kmmcrafts

I cannot agree more with this.. My inlaws live in Texas south of San Antonio an hour or so.. anyway visited them back in 2010 ( I think ) while there every single day was 105+ one day was 127F and we went to a little creek place where a lot of folk go to cool off.. the water was what we would consider the temp of a hot tub /sauna thing.. no cooling me off in that.. LOL I deal pretty well in cold..until it gets into the low teens or lower.. then I get cold.. but.. on a positive note... Most of our winters are at least mid teens with only a hand full of what I would consider stay in the house kind of cold.. and even then.. it's not very often it gets that way.. Also rarely get to a heat where I feel I have to stay in the air conditioning.. . That said though.. My wife has some health issues that the cold really bothers her.. but also so does the heat.. so... I may move south one day.. but not to a place where it's extreme hot or cold.. maybe somewhat in the middle.. We both love Tennessee.. not sure how cold or hot they get there.. but we have talked about going there on and off.. once the kids get through school and probably after retiring.. Or we'll buy a second home or another travel trailer and just go south for the worst of the cold days.. which the worst is typically mid Jan. to mid Feb..

Yes, I remember working in my brothers sawmill out in the cold.. I'd work up a sweat in this cold temps.. It's really not too bad with that little heater I have.. biggest thing to get cold is my fingers.. I wear mechanics gloves from Harbor Freight as they are thin so you can still feel what you're doing and they also have some little grips on them.. I just turn and put my hands by that little heater and heat up my gloves.. they stay warm through a couple of cuts usually then I just repeat, LOL.. I have the heater aimed at me and it actually gets a little hot on my legs and feet so sometimes I'll have to adjust how I'm sitting.. Ran it on low this morning and was plenty warm.. just my fingers that was getting cold.. My shop is well insulated too.. it was actually 17F in there surprisingly.. Plan to block off a section for heating up just the small portion where I work the most at.. I don't really mind the cold.. and would be plenty happy just to keep the shop around 30 - 35.. biggest thing is.. my 788 don't like to turn on if it gets much colder than 25 - 30.. I normally start it up and let her warm up.. she spits and sputters in the cold.. acts like a car needing a tune up LOL.. but it smooths out after a min. or so.. I sometimes will aim the heater toward the motor so it won't do that.. not sure how good for it it is to run it that way.. I've always worried I'd fry the motor or something.. done it since it was new 8+ years.. but that is why I have so many back up saws I guess, LOL

I cannot agree more with what JT and the others have already said.. I do know I am guilty of this one.. probably the worst offender...

From what I see in the pictures.. seems like a good deal.. I want to try one someday and when the right deal pops up in my area on one I think I will buy it...

Well, not too sure how long I've been out there.. I was able to make one clock.. came in for a warm up and to glue the clock portion to the base so I can put the beeswax mineral oil mix on it tonight.. then it'll get packaged up and mailed out in the morning and repeat for the next clock.. The clocks aren't scheduled to be mailed out until the 9th.. so I'm actually ahead of schedule.. not one to like to wait to the last minute though and I hadn't sawed now for a few days.. didn't want to forget how.. Might actually go out after getting some lunch to make the next one.. maybe get it in the mail tomorrow too.. One thing I like how I have my orders set up.. I have 14 days before I have to have them in the mail.. even in my busiest times.. I've been able to stay several days ahead.. but.. I have that this way in case I was to get sick or another unexpected something came up.. I have another topic about selling on Amazon.. but I suppose it's a better fit for the business section.. and maybe not take this topic off coarse too far..

Yes, I just use beeswax and mineral oil mixture to finish my stuff so not really any smells or drying time needed.. Guess I'd better get out there and get some work done.. warmed up to +5 now and I've already made my chilli to simmer in the crock pot for our dinner tonight.. should warm me up if I'm still cold, LOL..

