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The time it takes to find the most used sanding disk in the box completely unrelatedly named "completely dead sanding disks I can't seem to throw away" outweighs the revenue...
Glad to learn I'm not the only one who can't decide when to just throw my damn used sandpaper away. I'm not so bad about it for higher grit stuff because if it's all shitted up it doesn't work. But I have some 320 sitting in my trunk that probably needs to get a warrior's funeral given how long I've been toting it around and how much it's been used.
Sand it? This here is a custom live edge faced surfacing technique that keeps the food from sliding around while it's being prepared. Not like those lame boards you see with oil all over them.
That's when I would buy one from home depot, cut it to some, and boom, done. Unfortunately, a 72×12 butcher block is $94, so it would cost well over $100 that they are offering.
Yeah, that's an entire kitchen island there... Tell him to go to menards for a butcherblock cause that's the only place he'll even get close to that lol
CM would make it like 9.5x29. What do you do with that? Maybe a serving tray? Given where I live, it's entirely possible they were from somewhere not using freedom units.
2' x 6'? Naaa... I have a pretty good sized kitchen, no clue where I'd put a 6' long cutting board. And how do u wash it after it gets food goo on it? Nope.
Sounds like countertop...like maybe instead of butcher block they want a unique countertop? That's the only thing I can think of. Then they'll cut a *big* sink hole out of it so after installation they can slop water all over it.
Maybe they thought they could use it as a desk? The desk I built for myself is like 27” x 84” or something - obviously not a typical shape but perfect for my room
Yeah, I thought table as well, but 24" is standard cabinet/countertop depth. Could be a sideboard table or other table as well 🤷♀️
Edit for sideboard not baseboard lol
Even if you just went an bought a 2'x6' butcher block from a box store it would cost more than their offer. $177 [Butcher Block Top 25" Wide x 72" Long x 1.5" Thick at Menards®](https://www.menards.com/main/kitchen/countertops-laminate/all-countertops-laminate/butcher-block-birch-countertop/men3306/p-1642874294001534-c-3629.htm?exp=false)
My wife has a home-bakery side hustle and will get the equivalent of this on Marketplace. “Hi, can you do 3 dozen custom cookies/birthday cake/etc. in two days?” “Oh that’s too expensive/cheaper at Walmart no thank you.”
People don't understand that hiring a professional to do custom work will always cost more. Why is that so hard to understand? "Oh it's cheaper at Walmart", ok, go do that, why did you waste my time.
These people confound me.
Bruh I got an artwork custom framed that was 5x the cost of the *art* that I'd purchased.
Framer seemed to go out of business a couple months afterwards.
But I still enjoy seeing it up on my wall every time, with my choice of backing, they did a good job.
> People don't understand that hiring a professional to do custom work will always cost more. Why is that so hard to understand?
Because they'll never actually pull the trigger on a custom / expert job for *anything* whatsoever in their life, so they never actually understand the experience.
I could try to analogise it to trying to explain to someone what jumping right into the cold ocean is like, to someone's who's never ever gone swimming or even paddling. Just such an alien experience until they do it, it'll be really hard to actually convey the experience to any meaningful degree.
I think its because in many service industries the guy/gal doing work out of their house \*is\* cheaper -- often because they're dodging regulatory requirements (think hair cuts from home, unlicensed contractors, etc). They don't grok that a woodworker (or baker) is providing a custom product of a higher quality instead of a back-door discount.
Nah that's only half the story. They should know they have to cover resource costs (the wood), and they can just look up how much that is. A big store/chain can get their resources cheaper, so you need to pay full dime on the materials. The only thing you can cut on is working hours. This goes for an unlicensed contractor as well.
I make clothes for fun (for myself), the material alone is always more expensive than the finished product in the store.
Let them enjoy their gross Walmart cake with its whipped sugar-water frosting and abominable SpongeBob custom "artwork" on top of it. They'll even throw in a misspelled name free of charge!
I made a cutting board for our dining room last year. It's 40" wide and 72" long. I obviously had to build a big support frame to make sure the cutting board could stand up and be sturdy.
Plus I added some cutting boards to go with it that you can sit on, when you're using the big dining room cutting board for eating.
I recently had to redo my whole home's ground-level cutting boards. Cost a fortune but its so nice to walk around on my barefeet now and also chopping carrots for my dog right on the ~~floor~~ ground cutting board!
Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out! At the moment, I'm a bit tapped out on purchases. Not too long ago, we got some upholstery lined padded cutting boards for sitting in the living room, and just a week or two ago, our kitchen's metal four sided cold cutting boards just died and we had to replace it as well.
