14 Must-Have Woodworking Items That Sell Like Hotcakes

Coffee, Wood, and a Few Lessons: My Journey Through Woodworking to Make a Buck

Well, grab yourself a cup of coffee, settle in, and let me share a little journey I’ve been on. Let’s see if you can relate to this ol’ heart of mine. You know, the one that sometimes jumps into things and forgets to think it through first? Yep, that’s me, especially when it comes to woodworking. It all began when I found myself scratching my head about what to make and sell, and boy, did I learn a thing or two along the way.

Let me just start with this: the scent of freshly cut cedar? Heavenly. It’s got that warm, spicy smell that wraps around you like a cozy blanket. But boy, does it come at a cost—and not just financially. If you’ve ever worked with cedar, you know it’s beautiful, but every slice makes you question why you didn’t just stick to pine… or was it that birch? You know, that’s where my journey began.

The Good Ol’ Pine Bench

So, my first project was this simple bench. Just a basic, no-frills pine job. I pictured it: a rustic, unfinished look perfect for the front porch. Turns out, I had zero clue what I was doing. I just ran to the local hardware store—shoutout to Randy down at Ace; he’s a good guy—grabbed a couple of 2x4s, and thought, “How hard could it be?”

Well, let me tell you. I almost gave up when I attempted to cut the boards. I mean, using a miter saw is one thing, but trying to find that sweet angle and then keeping the darn thing straight? Almost took my fingers with it. But hey, I managed to finish that bench—sort of. It was a little wobbly and looked like a lopsided doghouse, but I painted it a lovely shade of turquoise, and wouldn’t you know, it sold faster than I expected!

The Problem with Planes

Next up was a little end table I thought might catch someone’s eye. I decided to use some reclaimed oak I found at a barn sale down the road; my buddy Tom swears it was aged two centuries. Good stuff, but wow, working with oak was a different beast. It’s heavy, dense… and my hand plane was just a tad too dull for it. So here I am, trying to flatten the surface, hearing this awful grinding noise. I mean, it sounded like being stuck in a rock concert with no earplugs.

I almost quit right there. But after wrestling with it for a couple hours, I laughed it off. I ended up running to the store to pick up a new blade after that fiasco. A little lesson learned, right? Sometimes it’s worth spending a few extra bucks to save your sanity.

Cutting Boards and a Thousand Mistakes

I wanted to add some smaller items, you know? Something a little more manageable, like cutting boards. Everyone loves a nice cutting board! I tried using maple and walnut because the contrast is just stunning, but boy, oh boy, did I make some mistakes. Ended up mixing up my glue and accidentally using yellow wood glue instead of the food-safe kind.

I thought about tossing in the towel and writing “SOLD—But Don’t Use It!” on the boards! But no, my wife, bless her heart, reminded me to double-check next time. So I ended up sanding them down and redoing the whole lot. It took time, but those boards now shine like morning dew in the sun. Plus, they sold like hotcakes at the local farmer’s market. Who knew?

Shelves That Stole My Heart

Let’s not forget the floating shelves, which, let me tell you, felt more like “floating in agony.” I read a ton about how to do these and thought, “I got this!” I carved out a plan with some beautiful walnut I’d found on sale. I spent hours measuring, drilling, making those darn brackets. But when it came time to hang those bad boys up? Let’s just say they were more like “floating in featherweight.”

Long story short, I ended up needing to reinforce them with some industrial strength brackets, but they turned out gorgeous. When they sold, I couldn’t help but get a little giddy.

The Learning Never Stops

And don’t get me started on those handmade wooden toys for the kids! I thought they’d be a nice touch for my local shop. I bust out my jigsaw and whittled away, thinking I was the next big thing. I didn’t test the edges enough, and my daughter was the first to point out that they looked more like abstract art than toys. Ah well, chalk it up to a lesson in detail.

Through all this, I’ve learned that making things isn’t just about the final product. It’s the cacophony of sounds from the tools—the buzz, the whirr, the thud of wood hitting wood. It’s the little accidents and mistakes that teach you patience and, heck, make for great stories over coffee.

A Little Encouragement

So if you’ve got a project you’re mulling over, don’t wait for the perfect moment. Just dive in, get your hands (and maybe your jeans) dirty. I thought I’d never get a single thing right, but every miss and every laugh along the way? It made me who I am today as a woodworker.

Sometimes, you’ll stumble, that’s for sure. But each little mishap is a step toward finding what you love, and that, my friend, is the real joy of it all.