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ADVERSITY IGNITES BUSINESS SUCCESS — Update on Andy’s Place

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Andy McQuatters with the three Woodmaster Molder/Planers in the shop he and his dad operate in Florida, "Andy's Place."

Andy McQuatters with the three Woodmaster Molder/Planers in the shop he and his dad operate in Florida, “Andy’s Place.”

In the year or so since we posted Bill McQuatters’ first Woodmaster story on our blog, his business has grown dramatically. Here are the how’s and why’s his business is booming — and an inspiring update on Bill’s autistic son, Andy.

 “My son, Andy, is autistic and I started ‘Andy’s Place’ in Sanford, Florida to provide for his future and to give him a meaningful place to go every day. I started this five years ago with one Woodmaster. With the blessing of new business came the necessity for more equipment and now I have three Woodmasters. Business is booming and I’m looking into growth opportunities.

 One contract pays 60% of overhead

Business is great. In the first quarter of this year, we did more dollar volume than we did all last year. We added another full time employee and a part time employee. It’s really booming.

We’re making a product of accoya  wood that will end up at Disneyworld here in Florida. That wood is a very exotic and expensive. The company we supply really, really likes what we do.

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Bill and Andy do some serious production with their Woodmasters. Behind Andy are stacks of stakes they manufacture, stacked and ready to go. Andy hand signal says, "This is the second of our three Woodmasters."

Bill and Andy do some serious production with their Woodmasters. Behind Andy are stacks of stakes and other products they manufacture, stacked and ready to go. Andy hand signal says, “This is the second of our three Woodmasters.”

We just contacted a plastic pipe manufacturer that packages their pipe with what they call a band board. They demand oak for strength – 1” thick actual by 2” wide actual by various lengths from 16” to 40”. We’re using one Woodmaster as a gang rip saw to cut 2” wide blanks, and another Woodmaster as a molder to cut a groove they require.

We’ve got a contract to produce a truckload of wood a month for the pipe company. That job pays 60 – 65% of our overhead. That and the job for the company that serves Disney are our big contracts. But we’re continuing to make silt fence stakes, and stakes for surveyors.

 Working in pennies & seconds

When you’re producing stakes, you’re working in pennies and seconds. The margins are thin, thin, thin. It’s tough to make a dollar. Any time you don’t hear some wood being sawn, you’re losing money because every second counts.

Production Line

God skilled me with the gift of organization. It’s just the way I think. I imagined our Woodmaster planers as a production line as clear as day. I said, ‘Do you realize if we line them up, we could do twice as much in the same time?’

We set one Woodmaster in place, lined number two behind it, and finally number three at the end of the line. With thousands and thousands of board feet to plane we would feed lumber in number one. As the lumber came out it went directly into number two and likewise directly into number three.

For example, to make 2 x 4’s, we rip a blank out as 2-1/4” x 4-1/4”. The first planer brings one side down to 2-1/8”. We flip it over and put it through the second planer and it comes out 2”. Then we stuff it in the third planer on a third side and it comes out 4-1/8. We put it through again and it comes out 4”.

Multiple machines save all the time of setup. We set up just one time. We start at one end of the shop with a rough board, and end up at the other end with a product ready to ship without ever touching the machine. You know yourself that if you set a machine at 2”, then at 4”, you’re forever getting it back to 2 again, to get it dead on.

Back to the pennies and seconds. With three Woodmasters, we set each up to rip the most common jobs. Now moving from production of flag stakes to hubs or silt fence stakes is just a matter of choosing which Woodmaster is set up for the product.

Business built on referrals

Word of mouth made our business grow and take off. 100% of my business has walked in the door by itself. It’s a miracle, it’s God’s blessing taking care of Andy. We just got a big order and I asked the man why he called me. He said he was talking to some of his friends and they told him, ‘Here’s who you ought to buy your stakes from.’ Referrals are the best kind of business.

It never ceases to amaze me. One thing leads to another. There’s nothing like having been in business five years and get referrals. I’ve done absolutely no advertising and I’m not a salesman.

“People can call me”

I’m still getting calls from the first article about our business on the Woodmaster blog. There have been no fewer than 50 calls. People call, “Hey I’m thinking of getting into the stake business.” I tell them, “Well you better get ready to work hard and not make a lot of money!”

We’re instructed to help other people. I’ve sent pictures and pointers to people who’ve called about starting a Woodmaster business. Anything I can do to help a fellow woodworker succeed, I’d be more than happy to do it. The offer’s still open, people can call me. I can’t say enough good things about the Woodmaster machines.

Update on Andy

This father and son business is an inspiring success on two levels: not just succeeding but growing in today's economy...and providing a long-term job and income for Andy, Bill's autistic son.

This father and son business is an inspiring success on two levels: not just succeeding but booming in today’s economy…and providing a long-term job and income for Andy, Bill’s autistic son.

A miracle happened with Andy. We were ripping 10′ 2×4 southern yellow pine stock into 1×2’s on our Woodmaster. I was feeding and walked away to take a phone call. When I returned, there was my son Andy feeding the Woodmaster. You could have knocked me over with a feather! Andy does not communicate verbally so I never knew he wanted to feed. It was amazing. He fed all afternoon and the big, big smile on his face said he was loving every minute. I was delighted too. Lynn, the man on the outfeed end, got behind and Andy wouldn’t stop. Lynn went home tired, I went home happy, and I believe it made Andy feel happy and very important. His actions said, ‘See, Dad I can do this work too.’

The longer Andy’s works at the shop, the more he likes it and the more jobs he is capable of doing. With his excessive compulsiveness, our stacks of stakes are square, tight, and even. The finished product is professionally packed and the customer’s can see the quality.

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“WOODMASTER – AN AMERICAN MADE PLANER / MOLDER / SANDER / RIPPER THAT WILL IMPROVE YOUR GAME.”

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CLICK and watch 4 woodworking machines in 1

PRODUCT REVIEW by the Woodworkers Guild of America

The Woodmaster Molder/Planer is the frequent subject of product reviews in leading woodworking magazines, websites, and forums. The most recent Woodmaster review is by the Woodworkers Guild of America — read it in two installments on the Guild’s website.

Review of delivery, setup, and planing

Professional woodworker, Paul Mayer , gives his in-depth analysis of the  Woodmaster Molder/Planer — from home delivery and  first-time setup to planing.

Paul tests the Woodmaster's planing function by running a huge maple plank through.

Paul tests the Woodmaster’s planing function by running a huge maple plank through.

Paul writes, “My lunchbox planer had served me pretty well over the years, but recently I came the conclusion that I needed more performance and capacity in a planer. This led me to research all the usual suspects. I went back and forth between 15” and 20” models, and the various offerings in these categories were strikingly similar to one another. Then I stumbled upon the multi-function machine from Woodmaster Tools, and several things jumped out at me that separated Woodmaster from the pack:

• The machines are manufactured in the US, which is almost unheard of in small shop woodworking tools these days.

• The clever design allows the machine to also serve as a drum sander, molder and gang rip saw (I have always wanted a drum sander but have never been able to dedicate the space in my small shop).