Just to update this thread a little.. since I had a very short break with not a lot of orders.. I ended up taking the motor off the saw to get the bolt out of the motor end of the connecting rod the other night.. turns out.. there is a set screw that holds the big aluminum block to the motor and I was able to put a allen wrench in the set screw to hold the motor from spinning to loosen that bolt.. once apart I went ahead and checked the bearing in the block as well.. all seams good with it.. looks like a big heavy bearing in that block.. much like a car wheel bearing design but slightly smaller.. The bearing on the motor end of the connecting rod was a little gritty as well.. I was tempted to just clean it up and add new grease.. But.. since I've got to replace the upper one.. I figured as much hassle as it was to take the thing apart.. I'll just buy two bearings and replace them both.. Probably won't be putting it back together for another week or more as I have some orders to make.. plus I'm not too enthusiastic about doing anymore work out there than needed with these single digit and negative temps.. we are going to have for the next week or so..

Going to be a cold day working out in the shop today.. I don't know the temp inside the shop yet as I haven't been out there yet.. but outside temps is -4F.. no heat in the shop but it's usually a couple degrees warmer in there.. 9 clock orders and 2 ornament orders to make.. I've got until end of next week to get them in the mail.. however the temps are't supposed to improve all that much either.. I've got a small radiant heater that mounts to a propane tank that usually keeps me fairly warm when on low setting.. betting I run it on high today though.. LOL Wife told me not to work out there... said to bring the saw in the house Hahaha.. NOPE.. been there done that once.. took three 12 hour days of cleaning to clean up the aftermath... I know what shes up too on that one.. she just wanting me to do a good deep house cleaning that she doesn't have to be a part of...

1600 clocks is not really unreasonable number of the fretwork style clocks that I make.. I have around 150 different styles of clocks to choose from.. 1600 clocks is only about 5 a day with a few days off to work on cutting ornaments and other projects.. I need to see how many clocks I've actually made this year.. don't seem like many.. but after looking at the purchase receipts of the clocks parts I use.. I think I've sold a lot more than I first thought.. I order 100 at a time.. doing some bookkeeping today I've order 3 times since Nov. 1st and I have 2 clocks left.. and I know I've order several other times throughout the year.. Been working with a new supplier and placed another order of 100 a few nights ago.. now these was a good deal.. I wish now I had ordered the 500 for a better price.. I just didn't realize I had done that much business.. I plan on adding some puzzles to the site this year.. Maybe I should set a goal for 5 clocks and 5 puzzles per day then with my leftover time cutout a few ornaments.. that way I wont be cutting the same type of work all the time..

While I wouldn't like cutting the exact same thing day in and day out... but.. I really do enjoy cutting the same things for a few repetitions.. I enjoy challenging myself in cutting it faster.. I have some designs that I'm so used to cutting.. I probably could almost do it blindfolded, LOL .. but in reality I find that I do get quite a lot of variety with the various items I sell.. It's not always cutting desk clocks or wall clocks.. or ornaments etc etc.. then I've always got a customer asking for a custom or personalized spin off of a current design.. I find it very interesting what some of the "customers" ideas are and many of them are very cool ideas that I will sometimes offer on my site.. It seems like doing just puzzles would be boring.. but what's the difference of doing just clocks.. I'm sure iggy get some odd request with either custom names or just different types of animals etc etc.. Is it more fun designing and cutting something completely new? Yeah sure it is.. I do quite a lot of "New" items throughout the year and add them to the inventory.. something nice about online selling.. I don't have to cut all this stock.. and I rarely get customer after customer ordering the exact same item several times in a row... yes.. I do have the "popular" items that I make 4-5 of every month.. again.. not usually ordered one right after the other.. I can also control this.. simply by not relisting the item when it sells out.. so I can have a break from it for a week or so if needed.. I do this type of stuff during very busy holiday seasons at times..

