Anyone near Cowbridge, South Wales have a P/T I can use?!

[Chris152]

I'd love to have my own but that's not an option. I'm not sure if people do this, but I'd be happy to pay for the occasional use (30 mins every few weeks, maybe?) of a machine nearby, or for you to do the machining for me...

Thanks

Chris

 

[Chris152]

Having spent the last 60 mins making very little impact on reducing 2m of maple board by 7mm thickness with a scrub plane, I thought I'd give my thread a bump, just in case...

 

[julianf]

If it wasnt for exmoor and the bristol channel, you would be welcome to "nip" round and use mine...

 

[custard]

I've often thought there's a business in there somewhere, pre-machining all the components for a specific project so the hobbyist furniture maker is just left with the joinery and finishing. I've looked at it a few times but I've never been able to make the numbers quite add up. I was once doing some research into a Shaker item that I wanted to make and sell called the "Harvard Table" and stumbled across an American company that does something similar,

http://www.shakerworkshops.com/catalog/ ... Table/F333

Every year I exhibit at a couple of county shows and end up chatting to plenty of hobbyist woodworkers, whenever I've floated this idea with some back of envelope costings the same sticking points keep surfacing,

-there isn't really a recognition of the timber wastage factor, good quality components means a lot of off-cuts and nobody wants to pay for those
-there isn't a consistent position on how much pre-machining work needs to be done. Some people just want what is basically a more convenient timber buying service, with no work beyond the initial machining. Other people want a lot more than that, finished dimensioning, tops jointed up, M&T's pre cut, etc.
-as soon as a prospective buyer starts thinking about it they immediately want to tinker, amending the timber species, sizing, etc
-people seem to expect a great deal of support with the actual assembly, including the option of buying spare components if they mess up, but I'm not sure that's financially viable

Anyhow, sorry to hijack your thread, just musing aloud.

 

[NazNomad]

Other people want a lot more than that, finished dimensioning, tops jointed up, M&T's pre cut, etc.

If they want a furniture 'kit', send 'em to Ikea.

Remember that if they knock it together and they do a good job, they tell everyone they made it.

If they knock it together like a pig's ear, they tell everyone YOU made it.

 

[thick_mike]

I've often thought there's a business in there somewhere, pre-machining all the components for a specific project so the hobbyist furniture maker is just left with the joinery and finishing. I've looked at it a few times but I've never been able to make the numbers quite add up. I was once doing some research into a Shaker item that I wanted to make and sell called the "Harvard Table" and stumbled across an American company that does something similar,

http://www.shakerworkshops.com/catalog/ ... Table/F333

Every year I exhibit at a couple of county shows and end up chatting to plenty of hobbyist woodworkers, whenever I've floated this idea with some back of envelope costings the same sticking points keep surfacing,

-there isn't really a recognition of the timber wastage factor, good quality components means a lot of off-cuts and nobody wants to pay for those
-there isn't a consistent position on how much pre-machining work needs to be done. Some people just want what is basically a more convenient timber buying service, with no work beyond the initial machining. Other people want a lot more than that, finished dimensioning, tops jointed up, M&T's pre cut, etc.
-as soon as a prospective buyer starts thinking about it they immediately want to tinker, amending the timber species, sizing, etc
-people seem to expect a great deal of support with the actual assembly, including the option of buying spare components if they mess up, but I'm not sure that's financially viable

Anyhow, sorry to hijack your thread, just musing aloud.

That’s what you get for asking the customer what they want! Infinite flexibility at lowest price point

Maybe the approach someone like StewMac offer for guitar building kits might be viable? A few nice furniture designs and the components cut to size and thickness for assembly. Just enough work so that someone could still say, “I made that”.

A simple offering like a side table, chest of drawers, bench. Dimensioned wood and plans/instructions delivered in a couple of wood choices. Maybe two options, joints cut and no joints? Probably wouldn’t attract an experienced woodworker, but might be attractive to a beginner who wants to dip a toe?

 

[thick_mike]

Haha, just read Naz’s reply. An element of truth in that right enough!

 

[custard]

if they knock it together and they do a good job, they tell everyone they made it.

If they knock it together like a pig's ear, they tell everyone YOU made it.

 

[swb58]

I haven't got one so can't help. There used to be a guy working out of a farm in St Athan, don't know if he's still there so that's not much help either. I'd offer to help but I've got a banging hangover headache and I'm going to struggle to help myself today.

 

[woodbrains]

Hello,

I toyed with the idea of furniture kits (and traditional toy kits, latterly) but I fear the figures will not make it viable, either.

The shelf is just shy of $100

And the cupboard $212

In cherry.

I can't see many in people in Britain thinking that £212 would be a good price for a kit. That is the sort of price most would baulk at for a fully finished one. The ones who think it is fair would either not want to build anything, or already could from scratch, themselves.

Mike.

 

[Chris152]

If it wasnt for exmoor and the bristol channel, you would be welcome to "nip" round and use mine...

Still might be quicker. ha.

I haven't got one so can't help. There used to be a guy working out of a farm in St Athan, don't know if he's still there so that's not much help either. I'd offer to help but I've got a banging hangover headache and I'm going to struggle to help myself today.

Ok, thanks swb - if it comes to you who that is, let me know? I've met a couple of carpenters/ joiners near town but they seem so busy that fitting my little bits into their schedule's probably just a pain. Hope your head clears up soon.

Custard/ Mike - maybe a way forward would be to supply the wood just oversize but planed to a near-final finish, together with full-size 'patterns' for each of the joints? Cutting to final length, final smoothing plane, cutting joints, clamping/ glueing and finishing still to be done - there'd still be great satisfaction in that, but none of the heavier machining/ stock removal/ wondering if the wood you've just bought is suitable, and so on.

Meanwhile, back to the garage...

 

[Geoff_S]

I wondered if it was a space issue but then I see you’re back to the garage. Is hiring one an option?

 

[Vincecj]

I'd love to have my own but that's not an option. I'm not sure if people do this, but I'd be happy to pay for the occasional use (30 mins every few weeks, maybe?) of a machine nearby, or for you to do the machining for me...

Thanks

Chris

I'm in Pen-y-fai if that's not too far.

 

[Chris152]

I'm in Pen-y-fai if that's not too far.

That's not too far, Vince - I'll send a pm! Thanks, Chris.

 

[Mike Jordan]

Although these are nice friendly ideas on first thought, they are riddled with problems in practical terms. If you allow an untrained person access to your machinery how will you ensure that both the machine and operator are not seriously damaged. How will your insurer view your idea ? How will you deal with the character who turns up with concrete encrusted scaffold boards, convinced that a quick run through the planer is all he needs.
Making a kit using your own timber has already been covered above, in addition to the points already made, I think you would need to include very exacting conditions of sale to cover any failures caused by storing the materials in unsuitable conditions.
Regrettably many items of furniture and joinery are imported and sold at prices that just about equal the cost of the material if it's purchased in this country.s