• Every time I called Woodmaster, I talked to a person who could answer all of my questions without having to look anything up. A couple of the folks I spoke with actually own and use the same machine as the one I was inquiring about. That is the benefit of dealing with a small company that sells only two primary items; combination machines molder/planers and dedicated drum sanders.”

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Paul leaves no stone unturned and gives a very knowledgeable, detailed and objective report on Woodmaster features including our 5HP USA-made cutterhead motor; variable feed rate; Morse tapered shaft; pivoting bearings; chain-drive bed height adjustment; heavy cast iron bed; steel hood; feed rollers; our Spiral Cutterhead; and more.

4-in-1 Money Maker

Variable Feed Rate -- Paul writes, "One of the differentiating characteristics of this machine is the fully variable feed rate (with a standard machine configuration this is 0-16 FPM), which is powered by a dedicated feed motor and switch. This is critical for using the same machine to perform all of the functions that the 718 offers, as each of these functions can be optimized at a different feed rate, and further refinement can be performed within each function based upon wood species, figure, character, etc. "

Variable Feed Rate — Paul writes, “One of the differentiating characteristics of this machine is the fully variable feed rate (with a standard machine configuration this is 0-16 FPM), which is powered by a dedicated feed motor and switch. This is critical for using the same machine to perform all of the functions that the machine offers, as each of these functions can be optimized at a different feed rate, and further refinement can be performed within each function based upon wood species, figure, character, etc. “

The Guild’s first Woodmaster article also discusses how and why the Woodmaster is a 4-in-1 money maker that converts easily from molder to planer, sander, or saw. Click to watch a video that demonstrates speedy tool changes.

Review of molding, sanding, and gang ripsawing

Next, Paul tries and reports on the Woodmaster’s other three functions: molding, sanding, and ripsawing. After testing our drum sander head, he wrote, “I think it is brilliant to offer this as an add-on to a planer and I am surprised that other tool manufacturers don’t do so. My shop is modest in size, and I had not been willing to give up the floor space for a dedicated drum sander, so having it share the footprint of my planer is a huge bonus.”

Paul’s review of the Woodmaster set up as a molder? “It is, perhaps, the molding capability that separates this machine more than anything else. The power, precision, and weight of the Woodmaster  make it an ideal platform for milling anything from a chair rail to log siding and anything in between. With over 600 stock profiles and a custom molding knife service, the possibilities are virtually endless. It seems that many people purchase this machine primarily for the purpose of running a molding business, and the testimonials of these customers are impressive.”

Ripping performance gets a big thumbs up, too. “For prepping stock for large molding runs, the gang rip saw capability is a neat option. It allows for safe, quick ripping of multiple strips in a single pass, which delivers better quality and consistency compared 
to performing this function on a table saw. I found that I could feed stock through at full speed (16 feet per minute) and the machine powered through the cuts. It was the quietest, safest ripping I have ever done. No burn marks or chatter on hard maple.”

Thanks, Woodworkers Guild of America, for checking out our machines!

 The Woodworkers Guild of America is the leading online resource for woodworking video clips, tips, and techniques.

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HE STARTED A THRIVING BUSINESS IN HIS GARAGE…with determination and a Woodmaster!

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Tom Bardwell runs a strip of molding through his Woodmaster Model 718. What started as a hobby has turned into a successful molding business that employs and supports his family of five.

Tom Bardwell runs a strip of molding through his midsized Woodmaster. What started as a hobby has turned into a successful molding business that employs and supports his family of five.

“I always had a passion for making picture frames. Of all the wood things I’ve made, I wanted to make picture frames. We were remodeling a Victorian home. I couldn’t get Victorian molding so I made my own. As time went on I started making picture frame stock. We got a sawmill and started to mill our own boards to keep costs down as well as doing our own kiln drying. And we added two Woodmaster Molder/Planers.

Today, Frameworxz is our family business; full time, year ‘round job for some and part time for others of us. It supports our family of five and we all have a part in it, whether matting or manufacturing. We make frames every day except Sunday, year ‘round.

The whole Bardwell family is involved in their framing business. Karla's doing framing in Frameworxz's Studio.

The whole Bardwell family is involved in their framing business. Karla’s framing a picture  in Frameworxz’s Studio.

His hobby went wild and turned into a family business

We start from green logs and take it right to a picture frame. Over time, the business grew and we started distributing to other frame makers, other distributors – hardwoods and some exotic hardwoods. We just added and added until today it’s not only a supply network but also has a local storefront you can see on our website.

It was a hobby that just went wild and turned into a business. It grew from local picture framing and matting, and from distribution. We can drop ship to anyone, anywhere. We sell frames, frame kits, frame lengths, tools, and give free information on how to frame pictures. People make a lot of mistakes making frames so we give information so they can do it right.

We’re having success with our sectional frames. They’re precut and pre-mitered so they’re easy to put together with glue, hammer, and wedges. Those who like to do their own save quite a bit of money and we can ship them easily.

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We can put just about any frame in a box. Compared to a full-size picture frame, it’s cheaper to ship a sectional frame. We use all the major freight companies and ship throughout the US and Canada.

The photo at the top is one of the Bardwell's popular picture frame patterns, from their website. The drawing at the bottom is from the Woodmaster Molding Knife pattern book. Click here to see the pattern book.

The photo at the top is one of the Bardwell’s popular picture frame patterns, from their website. The drawing at the bottom is the same pattern from the Woodmaster Molding Knife pattern book that contains over 600 patterns. Get a FREE pattern book: call Woodmaster TOLL   FREE at 1-800-821-6651.

Set up for production

We go ‘tree to frame.’ We live on a farm and have our own woodlot so we cut and mill our own trees. We air-dry boards for a year or so then kiln dry them down to 8% humidity. Then they go through our 712 Woodmaster where they get planed and jointed. Then ripped, then molded in our larger Woodmaster. We can run two strips, same pattern, side by side, running them at the same time.

We run red oak, white oak, ash, cherry, walnut, a lot of poplar for paint grade frames. We make a lot of fireplace mantles out of poplar. We use exotic woods, too. A lot of our business is matching old molding from Victorian homes. Typically we don’t have the knife so we’ll have it made and run the reproduction molding.

Our #1 best seller is picture rail (Editor’s note: Woodmaster calls it ‘Picture Molding‘). You have to be a bit advanced to set it up – you run the back side and front side using two setups side by side in the cutterhead: one to cut the back relief and another to cut the profile.

3 strategic marketing advantages

On the business side of things, to get in the market, I knew we had to basically have a lower cost. We had to have something besides just “We do hardwood.” Our first advantage was fully integrating with our own sawmill so we can saw logs. That takes a tremendous amount of cost out of the wood.

Our second strategic advantage is integrating from the log to the molder, taking out a huge middleman margin. We use that strategically to get attention. Once we get price attention, we have to get quality attention. Showing samples is usually all it takes. Our third advantage is we can run small quantities and deliver what our customers want.

In today’s economy, a Woodmaster makes even more sense

The economy, as much as it has been in a spiral, has held pretty well in our framing business because we’re internet based. And even the local business has done well. I believe it’s because of our price and quality.

In today’s economy, there are even more reasons to buy a Woodmaster. It’s one of the few products that, by itself, can let you develop a viable manufacturing business in your garage. I just think there’s no better package out there for an entrepreneur to use to launch a business on a small scale. If you’re passionate enough to develop it into something that’s income producing, and keep with it, it’ll happen.