I try not to talk about it money wise.. and I don't believe I've ever posted how much I make.. I do talk orders.. but that is a deceiving number simply because a order can have at least one item or as many as a million+ LOL..... In my mind it's none of anyone's business how many ornaments etc I sell / have sold etc etc.. or what the best selling items are.. as stated... everyone's location etc will be different. The biggest thing that hit's a nerve for me is one telling another that it can't be done.. nothing like shooting down the confidence of someone thinking they want to start a business doing crafts.. everyone is wired different and wouldn't know whether they could do it or not until they TRY.. I do make it clear that it's a lot of work and discipline and certainly not for anyone that has little motivation.. I never say they cannot do it.. BTW.. JT you mentioned Health care insurance a few times in some post about business expenses and how one just may not be able to make it on their own relying on this as income.. Just for the record.. Etsy actually offers a group insurance plan for those self employed.. I don't know much about it as my wife works a regular job with insurance benefits.. so at this point I don't have a need for that.. but it's there if I chose to do so..

Seems to me when I first started scrolling the hype Delta saw was the P-20.. with all the comments about the P-20 back in the day I always thought they was maybe the top of the line Delta saw.. Anyway, this seems like a good deal.. I don't know much about these so maybe not that great of deal.. I have read that a lot of parts are obsolete for these.. but they sure seem like a tank.. maybe better as a boat anchor? I remember looking at the closeout display model at my local woodcraft type store years ago thinking about how I'd like to have it.. no money and even if so.. it'd take an army of people to move the thing, LOL https://www.ebay.com/itm/DELTA-P20-PROFESSIONAL-20-SCROLL-SAW-MODEL-40-680-400-2000-RPM-VERY-NICE/322957028323?epid=1124782389&hash=item4b31bd2be3:g:TKoAAOSwbwJaP9~m

Merry Christmas everyone!!

Merry Christmas !!

This is my mentality.. it's not a hobby.. well it is but isn't.. I do slow down for life.. I quit a well paying higher position on a factory type job 19 years ago where I was within the top 20 in seniority.. I had 13 years into that company.. I did this because I always told myself that I'll never have kids if I am going to have to send them to a daycare type setting for them to raise them.. I tried to hang onto my job and get family etc to help watch the kiddos but it wasn't working out.. My wife didn't want to quit here career.. and I worked tons of overtime where she only worked 3 days a week 12 hour shifts.. she encouraged me to quit.. at the time I wanted to start up my own autobody collision repair business.. which I did here at home for a few years but proved too challenging getting work done while watching the kids.. that line of work can be tough on a mans body as he gets older.. I backed out of doing it.. more for the family and myself.. was too stressful dealing with both the needs of my family and my customers wanting their cars back, LOL Anyway, fast forward though several odd and end side jobs and little business start-ups etc.. I found my dads old scroll saw he bought after he retired.. at this time.. my kids was getting bigger and could get their own glass of water etc LOL.. I just sort of fell into business.. and this also happen around a time that I was thinking I could go back to work with a part time job... I do this part time.. but I make more money than I did at that factory 19 years ago.. It's convenient for me as I can work my own hours and at my own pace..as long as the work gets done. My wife was diagnosed with crohn's back in 2012 and had a lot of testing etc done.. I was here for her and was able to help take care of the family and take her to the university hospital for all the specialist etc.. had I worked a regular job I'd of been fired for all the days I'd have had to miss to be with her..and or take care of family etc.. Which is a BIG reason I am only a online business rather than doing shows.. I cannot commit to shows because we just don't know what life might throw at us in the next day or two let alone signing up for a show a month or more out in advance.. The online thing works for me.. I can do 90% of my online work right on my cell phone while waiting at doctors offices etc.. I cannot work a regular day job and do the things I do.. especially for the money I make.. It's not a lot of money.. but it's also not full time.. I work when I want / can.. and it brings in more money than most of the full time jobs I could land right now in my area.. so it's what I do.. I do work my tail off for 2 -3 months a year.. Oct. - Dec.with orders and custom made orders etc.. I don't build un-needed inventory.. make the first one.. take photos and when it sells then it changes to a made to order item.. Doing this allows me to make "new" inventory and keep the online store active with new products for customers that are following me.. And, yes JT.. I do think safety first.. I wear a dust mask ( eclipes model ) and run dust collection etc.. and as money allows I'll be investing more into dust vacuum systems etc.. but don't go into the shop without my mask on.. Most... well I'd probably say.. ALL the hobbyist wannabes.. that dream of doing online craft business such as I do will not put in the time it takes to get the business off the ground and build a following that is needed to do it.. It's a LOT of time online doing business to get off the ground... Time that I had where I was bored / worried while waiting in waiting rooms etc for the doctors to come and see my wife.. doing the business on my phone etc was a distraction for me.. and most likely would not have happen in a normal scenario.. so I feel those that want to do as I do online.. you'll need a lot of dedication..

