Meet woodworker, Dave McPherson, (left) and his workshop assistant, Colby Rojas. Working together, they turn out a ton of molding. “We’ve done 25% more business in the first three months of this year than we did all last year,” says Dave.
Funny how things work out sometimes. California woodworker, David McPherson, always wanted a Woodmaster Molder/Planer. He ended up getting one without even realizing it. The rest of the story? He’s turned that “accidental” purchase into the mainstay of his thriving new business — making molding.
Colby keeps an eagle eye on molding he’s about to run through Dave’s Woodmaster Molder/Planer.
“Woodworking started as a hobby for me when I was in high school and it’s turned into a molding business that’s going great. I’ve doubled the business since I started. And in just the first three months of this year, I’ve done 25% more work than I did all last year! Here’s how it all happened.
David used the guidelines in Woodmaster’s business plan to get his molding business started. You can get a FREE copy — click here.
Estate sale bonanza
Several years ago, I went to an estate sale and bought the entire contents of a wood shop. When I got all the tools and equipment home, one machine looked very familiar. It turned out to be a 712 Woodmaster Molder/Planer — I’d always wanted one!
I read all the literature Woodmaster put out including their book, ‘How to Set Up and Run a Profitable Custom Molding Business’ on how to make money making molding. (Editor’s note: you can get your own copy FREE – click here and we’ll email you a copy. You’ll have it in seconds!)
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How to sell your molding? Show samples
I took samples of my molding to a molding outlet and they started sending customers directly to me. I took my samples to a lumberyard and the same thing happened: they sent customers directly to me. I took samples to a big molding manufacturer. They don’t like to take molding orders for under 1,000 lineal feet so they, too, sent customers directly to me. It works out perfectly and I get several new customers a week.
(Editor’s note: While we chatted with Mr. McPherson, he got three calls that he just let ring. “Probably new customers calling,” he said.)
A customer told me, ‘Dave, please keep making molding. You’re the only one who makes what we need!’ He’s right: we make molding nobody else has or can make because nobody else has the molding knives. I’ve duplicated original molding in lots of Victorian homes in Sacramento, San Francisco, the San Joaquin Valley, Rio Vista, and many more towns and cities.
Dave, Colby, and the company truck. Note how Dave turned his truck into a mobile advertisement for his business. It gives his company name, his phone number, web address, and tells precisely what he does! Pretty clever, Dave.
I go to a hardwood lumber yard, pick up lumber, bring it back to my shop, and turn it into molding. I have a young helper — he and I can put out a lot of product.
1 pass thru Woodmaster adds 50% value
Rough-cut boards are about $2 a board foot. I turn them into molding with my Woodmaster and charge $3 a board foot. Of course, molding’s sold by the lineal foot so I convert lineal feet back into board feet and add a dollar per board foot. (Editor’s note: here’s one way to convert linear feet to board feet.)
I supply molding to a lot of contractors and my prices are not a problem. When I sell to homeowners, they’ll sometimes say the prices seem high. I explain this is custom work and they always understand.
Expanding, needs bigger Woodmaster — drum sander, too
Business is very busy and I want to expand my shop. I got the Woodmaster first, then I bought the Pro Pack to go with it. Then I started making molding. I’m looking at a 2,400 sq. ft. shop space now. I want to get into curved molding because it’s exciting and interesting to make. And there’s good money in it. I expect it’ll double or triple my business. I want to get a bigger, 25” Woodmaster 725, and I have my eye on a 38” Drum Sander. But I’ll probably get their biggest 50” drum sander because that’s what I always do — get the biggest and best.
I really like the Woodmaster. First, it’s American made. Second, there are no plastic parts — it’s all metal. Third, the Woodmaster holds up. They’re built to last and you just don’t find that any more.
“Woodmaster’s dust collector’ll suck the T-shirt off your back!”
I’ve got Woodmater’s ‘Big Max’ Double Bag Dust Collector, too. I’d recommend that to anybody. I had a single-bagger and it didn’t work well. I looked at Woodmaster’s 1-bag collector and decided I should get the double. It sucks up everything — it’ll suck the T-shirt off your back!
Dave (right) and Colby are ready to grow Dave’s Custom Molding business — and it’s happening right before their eyes.
What Woodmaster’s doing is fantastic. Their free business plan book is the best motivational book I’ve ever seen, just fantastic. I made my helper read it, and I’ve gone back and re-read it several times myself. And the people at Woodmaster are great, too. They even laugh at my jokes!”
— David McPherson, Dave’s Moldings, Sacramento CA — Woodmaster Molder/Planer Owner
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