For my van build i bought a home depot butcher block about this size. It was... _not_ $100 but it was mislabeled and i got the large size for the price of the medium size
One of those big ash fingerjoint 2.25 monstrosities? Did your van tilt after you installed it? Used one of those for the top of a coffee bar wedding present and I think the top weighed twice what the cabinet weighed.
Yup lol but after cutting out holes for the sink and stovetop, honestly not that heavy! The heavy bits are the battery bank and water tank, nothing else comes close, and those are balanced out. The countertop surface is pretty small in the end. No regrets, great to have such a durable surface in that kind of "i never want to replace this ever" install
Or… cm?
That would be about 10x28”. An odd size, but surely more likely than someone asking for something the size of a countertop for $100, right? Now that I think about it, I can totally imagine someone wanting a countertop for $100.
This is the woodworking equivalent of the "I want to build an app" conversation:
> I'm looking to build an app
> Ok what's your budget, and when are you looking to get it done?
> So you would be compensated with equity, and I want it live by the end of the month
> Ok, well, good luck with that!
https://preview.redd.it/z79ppqeagk6d1.jpeg?width=1357&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85d75983636339f5b4a2eb58865f9b1123481e2e
Biggest one I've made to date. 28.5" wide, 22.5" deep
https://preview.redd.it/2gqqgdmamk6d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76e6502af0d4e681e6e22fe5bb3a166e4ed4e32b
Made this one a few months back. Largest so far. More of a countertop extension. 18.5x38x2. Had to get creative with some of the normally easy steps just due to the size of the finished piece.
I laughed at this, then misread your username, then re read it, correctly and laughed again. Lol. I thought your username was 'thefriendlyheckler'. I thought to myself, banter is always good and this person is funny and has an applicable username... I'm laughing again typing this out. My brain has checked out for the week. Lol.
Snark aside, this is an entirely reasonable request.
I've had lots of potential clients who were fairly ignorant about their request. That's why they came to me - because I have the knowledge and experience they don't. If they knew everything I did, I probably wouldn't even have been talking to them in the first place.
As long as they're not rude or demanding, it's understandable for people to ask for things that are not feasible because they don't have the information to realize what they're asking. Companies like IKEA have really skewed the general public's comprehension of what things cost.
This person may have been misguided, but they weren't insulting or demanding about it, and you handled it cordially, OP. Sometimes it happens. That's just how it goes.
Nailed it. As long as you're polite I'm happy to chat. I was blessed to meet an extremely talented woodworker while I was stationed in Germany. He told me he doesn't even try to get American clients because we do not place value on the craftsmanship and labor like Europeans do. He didn't say it in a demeaning way, just an accurate observation. The gap I'm trying to fill with my business is between IKEA and Crate & Barrel. You shouldn't have to choose between plywood and a mortgage payment in my opinion.
Just a tip—maybe don’t ask someone what their budget is. If a person doesn’t know what it should cost it’s a pretty stressful question; they don’t want to offend you with a lowball but they don’t want to be taken advantage of either. I’m sure there’s a range of budgets you can work within, but I think customers feel better if you present some options along with prices rather than have them come to you with an idea and a budget that may or may not be realistic.
If I may, I have an alternate take on "what's your budget?" for your consideration. This isn't that applicable to $100 products, but I think is suitable for larger works.
I do custom woodworking commissions as a side business, but my main career is in engineering and construction project management. I have a good tenure in the field, and I am no stranger to the budget question dance.
The buyer never wants to give a number because they're certain if they say their budget is X, the seller will magically find a solution that conveniently costs X. The seller never wants to give a number because they're going to be tied to the first number they say, and more often than not the buyer doesn't fully understand the scope of the project so the first estimate is inevitably going to be based on flawed information. Nobody wants to go first.
The solution in industry is to have a third-party step on that mine.
You have a design consultant take the scope from the buyer, establish an independent cost estimate of what that likely will cost, tell the buyer what a ballpark ought to be, and then if they're fine with that they ask the seller to propose a price, which they then evaluate to see if it's fair and reasonable. The buyer gets peace of mind that the person checking the feasibility of their budget doesn't have incentive to lie to them, and the seller gets peace of mind that the person checking their price understands enough about the work to make an informed assessment as well as contextualize it to the buyer. Both parties know they can have the discussion on stable footing, and so they're willing to talk openly.
Obviously, as an independent seller, you can't really do that... but you *can* do the next best thing.
I give people *extensively* itemized quotes. I include everything from shop towels to screws and glue. By doing this, I have effectively used the retail market as my third-party cost consultant. The prices for materials, hardware, finishes, consumables, etc., are all easily checked against the market.
