It is the dream of everybody to be doing a job they love, because it would then mean that you are not a job, more of a hobby where you get paid. Just like anything, woodworking can also be turned into a profession and a full-time job.
What is Woodworking?
Woodworking is the art of transforming wood into anything including functional pieces of furniture or decorative adornments and ornaments. Transforming wood from a tree into something else is already called woodwork.
There are many types of woodworkers, and these include wood carvers, wood sculptors, cabinetmakers and furniture makers. The kind of woodworker you are would depend on what you do with the wood.
A Little History of Woodworking
Woodworking started as early as the ancients Egyptians, when along with clay and stone, Egyptians would make use of wood to build themselves shelters and tools. Woodworking continued to the Romans, where they used wood for everything. Wood is the only available material to them, and they would use it for tools, household items, buildings and even transportation.
In ancient China, woodworking was introduced by Lu Ban and Lady Yun, his wife. Lu Ban was a carpenter and an engineer. His greatest legacy was the Lu Ban Jing or his manuscripts. It was filled with woodworking plans and measurements for different types of projects.
Woodworking as a Hobby
There is no formal study for woodworking, no college course available for aspiring woodworkers. There may be short or vocational courses for woodworking but nothing with a set curriculum. Woodworkers found out they want to be woodworkers because they enjoy doing it and have found an affinity towards it.
They could also have had relatives that had them tag along to woodworking projects, and they became interested. When you do woodwork, mostly it just starts as a hobby. A way to pass the time and build something exciting, it rarely starts as a profession immediately.
When to Turn Your Hobby Into a Profession
If it always starts as a hobby, how come there are professional sculptors and furniture makers. It starts out as a hobby, but it doesn’t have to end that way. When you see that your works are garnering attention and some people are saying you should look into selling some of your works, then maybe it is time to turn your hobby into a job.
Try asking people around if they would buy your works if it ever went for sale. This is like testing the waters, so you are sure that you will have a market when you decide that you want to pursue woodworking as a profession.
Things to Consider
Before you jump into the woodworking business, there are things that you should consider. First is, do you have the money to start a business? You would need lots of wood to work with and more sophisticated tools. That means you would have to put out a lot of money to get started.
Another is, do you have the means the support yourself while your business is taking off the ground. You won’t be making money immediately after you start this woodworking business.
The last thing is, do you have the support of your family? You should follow your dreams, whether your family supports you or not but it would be easier if you have them behind you 100 percent. They might help you for some time too, while you sell your works.
Work for Yourself or Work for Someone Else
If you want to be a professional woodworker, you have the option to put up your own business or to join an already reputable firm. When you work for yourself, you are the boss, and you can work anytime you want. You can wake up anytime you want and not have to keep regular hours. You also have the option of choosing what type of wood works you would like to do.
On the other hand, working for somebody else means that you have to follow orders. This might be a problem if you don’t like taking orders but this also means that you have a regular job, with regular pay and benefits. The choice depends on what working environment and the relationship you want to keep.
Conclusion
Turning your hobby into a profession is possible. It might take some time and some significant adjustments, but it is very doable. It will take a giant leap of faith, but to those who persevere, they may find themselves greatly rewarded.
Starting your own business is a beautiful idea, you would just need the capital money to get started and a lot of belief in yourself that you would succeed. You can also work for someone else; you might not be your boss, but at least you are doing something you love.