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Army Veteran says, “LOSING MY JOB WAS A BLESSING”

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Bob (right) and his brother Dave get ready for some serious turkey call production with Bob's Woodmaster 725 at his shop in central Pennsylvania.

Bob (right) and his friend, Dave Dick, get ready for some serious turkey call production with Bob’s Woodmaster 725 at his shop in central Pennsylvania. Bob says, “Dave’s a great wood guy with a lot of knowledge of trees and grades of lumber.”

Here's Bob's handiwork — a classic box turkey call. All made in the USA, all made by hand by Bob on his Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

Here’s Bob’s handiwork — a classic box turkey call. All made in the USA, all made by hand by Bob on his Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

“I was in the Army full time, then in the Reserves. My wife, Karen, is in the Army, too. She got deployed to Iraq. Then I got deployed. It seems like after 9/11, one of us was always getting deployed. When I came back to civilian life, my full time job had moved to New Jersey. They told me I still had a job but I had to move. You know how that goes! I told Karen, ‘You know what? We might as well go for it and go into our own woodworking business.’

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Losing my job was a blessing, really. It was good money and everything but I was still working for somebody else. Now I’m making molding, turkey calls, and more, full time and I love it.

With kids in grade school, he wanted to work at home

Do Bob's turkey calls work? We guess they do. His customer, Jerry Corle, sent this photo of a big tom turkey he got . "Nothing hits 'em like a Helsley," he says.

Do Bob’s turkey calls work? We guess they do. His customer, Jerry Corle, sent this photo of a big tom turkey he got . “Nothing hits ’em like a Helsley,” he says.

Here's a good day's work, all ready to package and sell.

Here’s a good day’s work, all ready to package and sell.

I wanted to work at home because our kids were still in grade school. We have lots of oak and other hardwoods here in central Pennsylvania, so I bought a sawmill and started sawing and selling rough cut boards to people who were making molding and furniture. It didn’t take me long to decide to get a Woodmaster Molder/Planer so I could add value to my rough cut lumber.

There are a lot of planers out there but when I called Woodmaster at 1-800-821-6651. They were real friendly and knowledgeable about woodworking. I told them what I wanted to do. I didn’t know anything about woodworking. My earlier woodworking experience was splitting firewood! Woodmaster’s guys told me this machine is pretty simple. They said, ‘We’ll build for you, all you have to do is learn a little bit about it.’

It came in about five boxes and we put it together in a couple hours. We turned it on and it worked. I took some rough cut lumber and ran it through the Woodmaster. It came out just beautiful. All I had to do was follow the instructions.

I was thinking about getting into making hardwood flooring and molding. I bought Woodmaster’s 3-Side Router System. I hooked up the System and I ran boards through. A friend used them to put in his kitchen floor. It’s not that hard once you get everything set up.

“I don’t know what led me to make turkey calls.”

Bob's uncle helped Boy Scouts earn their Woodworking Merit Badges.

Bob held a special Boy Scout event to help a dozen Scouts get their Woodworking Merit Badges. Here’s his uncle, Rich Robinson, supervising as Scout, Spencer Dobson runs wood through Bob’s Woodmaster. All the Scouts made turkey calls start-to-finish and all received their Merit Badges. Spencer needed his to become an Eagle Scout.

I don’t know what led me to it, but I decided to make turkey calls. I just was thinking about it and said, ‘If people can make turkey calls, I know I can do it, too.’  I talked to one of Woodmaster’s tech guys and sent him drawings of pattern knives I’d need. Two days later I approved the tech’s drawing, and ten days after that I received the knives I needed to make turkey calls.

2,000% value-added

I make them for $1.50 and sell them for $30. I don’t make them one at a time. I take an eight-foot walnut, maple, cherry, or poplar board – whatever I want – and cut it to the width I want. I can plane everything at once, ¼” thick and 2” wide, with my Spiral Cutterhead. Then I take my Spiral Cutterhead out and put my Molding Head in — changeover takes about ten minutes. (Watch Changeover Video.) I put the lid on the Woodmaster, put the dust collector on, set my depth, and just go. I run 40 boards for the turkey call sides and 20 boards for tops. Then I section them into 7” pieces on my chop saw. You get a pile of pieces quick! Then we glue the pieces together using little clamps and make maybe 20 turkey calls at a time. Then I sand them and I’m done – all handmade. It’s great that a guy can run his own business and pump out hundreds of turkey calls from his garage.

I’m making crown molding, too. And right now I’m building my grandson a playhouse. I’m making everything this planer can make. I’m making trim; oak molding; base trim; chair rail. I’m planing boards for people. I have customers who’ve built $1,500 oak tables with wood I’ve planed. You just have to stick to it and learn how to do it. The machine actually does all the work. You just have to take it nice and easy and let the machine do its job.

Everybody gets in the act -- Bob's wife handles a booth at a local fair.

The whole Helsley family gets in the act. Bob’s wife, Karen, manned the booth at a recent outdoorsman’s event.

My name is out there now. I’ve only advertised my turkey calls once. People tell their friends I make them. I took 60 turkey calls to an outdoorsman’s event and sold 30 of them the first day. A local grocery store owner ordered 30 of them with his business logo branded into them. I made them in two days. He gives them out to his customers. It’s been really profitable.

Planning in-line production

I bought the biggest Woodmaster, the 725. I wanted the best and I thought bigger was better. Later this year I’ll probably get another one, maybe two more, because I want to have different setups on each one and set them up in-line. We’ll put a rough board in one end of the line and have turkey calls come out the other end. I could do this for the rest of my life.

I’m real happy with my Woodmaster. It’s easy and very rewarding to work with. It’s pretty neat that people who’ve bought my turkey calls send me pictures of them and the turkeys they’ve gotten. There are pictures of some on my Facebook page, ‘Helsley Timberworks.’

“I don’t have to wonder where the next job’s coming from.”

I have Woodmaster’s Double Router System, the Drum Sander attachment, the Spiral Cutterhead, and the Dust Collector. I have everything. I’m totally set up; I need nothing else. But you don’t want to stay where you are, you want to keep growing.

Bob's dad and one of his brothers lend a hand running the wood to make turkey calls through the Woodmaster.

Bob’s dad (front) lends a hand running some oak molding through Bob’s Woodmaster.

The 3-Side Molding System – once you get it set you can really make some nice oak stair treads with bullnose edges. The Spiral Cutterhead is a Godsend. I have an old Grizzly® planer – I’m going to sell it. I don’t need it now that I’ve got the Woodmaster with a Spiral Cutterhead.

We’re really swamped with work. If it keeps going like this, I may have to add another person and I’m getting close to that now. It pays the bills. Once everything’s paid for we can get some luxury items but we’re pretty simple people and if we had anything extra we’d probably give it in the collection plate at church anyhow!

Alternative way to make a living

People have to think of alternative ways to make a living these days. If anybody’s thinking of getting into this kind of work, I’d advise them to get the Woodmaster Molder/Planer because there’s always a demand for millwork. Once you get ten builders who know what you’re doing, you’re OK. They won’t all want the same millwork at the same time. One might want 400 feet of molding. Another might want a little bit of hemlock trim. Then you have your home project guys who want planed wood and molding, too. That’s a blessing because it keeps you going without having to worry where the next job’s coming from.

Woodmaster people are great. Easy to work with, timely, and every time I’ve called there I talk to a real person and get an answer. I can send Woodmaster a 100-year old piece of molding and they’ll match it up and make custom molding knives so you can make it. Or you can design your own pattern and eight days later the knife is in the mail.

