Popular Woodworking 2007-10 № 164, страница 71

taught by others besides himself. In 1997John Brown taught a class on Welsh chairmaking. "He's passionate about hand-tool work, leaving the world of power behind right after blocking out the chair parts on the band saw. It was by far the most effective style for teaching chair-making I have witnessed. As sponsor as well as participant, I faced a dilemma in getting both jobs done, something not uncommon in life in general." So, Wilson decided save time by using power tools - a decision that didn't go over well with Brown.

"John Brown, who can be a curmudgeon at times, came in at the start of the day after I had been in the shop for three early morning hours getting my chair done. I received a proper dressing down such as a boot camp sergeant might give. I stood attentive like a good soldier, listening to a man deserving of respect because of his expertise and experience. I could appreciate his point of view, so passionately given, on the virtue of hand tools while blending that kernel of truth with the mix of tools I had just employed that morning."

The Business of Selling to Woodworkers

Near the door in the shop's main room are a desk, telephone and files, where Wilson does much of his business. Although he has a web site (ShakerOvalBox.com), he's only

seen it once; he leaves the computer world to his business partners. Customers can't order online and Wilson doesn't accept credit cards. Instead, everyone is a "preferred customer" with shipment first and payment after they receive the order.

Once an order is received, Wilson and his partners fill, package and ship it, along with an invoice. They simply trust customers will pay, and 99.7 percent do.

In addition to selling kits, Wilson sells bands, tops, bottoms, handles, forms, patterns, tools (including copper hot water trays, a drilling jig, anvil and sanding block), copper tacks, pegs and rivets, booklets, pattern packets and a DVD video.

Many of Wilson's clients have particpated in his classes, and classes aren't limited to box making. Fond of making his own tools, Wilson also teaches classes in plane, spokeshave and travisher making, as well as hand-cut dovetails, mortise-and-tenon joinery, sailboat building and paddle making.

Wilson has done well thanks to his good business sense and self-described frugality.

"The business has been successful for me," he says. "It supports three families." Currently he grosses about $250,000 a year.

Wilson says part of his success is because of his willingness to share information for free. "I've always made it a policy to be totally open," he says. "It's the only way I want to live."

Piles of stock. Wilson keeps an impressive supply of wood on stock to ensure constant inventory for his customers.

Customer service. Wilson insists on talking through orders with customers to ensure they receive exactly what they want and need.

Simple Gifts

The Home Shop does have a second floor, used mainly for storage. Boxes, paper bags, $500 worth of toothpicks and pages of material fill the space. Recently Wilson created a kit for a Shaker music box. Its song? The well-known Shaker hymn, "Simple Gifts:"

'Tis the gift to be simple, 'tis the gift to be free, 'Tis the gift to come down where we ought to be, And when we find ourselves in the place just right,

'Twill be in the valley of love and delight. When true simplicity is gain'd, To bow and to bend we shan't be asham'd, To turn, turn will be our delight, Till by turning, turning we come round right. As the bonfire dwindles, Wilson reflects on his accomplishments as well as his goals for the future, which include writing three books. Although Wilson now expects life changes to happen about every 10 years, it's clear he's content with his mix of selling, teaching, building and writing - he's where he ought to be ... in his place just right. And, looking at his home, shop and family, it's hard to argue that it's not a valley of love and delight. PW

Kara Gebhart Uhl is the former managing editor of Popular Woodworking and Woodworking Magazine.

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