Will Sampson talks about how important improvising is to a successful woodworking career and then catches up with custom woodworker Matt Buell for the first part of a two-part interview recorded live at IWF Atlanta.
This episode of the Woodworking Network podcast was sponsored by FDMC magazine. FDMC magazine is your vital source of information to improve your woodworking business. Whether it is keeping you apprised of the latest advances in manufacturing, helping you solve your wood technology problems with Gene Wengert, or inspiring you with case histories about successful businesses and best practices, FDMC magazine is there to be the sharpest business tool in your shop. Learn more and subscribe for free at woodworkingnetwork.com/fdmc.
Woodworking Network is a home for professional woodworkers, presenting technology, supplies, education, inspiration, and community, from small business entrepreneurs to corporate managers at large automated plants.
You can find all of our podcasts at WoodworkingNetwork.com/podcasts and in popular podcast channels. Be sure to subscribe so you don’t miss an episode. Thanks again to today’s sponsor, Wood Pro Expo. If you have a comment or topic you’d like us to explore, contact me at will.sampson@woodworkingnetwork.com. And we would really appreciate it if you fill out the survey at woodworking network.com/podcast-survey. Thanks for listening.
Intro music courtesy of Anthony Monson.
Intro:
Welcome to this episode of the Woodworking Network Podcast. Join us as we explore the business of woodworking big and small and what it takes to succeed. I’m Will Sampson.
Today’s episode is sponsored by FDMC Magazine. Today our guest is Matt Buell, a successful custom furniture maker from Arkansas, previous 40 Under 40 honoree, and most recently the new host of our Young Wood Pro competition sponsored by Grizzly Industrial. We caught up with Matt earlier this year at the International Woodworking Fair in Atlanta. But first I want to talk about:
Learning to improvise
We talk a lot about creativity and craftsmanship, but there’s a related skill that might be even more important to woodworkers, especially those just starting out in business. That’s the ability to improvise, to turn on a dime, to change direction without hesitation.
I once was told that what really sets a good woodworker apart is not that he doesn’t make mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes. But the better woodworker is more skilled at fixing those mistakes, and the truly gifted woodworker knows how to capitalize on mistakes to make something even better.
That’s effective improvisation.
Musicians who improvise are powered by the serendipity of discovering something new while playing off the riffs of other musicians. In the same way woodworkers, especially those new to the craft, need to learn to expect the unexpected and thrive on it rather than fear it.
You can’t get enough good lumber in the species you want for your next project? Why not explore an entirely new species to you? You’ll expand your knowledge, skills, and repertoire. Made a mistake in some joinery? How can you fix it or change the design so that it’s even better than it was? Can a fix be a feature?
Of course, not all mistakes can be remedied. If you need a piece to fit exactly into 24 inches, and you cut it to 22-1/4, you’ll likely have to replace the part while chanting, “Measure twice, cut once.” But think about how the mistake happened and see if you can institute a procedure to prevent it in the future. I know I made far fewer wrong cuts once I started using a tape measure that I could write measurements directly on. That way, I didn’t get confused about the number between taking the measurement and firing up the saw. Story sticks can sometimes help eliminate measuring errors. Some folks have better luck working in metric measurements than fractions. Whatever works for you.
The point is to embrace the occasional hiccup as an opportunity for ingenuity and creativity. If you Google “fixing woodworking mistakes,” you’ll find a host of YouTube videos and web pages devoted to solutions. Our Ask a Woodworker page on woodworkingnetwork.com is often filled with questions from people trying to solve woodworking problems. Gene Wengert, the Wood Doctor, is constantly answering questions from shops having trouble working with wood. (Spoiler: the answer is almost always something to do with moisture content.)
With mistakes such a common occurrence, there’s just no way you can avoid something going wrong. It’s not the end of the world. Treat your next mistake as a golden opportunity to advance your craft and your business acumen.