A wood lathe is a great tool for any type of project you want to make. It can be difficult to know how much money someone could make turning wood. This article will show you 4 ways to make an income with your wood lathe that doesn’t include getting a normal job.
Can You Make Money Turning Wood?
Can you make money turning wood? Yes! Here are four ways that people use their lathes and earn an income.
Create And Sell Small Wood Objects On Etsy (Or Similar Online Marketplaces)
If you have the right skills, creating small items from a lathe can be profitable. You could sell anything people would want to buy on an online marketplace like Etsy or similar sites. This is one of the easiest ways for beginners to get started in this craft. Because there are no large start-up costs.
If you want to be successful with this, you must find a niche for your products. And make sure the items are well crafted. This will ensure repeat buyers are satisfied with their purchases.
If you have a talent for creating, this could be the perfect opportunity to turn your hobby into an income-earning activity. You can also choose to sell your items at craft fairs and other events if you want extra exposure.
This is one of my favorite ways to make money with woodturning because it’s easy to get started.
The only thing you need is a wood lathe. You can buy one new one for less than $400. Or search the internet to find used ones in your area that are still in good condition and will work well with this type of project.
If you are not sure what to sell, you can check out this article about the 14 best things to make on a wood lathe to sell.
Create Custom Wood Products For People’s Homes
This is a more advanced way to make money turning wood because you will need some craft skills.
You can create designs for different furniture pieces and sell them to people who want custom, handmade unique items.
There’s no limit to what types of products you could offer: tables legs, chair legs, shelving units.
This type of work can be time-consuming and requires a lot of skill, so it’s best only to take on the projects you know you have the skills for or learn how to do them.
It is not recommended that beginners try this because they may become frustrated with their lack of progress and the lack of demand for their pieces.
This is also a good way to make money. Because you are not limited by what someone else wants in terms of size or design. This means that you will have more options when it comes to finding buyers. Compared to creating something from scratch specifically for an individual customer.
In this type of work, you can also charge higher prices for the products because they will be custom and of much better quality than what is found at furniture stores.
You need a wood lathe to do this type of work. But it is recommended that you have other tools like sanders and carving knives.
If you don’t have a business license, it is also recommended that you get one. To protect yourself and your customer from any potential legal issues.
Read: How to Make Money with a Wood Lathe – Turning Wood for Profit
Teach People Woodturning
In this type of work, you will need to have some skills and experience in the craft.
You should also be able to find people who are interested in taking classes. Because they don’t know how to turn wood or want to learn more about it.
This is a good opportunity if you enjoy teaching others what you know best. As well as if you want to work from home.
What I like about this type of work is that there are no limits or boundaries for who can learn and what they need help with. This means students will be at all levels for different projects, making the teaching process more fun than tiring sometimes.
You may also decide to do this as a way to make extra income. And in that case, you should charge about $50-$100 per hour for the lessons.
If you are considering becoming an instructor, I recommend that you take courses on how to teach. So your students can learn from someone who knows what they’re doing.
This is also more time-consuming than some of the other options. So if you are somebody who doesn’t want to spend a lot of time teaching, it may not be worth your while.
It’s also recommended that this type of work be done at an existing studio or workshop. There will already be tools and supplies available for students rather than starting from scratch with just what you have at home.
If you are a beginner, it is best to start with the first way and work your way up. This will help develop skills in turning wood, which can be used for any of these methods or other projects that may come along in the future.
Starting A Youtube Channel Or Blog
This is similar to the previous way of making money with a wood lathe.
You can use the channel to sell woodworking projects that you make. You can also teach people how to do them as well.
If you are considering this, I recommend making a blog first. That is if you don’t want to show your face on camera. It can take a while before you get people on your site. It is recommended that you use social media to drive people to your blog.
If you are looking to start a Youtube channel, it may be easier because it can draw people in. More than just text posts.
You should also make sure that your content is high quality. You will need good sound and lighting so viewers will enjoy watching them.
When posting on social media sites like Facebook or Instagram, don’t forget to include links to your blog and videos.
This way, you can get more followers. Which will lead people back to the other parts of your channel like blogs or tutorials.
If this is something that interests you, I recommend checking out Youtube for some ideas.
The main way you will generate an income from this will be through ads.
Some people will pay you to make promotional videos for them. And give you a commission on the sales of your products.
One thing to remember is that it can take months before you will start seeing any results. Don’t get discouraged and keep going.
Conclusion
This article showed you how to make money turning wood. You must have the basic skills and a lot of patience. If you want this type of work to be done successfully.
It can take some time before you will see any profit so it is recommended that you start with one method at first, such as selling your product, teaching people how to make your product, or using social media to drive traffic back to your blog.
Can you make money turning wood? Absolutely, but just like any other business it will take time and effort.