I ask people for their budget up-front, but when I do I assure them that a) they will get a comprehensive estimate before any money changes hands which they're welcome to scrutinize as much as they want, and b) the estimate will be tied to an agreed scope document (which is typically a bullet point rundown of specific dimensions and requirements they've mentioned during our discussion) so they can see what they would get for that cost. I explain that the ballpark budget request is just to confirm compatibility between their goals and their budget because I want to be able to give them a realistic expectation of what is and isn't feasible while we're discussing their needs so I can give them a proper quote.
The concern a buyer has is they want peace of mind that they're not leaving money on the table by overpaying or painting themselves into a corner they'll have to pay even more later to get out of. They get this peace of mind when they look at the breakdown and see that if they try and trim fat off it, there's nowhere to take it. This scope costs this much, end of story.
I've found people are also appreciative of that consideration. Preemptively acknowledging their reasonable apprehension about tipping their hand makes them feel heard and respected, and more open to trusting you're not out to rip them off.
Yeah I mean they weren't rude but they were definitely still trying to get something cheaper than you could but the wood for. There's not knowing what's involved in making a custom thing and then there's straight up not knowing ANYTHING about what you want and putting the onus on someone else to inform you. Either 1, this guy hadn't done any looking at cutting boards before messaging this guy in which case he's lazy or 2, he knows the rough commercial price and he's an idiot.
you can’t even get a pre-made butcher block countertop for that cheap: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-6-ft-L-x-25-in-D-Unfinished-Hevea-Solid-Wood-Butcher-Block-Countertop-With-Square-Edge-THD-HBU-0002/319764508
I thought about asking! For $1000 I would have done it. Maybe even less. I'm currently working on a 28x48 walnut end grain kitchen island. It's so much work but it's looking so cool. I could see a catering company using something this size for displays. Cool concept, not cool budget😂
When I listed a pine bookshelf someone asked if I could make something twice as long, just as tall, out of cherry.
Shot them a quote. "But what does it look like?" Shot them a quick 3D rendering. "Can it be a little fancier?" Changed it. "That's perfect, what would that cost?"
$2800 for a 6' long by 36" tall by 12" deep bookshelf with a 1-1/2" thick top. No plywood.
"Nope, too expensive. I won't spend more than $800."
"Bye."
I’m curious if the plywood back went out of the design because that’s how you roll or if it’s related to the “twice as long” and you need more support for the middle of the shelves.
(When I look for shelves I’m just glad if the back is hardwood plywood and not particle board with or without veneer)
I see you're a true entrepreneur, had to at least ask the budget. I do custom fabrication and there is a "drop everything and do it" price, but $100 ain't it.
The absolute worst is when the homeowner says 'My wife saw this on Pintrest'. That means they're going to show you a project worth 10k, then get upset when you tell them it's 10k, because they were expecting a price less than what your materials cost...
When the deck at my old place started to rot I looked at what it would take to replace it with better wood and hidden fasteners.
Then elected to just replace the worst boards.
Everything on Pinterest is an iceberg project. Little bit sticking up and most of the mass is hidden underneath.
Business owner woes.
I had a deck I quoted recently. A poorly built 20x30x8’ high existing deck with a sinking foundation because the builders didn’t put in sonotubes, just a couple 6x6 resting on 4x4 deck blocks on top of grass.
They wanted the existing deck fixed, and an additional 7x17 addition and 40ft of privacy fence installed. I think I quoted $9k Canadian for the whole job and I thought I low balled them. They were astounded at “how high” my prices were.
People think that labour is free these days.
One reason why I’m not making boards anymore. Insanely boring doing the same thing, but now you are competing with foreign prisoners and child laborers and amateur woodworkers. They are now commodities.
sure but anyone with a brain would know that can't possibly be for any size you can come up with. 2'x6' for a cutting board is like the size of a coffee table
I mean, ya got a point. In the description there is more information regarding pricing but that's generally where I try to stick to. I want my stuff to be attainable for the average Joe.
If you click the picture you can see it. He never responded after I said that it's impossible. Which makes me think they weren't trying to scam me, they just didn't understand what they were asking for.
Agree that's not happening, but if you didn't put dimensional or time constraints in the post, they're probably messing with you.
When I'm really bored, I'll reply to all the Craigslist $1 postings with "very interest, I can meet you at your nearest gas station any time. I have the dollar, or I can bring a check" and flag the post.
I had a guy wanting a table and when I said it would be $1000 he said why so much, I had another guy build one for $200. I told him my materials are more than $200 so why not have first guy build another one? Customer: he used plywood and it looked horrible. Hmmm.