“We often help people get started in the frame making business”

We get a lot of calls and I share every secret I’ve learned. If you want to make frames, I’ll tell you what equipment to start with. Everything we talk about on our Frameworxz site, we use and it’s in our shop today.

We can help people get started and we often do. We get a lot of calls on how to make a tight miter so when people make a frame they don’t have to fill it with wood filler. That’s a key issue for those who really want to make it in a frame business of their own.

I’m willing to talk to others about how to do something; what tools to use; how to match up the sides so that when they put the frame together it all fits perfectly. We’ll take your calls.

Thank you, Woodmaster, for your products and support. Woodmaster has a great business and they listen to their customers and incorporate a lot of customer ideas in designs. If someone was looking at Woodmaster, I’d tell them all the things I think about Woodmaster – and it’s all good. They’re the best.”

— Tom Bardwell, Frameworxz, Caro, Michigan

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“If I didn’t have a wife already, I’D MARRY MY WOODMASTER DRUM SANDER!”

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Bruce runs a blank through his Woodmaster Molder/Planer. He got it to make picture frame stock. He orders custom pattern knives from Woodmaster to reproduce antique patterns that haven't been produced in 150 years.

Bruce runs a blank through his Woodmaster Molder/Planer. He got it to make picture frame stock. He orders custom pattern knives from Woodmaster to reproduce antique patterns that haven’t been made in 150 years.

Woodmaster owners are often fiercely enthusiastic about their machines. Bruce Bell, owner of Double Dragon Woodworks in San Francisco, sums up the loyalty many feel when he jokes he’d marry his Woodmaster if he wasn’t already wed.

Bruce makes light of his love for his Woodmaster but he’s extremely serious about his work as you’ll see in the  photos below. We at Woodmaster couldn’t ask for more than happy, highly talented customers like Bruce who LOVE their machines!

Bruce tells his Woodmaster story…

Bruce's Potting Bench is made of Western Red Cedar. On the bench top is one of his octagonal planters.

Bruce’s Potting Bench is made of Western Red Cedar. On the bench top is one of his octagonal planters.

“I have my own business manufacturing outdoor furniture, garden structures like pergolas and ground-level decks. I work with landscape architects. I build planters and boxes of teak, mahogany, and red cedar. I build them like fine furniture. I guarantee them to last a lifetime and I price them accordingly.

Here’s how my woodworking business got started: I made some planters for my wife and the neighbors saw them. They wanted one and pretty soon I said to myself, “I thought I retired, now I’m working for a living again!”

Here's Bruce's "Double Dragon Woodworks" business logo made of inlaid veneer.

Here’s Bruce’s “Double Dragon Woodworks” business logo made of inlaid veneer.

 

Increased production 20 times over — paid for itself in a week

I got a Woodmaster Drum Sander and it has improved my productivity. I can’t say enough good things about it. If I didn’t have a wife already, I’d marry my Woodmaster Drum Sander!

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I’ve never had a bit of trouble with it. If I had to sand my planter boxes by hand, even with a DeWalt® Orbital Sander, it would take me a day just to make one box. Now I can make a dozen boxes in a day. I can sand a month’s worth of panels in a day.

My Woodmaster paid for itself in maybe a week and that’s not an exaggeration. I went from making one box a week to maybe 20 or 30. They retail for $250 and up.

Bruce's Hall/Entry table is made of birdseye maple and walnut. It measures 34" H x 67" L x 16" W.

Bruce’s Hall/Entry table is made of birdseye maple and walnut. It measures 34″ H x 67″ L x 16″ W.

Comparable quality costs over $10,000

Why’d I choose a Woodmaster? Price, really. I did a lot of research. I couldn’t find any under $10.000. I had  used a 60″-wide belt sander but that was $80,000. I read about the Performax® Drum Sander but I didn’t like those because they’re cantilevered: they have an open end.

Bruce Bell credits his Woodmaster Drum Sander with boosting his production speed from 1 planter box a day to 10 or 12. At $250 apiece and up, an increase like that puts some serious money in the bank.

Bruce Bell credits his Woodmaster Drum Sander with boosting his production speed from 1 planter box a day to 10 or 12. At $250 apiece and up, an increase like that puts some serious money in the bank.

I’m not buying any made-in-China imports. There’s a reason why they’re cheap: low labor costs and they don’t put that much into it. When you’re running production, you don’t want plastic parts.

He got a Woodmaster Molder/Planer to make picture frames

I bought a Woodmaster Molder/Planer to use as a molder. I’ve already bought half a dozen custom knives from Woodmaster. One of my good friends is an antique dealer who deals mainly in prints. He told me that if I could make molding for picture frames he’d give me a lot of work.

He gets some old prints where one side of the frame is split or cracked, but hte customer really likes the frame and they haven’t made that kind of molding in 150 years. I take a section of the frame, send it to Woodmaster, and then make me a custom knife. Then I repair the old frame.

Making a $40,000 entertainment center

Woodmaster has improved my productivity. I can’t say enough good things about it, especially the sander. Right now I’m working on this huge entertainment center — it’s a $40,000 project. It’s all made out of cherry and maple with veneers that I laid up myself. I put the veneers on and send them through the sander to get them all thicknessed. It has 50 or 60 square feet of veneer, all small pieces. I sliced them on my band saw, then I had to sand them so they were all uniform thickness. I could do it really easily and everything was the same thickness when I glued it all down. Everything was flat, no ripples. That Woodmaster machine is incredible.

Customer service? Stellar.

Woodmaster’s customer service is stellar — I’m not kidding. Those guys go above and beyond the call of duty. They’re so over the top, I wish I could buy cars from Woodmaster! My advice to anybody looking at Woodmaster: don’t think about it, just go buy one.”

— Bruce Bell, Double Dragon Woodworks, San Francisco CA

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WOODWORKER REINVENTS HIS BUSINESS – SURVIVES & THRIVES IN TODAY’S ECONOMY — A Pro Cabinetmaker & Vietnam Vet shares his hard-won experience

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Dante puts his 50" Woodmaster Drum Sander through it's paces. He's making a good living as a cabinetmaker in today's tough economy. Woodmaster helps by slashing his operating costs.

Dante puts his 50″ Woodmaster Drum Sander through it’s paces. He’s making a good living as a cabinetmaker in today’s tough economy. Woodmaster helps by slashing his operating costs.

LIKE THE OLD SAYING, “WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH, THE TOUGH GET GOING,” HERE’S ONE WOODMASTER WOODWORKER WHO DID JUST THAT. FACED WITH THE CHALLENGES OF TODAY’S ECONOMY, HE RETOOLED AND RESTRUCTURED HIS BUSINESS. AND TODAY’S BUSINESS IS GOOD.

“Even in today’s economy, people are making a good living in woodworking and Woodmaster makes it possible with the right size and scale equipment.

Wide belt performance for a fraction of the oost

Woodmaster Drum Sanders may seem big to the average woodworker but I’ve used the biggest and best equipment there is so Woodmaster seems compact to me. But the end product is just as good as big, industrial equipment. It takes a bit longer on a Woodmaster than on a $100,000 machine but the savings in the cost of the equipment are well worth it.

