Woodworking is not only a hobby for many; some even find it a great source of income. In order to find the best woodworking projects to invest your time in, (see this list of projects) you need to identify whether or not it can make you some extra coin. Asking yourself some of the following questions can help narrow down your niche.
- What makes it unique and special? What sets it apart from all the rest?
- Do people have a need for it?
- Will your investment pay for itself (and more) in the future?
- Do you enjoy it?
- Is it easily adapted?
You need to have something special to guarantee a money-maker. While this isn’t the only factor, it sure puts you ahead of the game if your product can outperform, out-maneuver, and look better than the competition.
If you produce something no one cares for or no one is searching for, then you have no audience/demographic. If no one wants to buy your product, then there really isn’t a chance it will make you any extra dough. You can get ideas from woodworking, groups, and sites, like the Woodworker’s Guild of America (WWGOA).
If it’s going to cost you more to produce your product than to make a profit, then it really isn’t a long-term business plan. You want to make enough to cover your overhead in about a year at most. Since this isn’t like running a business where you have set expenses, utilities, and rent, it should take you less than that.
You need to love what you do. People from any industry will tell you this. If you love what you do, it will seem like less of a chore. When people genuinely love what they are doing, they are more productive, produce better results, and are more efficient. That is the recipe for a profitable side hustle.
Last but not least, it should be easily adapted. What do we mean by this? If your idea is easy to copy, who’s to say someone else won’t have the same idea or even improve on yours? If your idea is easily adaptable, like woodworking, there is always a way to make your items one of a kind.
Learn something new: Whittling
With many other woodworkers offering the same projects and having the same skills as all other woodworkers, you have to stand out. You can do this by learning new skills that will improve your output. Whittling is one example, and the complete beginner’s guide to whittling is all that you need to know everything about it.
The purpose of this guide is to allow you to perfect the basics so you can transfer your skills to future more advanced projects. For starters, you get 24 beginner projects that come with detailed step-by-step instructions. Not only do you get instructions, but photos as well! Just in case the black and white text isn’t clear enough.
Pros:
- Learn the basics of this guide.
- Comes with 24 woodwork projects.
- Make wooden toys, gifts, and useful trinkets.
- Teaches you how to choose the right tools and knives.
- Starts with easy building projects that help you enhance your skills before graduating to more difficult design.
- Learn the basics of the craft or hone your skills as a professional.
- Comes with clear photo instructions as well.
Cons:
· Some people claim the guide doesn’t have enough on the basics.
You get to dabble in toys, useful little trinkets, and gift ideas. The skills within these pages teach you how to whittle branches and twigs into almost anything you can imagine with the four basic knives experienced whittlers use too.
If you have a question as to whether you selected the right knife or how to choose the right one then this book has woodwork ideas, wood projects, and telling you how to choose the right knife.12 expert whittlers come together to bring you this guide of woodworking skills. Build your confidence with these smaller projects and eventually graduate to something bigger.
A few easy but profitable ideas
Wooden furniture
Another idea is the furniture. People can always use a new ottoman, stool or chair somewhere in their home. Not everyone can boast that their pieces are bespoke and customized. What’s even better is to give your clients the chance to coordinate with you and come up with ideas together. The result will be one-of-a-kind custom pieces like no other!
Utensils
Another inspiration is from kitchen utensils. We offered a spoon carving kit above, so you’ll be ready with all the necessary know-how to complete your own set of cutlery. Start with larger objects such and tongs, ladles, salad servers, and other such things. When you are more confident in your craft, you can move on to smaller, more decorative pieces.
Dog beds and headboards
You shouldn’t be the only one who can enjoy a good piece of customized furniture, We’re sure your fur baby would love a new dog bed made just for him! Whether you are experimenting with your own pup or designing for a client, dog beds offer the chance for you to really unleash your creativity.
The next up is custom headboards. Specially made headboards can be amazingly beautiful. We know we’d love to walk into our bedroom and lay our heads below a personally modified headboard. With the right piece of wood from the right type of tree, you could really get a rustic feeling with the smell of the forest.
Conclusion
If you feel like your inner artist is constantly being stifled at your dead-end 9-5 job, then opening a side business and selling your handcrafted pieces could be the answer. You may even
Some pieces sell better than others, as is with most products. A good way to guarantee you hit the target with one shot is to ask yourself the questions we posed above. Once you have figured out your niche, you can get started by honing your skills to one day becoming the owner of a small but successful business!
