Making it through another year '21-'23

[WV Sawmiller]

Tom,

   What is up with the mushroom log projects? Is that too seasonal or can you stockpile them at home or in the woods somewhere? How about the loginators? 

[Old Greenhorn]

Well Howard it does have 'seasons' and this ain't it. I've spent 2 years learning and studying to understand what makes a good or better log for my clients. The best logs are cut when it's been cold for a while with no sap movement and tight bark. The recent warm weather and resulting early sap flows tell me it's a bad time to cut any logs except for the very casual grower who is just learning. When I hear the sugaring guys say they are taking sap, it's bad for me. ;D It needs to stay cold. When the logs are right, I can cut and hold them for 8 weeks or so. No competing natural fungi will begin to grow in that situation. The desired species must have first crack at the log and sugars it holds in order to get established before anything else can. This is what makes the best log. So I have to wait a few more weeks. Bill is anxious for me to cut some as he has a bunch in mind to go.
 I do have a tentative order from a repeat client that contacted me a month or two ago to make sure he could get them when he is ready in very early spring/late winter. He wants, I think, around 200 logs, but we will put a finer point on that soon. As for loginators, I have one ready to go out the door now, and another I just have to assemble, but nobody inoculates between fall and early spring, so they will sit also. Things will pick up eventually and I will not be able to keep up again, as usual, through the spring/summer/fall. So I am trying to spend the time I have getting ready for that. Maybe this year I will get it all in better balance. It's a learning process, right? I just wish I had the energy that MM has and I could probably do a better job of it. (Boy am I glad his procedure went ok today. )

 By the way, did you know that the black lines in a spalted log are caused by the mycelium? When one species of mushroom begins to propagate into a log it will spread in every direction UNTIL it meets a different species, at that point, it creates those black line barriers as a border that it does cross and keeps the other species out of the area it has propagated already. Pretty neat, don't you think?

[GRANITEstateMP]

Tom,
Between some of the stuff you've said and newoodguy78 it got me thinking.  You said there are a few Mom n Pop type deli / stores near you. We've got one store here in town, and it's just like that.  There is an old bench inside that folks sit on while waiting on there sammich,or pizza, or drinking there morning coffee. Maybe, if your place has an area like that you could "display" a working bench? They'd get a nice piece and you'd have your foot in the door, put a price tag/item description on it? They also usually have a small shelf unit on the counter (both the lunch counter, make your own coffee counter, and cash out counter) another item you could maybe make and display?  I know I've just spent a bunch of your time, stock, and money, but isn't that how we roll here on the forum? ;D. I really hope you can find an outlet that works for both you and the outlet.

Matt

[Old Greenhorn]

Interesting idea! I had never thought of making something the store could use to display other items. Many of these shops sell jams, Syrup, and mushroom products made by other local vendors. They typically some in small jars and bottles. So maybe something like this?


 
I have two of these 'on the shelf' (so to speak). They are made from RO Maple, and have Cherry trim. I throw one in on my tour. Thanks, great idea!


 

[doc henderson]

take cards and offer custom solutions as well.  they may have a product line and you can base dimensions on the size and volume of items to display.  

prob. seen this already.



 

 

pics of a display from another store (in France) and reproduction for my boss's wife.  she is medical but also owns and runs a high end boutique.  candles are custom scented in her "studio".  people lift the glass cloche and get a good whiff of the scent.  her best seller is a whiskey and pipe smoke scent.  Where the pic came from the candles range in price from 125 to $1000.00

[WV Sawmiller]

Tom,

  Other ideas may be a little morbid but I have a customer who makes crematorium boxes for our local funeral home. He uses walnut and cedar and little brass fittings. I once made a small casket for a little dog. You might check with your local vet for burial boxes for cats and small dogs. This one was walnut and cherry and made well in advance.


 

  Here is a display case I made for my wife's photos that she leaves in local galleries and I take to flea markets and such.


 
 I make and sell a few small crates sized to fit a dozen quart or a dozen pint fruit jars but you may have local businesses who need a special size for their products. They aren't high profit items but they are easy to make and a good use for wood that might go to waste.