Bob gets a little help now and then from "the usual suspects" -- his family. That's Bob at the left, then brothers Ray and Darrel, and Bob Senior at the right.

Bob gets a little help now and then from “the usual suspects” — his family. That’s Bob at the left, then brothers Ray and Darrel, and Bob Senior at the right.

The Woodmaster takes very little maintenance. I can roll it spot-to-spot where I need it in the shop. I’m very impressed – of course, I like what I’m doing, too. I’m very happy. Extremely. You can put me at the top of the list as far as happy.

When I turn my Woodmaster on, it starts making me money. And you don’t have to be a professional woodworker, you just have to work at it. You work at it – it’s mostly trial and error. If you do it, it comes together. And it really comes together quick.”

— Bob Helsley, Woodmaster 725 Owner, Altoona PA

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NOVICE WOODWORKER SAVES THOUSANDS MAKING HIS OWN PRO-QUALITY FLOORING & TRIM

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Mike at work on his Woodmaster 725

Mike W. didn’t let a little thing like NO PREVIOUS WOODWORKING EXPERIENCE stop him from taking on the challenge of getting a Woodmaster and running all the trim and flooring for his 11,500 new home. “I did my homework and figured if others could do this kind of work, I could, too.”

We heard recently from Woodmaster Owner, Mike W., of North Texas. He told us he’s using his Woodmaster to make all the trim and flooring for his new home.

Running all your own millwork is not all that uncommon for Woodmaster Molder/Planer Owners — most got their Woodmasters specifically to handle serious woodworking projects.

But when Mike told us, “I don’t really have any woodworking credentials other than a shop class I took for a semester in 7th grade,” we thought we’d better check it out. Can a fellow with NO woodworking experience run high-end trim and flooring like a pro?

Mike tells his story…

“My wife, Wendy, and I decided to build a new house. That’s how I got started in woodworking. Besides a shop class in seventh grade, the only real woodworking I’ve done is making the flooring and trim for this house.

It’s a pretty big house, all high-end, about 11,500 square feet overall with about 9,500 square feet of living space. My wife and I are the general contractors. I have a carpenter and his crew and whenever I can help with building, I do. I’ve been involved in just about everything here. We hope to move sometime in October of this year.

Almost done, Mike’s library is a showcase of woodworking skill in red oak — raised panel doors, arched openings, crown molding, pilasters, and more.

Almost done, Mike’s library is a showcase of woodworking skill in red oak — raised panel doors, arched openings, crown molding, pilasters, and more.

Wendy and I base our building and material decisions on the numbers. Not just current costs but longterm costs, too. We knew this home would be expensive so we looked for any way we could save money. When it came down to the wood trim and floors, we started pricing everything out and discovered it would be a lot less expensive if I made the trim and flooring myself. That’s why I got my Woodmaster.

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But what if it didn’t work out?

I was certainly concerned about whether this plan would work. What if the machine didn’t work right? What if I couldn’t learn how to use it correctly? What if I didn’t have the time to do the work myself?

“Curved arches are not a beginner’s task but I’d planned on making them before I bought the Woodmaster,” says Mike. “I had someone quote what it would cost to build them. I said, ‘No, we’re not paying that.’ The Woodmaster came with a video on how to make your own curved molding. I followed the video’s instructions to the letter and it worked out well.”

“Curved arches are not a beginner’s task but I’d planned on making them before I bought the Woodmaster,” says Mike. “I had someone quote what it would cost to build them. I said, ‘No, we’re not paying that.’ The Woodmaster came with a video on how to make your own curved molding. I followed the video’s instructions to the letter and it worked out well.”

I don’t spend this kind of money lightly. These were risks we were willing to take because I did my homework. I can’t stress that enough. I researched all kinds of machines online, I looked at every possibility. I watched Woodmaster’s how-to videos, I talked to people who owned Woodmasters, I looked at Woodmaster’s company info online, and I learned how the machine works. I figured if others could do this kind of work successfully, I could probably do it, too.

The Woodmaster has a great warranty, instructions, and there are people who’ll tell and show you all about it and what to do. I was willing to take the risk and take the time to learn all about it because the cost/benefit analysis showed me that if I could learn to operate it I would save a lot of money.

Saved as much as 70% doing it himself with his Woodmaster

“This raw lumber is our flooring – it’s wide oak. Then we’ve got another several stacks of cherry, hard maple, and more red oak.”

The savings on this entire D-I-Y project, including the raw wood, including the Woodmaster and all the add-ons, including paying my carpenter and his crew, is probably about 50% savings. I cut the cost of having someone else do this work in half. That’s 50% off the cost of unfinished hardwood floors. If I compare it to buying finished flooring, ready to install, I saved 70%.

Making the flooring saved the most money. We’re making them ourselves. Some of the wood is 11” wide, all the way down to 6”. We’re going to do the entire kitchen in 11” wide white oak. To buy hardwood flooring that width is astronomical. But making it yourself with the Woodmaster, buying raw lumber and turn it into flooring, is a no brainer if you can master the process.

He got the biggest & best…plus all the bells & whistles

I had never used any kind of planer before. But I figured if I was going to do it, I wanted it to be able to handle anything I threw at it. I ordered the biggest and best, the 725, 25” Woodmaster with Extension Tables. I got the Caster Kit. Casters come in handy when you run long pieces: you can rotate the machine without having to swing long boards. The biggest board I’ve handled is the countertop for the library. It’s 18’ long and 23” wide red oak. I ran it through in one pass and stuck it on the wall.

Here’s Mike and his Woodmaster with his #1 helper, his daughter Loren, 7. “She wants me to make her a race car,” he says.

Here’s Mike and his Woodmaster with his #1 helper, his daughter Loren, 7, discussing the finer points of woodworking. “She wants me to make her a race car,” he says.

The 725 Woodmaster is wide enough to run cabinet doors. It has a Variable Speed Rate (watch video) that’s very important; I can’t stress that enough. It’s really a big deal, you have to have it. When you’re planing rough lumber, a board’s thickness can vary. By slowing the planer down in thicker spots, you can avoid having to take many shallow cuts. Sometimes I’ll have someone else run the boards through. I manage the Variable Speed Knob and speed it up or slow it down as needed on the first pass to get everything level. If you’re going to make curved molding, you have to be able to adjust the speed or you’ll never get the piece through the machine. You have to go slow.

Another extra purchase that was really great is the Reversing Kit. That really comes in handy when you’re setting molding profiles and doing test runs. It’s worth the price.

I got the ProPack that gives me four functions — planing, molding, sanding, rip sawing — and I’ve used them all very effectively. I also got the Spiral Cutterhead. It’s amazing. That Spiral Cutterhead doesn’t care what you stick in there. It just chews through wood and leaves a satin-smooth finish. I estimate the finish equivalent to 150 grit sandpaper. It has indexable carbide cutters with four faces apiece. You can turn the faces as each one dulls over time. I’ve put 100,000 board feet through that cutterhead and I’m on the third face.

Woodmaster has the dust collector with a big blower. They had everything I need in one spot so I went ahead and got it all. I got the Three Side Molding System, too. We’ll be using it to cut the tongue and groove profiles on all the flooring. Between me, my carpenter, and his crew, we’ve used the Woodmaster as much as anybody could, non-stop from morning to evening.

4-way moneymaker – “And not small money, either.”

Once the house is done, I could sell the Woodmaster – it’s already paid for itself in the savings we’ve realized by doing the work ourselves. But if I sell it, I’ll kick myself every time I want to build something. Or I could build a little shop and keep it to make the furniture I told my wife I’d make. And my carpenter could use it for other people’s trim or flooring for his clients and I could make some kind of financial arrangement with him. So potentially I’ll save more on furniture, and make some money too. And if people come to me to make them something, I’ll make it.