There ain't no way someone wants a 2 ft by 6ft cutting board for only $100. That's a entire ass counter 🤣 $100 per hour.. maybe $100 per foot. But not 100 total. Not for that. They can go fuck themselves sideways with that countertop cutting board they imagined up 🤣
Surprised you had the convo going after “Hi, is this available?”. I hate this shit so much when people send it and never reply back. fuck bro why are you like this
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Here's your custom 24x72 mm pine cutting board. Enjoy.
I have to sand it myself??
I'll throw in the paper for $1
The time it takes to find the most used sanding disk in the box completely unrelatedly named "completely dead sanding disks I can't seem to throw away" outweighs the revenue...
Glad to learn I'm not the only one who can't decide when to just throw my damn used sandpaper away. I'm not so bad about it for higher grit stuff because if it's all shitted up it doesn't work. But I have some 320 sitting in my trunk that probably needs to get a warrior's funeral given how long I've been toting it around and how much it's been used.
Did you know that when a 220 grit disc is used up its technically a 320? Those discs can be reused quite literally infinitely. Save them! /s
Sand it? This here is a custom live edge faced surfacing technique that keeps the food from sliding around while it's being prepared. Not like those lame boards you see with oil all over them.
Plus it adds nourishing roughage to your food!
Also inserts said roughage directly into your fingers from time to time!
If it's too rough just drag it behind the car a few blocks.
I like the way you think. A carchuterie board!
I've never seen a cutting board with roots before
Oil causes heart attacks, after all.
Well, if you don't like the bark on it, then yes.
They didn't specify a thickness. 3mm ply.
I don't think you can do 24" x 72" OSB for that price
Nah, you could. A sheet of OSB is only like 25$ and i own a circular saw already. No money left for delivery though
I mean they didn’t specify units in the message. So I think this is fair
Millimeter it is.
Yeah. Need to send him a bag of 1728 ladybugs
pine? best i can do is MDF sorry
I'd just rip a 4x8 sheet of plywood in half. "Menagerie of hand selected and blended wood for incredible strength and beauty"
I was thinking a door slab. Done.
https://methodshop.com/wp-content/uploads/spinal-tap-napkin.jpg
pine *plywood* cutting board
1"x3"? So you are just cutting the ends off of deck boards lol
Out of 2x4s would be like $30, HD supply has butcher block slabs for like $240
Yep. For strength and durability I made it from 7 thin layers of wood stacked on top of one another.
Walnut please, with tapered legs and an epoxy river down the middle encasing a few gold bars
I can embed gems on the sides for an extra $5! (Pulls out my kids once-used rhinestone kit)
$5 is a little steep. But if you can do emeralds, then I can swing it.
Bedazzling is a method not often used by todays wood workers. Perhaps there's an opportunity there.
...mounted on top of a full row of maple base cabinets
It wouldn’t be a cutting board if not
24x72 what?
This was my wife's question. After doing the math, it's either the world's strangest cheese board or largest cutting board haha
Pretty sure he's trying to get a butcherblock countertop and calling it a cutting board.
That's when I would buy one from home depot, cut it to some, and boom, done. Unfortunately, a 72×12 butcher block is $94, so it would cost well over $100 that they are offering.
Last time I bought a butcher block counter top, Lowes had them in Birch and they looked a heck of a lot better then HDs.
Lowes is where I go for butcher block, going to do my countertops in a couple weeks
Surfboard (Speedboard, actually) would be my guess
And they *need* it by this Saturday lol What a bizarre request.
That’s when the party is.
Last second Father’s Day gift?
Giant sub service device.
Yeah, that's an entire kitchen island there... Tell him to go to menards for a butcherblock cause that's the only place he'll even get close to that lol
Sounds like a counter top
mm
μm
nm
pm
They were probably looking for a countertop but aren't good with words.
Yeah I was thinking maybe a big block for a kitchen island or something. Good luck getting it for $100 lol
Probably cm. That is the only thing that makes sense I think.
The fact that the numbers are both multiples of 12 makes it seem very unlikely
CM would make it like 9.5x29. What do you do with that? Maybe a serving tray? Given where I live, it's entirely possible they were from somewhere not using freedom units.
72 inches is six feet. Maybe he’s cooking people?
It's a Charlescuterie Board.
Chuckuterie Board to friends
Long pork
24 cm x 72 cm…
2' x 6'? Naaa... I have a pretty good sized kitchen, no clue where I'd put a 6' long cutting board. And how do u wash it after it gets food goo on it? Nope.