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At my business’s peak, we were the largest custom cabinetmaker in Rhode Island, manufacturing case goods (cabinetry) for Dunkin’ Donuts, Starbucks Coffee, and Honey Dew Donuts. My first sander was an industrial 37” Timesaver wide belt sander. Within a year, we needed to go to 3-head 53” wide belt sander.

He reduced costs while maintaining quality

With the onset of the current recession, we saw a decline in orders from those companies. We employed 40 people at our peak. Starting in 2007 we reduced employment to 6. We started getting back into custom kitchen cabinetry, still using the 3-head Timesaver. But just turning on the Timesaver for 20 minutes incurred a electric service and distribution charge of over $600!

That’s when I went to Woodmaster. It’s 500% cheaper to run. It runs on a 480V 3-phase motor and uses fewer amps. No air compressor, just a dust collector. My cost savings are 99%.

I’m 110% satisfied with the Woodmaster Drum Sander and its operating cost is 99% less. It doesn’t cost $100 a belt like the Timesaver does. I don’t have to fire up 100 HP worth of motors to run a single piece through. I don’t have to run a 20HP dust collection system. I don’t have to run an industrial compressor like I needed for the Timesaver. The Woodmaster is low monetary cost to begin with, low maintenance, and low operating cost.

I’m very happy. With a 50” Woodmaster, I can have 4 grits on the machine at same time, 1-foot wide each. Most raised panel doors are 24” wide so you could run two grits side by side if you wanted. Or I can run a 48” wide table through it. I run 100 grit on first head, 150 grit on second head.

Dante's a Vietnam Vet who's newest enterprise is dedicated to building affordable, green housing for veterans and their families.

Dante’s a Vietnam Vet who’s newest enterprise is dedicated to building affordable, green housing for veterans and their families.

Skilled workforce available

Because of the economy there are highly skilled people out of work. I bring in part time people, especially disabled vets. With the onset of Heroes Village, I’m going to give disabled vets and disabled civilians an opportunity to learn and work for a living in spite of their disabilities. I am in the process of starting a 501c3 company, Hope for Heroes, to assist both disabled vets and non-vets learn the woodworking trade in a classroom atmosphere, to prepared them for employment. (See Danté’s biography, A Man on a Mission, below.)

I have no reason to fluff this story up. The Woodmaster company has far exceeded my expectations on service, sales, and everything else. I’ve bought over a million and a half dollars worth of equipment in my career and I’m amazed at what the Woodmaster will do if you keep it within its capabilities. I’ll put Woodmaster machine up against any industrial machine in the world. It’s easy to run, uncomplicated, safe, good equipment.

“I’d tell anybody…”

I’d tell anybody considering a sander, ‘Don’t look anywhere else but Woodmaster. Save yourself time and aggravation — I’ve done the research.’ Woodmaster is an accommodating, considerate company. I have nothing but good things to say about them. My phone calls are returned, there’s no ‘press 1 for service’ like with big companies.

If anybody deserves the Congressional Medal of Honor for helping small businesses it’s Woodmaster because they go above and beyond the call of duty dealing with customers. They really keep the little guy happy. They’re an American company that assists businesses. Thank God for Woodmaster!”

Dante’s survival philosophy

“In 42 years as a professional cabinetmaker, I’ve had the best of the best equipment, the biggest of the big. Today I have Woodmaster because it fits today’s woodworking economy. I have absolutely no regrets.”

— Danté Grassi, CT Cabinetmaker, Woodmaster Drum Sander Owner

 Danté Grassi…a man on a mission

 Danté Grassi is a master craftsman who began his cabinetmaking and manufacturing career in 1973 for national and international clients including Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts.  Mr. Grassi is a graduate of both Northeastern and Johnson and Wales University. He served in Vietnam in 1968 through 1969 and is actively involved in veterans affairs, serving on the Advisory Board of ConnectVets and as Construction Manager of Heroes Village, a series of communities planned to offer affordable green housing for veterans and their families.

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This sawmill owner’s solution to today’s tough economy? “I’M TRIPLING THE VALUE OF LUMBER I SAW OUT!”

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That’s called working smarter, not harder. The key is “VALUE ADDED”…and it’s WORKING!

The Patrick family makes log cabin siding with their Woodmaster Molder/Planer. This "kid's cabin" is a display unit they built to show the quality of their siding. The cabin gets people's attention and helps the Patricks sell log cabin siding.

The Patrick family makes log cabin siding with their Woodmaster Molder/Planer. This “kid’s cabin” is a display unit they built to show the quality of their siding. The cabin gets people’s attention and helps the Patricks sell log cabin siding.

Steve Patrick started a custom sawmilling operation back in 1996. Today’s economy slowed his sawing business. His solution? Add a Woodmaster Molder/Planer and TRIPLE THE VALUE of his lumber!

Steve and his folks make log cabin siding, and lots of it! This profile creates a distinctive look and the shiplap detail sheds water easily, making this a very durable siding material.

Steve and his folks make log cabin siding, and lots of it! This profile creates a distinctive look and the shiplap detail sheds water easily, making this a very durable siding material.

Read Steve’s STORY, then heed his HOW-TO BUSINESS TIPS…below!

Steve Patrick, owner of Patrick Custom Sawing, in Ramer, Tennessee, told us an inspiring story about how he and his family have turned today’s tough economy into a profitable family business opportunity.

Sinking economy, rising financial pressure

“In ‘96 I quit FedEx and started a sawmill business,” Steve said. “I started part time taking the mill around to people’s places and custom sawing” and things were fine until the economy fell apart a couple years ago.

Then Steve’s folks’ paychecks stopped. “Mom and Dad retired two years ago from driving a truck. I started thinking what we could do to give them some income and increase mine, too, while still working with wood.” On top of that, as Steve turned 50 recently and started wondering, “How can I keep from breaking my body? How can I work smarter rather than harder, make more money, and still be dealing in wood?” The idea of planing wood was appealing.

It pays to advertise. Steve (right) and his dad, Bill, set up a clever display on the road by their property. Passers-by can't miss it!

It pays to advertise. Steve (right) and his dad, Bill, set up a clever display on the road by their property. Passers-by can’t miss it!

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Steve continued, “It was really Daddy’s idea to get a Woodmaster Molder/Planer. It’s scary doing something new or branching out in this economy but the Woodmaster is relatively low investment and if you can dry and dress the lumber, you triple its value.” That’s 300% value added.

Steve’s tripling value by making log cabin siding, but says much more is possible. “When you get into crown molding, you’re increasing value ten times.” Yes, you read it right: 10 times increase in value — that’s 1,000% value added.

Just as Steve does custom sawing, he’s finding, “I can also do custom planing for the public.” And there’s money to be made. “I sell green oak boards off the mill for 50¢ a foot, but once it’s dried and planed, I sell it for $1.50. We triple the value of it.”

“In the last couple years, with the economy as it is, I’ve considered going to work for others but with the Woodmaster, making finished products can help keep me from having to do that.”

The numbers work without a sawmill, too

Steve and his family live on a 300 acre farm that’s endowed with lots of timber. “With our sawmill, I can cut trees, log them out, saw them into boards, dry them, and dress them down into log cabin siding.”