 Even kids blocks or yard dice might sell at local toy stores. I took all my cut-off pieces and made a crate full of blocks for my toddler grandson to play with. Basically just square or cube or make triangles out of your scraps, hit them on a belt sander and they are ready to play with.

  Just ask your local businesses what wooden items they might need and see if it is something you could or would be interested in making. Good luck.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well some good ideas in there Howard and I am thinking on them. I don't really want to get into making every little thing folks think would be a good idea though. I have to try to avoid being viewed as the retired guy making birdhouses to keep his hands busy. Not that there is a single thing wrong with that, but it's not me, and I can't sell my time for pennies on the dollar. I just want to try to get close to a fair price for my time. But we all know markets vary by region and even valley. I'll keep pondering on it.
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This morning when I got up, our female cat jumped up on the bed to greet me and I gave her a little rub. In doing so, I realized her fur felt 'cool', but I wasn't even barely awake. As I made my way down the hallway for coffee I started to wake up and realized why her fur must have felt cool. I grabbed my coffee and headed downstairs to my desk and sure enough, the side door was open and the den was 62°. I had not locked the side door before bed last night. First time I forgot in several months. Our male cat, a manx, grabbed the opportunity to open it and go for a walk about. He has not learned how to close it, nor does he seem to be concerned about it. It was, I assume, cold enough out (25°) that he decided to come back in and appeared from within the house when I called for him in a mild panic, so at least I didn't have to go search, like the last time he did this and was gone for over a day and returned home exhausted, sleeping for 2 days. We are far from security conscious, but I have to lock the door every night to keep the cats in. Never locked the door before the cat figured out how to work the latch. I figure if there is something in our house that somebody is willing to die for, they can take their best shot at getting it. ;D Took me a good part of the morning to get the temp back up to 74 in the den and the rest of the ground floor. Dang Cat.
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 Been just plugging along doing shop work then splitting wood when the sun is high. I nearly have everything split that is on hand, just some cleanup for tomorrow and some service on the borrowed splitter to do before I return it. Bill wants to sell it, he has two, so I want it working right and to take some photos to list it for him. He doesn't 'do' the internet. :D I replaced a missing lock pin yesterday and now it needs some hydraulic fluid, it's running slow and I can hear some air in the pump. He'll get it back better than when I borrowed it, which is my preferred way to do things.
 Yesterday when I was rolling up some big rounds I had bucked, I found this one:


 

 Now I have found barbed wire, nails, spikes, screw eyes, rope, and all sorts of other things in firewood trees, but never a plastic bag. In addition I found lots of fibers from a blue plastic tarp and it was packed solid in all the rotten decomposed dirt and heartwood. I found it in 3 rounds and all packed in solid. I had to call Bill last night and ask what he knew about the tree. He said there was a big squirrel's nest up in the hollow about 60' off the ground. Amazing stuff. As I said, just a little more to finish up tomorrow. Then I can search for more wood. :D

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 I worked in the shop in the morning. I have this bar job that seems to never end. Been on it 2 years now, just a little at a time as I decide what's next. ;D 2 weeks ago I decided it should have one of those cute little shelves on the bartender's side for shot glasses and other 'stuff'. Couple of days ago I found a nice piece of Ash, same as the bar species, so I planed that out along with the trim pieces to keep the glasses on the shelf.
 Today I set up fences on the bar to route out the step to set that shelf in, 2" set back from the edge and 1" deep . I used a hand router in 1/4" steps and it took a while, but came out OK. These photos are with the bar upside down.


 

 Pretty happy with the flush fit.


 

 Next session I'll get the screw holes in which will fix the location, then start working on the end trims and such. This bar isn't square so there is some 'artistic license' involved in making the fits look right and matching the trim. The client doesn't want it until February (doesn't have the funds yet) and I have to order Ritelegs for it which will be a custom order, they want a shelf on the legs. I haven't even called them yet to see if they can/will do what I need, but pretty confident they will. The legs will take longer making from scratch and I have to pay up front of course, so I am hanging back until I can get some cash to cover what the client wants and work out the design with Kevin. My only concern is that I want to get the screw holes in inserts place before I do the finishing work, so I kind of need the legs to do that.

