Archive for December, 2009
Not Enough Wood and Not Enough Time
I’ve had enough down time over the past couple of weeks and it is time to get back into the shop and be productive. My inventory is pathetically low, and even though my first show of 2010 is three months away, it will be on me before I know it.
I had plans this weekend to get a lot of boards in the clamps, but discovered that I am out of walnut, which is used in just about everything I make. Since the lumber yard was closed this weekend, I had to make do with what little I had laying around. These are three 20”x7” boards that will probably end up as bread boards. I say probably because the bread boards and dipping boards are both the same size, and even though I sold out of both this month, I decided to build up the bread board inventory first since I can make them quicker.
December orders just flat ran me out in many categories. I need more dipping boards, wine snack trays, and the small end grain cutting boards. These were the biggest Christmas sellers this year with many people ordering multiple boards. This situation is actually freaking me out a little because I want to get started on the lazy susans. I already have one customer who wants two of them, but I have none made up right now. On top of this, I have a large, 16 foot long built-in entertainment center that I have to start next week for a customer. It looks like 2010 is going to start out with a bang.
It’s Getting Close To Christmas
I’ve been remiss in blog updates. December has been a little busy with online and custom orders, and I have been completely detached from blogging. So, this is my catch up entry.
A few years ago, the kids talked me into buying some of those animated Christmas decorations for outside. These things are starting to show their wear and tear. When I put them up last year, parts were falling off and a lot of lights were not working. I got them back out this past weekend and spent about 5 hours working on them in the shop and now they are almost like new with everything working. I particularly like Frosty.
Shop time this week has been spent working on some Christmas gifts, as well as a few custom orders. This is a face grain board that has just been oiled and waiting for it to dry a little before packaging and shipping. This one is sized to fit over the grill side of a Jenn-Air stove. The customer requested the wood combination and placement.
I also got my first lazy susan almost done. I finally got over to Rockler today and picked up the lazy susan bearings. This afternoon I did a test fit and got a first coat of clear finish on it. It will probably need at least three coats. This thing looks real good and I am going to make up a few more to take to shows next year and see how they do. I’ll put up a picture after I get the clear coats done and re-assembled.
I have been burning through the dipping boards at an unbelievable pace. Orders have been flowing and I am almost out of them. I went over to a customer’s home Monday to install a tie rack in one of her closets and happened to mention the craft business. A few hours later I got an order from her for 4 dipping boards. Three were in stock and the forth one is already in the clamps waiting for the glue to dry, along with some other designs. It’s not cost effective to make one. I always make a minimum of four at a time.
This is what is currently in the drying stage. The lazy susan is in the foreground. The small one on the left is the base and the large on on the right is the top. The dipping boards in the background are for a local customer.