My eyes are also perfect... that is until I put my new glasses on and then see what I really made

There is a couple on ebay at a lower price too.. FYI.. maybe not on there anymore as it was a few days ago..

I have a lot of windows (7) plus the two big garage doors.. during the daytime I never have to run lights in the shop.. I did that mostly because the other garage I used to work in had no windows.. and I practically live in the garage.. When I built this new shop.. I wanted lots of windows and also built it eco friendly.. everything is LED lighting etc.. Originally was ( and may still one day ) going to power this shop with solar panels.. and for those that wonder about the cost... not much when you build your own solar panels.. but that's another topic for a different day..

Did that mag light come with your Hawk? I like that it has a cover over the lens.. I rearranged my shop and now my saws sit next to a window.. and I don't like the idea of that mag light starting a fire with the sun shining in.. actually cover it with an old box.. but it's getting annoying to remember to do etc.. been thinking of upgrading lights to maybe a LED one.. with a cover of coarse LOL..

Cannot agree with you more JT..

If his goals was about making money he wouldn't be having goals of " how many he can sell ".. it'd be more about how little you can sell for the most amount of $$.. and he seems to me to be just setting a goal of how many he can produce and sell.. quite opposite of how a business would really run if they was looking for $$ growth.. unless you're a big production company and hiring a bunch of low paid workers.. then you make a lot and sell for little profit margins..

A Q3 will be harder to do those tight corners with... just sayin The more aggressive the cut... the harder it will be in doing intricate cuts and tight corners etc.. This is why if I was in the market for a new saw.. I'd be looking at the ones that have the adjustable blade forward / back motion.. EX, Seyco, Newer Hawks 1998 ish or newer..

I put pictures up.. as pictures are worth more than a thousand words.. that said...I never put my phone number on a public add like CL.. great way for commercial and sales people to get your number.. I'd much rather them have my email than my phone number.. especially my cell number... at least with my email I can set it to block everyone that isn't in my address book... then again.. you can do the same with your cell phone... either way.. like Ray said.. a flavor for everyone, LOL

I'm signed up for emails of special offers.. I had planned to buy a bunch of puzzle patterns from Iggy.. but with the discount they offered me.. well for just a few penny's less than $100 I got the full CD set of 445? puzzle patterns.. Since I wanted to give some of the puzzles a try I figured this was a cheap way to get a lot of patterns.. I figured if nothing else.. and I don't like doing the puzzles.. I can make clocks and ornaments out of the patterns by slightly modifying them.. Iggy still has a few I'd like to buy if I get into doing the puzzles..

Last year I sold so many ornaments that my head was still spinning in May.. LOL... Said to myself If they are going to fly off the shelves like that.. then I need to raise prices to sort of slow down the sales.. The old saying of price is controlled by supply / demand etc.. Anyway I raised my prices of each ornament by $2 in hopes of slowing the sales down some while making the same or more money.. I haven't added up anything yet.. but I've still sold more than I did last year.. but growth wasn't a huge amount.. $$ wise.. yes ALLOT more money on ornaments this year over last.. and didn't have to work so hard to get that $$ that said.. this year.. my desk clocks was flying off the shelf.. and orders still coming from them pretty strong.. Does that mean my clock prices are going up? Probably not a large amount like I did with the ornaments..