I enjoy making my own millwork and I could make money doing it for others. The Woodmaster is a moneymaker – and not small money. For example, a piece of 8” wide crown molding I’m making, with 5-1/2” wide bed molding below it,

Growing up around a “can-do” dad like Mike, it’s a good chance Luke, age 3, will one day be a D-I-Y woodworker, too.

Growing up around a “can-do” dad like Mike, there’s a good chance Luke, age 3, will one day be a D-I-Y woodworker, too.

the whole piece of ceiling trim is 13-1/2” wide. That’s a big piece of trim. The 8” crown molding alone could cost you $8 – $10 a lineal foot in this part of the country. You run a 10’ board through the Woodmaster, that’s an $80 board. How long does it take to make in the Woodmaster? About 5 minutes. That’s part of the savings I’m talking about here.

My advice for others who’re thinking of doing something like this? Joe at Woodmaster asked me, ‘Can you run a table saw?’ Of course I can, I’ve had one for a long time. ‘Then you can run the Woodmaster,’ he said.

If people want to know more about Woodmaster, I’d be willing to talk to them. Just call or email Woodmaster and get my number.”

— Mike W., Woodmaster Owner, North Texas

 

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CAREFUL SHOPPER EVALUATES SANDING MACHINES — Woodmaster Drum Sander, Craftsman®, Grizzly®, others

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Benton Rosenberry has tried many sanding machines and speaks from hands-on experience. “Keeping glue joints even with a hand sander is hard. It’s easy with my Woodmaster.”

Benton Rosenberry has tried many sanding machines and speaks from hands-on experience. “Keeping glue joints even with a hand sander is hard. It’s easy with my Woodmaster.”

Long-time woodworker, Benton Rosenberry, shopped carefully when he was buying a sanding machine. He compared several styles and brands then looked for the best deal. At the end of the day, he’s plenty pleased with his Woodmaster 2675 Drum Sander. Some days, though, he wishes he’d chosen a bigger, wider Woodmaster…

“I went through vocational school then worked at a furniture factory. They had a big belt sander and I thought I’d like to have one. But that was in ’71 and it was $8,000 back then. I knew I could never afford one.

Today, I’m semi-retired and do woodworking to supplement our income. I have a pretty good-sized shop, 30’ x 40’.  I’m building kitchen cabinets for our home. It used to be such a chore trying to keep a board flat with a Craftsman® belt sander after I’d glued up a tabletop.

Benton's a man on a mission when it comes to cabinetry. It's amazing what a talented woodworker can do with a Woodmaster in his shop.

Benton’s a man on a mission when it comes to cabinetry. It’s amazing what a talented woodworker can do with a Woodmaster in his shop.

“I wish I’d had it years ago.”

The Woodmaster Drum Sander is wonderful — I wish I’d had it years ago. I made a solid walnut entertainment center and did the sanding with a regular hand sander. Keeping the wood the right thickness for glue joints was hard. With the Woodmaster it’s so easy to keep boards the same thickness.

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I notice a difference in the quality of my work since I started working with the Woodmaster sander — I don’t get ripples or low spots in some of the large surface areas that I had problems with in the past. And the Woodmaster saves me a lot of time.

He shopped for quality, features, and price

I looked at sanding machines advertised in different magazines and I saw some at a few woodworking shows. I saw some I liked but their price was quite a bit higher than Woodmaster’s.  Other machines’ drums are smaller and made out of aluminum.  I thought I’d go with Woodmaster’s larger drum.  That gave me the advantage of no ripple effect on my work.  The size of the drum and the price were the two key features that made me buy it. It’s real easy to change paper on the drum. I’ve gotten to where I can change sandpaper in 2 or 3 minutes.

Benton was kind enough to share his story with us. How about you? Do you have Woodmaster stories and photos to share? Please email them to us!

Benton was kind enough to share his story with us. How about you? Do you have Woodmaster stories and photos to share? Please email them to us!

Before I bought the Woodmaster, I called another company and asked them what their bottom price was, but they wouldn’t budge from the price. I also looked into Grizzly® sanders. I asked someone who owned one what he thought. ‘It’s a piece of junk,’ he said. That’s what he told me! I’m impressed with the Woodmaster’s quality and price; I think that you folks keep your price down.  You have a good product, it’s made real well.

I’m real happy with my Woodmaster. A friend who has a cabinet shop and a wide belt sander said I’d be disappointed and have ripples in my boards. He didn’t think I’d be satisfied but I am. If anybody’s thinking about a drum sander, I suggest Woodmaster. I am very satisfied.

I don’t think there is anything that I don’t like about the machine.  I am pretty well sold on it. Id buy another in a heartbeat and I’d go with Woodmaster. For anyone thinking about getting a Woodmaster, think about what you’re making. Sometimes the 26” wide 2675 Woodmaster is a little small for me.  I’d like something a bit wider.  If you’re making tabletops, you’d probably want the 38” 3875 Woodmaster Drum Sander.”

— Benton Rosenberry, Woodmaster Drum Sander Owner, Kansas

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HE CUTS A TREE ONCE AND GETS PAID TWICE — Woodworker turns waste wood into a valuable niche product

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     Good woodsmen know that removing poorly-formed, unhealthy, or otherwise inferior trees from a woodlot improves the quality of those that remain by giving them more space, air, water, and nutrients.

     Jared Coldwell has a unique business that adds value two ways. First, every time he removes a  tree from his family’s 600 acre commercial tree farm, he improves the woodlot. Second, he uses his Woodmaster Molder/Planer to turn the trees he removes into beautiful live-edge hardwood slabs — a high-value wood product.

Many people look at gnarled trees and think "firewood." Jared Coldwell looks and thinks dollar signs. He turns low grade trees into high dollar specialty wood slabs.

Many people look at gnarled trees and think “firewood.” Jared Coldwell looks and thinks dollar signs. He turns low grade trees into high dollar specialty wood slabs.

“I cut out a lot of understory trees to improve my family’s commercial woodlot. Ironwood, eastern hop hornbeam, musclewood, dogwood. Then I turn that waste wood into a valuable product by sawing it into slabs, planing the surface with my Woodmaster, kiln drying it, and selling the slabs online. When I send a piece out it’s one step away from a finished product.

Niche product creates high profits

Jared treats each slab of wood with individual attention on his website. Click and read how he describes this “Super figure Norway maple curly live edge hardwood board!”

I’m working with what’s technically considered low grade wood. It’s what most mills would turn into palettes. Two things add value: kiln drying, and planing it flat. The average of wood I sell is $10 a board foot. For comparison, regular flooring you can make with a Woodmaster sells for about $1 to $5 a board foot. I’m able to generate a better price per board foot because I make a niche product.

I sell to weekend woodworkers and small companies that are making furniture, coffee tables, or mantles. I work with them to find exactly the slab they want. I sell all across the US and Canada. You get a website and do it right and you develop new and repeat customers.  I routinely ship to a lot of smaller urban furniture manufacturers that have incredible markups. They’ll buy a slab from me for $300 then turn it into furniture and mark it up to $3,000 as finished goods. The finished products people are making with my live-edge slabs are just incredible.

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Business grew 40% – 50% last year

Even in today’s economy, my business has grown 20% a year every year. In the last 2 years, it’s been more like 40% to 50% growth per year. A big part of that is repeat business. That’s huge. Once the economy comes back, the sky’s the limit.

