On 18 Jun 2006 02:57:22 -0700, "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 don't, I just get grumpy when I make little errors, and usually
remake the piece.

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.

Grumpy or no, I've found that I'm the only one who can see things like
that- and that's while playing show and tell with other woodworkers.
They have the same problem- they see stuff I'd never notice, because
they made it.

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?

You're overestimating. Do it honestly and charge a fair price, and
you'll be fine. I think most people have the same problem when it
comes to this.