Furniture Building

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  • oldriverat

    Furniture Building

    I mean, how hard can it be. I've got one boat under my belt and I'm 1/3 of the way through another one. When building boats your dealing with all curves pretty much. With furniture, it appears to me mostly 90 and 45 degree angles which is much easier.

    As some of you know, I've been contemplating a career change for quite some time. An opportunity may arise in the future for me to do this. Sue suggested I take a woodworking course at the university but how hard could building a piece of nice furniture be compared to a boat? I've built some smaller pieces, jewelry armour, chests, book shelves. I'm not talking mass production here. I'm talking studio built furniture. Any feedback?

    I know that furniture can have a lot of curves in it but it seems to me that joining the individual pieces would be easier.

    [ 05-20-2003, 06:46 PM: Message edited by: Memphis Mike ]
  • JimD
    Senior Mumbler
    • Feb 2002
    • 29704

    #2
    I think its harder than it looks cus ya can't fill the gaps with bondo and epoxy I can build boats and picnic tables but fine coffee tables, hmmmm....
    There is no rational, logical, or physical description of how free will could exist. It therefore makes no sense to praise or condemn anyone on the grounds they are a free willed self that made one choice but could have chosen something else. There is no evidence that such a situation is possible in our Universe. Demonstrate otherwise and I will be thrilled.

    Comment

    • Phillip
      Original Invisible Man
      • Nov 2001
      • 6690

      #3
      I agree with Jim, Mike. Not saying you can't build great furniture, but I've tried it and I don't have the fine skills for furniture that would entice buyers. I feel confident with a boat, but not showroom pieces.

      You know your abilities, though, and if you believe you can do it, I say full speed ahead!

      Later,

      Phil
      Happiness is worth waiting for!

      Comment

      • Joe (SoCal)
        Banned
        • Feb 2002
        • 46431

        #4
        Mike as a guy who is always looking into new ventures let me tell ya been there done that got the T shirt and the mug . In a past life I was a designer and builder of furniture & lighting. I was part of a avantguard group of designers known as Fullscale . We all showed in an East Village gallery got written up in all the hip rags and even Italian Vogue. There was a book published by Rizzoli I believe with all our work in it and a party and opening at the Rizzoli book store in SoHo. There was lots of openings and lots of press. Personally I won a bunch of accolades including ID magazine annual design award and 30 under 30 for young designers. The reason I'm mentioning all this is because with all the awards and press we garnered we all should be rich and famous. The end result was that we didn't sell a whole lot of pieces and the ones we did the profit margin was way to small to make a living at it. We were in competition with European designers that subsides them and small factories that produced limited quantity. The only way to make $$ in furniture in America is to do mass production and even there the profit margins are limited. Hey but just because I got a bad taste from it dosnt mean you cant try. Good luck

        Comment

        • oldriverat

          #5
          I think I could do it but I'm thinking about the shop class if not for anything but to re-familiarize myself with some of the tools I haven't been around in years. Wood lathe, planer, etc.

          Comment

          • Joe (SoCal)
            Banned
            • Feb 2002
            • 46431

            #6
            Cost of Living way higher in RI than TN but man the boats whoooooboy. We vacationed last year in Newport fun town, lots of creative types, lots of beautyful boats. Hey and you and Sue would be close to us. Some of our nearest favorite beaches are in RI. We go to RI almost every summer, its at most a 2hr drive

            Comment

            • oldriverat

              #7
              Yep, I've always wanted to live in the Northeast on the coast. [img]smile.gif[/img]

              Comment

              • kwmcclure
                VP of Other Things
                • Feb 2001
                • 2712

                #8
                The hard part is not building the furniture - it's designing it. Knowing all the different types of joints, where to use them and how to cut them is important. Being able to "read" a piece of wood and determine how it's going to act when it's milled to size is important. And knowing the basics of how different pieces are usually constructed is important.

                A class would help. Buying and reading furniture making books written by respected authors would help.

                But like anything else - once you've learned the basics, nothing will do as much as experience.

                Take the classes, read the books and go make some furniture. You'll find out pretty quickly whether it's something you want to do long enough to do well. [img]smile.gif[/img]

                Comment

                • Esox
                  Senior Member
                  • Nov 2001
                  • 623

                  #9
                  Hey Mike, go for it. I took a two year sabbatical from my job and did just what you are thinking of. Our furniture was eventually put in magazines and the finest stores in Toronto. Mostly harvest tables, sleigh beds, etc. The twist to our stuff was that it was built out of reclaimed material, old growth wood, just beautiful stuff. We would do the takedowns on barns and century homes to get our supply. Unfortunately, things didnt work out between me and my co-worker, so I left. He still does it and is getting upwards of $3000 per table now. So I know it can be done. Best of luck.
                  May I be half the man my dogs think I am.

                  Comment

                  • Ken Hutchins
                    Senior Member #6368
                    • Jan 2003
                    • 3850

                    #10
                    Just a hint that I got from a friend who is making small wooden items to sell at craft shops etc. Says he "couldn't sell a thing good quality etc. asked around about the problem, I was told my prices were too low, people think it is junk because of the low prices. So I doubled all the prices and presto, selling like hotcakes, can't keep up with it"
                    TALLY HO
                    Ken

                    Comment

                    • oldriverat

                      #11
                      Thanks all. Ken can you suggest a book or two?

                      Comment

                      • MR. KNOW IT ALL
                        Senior Member
                        • Nov 2001
                        • 1897

                        #12
                        Most mass produced furniture is junk Mikey. Design and build some good quality stuff with some nice "real" wood in it and people will beat a path to your door.

                        [ 05-20-2003, 09:52 PM: Message edited by: Mr. Know It All ]

                        Comment

                        • leonm24
                          Senior Member
                          • Sep 2002
                          • 4947

                          #13
                          I know three guys personally who make a
                          good living building furniture,one builds
                          roll top desks one builds Windsor chairs
                          and another does artsy stuff.I've made
                          some good pocket change over the years
                          doing comission work on the side.I say go
                          for it Mike "fallow your bliss".
                          What fun is life without risk and adventure.

                          Good luck !
                          where ever you go there you are

                          Comment

                          • kwmcclure
                            VP of Other Things
                            • Feb 2001
                            • 2712

                            #14
                            Hmmm. If you don't already get it, start reading Fine Woodworking magazine. There are usually people selling their back issues, and there's a wealth of good information there.

                            Look also for the FWW books that are compilations of articles on specific topics.

                            And head for the local Border's Books and browse the Home Improvement section.

                            If you want to specialize in a particular period, look for books on the specific design you like - Queen Anne or Art Nouveau, for instance.

                            Learn to sketch and draw. Start putting your design ideas on paper and try to figure out what joints would be best for the legs or the top or whatever. There is at least one Encyclopedia of Wood Joints and you should look for one. If I can find the author/publisher I'll let you know.

                            And like I said, start building. Experience is still the best teacher.

                            Comment

                            • Bruce Taylor
                              Eardstapa
                              • Aug 2000
                              • 9225

                              #15
                              Let's see...Tage Frid, Thomas Moser...anything by James Krenov (the "Russian gnome," as Dave Fleming calls him).

                              For inspiration, look for the FWW design series.

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