put on them. I found out mineral spirits will clean a piece and it gives you an idea of what it will look like when it's finished.

Then I got serious and developed my production pattern. Here is how it started.

Desk Clocks

Now I decided to make some small desk clocks. I got some trash pieces of mahogany, sirari, spalted maple, and some other DAMN hard dark wood....

Sink Inserts

I took some hickory and glued it together to make it look like a cutting board. This makes the sink look much better and cut it to shape and finished it with a food safe oil.

Bishop to Queen's Pawn 5

Well then I thought it would be really cool to make a chessboard and chess pieces. I made the board...

Then I figured I'd make the chess pieces. I tried carving them freehand first. Failed.

Then i tried carving them with a Dremel. Failed

I then tried to sand them into shape with a bench sander. Failed, but it is a great tool.

I then bought a $30 scroll saw off of Craigslist and things started to click into place.

Now I have a plan, and the ability.

Poppin' the cherry

Here is the first post. I'm going to post some of the first woodworking things I've built since December, when I got into this.

My original intent was to make the easels for Christmas presents. When I got them done, I found that I had some cherry wood left over and I built a jewelry box for my niece and it turned out very well. That's what started the whole thing....