Why I Don't Sell My Work
What is essential is invisible to the eye.
The Little Prince
If you asked me to make you something and you're now wondering how much to pay me, this page is for you. The answer is nothing, and I mean that.
Woodworking is my creative outlet. I do it because I enjoy it, and giving pieces away is part of the enjoyment. A big part of my time in the shop is spent thinking about the person who's going to receive the thing taking shape in front of me, and that's not something I want to trade for a transaction. The moment money enters the picture, a hobby starts turning into a job, and I already have one of those. So please don't feel like you're imposing by asking. A special project request is a gift in itself.
Keep in mind that being a creative outlet, I work on things when I have time and when the particular project sounds like fun. Your request might get done next week, or it might take a year or more. If you need something on a schedule, I'm probably not your guy.
Martha: Now, where did you hang my painting? I'm always curious to know how people live with my work.
Frasier: “Live with my work” — I love that phrase. [cue laugh track]
Frasier
If you want to give something back, you can, and it won't cost you anything but your time and thought: Send me a photo of the piece in your home, or a note about what you ended up doing with it. That's worth more to me than money. And let me know if it fails catastrophically and is thus relegated to firewood, or regifted on to someone else — there's no real strings attached, if the object isn't working for you any more, don't feel bad about finding it a new home.
In some rare cases, I might ask you to chip in for materials or shipping, but only when the costs are significant, like a special lumber run for a big build or shipping something heavy across the country. If it's a few dollars, forget it.
And if that still doesn't feel like enough: woodworkers never say no to good free wood. See what kind of wood do woodworkers want? for what I can actually use.