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How do you do it......"afford woodworking" ....

Although I haven't built anything of value from my shop, it has been very handy for repairs around the farm. Getting ready to put in a set of french doors, rebuild my set of stocks and some feeders. Bottom line, I don't worry about "affording/explaining" my shop. It helps keep me sane and hopefully keep me on my feet and active as I age/retire.
 
Chuck Ellis said:
if I don't sell a turning, I don't buy a tool... and that also includes kits and such for turnings.... the shop has to carry itself.
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Heh, a little different here, I can't actually sell anything (well I could but I'd have to involve lawyers and get an exception from my employment which they generally grant but... lawyers.. no thanks) so the shop either pays for itself by allowing me to not pay someone else or (more commonly) is used to help maintain my sanity from the day job. For the latter cause I'm willing to commit a fair bit.
 
How do I afford woodworking? Easy. I have a wife that's a tool junky! Once she finds out what tool I've been drooling over she takes the needed steps to make it happen.:D

Its really very simple.
 
Most of my "workshop budget" comes from ebay sales, i buy motorbikes ( Honda xr 250 mainly ) and strip, clean up and sell the parts, have done very well from it over the years, bit of time involved in dismantling, cleaning, packing and posting it all, but has payed for some new and updated pieces of machinery and hand tools, as well as a couple of holidays ! , i also cut and sell the odd load of firewood, and being a chef, do a bit of catering on the side. - For some reason, there never seems to be enough time to woodwork .......
 
Alan Bienlein said:
How do I afford woodworking? Easy. I have a wife that's a tool junky! Once she finds out what tool I've been drooling over she takes the needed steps to make it happen.:D

Its really very simple.
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i can attest to alan's specail wife norma:) she is as much a part of alans shop as the table saw.. or better yet the building she is just as alan says. you can see it in her eyes as she talks to you:)
 
I've done so much for so very little for the monster-in-law's business without getting any compensation that I don't feel I have to justify anything anymore. Just so you know the MIL has yet to pay us back for either of the the Aparto Renovations I did. I have a L shop credit card and I use it as I see fit, nuff said :D
 
Along with my wonderful wife that enables my tool/wood purchases we also look at the cost of tools and materials for some things around the house that need done or work on the vehicles. If I can buy the tools and materials/parts cheaper then paying someone else to do the work then that's what we do.

The reason for doing it this way is I gain experience with whatever project/repair that I do and now we also have the tools that were needed to that particular job/repair.

The second reason behind this decision making process is now if someone else needs similar work done like this that wants to pay me to do it then I have the needed tools for the job without having to go and buy them.

Basically the tools pay for themselves this way.
 
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