I started with a used Woodmaster Molder/Planer and a small shop in my dad’s barn. I put some slabs on ebay. Things started selling and I started my website. Today, I’ve got about 50 pieces listed online. I progressed and grew slowly. Now I have a really good feel for the whole process.

He soon needed a bigger Woodmaster

Jared sells his slabs to woodworkers who turn them into remarkable, unique furniture, mantles, and more. Woodworker, Chuck Davis used two book-matched walnut slabs to make this dining table accented with hickory inlay.

Jared sells his slabs to woodworkers who turn them into remarkable, unique furniture, mantles, and more. Woodworker, Chuck Davis used two book-matched walnut slabs to make this dining table accented with hickory inlay.

I soon figured out I needed a bigger planer and jumped up to the 25” Woodmaster. It handles the majority of anything I’ve sold. I’ve used it about six years now and it’s got the original motor and still has the original rollers. I put about 30,000 – 40,000 board feet through it in a year and I’ve only replaced a couple belts.

Spiral Cutterhead — “Unbelievable difference!”

I kept looking at Woodmaster’s Spiral Cutterhead. I finally got one. It’s an investment, around $1,300. But what an unbelievable difference it makes! Not just quality of finish but it really reduced the sound level of planing. You can actually talk while the machine’s running. Each one of the Spiral Cutterhead’s carbide inserts has four cutting faces — each can be turned to a new face four times. I’m on my third turn. I get about a year’s use out of each of the four faces. Even if you get a nick in one of the cutters, you can turn it or replace it.

You can tell Jared gets excited about listing and selling lumber online. Check out his webpage where he describes this "FIGURED ROUNDED WORMY BUTTERNUT! THICK BUTTERNUT FREE FORM LUMBER! SALVAGED LIVE EDGE WOOD! 1 SLAB! "

You can tell Jared gets excited about listing and selling lumber online. Check out his webpage where he describes this “FIGURED ROUNDED WORMY BUTTERNUT! THICK BUTTERNUT FREE FORM LUMBER! SALVAGED LIVE EDGE WOOD! 1 SLAB! “

The Spiral Cutterhead does an incredible job. When you put a 3” thick,  23” wide slab through this machine, it’s a lot of stress. And I’m not planing regular, first grade lumber. I’m putting through lumber with impossible curls, burls, figures, still has the bark on it – that’s what sells: lumber that’s considered low grade. I run a lot of sugar maple and that’s almost the hardest wood there is.

“I can buy 4 Woodmasters for the price of 1 Grizzly.”

The Woodmaster adds great value. To sell slabs like I’m selling, you’ve got to have a perfect, flat, planed surface to let people see the grain. That’s what adds value. Nobody wants to buy un-planed slabs for furniture making.

Woodmaster’s not a huge amount of money to put down. A lot of machines are $20,000 and $30,000. This is a machine that’s very affordable. Grizzly’s got a 25” planer for $10,000. Woodmaster’s is around $2,500 or so. I can literally buy four Woodmasters for the price of 1 Grizzly. I’d recommend Woodmaster any day over a Grizzly. I don’t see how Grizzly can justify the additional cost.

Woodmaster’s an excellent product, I’m very happy with it. It’s a very reasonably priced machine, an important machine. It’s been a big help in starting my business. It makes possible one of the primary added-value things I do making live-edge lumber.

He’s bootstrapping his business with no loans

I enjoy what I’m doing. I sleep good. It’s everything I really wanted. You’re in complete control of your destiny at the end of the day. You’re going to make what you work for. I really enjoy that.

I did this business without taking out loans. I turned everything back into the business at first. For anybody else thinking about this kind of business: start small. Don’t get in over your head. Definitely go buy a Woodmaster, not a $10,000 planer. And be ready to work!”

— Jared Coldwell, Woodmaster 725 Owner, Salineville, OH — Owner, Ohio Woodlands

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“If you have a Woodmaster and a table saw, YOU CAN MAKE A GOOD LIVING MAKING MOLDING!”

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"Our two families are making a good living," says James Tolley of South Dakota. "My partner and I own 5 Woodmaster Molder/Planers. One's set up for planing, one for curved molding, and the others for straight molding. We do a lot of custom woodworking and millwork manufacturing."

“Our two families are making a good living,” says James Tolley of South Dakota. “My partner and I own 5 Woodmaster Molder/Planers. One’s set up for planing, one for curved molding, and the others for straight molding. We do a lot of custom woodworking and millwork manufacturing.”

“My partner and I do a lot of custom woodworking and millwork manufacturing. I checked out all the different planer makes and manufacturers and I liked the way I was treated at Woodmaster. I liked that they are made in the U.S.A.” — James Tolley

2 partners raising 2 families with 5 Woodmasters

“If you have just a Woodmaster and a table saw, you can make a living making molding. We’ve got 5 Woodmaster Planers and use them for everything. My partner and I bought the first one as our business went more to molding, then we bought more and more over the years.

Our Woodmasters are our lifeblood. We run all of them between 20 and 40 hours a week. You can put our custom moldings up against moldings that come off a big machine any day. We’re making a good living for two families.

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The accuracy is very good. I can swap single knives in 5 minutes. Double knives take 8 or 9 minutes and a 3-knife set takes 10 or 15 minutes: you’re not losing any time.

“They don’t break. Our 718 paid for itself in 3 months. We’ve run over a million lineal feet through it and we’ve replaced just 4 bearings, 4 springs, and 2 washers. That’s it — they don’t break. If you have just the Woodmaster and a table saw, you could make a living making molding. Our two families are making a good living.”

“They don’t break. Our 718 paid for itself in 3 months. We’ve run over a million lineal feet through it and we’ve replaced just 4 bearings, 4 springs, and 2 washers. That’s it — they don’t break. If you have just the Woodmaster and a table saw, you could make a living making molding. Our two families are making a good living.”

1 day — 2,500 board feet of hickory

Our Woodmasters get their toughest workout when we do large crown moldings, 5-1/2 to 7-1/2”. We do a 6” crown mold that is 1-1/2” thick. We take off a lot of material. In a day and a half, we surfaced 2,500 board feet of hickory.

Business expansion: Top-speed molding with no tear-out “Since getting our Woodmaster, we’ve expanded into custom moldings, flooring, wainscoting, mantles, and other projects too numerous to mention. I have the best machine going. Your service is prompt, courteous, and knowledgeable. I recently ran 1,000 feet of oak hand rail. What a surprise to be able to mill it at 100% speed without a single instance of tear-out even though some of the grain was very “wild.” We are so impressed that we’ll be converting all our knives to this head. The time we saved on the first job paid for the head and the final product exceeds our rigid quality control every time.”

Louder than words

What would I tell someone who is thinking about buying a Woodmaster? Nothing — the product speaks louder than anything I could ever say.  I’d just show them our shop, our 140 different molding patterns, and our finished molding.

“I never  had a bad experience with Woodmaster”

It’s a pleasure to do business with Woodmaster. I’ve never had a bad experience with the company. They don’t hold us up or bog us down. Their customer service is 100%. Their people are knowledgeable, they’re curteous, and if you have a problem they always have a solution.Woodmaster’s probably one of the best companies we work with as far as customer service and product.”

— James Tolley, President, J&D Woodworks Ind., Black Hawk, South Dakota

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“I WAS OUT OF A JOB AND HAD TO FIND WORK SOMEWHERE.” …so Charlie grew his woodworking hobby into a lucrative career.

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Suddenly out of a job and wondering how to make a living, Charlie Pearson developed his woodworking hobby into a full time, lifetime career. Today, at 77 years young, he’s making a great living and doing excellent work as “the oldest cabinetmaker in Warren County, Tennessee.”

