I know this is somewhat sacreligious asking about the economies of
wood working, but I have to ask. How does one justify the purchase of
the equipment? Plus the wood, etc. The last project I priced out, I purchased
the cabinets I needed. The cost for supplies, wood, hardware, etc. exceeded
what I would consider a reasonable price. Sure, there is the joy of making saw
dust, but I need to be reasonable here. Is it just simply the case of manufacturers
having an advantage of purchasing material in vast quantity?
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-I think you are missing an important economic factor. Buying
expensive tools for a single project is rarely cost effective.
Spreading the cost of those tools over the many projects you can make
with them changes the picture. So, if you want 4 new cabinet doors, a
router table and jointer aren't very reasonable. If you plan to redo
the kitchen, or make more cabinets, or moulding, or furniture, or
whatever, the price of the tools will disappear into the wash. It may
disappear slowly, but if you love woodworking as many here do, it will
disappear. -I usually end up spending about the same money on materials as I would spend
on a "mass-market" piece. The tools come in addition to that. Why do I do
it? Getting there is more than half the fun. I can completely customize a
piece for form, function, etc. also end up with a piece which, while not
perfect, is much better than any mass-market item. Besides, if you wanted to
buy a custom or semi-custom piece, you'd better sit down when they tell you
the price. For the most part, woodworking is a hobby and, like most hobbies, it will take
as much money as you care to throw at it. In terms of how the big makers can do it, they do buy in volume - and often
cheaper materials (eg. particleboard) and, in many cases, employ cheap labor
in Taiwan or China or wherever. If you are looking for an answer as to whether to start building your own
furniture, DON'T unless you think you will enjoy it.
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