I appreciate that! Really, it's so encouraging to get this sort of comment thank you

Thank you Sam, I can always really on an early comment from you and I appreciate it!

Thanks David, Happy Christmas to you and your family too 🎄

Thank you!

Hi thanks for commenting. What sort of spray setup do you have right now and what paints do you use? We only use water based (but that makes things difficult in some ways!)

@@Alastair_Freebird hey, I am using a couple different airless units, a gentilin and I have an aaa setup with sf23 and 4700ac but the one thing I really want right now is a heated hose. Definitely water based has its challenges for sure but the stuff has come a hell of a long way in the last few years I gotta say. I love using it now. I do spray other stuff like 2k but that has its own challenges. Just gotta stick with something you like :)

It’s a good system, not a bad idea to implement it at least partially sooner rather than later, see how you get on with it, and develop it to suit you

Glad you think so thanks

You’ll get a lot of benefit from the membership, and I’ll announce on there when the updated course is ready for downloading

Looking forward to it! Cheers

Yeah, be ruthless!

Hello Craig! Yes I recognise your name and business name (thought I was following you already on Instagram, seems I wasn’t, but I am now!). Interesting to hear more about your situation, best wishes with it all!

Start small. And if you stay there that’s fine too!

Yeah do it, it will feel good!

Glad the videos make you think! True about the wood burner

Buna Ziua! Craciun Fericit!

Si Dumnezeu sa te binecuvinteze si tie

🙂 Multumesc! Asemeni si dv !

It’s not an easy business. Do you mean on the edge financially, or in terms of your motivation to continue, or both?

@@Alastair_Freebird little of both, but I think willingness to expand the business beyond just me is senior to the money considerations

It’s potentially a slippery slope. It should only be done with good advice and strategy. After hoping I could manage this transition, I am finding myself ever more uncomfortable in the role of manager and I am seriously questioning how I can get back to being creative and actually making stuff myself which is what really lights my fire. Some people are happy to embrace the transition to business owner/manager. I’m not sure I’m wired for it. So I’d just caution thinking carefully about what direction will keep you motivated and passionate - not just what you ‘should’ do or what seems to bring the most money (which can be an illusion, or at least a high risk…)

Hi I do like to think it’s one of the hardest businesses… but I’m sure if I got close enough to other types of business I would realise how difficult they can be too! Bruce my business coach says you tend to find more of what you choose to see… so if we get a fixed idea that it’s complicated it will always seem that way, but he says it can be made simple.

It takes a long time to build a successful business of this sort. My business coach said this to me recently and just hearing simple statements like that can be very affirming!

It's about learning to see where the true costs lie. I still have battles over it with Brady (who pushes for even more 'lean' methods while I still sometimes just see the value of a part of a board instead of the bigger picture of production)

likewise, currently have a three bays in my rack full of large offcuts that I can't justify to throw, to the point where moving workshops, I did actually bring them with me. However, I need to find spare time, to use it for making an understair storage, entrance hallway shoe/seating unit and some units for the front room. So these will be used up.

Hi it is this one (or at least a slightly older model of it): www.vwm.co.uk/woodworking-machinery/technos-eco-3025/?gclid=Cj0KCQiAwqCOBhCdARIsAEPyW9n71gsvkMqovhphP3oE83ZrzHL4ewFISEvhkDH_ru8iw6B4b5r5XcUaAkr8EALw_wcB. I can share with you some videos from the member site where I share why I chose this over other options I looked at if you drop me a private message or email somewhere

Hi Maurizio I seem to hear from a few software developers who want to get more into woodwork! I think starting small and selling on Etsy would absolutely be a great place to start.

Hi David my apologies I missed this comment until now. I would recommend contacting www.Wealdentool.com for advice they are very good

Hi yes I ran it by them (NFU Mutual) and I was anticipating problems because they are very thorough about these things. They didn’t have any strong objections but at first they said I needed to add a cage to prevent people touching it and getting burned. I had to explain to them that the main body of the heater does not get hot to the touch, only the front hatch (the heated is directed through the blowers on top). And if I added an enclosure in front of that it would be more of a hazard, limiting working area around loading the board racks and panelsaw. They accepted this and didn’t require an enclosure in the end.