Here's Charlie Pearson in his shop running crown molding on one of his four Woodmaster Molder/Planers. When his employer closed their doors, Charlie got serious about woodworking and the rest took care of itself.

Here’s Charlie Pearson in his shop running crown molding on one of his four Woodmaster Molder/Planers. When his employer closed their doors, Charlie got serious about woodworking and the rest took care of itself.
Editor notes: Charlie owns 4 Woodmasters. Those in this photo are his oldest ones — 28 years old and still going strong. These older models were painted grey and did not have dust collections hoods. See what NEW Woodmasters look like.

“I started woodworking as a hobby in about ’73. I started building furniture, reproductions of dry sinks, washstands, desks, poster beds, chest of drawers, tables, oak and cherry tables, and all those kind of things. I managed a grocery store full time and when it closed in ’84, I had to get a job somewhere and I’d never done a resume.

I started making custom doors and raised panels for cabinetmakers. Then I figured out that since I was doing what they did, I could do the whole cabinet. So in the late ‘80’s, I started building cabinets and the business started growing. I’ve expanded my shop five times to today’s 10,000 square feet. I have over 200 power tools including four Woodmaster Molder/Planers.

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When you get into woodworking, you have to be versatile. I need the Woodmaster molding machines to make all kinds of trim. I’ve got many stock molding knives and probably 15 custom cutters besides.

4 Woodmasters – 4 full-time setups

Charlie does beautiful work. This dream kitchen is just one example of how Charlie has made a name for himself. He tells us he never had training; he learned by doing.

Charlie does beautiful work. This dream kitchen is just one example of how Charlie has made a name for himself. He tells us he never had training; he learned by doing.

If you’re going to make a living in woodworking, you have to figure out how to do custom work AND maximize production. Your work has to be quality, but you have to figure out how to be productive. You can do that by adding Woodmasters and mounting the cutters you’re going to use so you don’t have to spending time changing them over. It’s more accurate that way, too, when you leave them set up. You don’t have to worry about not being right when you use them.

Here’s how I use all four of my Woodmasters: I have them all set up and I don’t change cutters. I don’t have any down time changing cutters. I do so many different kinds of things, I use all of them within a month’s time because of the different trims they’re set up to do. I can do five different crown molds; three without changing cutters. Some of my machines have more than one cutter on them at a time. As long as it’s balanced it’s not hurting anything. One Woodmaster is mounted with a back cutter, a crown mold cutter, a shoe mold, and a 1-13/16” bead mold knife. Another machine has 5-3/4” mold I use on mantles, a cove mold, and a shoe mold. I’m set up to make 4-5/8” crown mold; 2-3/4” crown mold; shelf edging; a special mold I use around the bottom of cabinets; 1-13/16” bead mold. I use them all.

His 28-year old Woodmaster’s still going strong

I’ve never had any trouble with any Woodmaster, even the one that’s 28 years old. Woodmaster refers people to me to talk about my machines. I tell people that the years I’ve had them, I’ve never had problems with them. They come with a 5-year warranty. I’ve never had any problems with any of them.

There's always demand for high quality woodworking. Charlie tells us his business is strong, even in today's economy. The quality of his work is the reason he's always busy.

There’s always demand for high quality woodworking. Charlie tells us his business is strong, even in today’s economy. The quality of his work is the reason he’s always busy.

The advantage of having Woodmaster is it’ll make high quality molding at low cost. My brother had an expensive, high-speed molding machine that cost $17,000. See, I can buy half a dozen Woodmasters for that.

I hadn’t had training in woodworking. My brother did woodworking – I worked with him a little and learned how to make raised panel doors. I just picked it up through studying. I just learned it thorough the years. I chose Woodmaster because my brother had one. He had gone from that expensive molding machine to a Woodmaster because it was more versatile. You buy one Woodmaster and you want more!

Charlie’s business plan? Quality, efficiency & treat people right

I’ve got three people working with me part time. When the economy was good, we had seven people. We’d have seven or eight cabinet jobs going at the same time. Things have slowed down but I’m still above water. I don’t have any trouble making good money because I manage my costs and my workflow.

Charlie's in the news! Click the photo to read a recent story in Charlie's local newspaper, The Southern Standard, of McMinnville, TN. Courtesy Southern Standard.

Charlie’s in the news! Here’s an article about him published recently in his local newspaper, The Southern Standard, of McMinnville, TN. Courtesy Southern Standard.

My rule of thumb is your cost of materials for a job shouldn’t be more than half what you charge. Materials you buy shouldn’t run over 50% of what you charge. Half of what you charge is for your material and the other half is labor, operations, and overhead. If you’re doing real detailed work, materials should be less than half what you charge.

My philosophy? Do quality work and get it right the first time. My advice for others: get quality tools and treat others like you’d like to be treated and business will take care of itself. The advice I give younger guys is, don’t work for the money; work because you want to do a good job and you won’t have to worry about the money part.

Don’t think too long.

Charlie says he's the oldest cabinetmaker around. We suspect he's also just about the happiest.

Charlie says he’s the oldest cabinetmaker around. We suspect he’s also just about the happiest.

If you’re thinking about getting a Woodmaster, don’t think too long, just go ahead and buy one. It’s the best value. You can buy ‘em cheaper but it will cost you more in the long run because it doesn’t have the quality Woodmaster does. And the Woodmaster company’s been real good. Any problems I’ve had, they’ve taken care of them.

When you build something, it’ll be there for hundreds of years. The cabinets I build will last that long. I built a mantle for a lady and she said, ‘Mr. Pearson, will you sign the back of it?’ I asked her why and she said, ‘Someone may tear this house down 100 years from now.’ I told her I’d put my phone number there on the back and when someone tears it down in a hundred years, they can call me!’”

— Charlie Pearson, Woodmaster owner, McMinnville TN

See more of Charlie’s work, and read more about him on his website, www.kpcabinets.com

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THINKING ABOUT RETIREMENT? Include a Woodmaster in your Retirement Plan

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Way up in Canada, 220 miles north of Toronto, lives a former antique dealer who has the ideal retirement plan: he’s using retirement to do extensive woodworking using his Woodmaster Molder/Planer. Ferdinand Bellavance has the time, talent, and tools — and a 100-acre woodlot — to renovate his home with his skilled handiwork.

Among many other things, Canadian, Ferdinand Bellavance makes curved molding with his Woodmaster 725.
Just one of the many things, Canadian, Ferdinand Bellavance makes with his Woodmaster 725 is handsome, solid wood curved molding.

“I was an antique dealer for 25 years. I’d purchase wooden furniture and items that needed repair or parts and I’d repair and refinish them. I’m very handy with wood from a long time ago. Now I’m retired.

He’s building kitchen cabinets, adding a porch, constructing a gazebo, a camp, more

Ferdinand glues up thin strips of wood into a curved arch on a curved molding jig, then runs it through his Woodmaster.
Ferdinand glues up thin strips of wood into a curved arch on a curved molding jig, then runs it through his Woodmaster.

I had a planer before, a very old machine. It did the job I wanted at the time but now that I’ve retired I have more time and I’ve been busy building things around here. I built a beautiful porch on the back of our home, all cedar. I just finished my kitchen cupboards. I made them with all beautiful solid oak doors with oak raised panels from wood cut from my property. I built a camp — I planed some 2 x 8 hemlock and spruce for the siding. Now I’m building a gazebo in my garage. I’ve used the planer for all those projects. Without the planer I couldn’t have done these jobs.