But if you take all those steps into account and all the time it takes to do them, Steve feels it’s cheaper to just buy high grade lumber. “Run it through the Woodmaster and you’ve got your log siding.” Steve can do it either way: cutting timber or buying lumber. “Right now for ease, we’re buying lumber. But we have a choice to buy lumber or cut our own.”

Self-taught perfectionist

Steve confesses to being a perfectionist. “I want to give the customer the best I can make and that he can get.” And he’s self-taught. “Nobody taught me sawmilling or carpentry but 20 years of experience teaches, and everybody can learn something. The carpentry – I look at buildings and figure out how to do it and build it and learn.”

“Some of our business is sawing out wood,” says Steve. “Some is making siding; some is making cabins. The cabins promote the siding. We’re buying #2 select and choice lumber. I’m looking at getting #1 to make siding out of. I’m looking to get the best source so I can sell cheaper and still make a few dollars.”

They’re making MILES of log cabin siding

Making log cabin siding interests Steve personally and his philosophy is, “To keep in business, you do something you like doing. Working and building with wood is something I like doing. I guess I’ll do this ‘til the day I die. I’d like to do more work like build cabins. As I get older, it’s easier to put boards through the Woodmaster and make money than it is sawmilling by myself.”

And at the end of the day, “You can sell log cabin siding and make a whole lot more money for that piece of pine than you can straight off the sawmill.

75 years young, Mom and Dad run siding

Myrle and Bill, Steve's mom and dad, put in a good days work running log cabin siding on the Woodmaster. "They like doing it," says Steve.

Myrle and Bill, Steve’s mom and dad, put in a good days work running log cabin siding on the Woodmaster. “They like doing it,” says Steve.

Both Steve’s parents, Myrle and Bill, are retired now but they’re running log cabin siding and earning money. “Running this Woodmaster is easy enough work for them to do,” says Steve. “While I’m sawmilling, they run the Woodmaster. It’s something they can do and they like doing it. I foresee we’ll get to the point we’ll have to run the Woodmaster 8 hours a day; I’ll probably hire some help.”

“You could call the Woodmaster part of  our business an expansion of the sawmill and wood business we’ve been doing for 20 years. We’re going from rough to finished wood products. It’s a learning curve but in 20 years you learn something about wood. I want to get proficient with tongue and groove, crown molding. I’ve talked with people about curved molding. I want to learn it all.”

Making a good living and the future looks bright

Steve and his faithful companion have 300 acres with a virtually endless supply of timber to turn into log cabin siding. But they often choose to buy lumber to run through their Woodmaster to make siding.

Steve and his faithful companion have 300 acres with a virtually endless supply of timber to turn into log cabin siding. But they often choose to buy lumber to run through their Woodmaster to make siding.

Steve tells us, “This is a way of making a good, decent living, doing something I enjoy, without breaking my back, working for myself. I wanted to run my own life and call the shots. This helps me do that.”

“We’ve got the Woodmaster and room for a second machine at some point. I’d like to make log siding on an ongoing basis and have a second machine set up for planing. I’d consider using one for a rip saw. At some point in time, a second machine is in order.

“If you’re thinking about getting a Woodmaster, go see and talk to people who own one and I believe it’ll sell itself.  I believe it’s a good product the company stands behind. You can’t go wrong with it. As long as Woodmaster continues to do pleasant customer service, I believe they’ll have us as customers for life.

We’re still in the crawling stage with this Woodmaster but it’s proven it’s capable of doing what we want to do. As we learn and expand, there’s no way to go but up. I’m very satisfied with the product and the direction we’re going in our business.”

ARE YOU READY TO START YOUR OWN WOODMASTER BUSINESS?

Take these tips from Steve – he’s already taken the leap and is making it work!

• Keep costs down

“Watch every penny and keep every expense and cost down as much as possible. We built our own building for the Woodmaster so we’re trying to hold expenses down as much as possible.”

• Shop for equipment value

Log cabin siding comes off the Woodmaster finished in just one pass thanks to the 2-Side Molding System the Patricks got with their Woodmaster.

Log cabin siding comes off the Woodmaster finished in just one pass thanks to the 2-Side Molding System the Patricks got with their Woodmaster.

“The Woodmaster will do what million dollar machines will do at a pretty reasonable price. We paid something like $5000 for this with the Super Pro Pack. $5000 versus tens of thousands is keeping your expenses low.

Woodmaster can be used around the clock, all the time, full time and will stand up, and all at a reasonable cost. You don’t spend thousands and you get a product that will do the job.

You can get cheaper equipment imported from China – I’ve got a Grizzly® planer – but it’s not going to hold up to day after day use. You don’t want something that’s not going to stand up.”

• Invest in production-boosters

“We got the Super Pro Pack, too, so we have the dual router system. And to make it easier on Mom and Dad, we got the extension tables. We got a motor upgrade to the heavy duty 5HP motor. It seems more than capable of handling the load. Log cabin siding takes so much wood off, you wonder if the motor will handle the load. It handles it fine.

• Don’t stockpile an expensive inventory

We’re not stockpiling; we’re making it to order. I sold 800 running feet to someone building a cabin. We ran a couple hundred feet for ourselves. Last week, we did a whole house – we ran 3000 running feet.

• Make only top quality goods

There’s a place near here that makes log cabin siding but they’re using low grade 2 x 8’s and selling it cheap. But I can’t stake my name on a low grade product. Repeat sales and word of mouth is the best form of advertising.

• Use your network

I have a customer base through sawmilling for so long. Everybody who comes by, socially interact with, or at church, I give them at least a piece of log cabin siding. A whole lot of word of mouth. I go to every contractor and builder and let them know I’m doing it and give them samples. I drive all over promoting our siding, giving out samples, and getting high grade 2 x 8’s.

• Advertise in local papers, online, more

We have an ad on Craigslist for siding and cabins. I have to admit, Craigslist brings a lot of phone calls. Business cards, ads in local and county papers, too. I wish every week was like last week – we sold enough siding to cover a whole house. We bid on one 2-1/2 times bigger. I hope that comes through.

• Price it to sell

If you look on the internet, you’ll find siding anywhere from $1 to $3 a foot. There’s a place near here selling it for 78¢ a running foot. We priced ours starting at a dollar, then 95¢, now 85¢ a running foot. At 85¢ a running foot, I’m still making 35¢. I’d rather make 35¢a foot than price it higher and not sell it. As the economy picks up, our price will go up.

• Make displays – big and little

Seeing the cabins we built attracts people to the siding itself even if they don’t want to buy the cabin.

I took a 3-board sample to Lowe’s and set it beside a 3-board display from another manufacturer and Lowe’s said ours would sell itself because our quality is much better.

• No such thing as “waste”

I’m talking to people about selling sawdust to horse people. I told one guy we’d fill his pickup truck for $20. I’ll load it with a front end loader. We’ve talked about making fuel pellets, too.

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Even in tough economic times… “YOU CAN MAKE A GOOD DEAL OF MONEY WITH A WOODMASTER!”

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“As long as you’re willing to put in the work, you can make a good deal of money with a Woodmaster. The quality is there and they’re well built. The warranties are good and I’m very satisfied.”