@@Alastair_Freebird thank you I will try this then👍

I still do this. I agree this will be hard to let go of. However we have changed our front end process a lot, to free up my time and avoid wasted visits. We do not advertise an email address or a phone number, we direct customers to book a call via our website, at scheduled time slots. This initial consultation call is with our part-time office administrator Camilla (who I regret not giving a mention to in this video!). This means we don’t even deal with idle enquiries at all but effectively pre-filter the serious enquiries who really want to work with us. And because we have standardised our methods a lot, and Camilla has an itemised price list to refer to, in many cases she can give an accurate quote over the phone or by email reply after understanding the customers needs and taking dimensions (and sometimes photos and sketches sent by email). For these standard jobs (alcoves and wardrobes) it only needs to come to my attention once the customer has agreed to proceed, and paid a 25% deposit, at which point I come and do a measured survey and 3d drawing. We are only able to make this work because our existing online reputation and galleries of existing work allows people to be confident enough in what they are going to get. For more unusual jobs there may be an intermediary step of a video call with me to come up with a sketch design and price.

Do you mean you have found new confidence that you’re already on the right track and it will pay off in the end?

I have thought similar in the past. Having our own Woodburning heater has been the best solution! But a big investment up front

There is a business, that does, buy offcuts from Cut & edge companies, they then, resell them, to DIYers and trades who just need a ⅓ of MDF sheet for example.

There are many wood recycling social enterprises. We have a good one in Leeds

As Philip said, there generally seems to be at least one social enterprise per city, that will take offcuts and make good use of them.

Hello thanks for letting me know, sorry about this, someone else told me this recently too. I know there have been a few successful sign ups recently so it’s not broken across the board; have you tried again or was it just a one time thing?

@@Alastair_Freebird no its not broken on your side. I spoke to my bank, now they have a new security system, that while paying online for the first time, some times the paying party is required to log in to the bank account first, because the bank will send a message, to which click "yes" and all good. so I am all set up to learn more now. many thanks for replying.

@@darvaish4552 Oh great glad its sorted

Hi, I had similar questions. This woodburner (WT5 From Woodwastetechnologies) works best when loaded with cardboard then real wood to get it started and up to temperature, then after that it seems to incinerate mdf and chipboard with not even any visible smoke from the external flue, and no odour inside whatsoever.

Not at the moment, maybe in future

My point is that employees have a lot of legal rights - notice periods, redundancy pay, minimum wage, overtime pay etc. It's a very secure working position, due to the legal protections, relative to self employment or ownership of a small business. As an owner you have liabilities and risk. You take care of your employees financially before yourself. You do this in the hope of future reward - greater risk, greater potential reward, this is the choice you make. The tables turn in the business owner's favour when they hit profitability. I'm not saying any of this is wrong - it's entirely appropriate that employees should have protections. But it's a very common scenario for employees of struggling small businesses to earn a far better hourly rate than the business owner, with less stress and more security too.

@Alastair Johnson - Freebird I see your point but would say this. The outcomes from employment rights aren't guaranteed. Businesses have folded, leaving employees 'high and dry'.. with wages due and redundancy payments not met, and in some cases weakened or even broken pension schemes. As they say, only taxes and death are guaranteed. Risk to the employee isn't always apparent, but that doesn't mean it doesn't exist or is in some way less for them. A poorly operated business isn't always obvious to an employee (particularly the younger ones). In most cases, it only becomes apparent when they don't get paid or the business goes into administration. In many cases, there's no prior warning; it just happens. Liabilities exist for the employed and again are not always apparent. Contractually, they must deliver - as to not do so; will render them unemployed. Within the first 12 months of employment, it is entirely possible to fairly (legal sense) dismiss an employee without them having broken their contract. Those same employees take out loans, mortgages, and other liabilities because of their employment. A sudden withdrawal of employment can leave them facing instant problems. My point is that being an employee isn't a gifted option... without risk, concern, stress or liability. It's just different.. but still risky, stressful, and concerning.

@@bikingmonkey1535 yes fair points. In life there is risk for us all!