Freddie Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Have you ever been in this snag? I'm talking about a project that seemed like it would be a quick turnaround and sweet payday, only to find them sitting in your shop still months later collecting cob webs? I'm sitting on that gold mine right now! A friend of mine moved out of his parents basement and into his wifes parents basement. They redid the basement and asked me to build 4 paint grade radiator covers in latex white semi gloss. Easy! Guess what, they're still in my shop, not done yet! I think stress and procrastination has played a huge role in this horrific marathon my shop is experiencing. You see, woodworking commissions are only a part time endeavor for me. I have a regular full time job, which I am allowed to come and go as I please. I use that other time to freelance for my own private carpentry work and shop time work. I just recently finished a 500 sq.ft. cedar deck i built for a family member by myself. I took a massive pay cut to honor the family discount, and I felt that big time. Then we just got hit with a monsoon here on long island, so we were pumping water out of our basement for 3 days non stop. That was exhausting! Then I had to go to my bosses house and do some repair work in his basement after letting it dry out good for 2 weeks. This has not left me much time to work on the radiator covers, and every night when I get home and sit down, I think about those damn things, and it stresses me out. They will get done eventually, and when they do, I will never do favors ever again. So, have any of you ever went through this fun stuff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Byrdie Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Yup. I've had more than one of those projects that should've been done quickly and last forever. Still have a couple of them. Hard deadlines usually help me accomplish stuff but it doesn't if they're artificial or if I set them myself. And I've had a lot of trouble with being really tired lately - my day job tends to stress me out a bit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 I try and set and deadlines for myself and force myself to keep them. Sometimes you just have to make the time as you'll feel better if you do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted August 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Kev, you also know my shop is a complete disaster, and for reasons off record. That also adds to the brutal frustration and really bogs me down in the shop. This has been a more recent problem and seems to progress as time goes on. I had a lot of stuff stored in the basement that I didn't use often. Once we got flooded, I quickly got all my stuff back into the shop, including my drum set which is stack in the middle of the shop. Now it's even more packed, and more ridiculous than ever. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 I hear ya Freddie and figured that was also part of the issue but, that's for you to share, not me. In the end, you know you'll feel better if you make the time to finish that project. If memory serves me correctly, there's not too much left to do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted August 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 The cases are all built, just some final touch up sanding and paint. The big thing was to take care of those mdf spindles, all 99 of them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..Kev Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 I remember it was a pretty big project but, you're nearly done! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted August 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 I will say one thing about it, the joinery was the fastest part thanks to the domino. Imagine how much longer it wouldve taken! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Popular Post ..Kev Posted August 31, 2014 Popular Post Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 So quit typing here and get to the sanding! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
4-Square Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 Yes, and it was a bit of an embarrassment.... We accepted a restoration job from the matriarch of an established old-city family... We had to admit that we couldn't replicate the hardware ourselves... The hinges would have to be made from scratch... Cost wasn't an issue... And even better, she was very very very patient... We had the hardware made in Swindon, but it took far longer then we had anticipated... To make a long story short, we completed the job and it turned-out great... But we ran into a small problem with payment... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freddie Posted August 31, 2014 Author Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 We have a new baby in the house. My sister gave birth last week. The cradle I made is back in our house and in the living room. Today I had to fashion a locking mechanism that employs a sliding dowel in a mahogany bracket under the case. That was on the priority list since the little guy is quite squirmy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jHop Posted August 31, 2014 Report Share Posted August 31, 2014 I've got a project sitting around, waiting for three straight good weather days so I can finally finish the finish.... it's only been there two months.... I keep ending up with high humidity or rain, which the project doesn't like. Even though it's "just shop furniture," I saw no need to skimp on the finish practice. (Particularly since I don't get enough practice of "high quality finishes" on my projects.) So, it's sitting next to the shoes, inside the house, waiting for me to 1: not be working, 2: not be at school, 3: the weather to cooperate, and 4: me not be driving somewhere to pick someone up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.