I am corresponding with a Sos Amirlhanyan who is setting up a
small wood shop in the rural town of Sisian in Armenia.

I know that there is a large Armenian community in California.
I was wondering if there was anyone in this group from the Armenian
diaspora who might like to help.

The first problem is to identify a first market, then a first
product, and minimum cost tools to get the business started.

I can help with furniture designs, but I normally make design
computer furniture (URL below) and I do not think there will be a
large market for such pieces. The first products will probably be
kitchen pieces.

Please let me hear from anyone interested.


Thanks,

Tom Riley


Woodware Designs
http://www.charm.net/~jriley/woodware.html

Check out our latest book:

"Look the Future Straight in the Eye"
http://www.charm.net/~jriley/book.html

Wed, Nov 16, 2005, 8:37am (Tom*Riley) asks the
impossible:
snip*The first problem is to identify a first market, then a first
product, and minimum cost tools to get the business started. snip

When you figure out all that, let me know.

The market would be whoever wants what's being sold. But, in rural
Armenia that may include barter, along with hard cash. Dunno about a
"first" product, but I'm thinking along the lines of maybe buckets,
chests (seating, storage), beds (maybe rope beds), stools and/or chairs.
In about that order - which may well be wrong, caskets could be the
first choice. Me, I think I'd want a big chest first, long enough to
sleep on, that'd solve sleeping, sitting, storage, all in one go, then
it could make a casket. The market would be whatever the people there
wanted/needed the most. Tables would probably be low priority, except
that small tables, for tea, games, etc., might have a higher priority
than larger tables for eating. This is all based on past travels, which
are now long in the past.

Minimum tools. I would say a decent saw. And a hatchet with a
hammer head. There should be a blacksmith somewhere in the area who
could make adequate chisels, etc. No prob.

But, I would say also a brace and bit (complete set of bits). At
least one plane, preferably two or three. Spokeshave. Drawknife. Set
of chisels. At least a ruler. Square. If nails and screws are readily
available, a hammer, and several screwdrivers. Not a lot, but it would
do the job, and could be toted all at one go by one person. Be no major
deal to make a people powered wood lathe - blacksmith for turning tools.

SCA sites have plans for furniture that could be duplicated with
minimal hand tools. I've posted probably most of them, check the
archives.

I would say more details are needed to give a better answer.



JOAT
Just pretend I'm not here. That's what I'm doing.

Thanks for the fast response. Here is the information I have
so far:

Hello Mr.Riley.

Thank you very much for computer desk
design. It was very nice. I will prepare it.
I am SOS Amirkhanyan. I am Armenian and I live in
Armenia. I am Engineer of electric machine, but I have
some knowledge about furniture business.

I want to establish kitchen and office furniture small
enterprise /not soft/ in the Sisian town. Why in
Sisian town:

• The population of Sisian and nearest villages 40000.
• After collapse of Soviet Union the furniture
enterprise of Sisian town was destroyed. Now there
isn’t any furniture enterprise in Sisian
• The nearest furniture enterprise in Yerevan / 220km/, capital of Armenia
• Some survey fined out that population of Sisian town
and nearest villages need to change their old
furniture because there are approximately 15-20 years
old.

Near Sisian / 40 km/ there are forest where I can buy
oak and fugues wood but mainly I want to use laminated
sheet.

Thanks,

Sos Amirlhanyan

it sounds like kitchen furniture is the most likely product.

Thanks,

Tom Riley


Woodware Designs
http://www.charm.net/~jriley/woodware.html

Check out our latest book:

"Look the Future Straight in the Eye"
http://www.charm.net/~jriley/book.html