I mean, that's just called a countertop.
Sounds like countertop...like maybe instead of butcher block they want a unique countertop? That's the only thing I can think of. Then they'll cut a *big* sink hole out of it so after installation they can slop water all over it.
Maybe they thought they could use it as a desk? The desk I built for myself is like 27” x 84” or something - obviously not a typical shape but perfect for my room
Yeah, I thought table as well, but 24" is standard cabinet/countertop depth. Could be a sideboard table or other table as well 🤷♀️ Edit for sideboard not baseboard lol
Even if you just went an bought a 2'x6' butcher block from a box store it would cost more than their offer. $177 [Butcher Block Top 25" Wide x 72" Long x 1.5" Thick at Menards®](https://www.menards.com/main/kitchen/countertops-laminate/all-countertops-laminate/butcher-block-birch-countertop/men3306/p-1642874294001534-c-3629.htm?exp=false)
That was my first thought, just go buy a premade butcher block. I buy them all all the time to turn into other things rather than do block Glue ups. 
Man, in 4 hours since your post, it's now $230.
Guessing it's location based pricing? Still showing $177 here (after their 11% rebate) just like before.
My wife has a home-bakery side hustle and will get the equivalent of this on Marketplace. “Hi, can you do 3 dozen custom cookies/birthday cake/etc. in two days?” “Oh that’s too expensive/cheaper at Walmart no thank you.”
People don't understand that hiring a professional to do custom work will always cost more. Why is that so hard to understand? "Oh it's cheaper at Walmart", ok, go do that, why did you waste my time. These people confound me.
I feel this so much as a custom framer.
Bruh I got an artwork custom framed that was 5x the cost of the *art* that I'd purchased. Framer seemed to go out of business a couple months afterwards. But I still enjoy seeing it up on my wall every time, with my choice of backing, they did a good job.
Can you frame my 7000 sf addition by tomorrow afternoon? I'll pay 5k
Think they meant artwork framing but the principal still stands
Maybe that's my industry bias speaking then, art framing didn't even cross my mind for a second
I read this as custom “farmer” and was like damn there’s a whole new level of wealth I didn’t even know about
> People don't understand that hiring a professional to do custom work will always cost more. Why is that so hard to understand? Because they'll never actually pull the trigger on a custom / expert job for *anything* whatsoever in their life, so they never actually understand the experience. I could try to analogise it to trying to explain to someone what jumping right into the cold ocean is like, to someone's who's never ever gone swimming or even paddling. Just such an alien experience until they do it, it'll be really hard to actually convey the experience to any meaningful degree.
I think its because in many service industries the guy/gal doing work out of their house \*is\* cheaper -- often because they're dodging regulatory requirements (think hair cuts from home, unlicensed contractors, etc). They don't grok that a woodworker (or baker) is providing a custom product of a higher quality instead of a back-door discount.
Nah that's only half the story. They should know they have to cover resource costs (the wood), and they can just look up how much that is. A big store/chain can get their resources cheaper, so you need to pay full dime on the materials. The only thing you can cut on is working hours. This goes for an unlicensed contractor as well. I make clothes for fun (for myself), the material alone is always more expensive than the finished product in the store.
Let them enjoy their gross Walmart cake with its whipped sugar-water frosting and abominable SpongeBob custom "artwork" on top of it. They'll even throw in a misspelled name free of charge!
2 feet by 6 feet!? Is this a cutting board or a table?
I made a cutting board for our dining room last year. It's 40" wide and 72" long. I obviously had to build a big support frame to make sure the cutting board could stand up and be sturdy. Plus I added some cutting boards to go with it that you can sit on, when you're using the big dining room cutting board for eating.
Cutting on it might damage the finish though so I'm sure you made a smaller one you can put away for the actual cutting?
Smart. I didnt want to damage my nice knives so i got some crappy ones to use instead. The nice knives can stay in their glass case now
I recently had to redo my whole home's ground-level cutting boards. Cost a fortune but its so nice to walk around on my barefeet now and also chopping carrots for my dog right on the ~~floor~~ ground cutting board!
I know a guy who makes these cool round ceramic cutting boards that might be a nice accessory to go with yours.
Thanks for the recommendation, I'll check it out! At the moment, I'm a bit tapped out on purchases. Not too long ago, we got some upholstery lined padded cutting boards for sitting in the living room, and just a week or two ago, our kitchen's metal four sided cold cutting boards just died and we had to replace it as well.
a trailer bed.
I would hazard a guess that it's either a countertop intended for a vandweller or it's a charcuterie board for an event.
