Creative Woodworks & crafts 2004-09, страница 68

Every way you turn, you notice neat stored under and behind things. Steve's sense proportion was developed early in his career, and he has all the equipment he needs to make a 1/16" adjustment in thickness or width so that his finished project has the perfect proportions when the design is finished. As most of you know, wood comes in "standard" sizes, and most of us work around them. Steve doesn't. Even though it takes time and machinery to skim a little more off for the perfect size, he makes the extra effort and adds it to the price of the finished goods.

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As was mentioned early in this article, Steve has multiples of his tools, and this includes his routers, right down to his Drcmcl Molo-Tool router table. This tool is also used for inletting very fine veneer strips, and he usually replaces die motor unit at least once a year.

All of our shops are personalized to us, reflecting our type and methods of work, and Steve's is no exception. His layout suits what he does with no wasted steps. The duplication of tools allows for total efficiency of effort and no lost lime in the event of a breakdown. This is the only way one can stay in business at such a production level in a two-man shop.

So if you arc ready to step up to the next level in the craft business, you can't go wrong following Steve's model. After all, it has stood the test of time and proven successful.

Now that we've gotten to know Steve a little, and have seen the many interesting features of his shop, let's take a closer look al the techniques he uses lo make his best-selling picture frames.

Turn around from the sanding center, and you are at another assembly table. Off to the left is his Hegner scroll saw, which was interestingly one of the first saws imported into the US many years ago and is still in use. After starling his crafting business with toys, Steve moved on lo marquetry, and the veneer on the racks is just a sampling of the hundreds of square feel he has on hand. Unfortunately, his market was never able to support the work that went into it, so he now only does marquetry on a special-order basis. These special-order items often feature various aspects of the Jewish faith and are personalized lo each customer. Although they represent a small portion of his production, they are a valued part of his work as a whole.

The boxes on the table are presently his best selling items. He makes a number of different styles, and as is he has new items throughout the season, he stays black and ahead of the competition. He confided lal if he were to take the easy way out and stay with a standard styles, he would soon lose a significant portion of his sales. As long as people have "things" that have to be stored in containers, he will have a business.

fit • Creative Woodworks S. Crafts September 2004

For questions concerning this article, send an SASE to: Steve Levine, . P.O. Box 123, Dayton, NJ08810. Email: SBLWood@aol.com jp