Among many other fine woodworking products, Tim Ziegler makes commemorative American Flag display boxes for the American Legion.

Among many other fine woodworking products, Tim Ziegler makes commemorative American Flag display boxes for the American Legion.

“I’m an advanced woodworker. I have a specialty shop — Ziegler Woodwork & Specialty  — where I make pretty much anything and everything anyone could ask. I dabbled in woodworking for 20 years and have been in business for over 20.

One of Tim’s commemorative American Flag boxes – a fitting tribute to one who’s given service to his country.

I make a lot of triangular flag cases for a Legion, about 50 a year. I’ve made gun cases, display cabinets, arched window frames for our church, even complete kitchen cabinets.

Massive bearings & USA-made motors

I bought my first Woodmaster Molder/Planer/Sander/Saw back in 1991. Now I have two: I have the 718 set up as a planer and the 725 as a molder. Woodmasters are simple and well built and that’s important to me. Open one up and you see massive bearings supporting the head — that was a big selling point to me. They’ve got American-made motors and they aren’t afraid to put 5 or 7HP motors in them — the Woodmaster is NOT underpowered. It’s simple to align and is just a well made machine.

Payment plan made it easy

I first heard about Woodmaster in woodworking magazines. I dreamed, hoped, and wished for a long time. Woodmaster’s payment plan made it easy to acquire my first molder/planer.

(Editor’s note: Woodmaster offers financing terms on all our products. Our in-house financing program has helped many hundreds of men and women get started in profitable woodworking businesses of their own. If you have dreamed of owning your own business, and are willing to put  your back into it, Woodmaster Credit could be your pathway to financial freedom. Please call for more information on financing — Toll Free 1-800-821-6651.)

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Buy Chinese? You couldn’t pay him.

I like that Woodmaster is a US-made machine. I wouldn’t buy a Chinese machine if you paid me. Woodmaster is superior quality and the company works with you. It’s made in the US and if you need parts you can get them at a local hardware store. But my Woodmaster looks as good today as the day I got it. They’re so hardy you just don’t need to replace anything.

Here's Tim's molding production line. The hood's off the Woodmaster Molder/Planer as he makes some fine adjustments.

Here’s Tim’s molding production line. The hood’s off the Woodmaster Molder/Planer as he makes some fine adjustments.

Up to 1,000 cuts per inch

The quality of my work increased when I started using the Woodmaster. The number of cuts-per-inch is phenomenal. The standard in the industry is 14 cuts-per-inch and Woodmaster far exceeds that. (Editor’s note: Tim’s right – Woodmaster makes 0 – 1,000 cuts per inch!) Unless you get a nick in your knife, you don’t have to sand.

Adding a Woodmaster Drum Sander boosted production & income

I bought a Woodmaster Drum Sander so I’d be able to work on more than one piece at a time.  I knew that machine was made exclusively to sand. The capacity is what I was after.

This machine helps me make money. First off, I’m not spending lots of time sanding by hand.  You can change the sandpaper on the drums in no time so you can go from a medium paper to a fine finish in no time at all.  There is very little hand sanding left to do once I run it through that sander.

He slashes sanding time by 50%

You could probably figure on an average project 50% of your time is spent on sanding.  Now, with the flag boxes I make, I work on 6 or 8 of them at a time.  I run them through the Woodmaster Drum Sander and someone’s out there to catch them.  You run them through a few times and you are done.  Other wise you are working on one at a time and using the sanding pad and vibrating your arms to death.

2 Molder/Planers & 1 Drum Sander — 3 Woodmasters reduce setup time – key to making money

Tim owns 2 Woodmaster Molder/Planers AND a Woodmaster Drum Sander. He gives his Drum Sander a big "thumbs up" and says it saves him 50% on sanding time.

Tim owns 2 Woodmaster Molder/Planers AND a Woodmaster Drum Sander. He gives his Drum Sander a big “thumbs up” and says it saves him 50% on sanding time.

My two Woodmaster Molder/Planers and my Woodmaster Drum Sander work real well together.  I wanted to reduce setup time.  Your setup time is key to making more money.  This way I have dedicated machines with very little setup time.  If someone comes in and requests something I am able to do that with a minimal amount of set up time.

I bought the larger planer because I do buy all rough-cut lumber and I wanted to be able to plane panels for high-end furniture.  I also want to be able to make bench tops.  Of course once they are planed you are going to want to run them through the sander and there is nothing better than to run them through that drum sander knowing that you wont have to do any touch up work on it.  It really helps me out and saves me a lot of time.

Woodmaster gives him an edge on the competition

There are very few guys in this area that have as much equipment as I do so that gives me an edge.  I can offer practically anything out of my shop and there aren’t too many people around here that can do that.  I can plane rough material, all the way up to 25” panels. I can run molding; I can make cabinets and doors.  All at the quality that customers are looking for.

What do I think of Woodmaster? Nothing but good. The quality is there, the machines are well built, and the warranties are good. I’m very satisfied with Woodmaster.”

— Tim Ziegler, Foreston MN

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SAVING TIME & BOOSTING PROFITS with Woodmaster — When you reduce production time, and improve quality, your profits go up.

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HALF A MILE of log cabin siding is a lot of siding! Walter made it by having his own trees sawn, then passing them through is Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

It’s a tough economy these days so it’s especially rewarding to hear from the many Woodmaster woodworkers who’re finding ways to slash production time while increasing quality of their work. Walter Ostrander, from Michigan, tells his story.

“I do woodworking for a living, everything from beds to picture frames. I recently ran about a half a mile of log cabin siding. I have a sawyer come in with his bandsaw mill and cuts boards from my trees. I put them in a solar kiln, plane them, and go from there. I take my wood from start to finish so it’s pure profit.

“The name of the game is TIME.”

When you run log cabin siding, you're removing as much as 40% of a board. That means your machine has to have guts - and plenty of it. Every Woodmaster comes with rugged USA-MADE motors to handle tough jobs like this...and delicate ones like making satin-smooth molding, too! Variable Feed Rate is the secret.

When you run log cabin siding, you’re removing as much as 40% of a board. That means your machine has to have guts – and plenty of it. Every Woodmaster comes with rugged USA-MADE motors to handle tough jobs like this…and delicate ones like making satin-smooth molding, too! Variable Feed Rate is the secret.

When you’re making log cabin siding, you’re really taking off a lot of wood in one pass. I get a lot more planed in less time.  I haven’t had any problems with it.  No downtime at all.  My capability is better; I can take more off a board with it.  Time is the name of the game for me, that’s what I’m saving, time.  I can take more of a cut off of a board and my Woodmaster makes it fast and easy.

It has two separate motors, one that drives the feed rate and one that drives the cutting head.  I love that variable feed rate feature.  I have another planer but it doesn’t have variable speed like my Woodmaster does.  It’s a feature that comes in handy.

Tired of messing with Chinese junk

I wanted an American machine. I’m getting tired of messing with Chinese junk. I wanted something heavy duty that could take abuse. The others are foreign and chintzy with a lot of plastic. I don’t care for that. The Woodmaster is good and solid. I’ve been very happy with my decision. With an American machine, when I want a part, I pick up the phone and I get it.