I’m kind of blessed because I have 100 acres with mixed hardwood and softwood and a fair amount of good cedar in the back where it’s swampy. All kinds of hardwood. Yellow birch, white birch, hemlock, cedar, some oak, black cherry that hasn’t been cut for a long time. I heat with wood in central air wood furnace. But I don’t cut good trees for firewood. Any good trees are just for myself to make lumber. I don’t sell any.

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I saw your videos and testimonials on your website of some other men who had Woodmasters and I could see most people are using it as a business. But I bet there are a lot of retired people like me who purchase Woodmasters.

For his next project, Ferdinand is building a handsome gazebo.
For his next project, Ferdinand is building a handsome gazebo.

“Your people were so good to do business with.”

I bought the 12” Woodmaster 712. It would be nice to have a 25” planer if you have door panels to put through. Your people were so good to do business with. When I ordered my Woodmaster, the Sales Rep, Joe, told me about how it makes molding. (Watch the video!) And I paid extra to get your heavy duty motor. This is a great thing because my older planer would get hot and stop and you’d have to hit the reset button. When Joe told me about your bigger motor, I said, ‘Yeah, I’ll take that one.’

That's some impressive fretwork, Mr. Bellavance!
That’s some impressive fretwork, Mr. Bellavance!

I’m very, very satisfied and happy. When the planer came, it was well crated. They brought it right to my door. That machine…I didn’t see anything in Ontario that could compare with this machine. It does what it says and that’s what I like.  I didn’t know how good it was until I got it and started using it. I never had anybody else to tell me more about Woodmaster except the testimonials you guys put on your website.

4 functions in 1 machine: planer, molder, sander, saw

Speed control and 4-functionality sold me. There are other planers but I chose Woodmaster. I studied on the Internet and took my time. I looked at many different machines. I looked at all the testimonials people had. What made me buy were the 4 functions this machine does: planes wood, sands wood, saws wood, molds wood. That is what sold me, that and the variable feed rate. Those two things drew me to say yes.

What kind of camp would YOU build in retirement? Hunting cam? Weekend getaway? Ferdinand planed his camp's siding from 2 x 8 material. When you have 100 acres of woods, you can build your camp any way you want to.
What kind of camp would YOU build in retirement? Hunting camp? Weekend getaway? Ferdinand planed his camp’s siding from 2 x 8 material. When you have 100 acres of woods, you can build your camp precisely the way you feel like doing it!

“Variable Feed Rate is really the key”

The Variable Feed Rate is really the key to this machine making molding. It lets you go fast or slow or anywhere in between. My older planer had only two speeds. So I knew you need a machine that goes very slow or you’ll take big chunk out of your workpiece. I use one knife for baseboard and casing. I’ve used it for 3 years without sharpening. I go very slowly, at 20 or 25 on the speed control. The wood comes out very smooth.

Here's the Bellavance's beautiful new kitchen -- handmade cabinets made of solid native oak.
Here’s the Bellavance’s beautiful new kitchen — handmade cabinets made of solid native oak.

I just got your Spiral Cutterhead. What a difference. It’s really sweet. It’s just amazing when the wood goes through. You can see and feel it; it just finishes up so nice. I showed my wife a piece planed with the planer head and another one where I used the Spiral Cutterhead. I put them side by side – what a difference. She said, ‘Wow! This one is smoother!’ She saw the difference right away.

“Would you check that price again, please?”

Ferdinand Ballavance -- a talented woodworker who's enjoying retirement!
Ferdinand Ballavance — a talented woodworker who’s enjoying retirement!

When you shipped me the Spiral Cutterhead, it arrived very quick and was packed was in foam so there was no way the piece would get damaged even if someone threw the box or if the box fell. It was so well packed. I thought, if someone did that packing, they must care.

I was quite pleased to see the feed rollers weren’t that expensive. When your sales rep told me the price, I asked, ‘Are you sure, would you check that again?’ Your price is reasonable for your parts. That’s very important. I am really happy with the Woodmaster Planer. I bought it maybe 3-1/2 years ago and I have done a lot of work with it. It’s a really good machine. Maybe some other Canadian woodworkers will see my story on the Woodmaster blog.”

— Ferdinand Bellavance — Woodmaster Owner, Bonfield, Ontario, Canada

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HUGE SLABS of wood call for one MIGHTY BIG DRUM SANDER — 50″ BIG!

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30 years of professional logging taught Mark Abernathy unique skills when it comes to making his one-of-a-kind rustic furniture: he knows where to go and how to get the BIG ONES – the old growth trees he needs to do this kind of woodworking. He cuts his own, and he uses every inch of his 50” wide Woodmaster Drum Sander!

Logger-turned-woodworker, Mark Abernathy, turns a single slab of wood into a handsome, rustic tabletop with his 50″ Woodmaster Drum Sander.

Logger-turned-woodworker, Mark Abernathy, turns a single slab of wood into a handsome, rustic tabletop with his 50″ Woodmaster Drum Sander.

“I make rustic furniture from big slabs of wood. I do a lot with big maple burl wood slabs. Some of those are even up to 6’ diameter. I crosscut slabs several inches thick so I get big rounds of wood. I do this work on my 50” Woodmaster Drum Sander. It’s been a tremendous help; I just wish Woodmaster would make a 60” drum sander!

“I had no experience making rustic furniture.”

I logged for 30 years. I had my own operation out on the West Coast near Mt. St. Helens. At one time I had 70 employees. I cut furniture grade wood, mostly lodge pole pine. We’d turn it on a big doweling machine for woodworkers in California and Arizona. I’d take wood around and see what they were doing and I finally realized I could do it as well as they could. I hadn’t had any experience making rustic furniture but it wasn’t paying off to take wood around and sell some here and there. I started making lamps and coat racks, then I got into beds, dressers, and tables.

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Sanding was such a huge ordeal that I asked a cabinetmaker friend of mine if he knew anything about the Woodmaster Drum Sander. He said, ‘I sure do, I loved it so well I bought one.’ That’s how I ended up getting one. Instead of the smaller 26” or 38” one, I’d get the biggest 50” one. This sander makes production ever so much easier. My chainsaw comes first, then this big sander.

This prize slab is so big we almost couldn't get Mark in the photo. Is it destined to be a bar top? A coffee table? Either one would be amazingly striking.

This prize slab is so big we almost couldn’t get Mark in the photo. Is it destined to be a bar top? A coffee table? Either one would be amazingly striking.

“You can cut a lot of wood with a 48” chainsaw.”

My expertise from my logging experience is going out and getting wood. That gives me a little edge over a lot of people. I cut my own wood; occasionally I’ll buy something. I’ve been making rustic furniture for 17 years now. I’ve got a pretty good feel for what to look for.

I’ve got chainsaws with a 4’ bar, a 42” bar, and a 32” bar. With 48” you can cut a lot of wood. Crosscutting a log that’s wider than your bar takes a lot of experience and you have to have a good sharp chain. You cut down through one side and go around and follow the first kerf as best you can. The ripping I do is the same thing. I eyeball it. You get used to it.

I cut my own wood from private ranches. One ranch has 30,000 acres and a lot of juniper. Another ranch owner asked me, ‘Can’t you take it all?’ That would be 300 log trucks! Another ranch has 80,000 acres with juniper. Ranchers are glad to get rid of the wood. They want grassland.

Mark does mostly custom work. He finds it's best to let customers choose the wood he'll use to make their custom furniture. There's plenty to choose from in Mark's shop and every single piece is unique.

Mark does mostly custom work. He finds it’s best to let customers choose the wood he’ll use to make their custom furniture. There’s plenty to choose from in Mark’s shop and every single piece is unique.