 Tomorrow we get to do it all again! Maybe I will finally get it right? :D

[WV Sawmiller]

   Oh Great! Now I am the old retired guy sitting around making birdhouses to keep busy! :( :D :D

   On the cold cats - my daughter had a big long-haired black and white cat and when she would come home she'd find she had forgotten and left her electric blanket turned on while she was at work till one day she turned off her blanket then saw Oreo walk over and step on the switch then curl up in the middle of the bed. After that she'd have to unplug it every morning before she went to work.

[GRANITEstateMP]

Birdman, I mean Howard, it's always cats named Oreo that are a cause for concern! We had one too. 

[WV Sawmiller]

   And for the record - check the post. I never mentioned making bird houses.

[SawyerTed]

Don't knock birdhouses!  

I know a fellow who makes bluebird house kits.   He makes $1,200 to $1,500 per month in profit selling birdhouses!  He makes kits 6 or 8 months a year.  

[Old Greenhorn]

Howard, sorry, I forgot about your bluebird boxes. You (and guys here like you) were not on on my mind when I formulated that sentence. I was thinking of the older gents and gals I see at the craft fairs I help my wife set up and break down for. There is ALWAYS at least one, if not 3 or 4 guys that have a scroll saw at home and make lots of little wood crafty things and enjoy it. They sell some stuff and I have even bought a piece or two, but that's just not me. There is a local guy that makes birdhouses and posts them on FB. He gets over 100 bucks for some of his stuff and it is worth more than that from what I see in the photos. Lots of details and ornamentation that has to take a lot of hours on each one. I couldn't make them and really don't want to. But it's lovely work, it's just not me is all I am saying.
 I meant to offend absolutely no one with that comment, and I am sorry if I did, I really am. I have made a few birdhouses myself, and intend to make more for our feathered friends as well as the joy and education of my grandson's. Nothing wrong with that at all as far as I can tell.

[beenthere]

OGH
You said

I just want to try to get close to a fair price for my time.

Can you disclose what that goal is ??  

[WV Sawmiller]

Tom,

   I figured that. :D

   The crematorium boxes and pet caskets are the items I think that could be high end items. I cannot do them justice but you could and hopefully be compensated accordingly. Yeah, some of the other items are just wages. 

[Old Greenhorn]

Howard, you have a higher opinion of my skills than I do, that's for sure. I would have to figure out how to make these things in a proper manner with the hardware that makes them look and work well. I have no way to do engraving so that is a major weak spot. Having lost more than a few pets over the years, and frankly having unusual sensitivity to family animals (it was my weak spot in the fire service and remains so, I could handle dead humans better than I could handle animals in trouble, I still don't know why. Animals rescues always took me out for a day or so.) There is a lot involved in marketing etc. I am thinking on it.

 Beenthere, you always seem to have a habit of asking very pointed questions. ;D In my case, I would think that averaging 20 bucks an hour would be adequate. Many jobs run way over and I am OK with that and I am OK with making a lot less if I enjoyed the work and it came out looking nice and making the client happy. But on stuff where I probably don't even meet the client, I think I am looking for a fair price.

[aigheadish]

Interesting, this birdhouse conversation... Tom, you mention seeing the guys at the shows with a collection of birdhouses. We go to a fair amount of flea markets and craft shows and I've never seen that guy. 

My wife recently thought of a birdhouse project and a couple years ago started buying them, when she found them cheap, these are typically a bit more ornate than basic, and they are always used hard (as far as birdhouses can be), and just a week or two ago she finally told me that she plans to put them all up in a line over the gate that we just put up for the dog. Should look neat. 

I never think to build birdhouses but I'm an old at heart kind of fella and I like the sound of it. Great, another project I don't get to! 

SawyerTed- If you have any pictures or a website or something I'd love to see what the kits look like.

[WV Sawmiller]

aig,

  The birdhouses I see at Flea Markets and such are usually works of art. I tell people they are for city birds and draw invasives like English sparrows and starlings instead of native birds. They also draw  telemarketers and other scum. My rough built bird houses look more like what rural bluebirds looking for an old woodpecker den in a fence post are hunting. When placed in the right location they are very effective. I had a customer buy 4 of them one time and the next time I saw him he said 3 of them had bluebirds within a week. They aren't high profit but they don't take long to build using what would be scrap and they work.