(Editor’s note: Woodmaster’s TOLL FREE phone number is 1-800-821-6651.)

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“They pretty well straightened me out…”

Here's Walter Ostrander in his shop with his Woodmaster. "It paid for itself in about a year," he says. Now he wants a bigger one.

Here’s Walter Ostrander in his shop with his Woodmaster. “It paid for itself in about a year,” he says. Now he wants a bigger one.

The company has been great.  I have had no problem whatsoever. Nothing has ever broken, but I did call them up when I was making that siding a month ago.  I called with questions and their tech guys pretty well straightened me out and told me some tricks of the trade. I was real happy; they were helpful when I called.

I don’t like the business side of woodworking, but it’s taking off. I build high quality pieces, if I build something; it’s going to last forever. That’s what I try to do.  I build it as if I was going to buy it. My Woodmaster is an important part of my shop for turning out work like that.

Removing 40% of a board in 1 pass

Down the road, I’m going to buy the bigger one. I want to start doing doors and bigger stuff, plus I want more power in case I do any more of that siding. I don’t have any qualms about it. I’m real happy I bought it. It gets used pretty hard some days. With that siding, I was taking 40% of the wood off in one pass, that’s hard on a machine but it did it.

My Woodmaster paid for itself in about a year. I use it more and more as time goes on. I get more planed in less time and I can take off more wood per pass with it than with others. I only wish I’d bought a bigger Woodmaster.”

— Walter Ostrander, Millington MI

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PART TIME JOB PAYS A FULL TIME WAGE — MOLDING BUSINESS EARNS up to $100 AN HOUR

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Many Americans are under stress these days — the stress of everyday living compounded by the difficulties of today’s tough economy. Here’s how one Ohio family took a double dose of adversity and turned it into a profitable and rewarding business.

Larry (left) and Chris Perkins run 3 Star Molding in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Three years in, they've got plenty of work supplying molding they make on their two Woodmasters to a nearby manufacturer who sells to national retail chain stores.

Larry (left) and Chris Perkins run 3 Star Molding in New Philadelphia, Ohio. Three years in, they’ve got plenty of work supplying molding they make on their two Woodmasters to a nearby manufacturer who sells to national retail chain stores.

Adversity hit the Perkins family of New Philadelphia, Ohio pretty hard over the past few years. First, Mrs. Perkins passed away. Then, the local steel mill closed down. There went Larry Perkins job — the one he’d held for over 30 years.

The Perkins are a close family and son, Chris, had a bright idea. “I had a Woodmaster Molder/Planer I’d bought a few years earlier,” Chris told us. “Dad was looking for other work and I started thinking we could put the Woodmaster to work.”

Here's the Perkins' Woodmaster 718 set up to run molding. They buy stock precut to size and run it through their Woodmasters to mold it to their customers' spec.

Here’s the Perkins’ Woodmaster set up to run molding. They buy stock precut to size and run it through their Woodmasters to mold it to their customers’ spec.

They make up to $100 an hour

This father-and-son business makes thousands of feet of premium quality molding on their two Woodmaster Molder/Planers.

This father-and-son business makes thousands of feet of premium quality molding on their two Woodmaster Molder/Planers.

Today, Chris and Larry are in the molding business. They run “3 Star Molding” out of Chris’s 25’ x 60’ garage…and business is great. “We can make up to $100 an hour on some molding patterns where we charge by the hour. Others we charge by the foot and can make up to 43¢ a lineal foot.”

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Chris’s business connections made startup pretty simple. “I work full time for Marlite; a manufacturer that make all kinds of wooden wall panel systems. I help design Marlite’s new products, build prototypes, test them out, and troubleshoot in the field when needed. I started thinking we should bid on making molding for Marlite — we might get the contract if our prices were low enough.”

Part time job with full time income

Three years in business and Chris and Larry are already selling thousands of feet of molding to national retail chains like Pilot Travel Centers, Firehouse Subs, Jersey Mike's, Ruby Tuesday, Texas Roadhouse, and many more.

Three years in business and Chris and Larry are already selling thousands of feet of molding to national retail chains like Pilot Travel Centers, Firehouse Subs, Jersey Mike’s, Ruby Tuesday, Texas Roadhouse, and many more.

The price was right and, “Marlite said go ahead,” says Chris. “That’s how we got started. Now I’m in business with my dad. He’s in the shop running molding every day. I work at Marlite from 6 am to 2:30. When I get home I help him, sometimes until 8 pm. Working with Dad’s my part time job with full time income.”

“Dad and I make molding out of oak, poplar, and maple. We also make crown molding,” says Chris. “Our average order is usually about 1,500 lineal feet. Large orders have been for 20,000 lineal feet of molding.”

“We did a big order for Pilot Travel Centers; they’re remodeling all their stores. We make molding for Firehouse Subs, Jersey Mike’s, Ruby Tuesday, Texas Roadhouse, and more. They’re all chain restaurants. We just took an order today for 9,500 lineal feet going to Japan, all out of poplar. They ordered some coves and some 3/8” S4S – surfaced four sides.”

“We’re talking with another manufacturer now. They make cornices for over windows. We did a test run for them of a product that’s supposed to go in 266 stores. And they have another customer that has 800 stores. We sell some molding on Craigslist and eBay and we’ll sell some locally to the public. Everybody knows we make it and it’s a lot cheaper than Lowe’s® and Home Depot®. We’re the lowest cost around.”

Keeping costs LOW is their strategic advantage.

“Being a small operation – just me and my dad – we can afford to have low prices. We have a nice niche.” 3 Star Molding is two men and two Woodmasters — Chris’s original midsize Woodmaster and a 712. “When we started, we saw we were going to need another Woodmaster. Dad will run wood through one Woodmaster and I’ll flip it and run the other side through our other Woodmaster. Then we put it on the forklift, wrap it up, and load it on the trailer.”

“When we bid on jobs we come in a lot less than our competitors,” Chris told us. “We find every way to keep costs down – like having our lumber delivered ready to mold. It’s cheaper that way because you have to figure extra operations dull our knives, use time, and use electricity.”

When they started, the Perkins ripped wide boards into strips for molding. “But our first order was for 9,500 feet of chair rail,” says Chris. “We were buying everything rough and by the time we ripped it, we didn’t have enough room with all the cutoffs.” Chris says, “These days, it’s easier and just as cheap to buy 3/4″ S4S and just profile it. It’s already got good edges on it. We just mount the open end knife and run it through.”

Chris shares more cost-saving tricks of the trade

• Eliminate sanding — “We’re running one piece at a time. We have a 9” dual-knife head on the Woodmaster with two corrugated molding knives in it. It’s better than a single knife:  you get better quality out of it that way. We can go 12-1/2 feet a minute and get a fine enough finish we don’t have to sand it. If you’re going faster on bigger machines, you need to sand. Going at our speed, we don’t have to sand and that saves time and money.”

• Recycle scrap — We create a lot of sawdust, a lot of it poplar. I have folks who come and get it for bedding for horses and cows. But we’re going to buy a pellet-making machine – we’re going to start turning our sawdust into pellets. We’ve already got people who say they’ll buy them. Meanwhile, we heat the shop and the whole house by burning scraps.

