foggytown wrote:
Striving for perfection is one thing. Being dissapointed when you
don't attain it is quite another. But how do you curb your own
excessive fussiness?

I'm getting more and more into making little wood boxes for jewelery,
trinkets, etc. Average size 6" X 4", but can be as big/small as
required. Here are some examples of what I've done in utili, oak, ash,
purpleheart, yew.

http://foggytown.spaces.msn.com/photos/?_c02_owner=1

I'd like to turn this hobby into some kind of earner by doing
made-to-measure boxes to order. My big problem is that I'm rarely
satisfied with my work and I assume that a potential customer will be
even more critical than I am. Friends & relations I've shown my stuff
to think its very good but I just can't get past the little
imperfections I know are the a slightly loose joint requiring some
filler; a blemish on the oil finish where a spot of glue on the wood
wasn't noticed; couple of small "hard" spots on the velvet interior
where some glue dripped.

Question for the wreckers here who do pieces for customers. Are you
ever truly satisfied with your work to the point where you think it
will probably be rejected? Or am I overestimating the capacity of the
public to be critical of something they can't do to begin with?

FoggyTown

G'day Foggy,
I had the exact same feelings about my work as you do.
I finally got convinced to take some of my stuff to the local street market.
It sold like hot cakes and people complemented me on the quality
continuesly.
Even people that never bought anything still commented on the quality of
the work.
Only a few months after that 1st market I started taking custom orders
and have never looked back.

So my suggestion is, take some gear to a local market or a Trash and
Treasure and see how it does. I think you will be pleasantly surprised.

All The best
John