Custom work – let customers choose their own wood.

We have a rustic furniture storefront and a sign out front on US Highway 93 in Kalispell. I’ve found through the years people like to come in and pick out their own wood. I let them come in and shop. I have nothing to hide. I want them to see what I’ve got. I’ve got some furniture made ahead but pretty near all my work is custom.

Most of the wood I work with goes through the sander. All the slabs go through. I’m making tables, bedroom sets, dressers, night stands, living room furniture, and tables. I also do some cabinetry – islands and bars and all that goes through the sander. I’ve put 30,000 board feet through the Woodmaster – maybe more.

“As fast as a wide belt sander and does just as good a job.”

Here’s another thing people should know: I’ve put wood through wide belt sanders – they’re big, expensive, vertical sanders. They don’t do any better job than this Woodmaster. I’ve used both and this Woodmaster is so simple and good I wouldn’t want to go any other route. The Woodmaster is simple. When you wear out a wrap of sandpaper, you just wrap another one on and go ahead. I can sand as fast as one of those wide belt sanders and I know this one does just as good a job.

If someone’s thinking about getting a Woodmaster, I’d definitely advise them to get one. Depending on what they’re doing, I’d recommend this big 50” one. It’s big enough I can run two grit sandpapers side by side at the same time. I do that a lot, have two grits on at the same time – half and half, up to 2 feet each. It works great. It saves time. Sometimes I even run 3 grits at the same time. Just tell Woodmaster they ought to come up with a bigger drum sander!

— Mark Abernathy, Rustic Log Creations Montana, Kalispell Montana

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“I BELIEVE HARD WORK KEEPS US GOING” — 81 years young and his Woodmaster business is great

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Glen Tompkins displays his wares in the showroom of his workshop. Glen's best-selling product is a line of folding clothes drying racks he manufactures for a chain of Maine department stores. He also builds a number of other product lines including picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, and items shown here..

Glen Tompkins displays his wares in the showroom of his workshop. Glen’s best-selling product is a line of folding clothes drying racks he manufactures for a chain of Maine department stores. He also builds a number of other product lines including picnic tables, Adirondack chairs, and items shown here. (All photos courtesy Rumford Falls Times, taken by Cherri Crockett.)

We spoke with Woodmaster Owner, Glen Tompkins of Peru, Maine a few weeks ago and were charmed by this down-to-earth woodworker who’s working hard and enjoying every minute.

Glen’s up early every day to manufacture his successful line of old-time clothes drying racks he builds with his two Woodmasters from local materials — when he’s not cruising the coast of Maine in his Mustang convertible, that is.

“I’ve been at woodworking full time about 15 or 16 years now and even before that I did it part time. I always wanted to be a woodworker, but I ended up being a machinist, auto mechanic, and truck driver. I owned a couple of gas stations, a couple of dump trucks.

Here's a photo from our Woodmaster catalog of the 718 Molder/Planer. It handles stock up to 18-1/2" wide and is our best-selling Molder/Planer.

Here’s a photo from our Woodmaster catalog of the 718 Molder/Planer like the one Glen owns. It handles stock up to 18-1/2″ wide and is our best-selling Molder/Planer.

I manufacture the old fashioned folding clothes drying racks for Renys Department Stores — a chain of department stores here in Maine.

I make three different styles of drying racks, two sizes in each style. Besides Renys, I sell to a few to independent hardware stores in the area, and I retail a few out of my own location. I do a few craft fairs around Christmas time and in the spring. I got involved in this by picking up a couple old drying racks way back. I redesigned them and built my own. People saw them I got calls.  I build enough to keep me busy and off the streets.

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I have a couple part time fellows who come in and help me out when I need it. It keeps things going. I don’t hire any full time help. When I need these guys, I call and they come in and give me a hand. When they need help, I help them.

He’s 81 and works every day

Of course, I’m an old goat. I just turned 81. I love life, I love what I’m doing. Up until two years ago, I rode motorcycles and now I got myself a Mustang convertible I cruise around in once in awhile. I believe hard work keeps us going.

Glen builds all kinds of wood products with his Woodmasters. Here he displays doll furniture he builds to accompany the popular American Girl Doll.

Glen builds all kinds of wood products with his Woodmasters. Here he displays doll furniture he builds to accompany the popular American Girl Doll.

My work schedule varies. If I get up early in the morning, I go in early. Some mornings I’m in the shop 4 o’clock in the morning because I can’t sleep. But I’m usually in the shop 7 to 4. It’s a regular business; people can call on me there. I just purchased a building and I have a retail area, a showroom, where people can see what I’ve got.

Top quality

I got hooked up with Woodmaster three or four years ago. I was cutting all the drying rack pieces on a table saw and drilling them on a drill press. I bought a Woodmaster Molder/Planer and set it up as a gang rip saw. It’s done a great job for me. Two years ago I bought a 38” Woodmaster Drum Sander. It does a great job, too.

Here's more of Glen's artistry — in the foreground, a planter in the form of an old watering can. In the background, a wooden toy chest.

Here’s more of Glen’s artistry — in the foreground, a planter in the form of an old watering can. In the background, a wooden toy chest with raised panels and a hinged lid.

I make the clothes racks out of pine; I buy all top-grade pine lumber from a sawmill from Bethel, Maine. The dowels are birch from another Maine company. I also make picnic tables and Adirondack chairs. I make my picnic tables out of top grade spruce from a local mill. My Adirondack chairs, I make out of pine and cedar. I make some that I put skis on. I build the frames and put old skis on the backs.

He visited other Woodmaster owners before buying

Woodmaster sent me a brochure and names of people near here who owned them and I went to look at them. Woodmaster’s a nice, rugged built machine. I’ve had a very good rapport with Woodmaster in Kansas City. I call Joe and he’s right on top of everything. I bought mine with a Pro Pack — a head for planing, one for sanding, one for molding. I use it for gang sawing. I can feed an 8” wide board — 7-1/4 actual width — and out come 6, 1” pieces. It’s a great machine, a great machine.

First a Woodmaster Molder/Planer, then the Drum Sander

My Drum Sander is the 3875 Woodmaster. I’d had smaller ones including a Taiwanese one. It was open ended and didn’t do a good job on panels. It would sand a panel 16” wide. If you want 32” wide, you’ve got to reverse it and run it through the other side. With the Woodmaster 38” sander, if you’ve got a panel 36” wide, you stuff it in and it comes out all good. You just run it through ‘til you get the finish you want. It does a great job. Every once in awhile, someone will come in with a panel they made and I’ll custom sand it for them. I do quite a bit of that custom work.

“I’d tell anybody…”

I’d tell anybody point blank what I use my Woodmaster tools for and how I like them. I’d recommend them any time to anybody. The service – I called Joe one day last week because I needed some Velcro and some sandpaper for my sander. It’ll probably arrive tomorrow or it may arrive today. Their service is good.

I have nothing bad to say about Woodmaster. Any time I need something they’re right there. I always ask for Joe and he’s right on top of it. If I need tech advice, they’re right on top of it. I’m not afraid to say Woodmaster’s a wonderful company to do business with. Some day I hope to get out there to see the factory and to talk to the people.

I’m getting old; I’ve got aches and pains but I just live with them. I have a medicine I take every night. It’s called Dewar’s White Label Scotch. About 3 fingers in a water glass and fill the rest up with ice cubes and you’re great. You don’t have to put that in your story.”

— Glen Tompkins, Woodmaster Owner, Peru, Maine

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HOW TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL WOODWORKING BUSINESS

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Elizabeth Floyd has a good start on her own woodworking business. She's still working full time and is proceeding carefully building her business to provide income when she retires.