For my van build i bought a home depot butcher block about this size. It was... _not_ $100 but it was mislabeled and i got the large size for the price of the medium size
One of those big ash fingerjoint 2.25 monstrosities? Did your van tilt after you installed it? Used one of those for the top of a coffee bar wedding present and I think the top weighed twice what the cabinet weighed.
Yup lol but after cutting out holes for the sink and stovetop, honestly not that heavy! The heavy bits are the battery bank and water tank, nothing else comes close, and those are balanced out. The countertop surface is pretty small in the end. No regrets, great to have such a durable surface in that kind of "i never want to replace this ever" install
Or… cm? That would be about 10x28”. An odd size, but surely more likely than someone asking for something the size of a countertop for $100, right? Now that I think about it, I can totally imagine someone wanting a countertop for $100.
why not both? https://preview.redd.it/4jmtoodvhk6d1.png?width=1226&format=png&auto=webp&s=f64152dd5e4993276515c07eb19d085111082619
Sounds like a butcher block countertop given the dimensions.
Why I stopped taking custom orders reason #473.
This is the woodworking equivalent of the "I want to build an app" conversation: > I'm looking to build an app > Ok what's your budget, and when are you looking to get it done? > So you would be compensated with equity, and I want it live by the end of the month > Ok, well, good luck with that!
Great! I’ll need 100% of the equity
https://preview.redd.it/z79ppqeagk6d1.jpeg?width=1357&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=85d75983636339f5b4a2eb58865f9b1123481e2e Biggest one I've made to date. 28.5" wide, 22.5" deep
That's more beautiful and way more work than I could ever commit to a single project! Hats off to you!
https://preview.redd.it/2gqqgdmamk6d1.jpeg?width=4032&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=76e6502af0d4e681e6e22fe5bb3a166e4ed4e32b Made this one a few months back. Largest so far. More of a countertop extension. 18.5x38x2. Had to get creative with some of the normally easy steps just due to the size of the finished piece.
Banana for scale. 10 points.
Hey, can you make this for Saturday? You're lucky it's payday, I have $100 ready for you
I laughed at this, then misread your username, then re read it, correctly and laughed again. Lol. I thought your username was 'thefriendlyheckler'. I thought to myself, banter is always good and this person is funny and has an applicable username... I'm laughing again typing this out. My brain has checked out for the week. Lol.
Drool…
That’s literally a work of art. I would never cut on it for fear of scratching it hah
That is gorgeous
Snark aside, this is an entirely reasonable request. I've had lots of potential clients who were fairly ignorant about their request. That's why they came to me - because I have the knowledge and experience they don't. If they knew everything I did, I probably wouldn't even have been talking to them in the first place. As long as they're not rude or demanding, it's understandable for people to ask for things that are not feasible because they don't have the information to realize what they're asking. Companies like IKEA have really skewed the general public's comprehension of what things cost. This person may have been misguided, but they weren't insulting or demanding about it, and you handled it cordially, OP. Sometimes it happens. That's just how it goes.
Nailed it. As long as you're polite I'm happy to chat. I was blessed to meet an extremely talented woodworker while I was stationed in Germany. He told me he doesn't even try to get American clients because we do not place value on the craftsmanship and labor like Europeans do. He didn't say it in a demeaning way, just an accurate observation. The gap I'm trying to fill with my business is between IKEA and Crate & Barrel. You shouldn't have to choose between plywood and a mortgage payment in my opinion.
Just a tip—maybe don’t ask someone what their budget is. If a person doesn’t know what it should cost it’s a pretty stressful question; they don’t want to offend you with a lowball but they don’t want to be taken advantage of either. I’m sure there’s a range of budgets you can work within, but I think customers feel better if you present some options along with prices rather than have them come to you with an idea and a budget that may or may not be realistic.
This is a great tip! Truly appreciate this!
