February 12, 2015

Jim Heavey Interview By Andy Chidwick

February 12, 2015/ Todd Clippinger

Our good friend and furniture maker Andy Chidwick, known as the Woodworking Coach, has been touring with The Woodworking Shows once again and doing interviews along the way.

His latest interview is with Jim Heavey from WOOD Magazine who is also touring with The Woodworking Shows. In this video Jim talks a little bit about The Woodworking Shows and what he is teaching in his seminars.

Be sure to check out The Woodworking Shows schedule to see if there is a show near you. If you get a chance to go, the shows are always a lot of fun. There are lots of seminars and special deals on tools by many vendors.

You will also have the opportunity to meet woodworking luminaries such as Andy Chidwick, Jim Heavey, Bob Lang, Chuck Bender, Glen Huey, Roland Johnson, and others. The instructors are very approachable and you will have a chance to personally talk to them and get woodworking advice. You will find they are pretty regular guys, they just get to do woodworking for a living instead of a hobby.

I have a lot of work to do, so out to the shop I go!

Your friend in the shop,

Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love - Share the Knowledge

October 05, 2014

Nick Pancheau's CNC Table

October 05, 2014/ Todd Clippinger

In this video we visit my good friend Nick Pancheau. Nick has taken one of his side table designs to the next level by adding a textured pattern with a CNC machine and he explains to us the inspiration and process in creating the design.

You can see Nick's work at Pare Furniture+Design and you can follow him on FaceBook and Instagram.

The project design was inspired by Jeff Martin, a furniture maker from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Jeff has a great portfolio and is getting awards for his designs. You can check out his work at Jeff Martin Joinery.

You can also follow Jeff Martin on Instagram.

I hope you enjoy!

Your friend in the shop,

Todd A. Clippinger

Share the Love-Share the Knowledge

August 24, 2014

Nick Pancheau Interview: The Business of Woodworking

August 24, 2014/ Todd Clippinger

In this video, Nick Pancheau from Billings, MT shares his thoughts on marketing and branding for your business. He has worked hard, not only to design his furniture product line, but also to develop a strong marketing plan and brand image.

Nick's site is a great example of what a good website should be. It is clean, functions smoothly, and represents the style of his work very well. You can see it at PareFurniture.com

When you visit Nick's site, be sure to drop him a line of thanks. Nick is a great guy and he has really shared some solid information with us.

Nick has a great promo video created by Brian Murnion of Chute Media in Billings, MT. It is very professionally done and is a great another great example of marketing and ways to promote your brand. Brian also did the photography for Nick's site. Hiring a professional like Brian definitely makes a difference in product presentation.

Since the interview with Nick, he has started selling his work at Sonder Mill. Sonder Mill is the perfect outlet for the style of Nick's product. I think this is a good example of how Nick knows his market and where to reach it. Check out Nick's page at Sonder Mill.

Be sure to check out more at the Sonder Mill website. A lot of people try selling at Etsy, Custom Made, and a few other sites, but Sonder Mill really stands out above the rest. Keep in mind you need to have the right product to meet the potential customers that shop there.

Nick has a second woodworking business going with another creative friend, Sean Thomas. They are making pipes and selling them. This business venture is called the Montana Pipe Collective and you can check out them out on the Montana Pipe Collective FaceBook Page.

I am fortunate to know a lot of creative people. Sean Thomas is definitely among them and you can check out his work at MyAngryPanda.com

The Montana Pipe Collective target demographic: elderly women:)

I know a lot of people that make their living from the shop. It can be done but not without risk and hard work, so it has to be done with a good amount of business acumen. There is a large amount of investment in time and money on the front end in hopes that you will get a return, so proceed with a good plan and follow through with strong action.

I hope that you have found this series to be helpful with the various perspectives on the business of woodworking.