If Best Buy sold stereo cabinets, I wouldn't be a woodworker

  This statement is true. In about 2002,  I bought, what was then, a state of the art 32" t.v. It was a 'beaut. A buddy of mine gave me a stand he wasn't using. It looked nice. The stereo was growing, and I thought a nice, black, 3 story stereo cabinet would look great next to it. After looking and looking, I realized that I hadn't seen a new one in years. I didn't know if they stopped making them for a decade. or what?
   A good friend of mine, who is an outstanding woodworker, told me to write down the measurements and he would charge me for the materials, but, build it just for something to do. I drew up a plan for an entertainment center. All of the e.c's for a 32" t.v. were way to high, so, I spread the shelves and made it a much lower design. My friend liked the design so much that he asked if he could use it for other customers and wat not. Of course I said hell 'yea.
  2 weeks later he delivered it. It was too big to fit down the stairs, so, I got a crash course in basic carpentry, just to get it in the house. He told me, he stretched an inch here and added one there, and it came out to 3 sheets of mdf. He also handed me the waste in a jewel bag. I thought... that would be so cool to be able to design and build, so, that's what I started doing.
   My son moved in with me at the age of 16. Of course, he had 2 or 3 game systems for his room and needed them to fit into a specified area. Here is the first thing I ever designed and built.

Shortly after this build, there were picnic tables and projects for others. We moved into our current residence in 2004, and we needed almost everything. I started making computer desks, shelving, everything we needed, but, wanted custom sized.

 

 After the passing of my wife's grandfather (great woodworker), I came into possesion of his tools. They say you can buid things with heart, alone, but, a cast iron craftsman table saw sure as hell helps out, too! After a while, and a lot of internet research, I was able to improve the quality of my designs.

 At this point, I was able to see what I liked and just build one.

I tried getting clients, making money, but, everyone, understandably, wants to see what they're buying. There's no way I could have a showroom, so, it's a trust based field. That doesn't fly too well on craigslist. I ran out of room at my house to build anything else, so, this passion is on hold for right now.

 

Please, let me know if you have any questions or comments.

Thanks a million for looking...

up next...Photography? Maybe music?