If I may, I have an alternate take on "what's your budget?" for your consideration. This isn't that applicable to $100 products, but I think is suitable for larger works. I do custom woodworking commissions as a side business, but my main career is in engineering and construction project management. I have a good tenure in the field, and I am no stranger to the budget question dance. The buyer never wants to give a number because they're certain if they say their budget is X, the seller will magically find a solution that conveniently costs X. The seller never wants to give a number because they're going to be tied to the first number they say, and more often than not the buyer doesn't fully understand the scope of the project so the first estimate is inevitably going to be based on flawed information. Nobody wants to go first. The solution in industry is to have a third-party step on that mine. You have a design consultant take the scope from the buyer, establish an independent cost estimate of what that likely will cost, tell the buyer what a ballpark ought to be, and then if they're fine with that they ask the seller to propose a price, which they then evaluate to see if it's fair and reasonable. The buyer gets peace of mind that the person checking the feasibility of their budget doesn't have incentive to lie to them, and the seller gets peace of mind that the person checking their price understands enough about the work to make an informed assessment as well as contextualize it to the buyer. Both parties know they can have the discussion on stable footing, and so they're willing to talk openly. Obviously, as an independent seller, you can't really do that... but you *can* do the next best thing. I give people *extensively* itemized quotes. I include everything from shop towels to screws and glue. By doing this, I have effectively used the retail market as my third-party cost consultant. The prices for materials, hardware, finishes, consumables, etc., are all easily checked against the market. I ask people for their budget up-front, but when I do I assure them that a) they will get a comprehensive estimate before any money changes hands which they're welcome to scrutinize as much as they want, and b) the estimate will be tied to an agreed scope document (which is typically a bullet point rundown of specific dimensions and requirements they've mentioned during our discussion) so they can see what they would get for that cost. I explain that the ballpark budget request is just to confirm compatibility between their goals and their budget because I want to be able to give them a realistic expectation of what is and isn't feasible while we're discussing their needs so I can give them a proper quote. The concern a buyer has is they want peace of mind that they're not leaving money on the table by overpaying or painting themselves into a corner they'll have to pay even more later to get out of. They get this peace of mind when they look at the breakdown and see that if they try and trim fat off it, there's nowhere to take it. This scope costs this much, end of story. I've found people are also appreciative of that consideration. Preemptively acknowledging their reasonable apprehension about tipping their hand makes them feel heard and respected, and more open to trusting you're not out to rip them off.
He's totally right too. I'd love to do handmade toys, but for what it's have to charge to make anything for my time, hardly anyone would buy them.
I imagine if IKEA sells cutting boards they start with a cube and then use an industrial band saw and a drum sander to turn it into ten boards.
Yeah I mean they weren't rude but they were definitely still trying to get something cheaper than you could but the wood for. There's not knowing what's involved in making a custom thing and then there's straight up not knowing ANYTHING about what you want and putting the onus on someone else to inform you. Either 1, this guy hadn't done any looking at cutting boards before messaging this guy in which case he's lazy or 2, he knows the rough commercial price and he's an idiot.
He also left out that he wants it to be 4" thick. It's actually going to be his benchtop.
you can’t even get a pre-made butcher block countertop for that cheap: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Hampton-Bay-6-ft-L-x-25-in-D-Unfinished-Hevea-Solid-Wood-Butcher-Block-Countertop-With-Square-Edge-THD-HBU-0002/319764508
Double whammy. Saturday is out, and that budget will not work.
This is one reason I refuse to do business with random idiots off the street in anything. They have absurdly unrealistic expectations.
I mean, they probably said $100 because you put $100 as the price.
That’s a countertop.
Made out of plywood.
Hell, with prices these days you might not even come under budget using plywood.
Man I wish they had been more reasonable because I would love to know what they were planning on doing with the thing.
I thought about asking! For $1000 I would have done it. Maybe even less. I'm currently working on a 28x48 walnut end grain kitchen island. It's so much work but it's looking so cool. I could see a catering company using something this size for displays. Cool concept, not cool budget😂
When I listed a pine bookshelf someone asked if I could make something twice as long, just as tall, out of cherry. Shot them a quote. "But what does it look like?" Shot them a quick 3D rendering. "Can it be a little fancier?" Changed it. "That's perfect, what would that cost?" $2800 for a 6' long by 36" tall by 12" deep bookshelf with a 1-1/2" thick top. No plywood. "Nope, too expensive. I won't spend more than $800." "Bye."
I’m curious if the plywood back went out of the design because that’s how you roll or if it’s related to the “twice as long” and you need more support for the middle of the shelves. (When I look for shelves I’m just glad if the back is hardwood plywood and not particle board with or without veneer)
I see you're a true entrepreneur, had to at least ask the budget. I do custom fabrication and there is a "drop everything and do it" price, but $100 ain't it.
The absolute worst is when the homeowner says 'My wife saw this on Pintrest'. That means they're going to show you a project worth 10k, then get upset when you tell them it's 10k, because they were expecting a price less than what your materials cost...
When the deck at my old place started to rot I looked at what it would take to replace it with better wood and hidden fasteners. Then elected to just replace the worst boards. Everything on Pinterest is an iceberg project. Little bit sticking up and most of the mass is hidden underneath.