Elizabeth Floyd has a good start on her own woodworking business. She’s still working full time and is proceeding carefully building her business to provide income when she retires.

We spoke recently with Woodmaster owner, Elizabeth Floyd, of Shelbyville, Indiana. She’s got strong woodworking skills; a great start on a woodworking business; and a Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

 Elizabeth has taken the essential steps to start her business the right way. And she’s carefully planning how to make it grow. We think her careful, practical point of view will be quite helpful to our readers who’re thinking about starting their own woodworking businesses.

 “I work full time,” Elizabeth tells us, “and do woodworking on days off and weekends. I’ve been doing more in the last few years so that, when I retire, I’ll have something to support myself.”

“My full time job is a cook in the county jail,” she says. “When I retire, I want some income and if things go well with woodworking, I might retire earlier than planned. I’m the kind of person who sticks their toe in the water before jumping in. I want to see if there’s a market for my style of woodworking, and see if it would support me.”

What Elizabeth calls her "little tables" are already popular. She says these are "production items" -- she makes one after another in the same patterns.

What Elizabeth calls her “little tables” are already popular. She says these are “production items” — she makes one after another using the same patterns.

She’s started a business part time while working full time

A square of richly veined marble gives Elizabeth's tables a beautiful finishing touch.

A square of richly veined marble gives Elizabeth’s tables a beautiful finishing touch.

“I make clocks,” she says, “and a lot of little end tables. Right now I’m working on a big entertainment center. My little tables are unique in that they’re something you don’t see in stores. They’re a stock production item, I just make them and sell them. I have a couple designs. I wanted to have set designs and use them all the time” to speed production.

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Elizabeth took a woodworking class at the Marc Adams School of Woodworking in Franklin, Indiana. Master woodworker Gary Striegler taught the class. (Editor’s note: Gary’s a big Woodmaster fan and demonstrates his techniques in several videos on the Woodmaster website.) “Gary had a Woodmaster,” she said. “After the class, I figured I had to learn more about it. I went ahead and got one. What I love about it is I can trim up my tables and make my molding just the size I want it to be. That’s the main reason I got the Woodmaster — when you go to buy trim, you can’t find the right size or profile.” So, like Woodmaster owners everywhere, she makes her own.

 Brains over brawn

“I’m 53 year old and throwing lumber around is not my thing – I’m just not able to,” Elizabeth says. “Anybody could be worried about this machine being too much – too heavy, too big to push around but there’s a way to figure it out. I bought it with the wheels and can roll it out into the middle when I use it, then back up against the wall.”

"Women, or anyone, might think the Woodmaster's too much for them," says Elizabeth. She proves it's not so.. When she couldn't change out the Woodmaster's head with her bare hands, she gained extra leverage by attaching a long-handled clamp. Problem solved.

“Someone might think the Woodmaster’s too much for them,” says Elizabeth. She proves it’s not so. When she couldn’t change out the Woodmaster’s head with her bare hands, she gained extra leverage by attaching a long-handled clamp. Brains over brawn every time!

“I changed the Woodmaster’s head and couldn’t get the belt off,” she told us. “I thought, ‘You’re not big enough to use this.’ But I noticed a bolt on the end of the pulley so instead of trying to turn things by hand, I put a clamp on the bolt. That did it and, so far, that’s the only problem I’ve had with thinking it’s too much. The Woodmaster is really easy to use. I was blown away at how smoothly it operates.”

“Woodworking’s not anything to be afraid of,” says Elizabeth. “It’s very rewarding. Sometimes you have to do things different from the way others do them. It may take an extra step or more time but where there’s a will there’s a way. Sometimes it’s hard to find a tool to fit your hands but they’re out there and it’s worth it to find them. It’s OK to ask people to show you stuff. Sometimes I’ll see someone doing something I want to know and I’ll just go ask. It’s OK to ask for help. If you’re afraid of not being able to handle a Woodmaster, there are ways around it if you study it a little bit.”

A mentor told her, “If you can draw it, you can build it.”

She’s hard at work building a woodworking business and building future income…and that kind of work brings its own deep rewards.

“I enjoy woodworking,” she says. “A long time ago, when I was in my early 20’s, I was told by a woodworker who had built a stereo cabinet that I could be a woodworker, too. He said if you can draw it, you can build it. I started with a saw, a hammer, and a chisel. I made a stereo cabinet with dadoes and grooves; it was really crude but it just put a bug in me. After that, if I need a shelf or something, I’ll make it to fit instead of buying it something and try to make it work. It just started to be a challenge.”

Networking to grow her business

Elizabeth is planting seeds now that will sprout later. “I’ve talked to a couple of people who do construction about making molding for them. I’m going to do up some samples and just try to do molding for people. The idea hit home with one contractor already. He told me he’s tired of going to the lumberyard for molding and when he goes back to get some to match, they don’t have that pattern any more. Or they have it only in oak instead of pine, or pine instead of oak. Or it’s the same pattern but it’s thicker and he has to spend more time messing with it or finding it in stock.”

Elizabeth’s business has started and is growing but isn’t in full production yet. She wondered whether she could afford a Woodmaster. “I’m not making enough things yet to pay for it but the time it saves makes it worth the cost. I’d rather be making something than driving all over looking for a certain piece of wood. Time is in limited supply, saving time is a big factor.

Lots to learn

“I’ve got a lot to learn about marketing and the internet – how to put your stuff out there. I need to learn

Elizabeth used the guidelines in Woodmaster's business plan to get her business started. You can get a FREE copy -- click here.

Elizabeth used the guidelines in Woodmaster’s business plan to get her business started. You can get a FREE copy — click here.

each aspect of it, I don’t know how long it’ll take. Having weekends to work on it, it’s not going to be a fast thing. But I’m not against retiring early – not at all!

I got the book from Woodmaster, ‘How to Set Up and Operate a Profitable Molding Business.’ It’s an excellent book. As a matter of fact, I followed what it said and have already consulted an attorney and filed my business, got my tax ID. The book says go ahead and start right and I agree with that.

(Editor’s note: You can get the same molding business startup book FREE. Click here.)

I’m setting up a bookkeeping system and getting that worked out so it’s all done right. I’d rather prevent getting myself in trouble than get myself out of trouble.

Why Woodmaster?

I chose Woodmaster because of my experience taking Gary’s class. I also like that it’s made in the USA and it’s heavy duty. I chose the mid-size model because I felt I might want bigger than the 12” 712 and I didn’t think I could handle the biggest 25” 725. I got the one in the middle.

If someone’s thinking of getting a Woodmaster, I’d tell them I have no complaints. It’s a quality piece of equipment that’s well built. The company is good. I like Woodmaster’s blog that shows other woodworkers and what they’re doing. It gives you a connection with other people.

Local stores may have lots of woodworking equipment but you can tell real fast that you know more than the salesperson. But when I contacted Woodmaster, I could tell I was talking to people who knew more than I do. It gave me confidence. That’s how I feel about the Woodmaster product. I think it’s good. It’s an investment that’s worth it.”

Elizabeth fits a piece of molding to a large entertainment center she’s building. She makes the molding with her Woodmaster 718.

Business viability in today’s economy?

“I’ve thought about the economy and the viability of a woodworking business. I guess my thoughts are there’ll always be a market for things that are quality-made. I’ve learned how to do it right so my work is quality. Regardless of what the economy does, I may not get rich, but I’ll get a good reputation by doing it right.”

— Elizabeth Floyd, Woodmaster owner

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