• No salespeople — 3 Star Molding sells to manufacturers, and the manufacturers do the selling and shipping. “My fiancé does web design,” says Chris. “She posted our 3 Star Molding online and when customers type in ‘molding’ our name pops up.

 • 5 times more business over same month last year — “Our business is moving right along. We’ve been in it 3 years and each year we’re getting bigger and bigger. In just the first few weeks of this month we did five times what we did in the whole month, same month last year. If all goes well, we’d like to build a bigger building.”

They’ve got all the work they can handle

It all started when Chris received an advertisement about Woodmaster. “It said, ‘You can make money with a Woodmaster’ – I asked for information and they sent it to me. Woodmasters are good machines. They’re not $20-30,000 machines, obviously. But for the price, they’re good. We use them harder than most people do.”

Chris adds, “We don’t have a website. We’ve got enough work now, I’m afraid if we had a website we’d get more than we can handle. Everything’s word of mouth and that’s plenty enough.”

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“VALUE-ADDED” IS THE KEY TO WOODWORKING BUSINESS SUCCESS — going from “tree to trim” adds value by THOUSANDS of dollars.

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Here's something you don't see every day -- a genuine log cabin travel trailer. The Parmers renovated it with log cabin siding outside and custom paneling inside...all made with their Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

Here’s something you don’t see every day — a genuine log cabin travel trailer. The Parmers renovated it with log cabin siding outside and custom paneling inside…all made with their Woodmaster Molder/Planer.

We hear this question a lot these days. “How can I make a good living in these economic times?” Robert Parmer, owner of Parmer Lumber Company of Dawson, Georgia has found an answer.

Robert Parmer in his shop with his "4-Way Money Maker" -- his Woodmaster Molder/Planer

Robert Parmer in his shop with his “4-Way Money Maker” — his Woodmaster Molder/Planer

“My son and I make a living with our Woodmaster Molder/Planer and our TimberKing sawmill. We work with them about 10 hours a day, five or six days every week.”

Father & son business started with a TimberKing sawmill

The Parmers have a long history manufacturing wood products. “I have 42 years sawmill experience,” Robert told us, “and my son has 18 or so years.” Robert had 37 employees for about 25 years. “It was just about driving me crazy,” he says. “Now instead of 37, it’s just me and my son. We are enjoying life now.”

“We know sawmills. We looked at one with a cantilever head (cutting head supported on one side only) and my experience said that would be a problem over time.” Instead, he chose the TimberKing’s 4-post cutting head with support at each of its four corners.

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The Parmers saw logs into high quality roughcut lumber with a TimberKing sawmill and a Talon edger. The TimberKing Sawmill saws out the boards; the Talon Edger removes the raw edges (“wane”) from the boards. Acquiring logs is easy, says Robert. “We saw roughcut lumber from trees in a 150-mile radius,” he says. “I’ve been in this business all my life so I know how to get a log.”

1,500% value added with a Woodmaster

“Value added” is the name of the game in the wood business. Each time you perform an additional process, you add value. Sawing logs into boards adds value; edging them adds value; but turning them into saleable wood products adds far more.

Just about the most valuable wood product you can make is wood molding. Starting with a board worth $5, a motivated woodworker can manufacture $75 worth of wood molding. That’s a 1,500% increase in value!

Woodmaster & TimberKing: sister companies

Robert's been in the lumber sawing business a long, long time. When he and his son started their own business, they chose a TimberKing sawmill because it has a rugged 4-post head.

Robert’s been in the lumber sawing business a long, long time. When he and his son started their own business, they chose a TimberKing sawmill because it has a rugged 4-post head

To add value, Robert added woodworking equipment: a Woodmaster Molder/Planer with a Woodmaster 3-Side Molding System. “When I learned that TimberKing and Woodmaster were sister companies, I knew Woodmaster was the Molder/Planer I wanted.” Product reviews by Woodmaster owners clinched the deal. “Another reason I bought a Woodmaster was because of the things other owners had written about them.  If they liked them that much I figured I would be happy with one, too.”

But, ultimately, it came down to service. “TimberKing took care of us very well. Their sister company, Woodmaster, makes a good product but the main thing is the service — the speed of service and the quality of people they have manning the phones.  If you have a problem they will tell you how to fix it, and they haven’t been wrong yet!  That is important when you are thousands of miles away in the middle of an order and something tears up.”

Here’s real business savvy

Added to the Woodmaster Molder/Planer, the Woodmaster 3-Side Molding System allows the woodworker to shape 3 sides of his workpiece in a single pass. The Woodmaster cuts the top surface; 2 Milwaukee routers shape both sides.

Added to the Woodmaster Molder/Planer, the Woodmaster 3-Side Molding System allows the woodworker to shape 3 sides of his workpiece in a single pass. The Woodmaster cuts the top surface; 2 Milwaukee routers shape both sides.

“I wanted to add value to our roughcut lumber and I figured we could sell some molding and paneling,” says Robert. “We make V-groove paneling out of cedar, cherry, and cypress and molding to match. If a man buys cedar paneling, he wants cedar crown and baseboard to match and you can’t go down to Lowe’s and buy cedar molding.”

Robert explained further. “We have high dollar items here with custom paneling and molding. We get a good dollar for them and we’ve kind of cornered the market down here. I don’t know of anywhere else you can buy these things here.”

The Parmers got a 3-Side Molding System at the same time as they got their Woodmaster Molder/Planer. It’s an add-on “outrigger” piece of equipment added to the Woodmaster’s outfeed. It enables the Woodmaster to shape three sides in a single pass. Molding knives in the Woodmaster’s cutterhead shape the top side; two heavy-duty Milwaukee routers shape two more sides; and variable-speed feed rollers move the workpiece through…all in one pass.

Parmer Lumber Co. mills roughcut lumber and adds tremendous value by turning boards into finished lumber with their Woodmaster...then building high-value items like this beautiful custom deck.

Parmer Lumber Co. mills roughcut lumber and adds tremendous value by turning boards into finished lumber with their Woodmaster…then building high-value items like this beautiful custom deck.

“We make log cabin siding with the Woodmaster Molder/Planer and the Woodmaster 3-Side Molding System,” Robert told us. It’s a complicated shape but Robert cuts the entire profile in one pass. “I can make one pass and make the whole thing, rabbet cut and all. There’s no reason to dress the backside. If I’m doing the board for myself, I don’t bother with the backside because its hidden and you have exact thickness all the way down the board.  But if it’s for a customer, I run it through another time to dress the back. I’m very well pleased with Woodmaster’s double router system.”

Bigger shop, more Woodmasters

If you're ever in Dawson, Georgia, stop and say hello to Robert and his son at Parmer Lumber Co.

If you’re ever in Dawson, Georgia, stop and say hello to Robert and his son at Parmer Lumber Co.

“Log cabin siding is going real well,” says Robert. They’ve built three display buildings with it but their most ambitious log cabin siding project is a mobile home they renovated. “We stripped it down to the studs,” says Robert. “Then we put log cabin siding on the outside and V-groove cherry, cypress, and cedar V-groove paneling inside.”

When we last spoke with Robert, he had big plans for the future. “We are seriously thinking about growing.  In fact we are going to build a bigger shop and add one or possibly two more molder planers, and they will be Woodmasters.”

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