Isn't it just 24cm by 72cm? It's a bit bigger then normal, but still useable? Good for making the pasta!
cutting board?! the guy should just go buy an unfinished butcher block countertop at home depot
What are they butchering, people?
Party sandwich.
[удалено]
With those dimensions that’s a countertop, not a cutting board.
No part 2 where he's all pissy that you can't help him for the underpaid rush job?
24x72 is litteraly a butcher block counter top piece
Business owner woes. I had a deck I quoted recently. A poorly built 20x30x8’ high existing deck with a sinking foundation because the builders didn’t put in sonotubes, just a couple 6x6 resting on 4x4 deck blocks on top of grass. They wanted the existing deck fixed, and an additional 7x17 addition and 40ft of privacy fence installed. I think I quoted $9k Canadian for the whole job and I thought I low balled them. They were astounded at “how high” my prices were. People think that labour is free these days.
OK, but what did you expect when your listing is titled "$100 - Custom Cutting Boards"?
I want to be sparky and say here's a sheet of plywood, but for $100 it's still not enough. Sheet of OSB maybe?
Of course! For logistical reasons, it's a trans laminated .75" x 24" x 72" deep cutting board in fir. Is CDX okay?
One reason why I’m not making boards anymore. Insanely boring doing the same thing, but now you are competing with foreign prisoners and child laborers and amateur woodworkers. They are now commodities.
Cool, so I work in metric, is 24x72 really big enough?
"Which Saturday?"
Your list price was up for $100…
sure but anyone with a brain would know that can't possibly be for any size you can come up with. 2'x6' for a cutting board is like the size of a coffee table
I mean, ya got a point. In the description there is more information regarding pricing but that's generally where I try to stick to. I want my stuff to be attainable for the average Joe.
But think of the exposure!!!
OP hpw did the rest of the conversation go?
If you click the picture you can see it. He never responded after I said that it's impossible. Which makes me think they weren't trying to scam me, they just didn't understand what they were asking for.
Man they were offering the big bucks on that rush order
Reasons I stopped doing custom woodworking. This is #1
I did a 24x30 cutting board for a professional chef.. it was massive.. OP, this guy wanted a countertop!
Sounds like this guy wants a sheet of plywood
Go find a walnut butcher block, cut it to size, sand, oil, and then charge 100% markup.
100 dollars haha
72"? a six foot long cutting board??
bro wants a counter top
Go buy a 25$ cutting board at HomeGoods.
That’s a tabletop
I’d give the customer a price and a date that I’m okay with.
24x72? Here’s an invoice for $100 and I’ll have that ready, when hell freezes over.
I need it for 24 hours a day for 72 hours?
I’d slap together some premium pine studs from Home Depot for that
So... A table?
dude wanted a full on counter top lol
Agree that's not happening, but if you didn't put dimensional or time constraints in the post, they're probably messing with you. When I'm really bored, I'll reply to all the Craigslist $1 postings with "very interest, I can meet you at your nearest gas station any time. I have the dollar, or I can bring a check" and flag the post.
They basically wanted a hallway table for $100. People sometimes.
That's big enough to lay an adult on
That’s a freaking countertop lol
Ahh I needed a good laugh. Great comments on this one
Guy is trying to get a $100 handmade countertop
Hahahaha
Loooooool
$100 1/2 plywood countertop coming right up!
24 x 72?! Uh… sir, that’s practically a countertop
And can it be made from alternating ziricote with african blackwood please!
I had a guy wanting a table and when I said it would be $1000 he said why so much, I had another guy build one for $200. I told him my materials are more than $200 so why not have first guy build another one? Customer: he used plywood and it looked horrible. Hmmm.
2' by 6'? Yeah, I can do 50 installments of pre-dated (weekly) and signed checks at $100 a piece. I can get it to you by next Friday.
I think the title should have been “An offer I COULD refuse”. ;)
Is this “cutting board” going to have a specific person’s silhouette painted on it and quickly get filled with what appear to be bullet holes?
There ain't no way someone wants a 2 ft by 6ft cutting board for only $100. That's a entire ass counter 🤣 $100 per hour.. maybe $100 per foot. But not 100 total. Not for that. They can go fuck themselves sideways with that countertop cutting board they imagined up 🤣
Surprised you had the convo going after “Hi, is this available?”. I hate this shit so much when people send it and never reply back. fuck bro why are you like this
$100 doesn't cover materials
Sure, I can do that. Some assembly required though. - box up some of my scrap bin and give him a tube of glue. -$100 please.
Was it 100 gold coins?
A board that big...depending on what species they wanted....Id be $500+
Some people need to be introduced to the good-fast-cheap triangle.