The Business

I have held the belief, for a while now, that it does not always pay to be an employee. I have the dream to own my own business, leaning more toward the one man operation than to have to figure out how to have employees. And only in the past couple of years have I narrowed down the dream to include the "what". A woodworking business.

The original thought was to make fine furniture; i.e. just take what I'm doing now but do it for myself. That dream was enough to encompass other desires of mine as well, mainly stained glass and blacksmithing. I could build the cabinets, make decorative art glass for them, as well as my own unique set of hinges and handles.

Then, with attending these local craft festivals, and renn faires, the idea has morphed into a craft fair circuit. Making the wood kitchen items (cups, bowls, spoons, and cutting boards) and having a booth at various events.

Yet another, smaller, morph took place when I renewed my interest in titanium and chainmaille jewelry. This was another thing that ties into the renn faires, is a little unique, and falls neatly into the scope of my Studio.

As of now, I see myself being an artist in a variety of medium. Wood, jewelry, stained glass (when I have more time to play with it), and blacksmithing (when I take the time to learn it). They are all 'olde timey' pursuits, and tie in neatly to the renn faire. And since I have yet to figure out how to market titanium jewelry and wooden goblets in the same booth at the same event, I think I'll be working as a wood guy at some events, and jewelry at others.

So, because I'll be at renn faires and need to blend in, and because I am good with my hands, and have a crazy need/desire to make the things I use, I will be making most of my booth. The tent (oak lockmitred legs with dyed canvas), seating (three legged camp type stools probably from maple), jewelry displays (freestanding wood backerboard with holes to hang things from) display tables (if I can only figure out how to make them so they will store and transport flat), and table top benches and bowl vices (small versions of woodworking benches that clamp to a table top).

I also wanted to make my own wooden business cards, but that may be a little trickier than I'd like to do myself for the time being.

I did however have an idea for description/price tags. Two contrasting woods, with dovetail routes, and butterfly splines holding it together. I was able to slice off 1/16" sections that are fairly stable. The problems are, because it is so thin and end grain it will crack if not careful. My butterfly splines are really close, but could be just a little bit tighter. I think I used just not quite enough glue. And because they were cut on the bandsaw they are a little rough, which I intended to take a light pass through the table sander on each side to smooth things out. Unfortunately the feed rollers on the table sanders apply too much pressure to the thin wafers.

If I can figure out how to smooth them a bit, as well as try to apply a thin acetate film to the back, I think they will be great.