   I love my bluebirds.


 

 

[SawyerTed]

SawyerTed- If you have any pictures or a website or something I'd love to see what the kits look like.

I'll see if I can find one and ask his approval to share photos.  
He's a retired guy and has been piddling with bluebird house kits for scouts, schools and others for many years.  What he does isn't different than what you find if you search the web for bluebird house kits.  John is a flip phone kind of fellow so no website, Etsy or Marketplace.  All his boxes sell through word of mouth.  He sells several hundred a year and has many repeat customers.  
He bought some bags online and fills them with the parts, fasteners and assembly instructions.  He staples three staples through a little printed label on the top of the bag. 
He has made some fixtures for his wood working machines and cuts batches of 50 or so parts at a time.
Now he's got his grandkids helping to fill the bags with parts.  It's a once a month or so time with Grandpa John in his shop "helping". 

[aigheadish]

Howard, I like the bluebirds as well. I knew what we had around here at one time but now I forget, other than they are pretty. 

I wouldn't have thought of the elaborate boxes bringing in undesirable birds, that's interesting. We have thousands and thousands and thousands of what I think are starlings that migrate over a few different times of the year, they are interesting for that but pretty irritating otherwise. 

Thanks Ted, no big whoops if you can't get a picture, I love to see things and learn from them. Sounds like he's a great grandpa for having the kids help! 

[WV Sawmiller]

Aig,

 I am glad you bought my sales pitch on the undesirable birds preferring the high tech, fancy bird houses with perches, a porch, a hot tub and a TV antenna to my simple low tech rough lumber. :D

 When people see the air gaps between the boards or at the bottom of my birdhouses I also tell them that is for increased air flow because the biggest health hazard to young birds is mold and mildew and I make sure all my homes have plenty of air flow. (Actually tightly sealed birdhouses are not as healthy as well ventilated ones. I cut the corners off the bottoms/floor boards of my birdhouses so they cannot hold water.)

[aigheadish]

Ha! I assumed you had empirical proof that fancy houses brought fancy non-native birds! I should have known to get an second opinion!

We've currently got a fairly standard birdhouse on the back deck that is a double decker. I don't think anything lives in it but it's pretty close to the house and the dog would probably go nuts it something was in there. 

[Resonator]

This morning when I got up, our female cat jumped up on the bed to greet me and I gave her a little rub. In doing so, I realized her fur felt 'cool', but I wasn't even barely awake. As I made my way down the hallway for coffee I started to wake up and realized why her fur must have felt cool.

Sounds like you've got a cat like mine. He helps me tell what the weather is when he goes outside.

If the cats fur is cool...it's cold outside.
If the cats fur is wet...it's raining.
If the cats fur is white...it's snowing.
If the cats fur is fluffed up...it's windy.
If all I see are two green shiny eyes...I must have got up real early before sunrise, 'cause it's still dark out.

[terrifictimbersllc]

If our cat wont go outside, it is .............cold, wet, snowing, or windy.

[Old Greenhorn]

Well, the issue is, both our cats are housecats. So any white, wet, cold, or other stuff, means something is amiss. ;D

[gspren]

This morning when I got up, our female cat jumped up on the bed to greet me and I gave her a little rub. In doing so, I realized her fur felt 'cool', but I wasn't even barely awake. As I made my way down the hallway for coffee I started to wake up and realized why her fur must have felt cool.

Sounds like you've got a cat like mine. He helps me tell what the weather is when he goes outside.

If the cats fur is cool...it's cold outside.
If the cats fur is wet...it's raining.
If the cats fur is white...it's snowing.
If the cats fur is fluffed up...it's windy.
If all I see are two green shiny eyes...I must have got up real early before sunrise, 'cause it's still dark out.

Should you add;
If the cat has a mask on and a ringed tail...it's a raccoon that snuck in.
If the cat is black with a white stripe down it's back... it's worse than a raccoon!