I Tested Get Rich Quick Woodworking Projects

Product/Project Reviewed

This video tests “get rich quick” woodworking projects—mainly a decorative chair and a bench/stool-style bench. The creator also experiments with a floating shelf concept and reflects on earlier squirrel-shaped picnic tables.

---

Key Features / Concepts Discussed (What the Projects Are For)

Simple builds using common lumber

• Chair: made from a single 8-foot 2x4, designed to require <10 cuts.
• Bench: built from 2x10x8 stock, positioned as a single-piece concept.
• Floating shelf: based on an Etsy-selling design; the creator claims his version is intentionally lower-quality and doesn’t approve of the construction style.

“Make money from woodworking” angle

• The creator tries to sell locally via Facebook Marketplace.
• He discusses limitations like:
  • shipping challenges
  • online competition and pricing pressure

---

Main “Get Rich Quick” Attempts (What Happened)

1) Decorative Chair (Facebook Marketplace Test)

Cost math (materials)

• Wood: $4.55
• Screws: $1.28
• Wall plugs: $1.12
• Extras (glue, sandpaper, paint): ~$1
• Total materials: $7.95

Time

• Initial chair assembly was slow to identify bottlenecks.
• Batch production result: 3 chairs in 1 hour 45 minutes (cut/assemble/paint).
• No top coat; finish quality included some work the creator described as questionable/bad.

Pricing / target profit

• Listed each chair for $45 (citing Bearded Viking’s suggested price).
• If all three sold: $135 total
• Claimed “math” potential (assuming labor only): $63.51 per hour (as stated).

Outcome

• At reporting time: none sold.
• Additional details:
  • frequent questions (“in stock?” and color/chemical questions)
  • interested people still didn’t convert (“threw me out of sight”)

Notable tips for faster building (chair)

• Use CA glue as clamps while wood glue dries.
• Make a template to repeat measurements and screw locations.
• Consider pre-cut dowel plugs instead of DIY dowel cutting/filling (time-saving), based on lessons learned.

Pros

• Simple design with few cuts.
• Potential for quicker batch output once optimized.
• Affordable materials.

Cons

• YouTube popularity ≠ local demand.
• Underpricing relative to time/effort; time estimates were consistently off.
• Finishing/decorations add time and risk, reducing margin.
• Shipping isn’t framed as viable for chairs; earlier table examples suggest small items are hard to ship cost-effectively.

---

2) Bench (Time Trial + Facebook Marketplace Test)

Time trial result

• The creator compares against a “30 minutes” claim from another YouTuber.
• His test:
  • 1 hour to cut/assemble/paint
  • plus ~20 minutes next day for spraying varnish after stain dried
• Realistic estimate given: 1h 20m

Cost math (materials)

• Wood: $14.16
• Screws: $0.90
• Dowels: $0.70
• Glue + sandpaper + stain: $1.25
• Plus $3.23 per polish
• Total materials: $20.24

Pricing / market context

• He notes similar Marketplace listings priced $80 to $165.
• He lists at $65, after stating that creator “Voss” raised price from $65 to $85 due to too many orders.
• He also claims he “conquered” other listings (suggesting competition management and price pressure).

Shipping practicality

• He says the bench can’t be sold online due to shipping cost (“astronomical”).
• So the economics depend heavily on local market demographics.

Outcome

• No explicit “sold for X” result is provided in the excerpt.
• Later, he says:
  • the bench and one chair went to his daughter-in-law
  • a decorative chair ended up back at his driveway → implying sales didn’t meet expectations.

Pros

• Bench concept had demand signals (multiple similar listings).

Cons

• The “30-minute” build claims are unrealistic for most people.
• Vulnerable to: local demand limits + competition + price wars.
• Shipping largely kills online profitability.

---

3) Floating Shelves (Etsy Angle Discussed, Not Fully Tested)

Claim referenced

• A YouTube video claims someone made about $1.5 million selling floating shelves on Etsy.

Creator’s critique (“the elephant in the room”)

• Etsy is no longer just garage hobbyists:
  • businesses with employees
  • bulk material discounts
  • CNC equipment
• Oversaturation can get “outcompeted before you even list.”
• Mentioned issues include:
  • AI/impersonation
  • aggressive foreign company marketing
• Etsy fees, shipping, packaging time, and LLC/business complexity further reduce profit for hobby sellers.

Pros

• A market exists, and uniqueness can still win.

Cons

• To compete with high-volume sellers, you may need to “become them” (bigger operations).
• “Uniqueness required” is a major hurdle.

---

Comparisons Made

• YouTube project hype vs real market:
  • “Get rich quick” woodworking videos often omit failure modes and realistic time/cost details.
• Local sales vs online shipping:
  • Etsy/online sales are limited by fees, shipping, and competition.
  • Facebook Marketplace depends on local buyer capacity.
• Price competition:
  • described as a “price war” after undercutting.
• Competitor listings:
  • the bench had many similar ads (some allegedly screenshots rather than real builds).

---

User Experience (Building + Selling Experience)

Building experience

• Time management is a biggest limiter:
  • estimates were wrong initially; real builds could be up to 3.5x longer than planned
  • example given: first order of 15 chairs
• Workflow optimization helped:
  • CA glue clamping
  • templates for repeat tasks
  • pre-cut plugs/dowels

Selling experience

• Even with popular projects:
  • inquiries didn’t translate into sales
  • conversions likely require strong photos, patience, and local market fit
• Shipping constraints force reliance on local buyers.

---

Unique Points Mentioned (Distinct Takeaways)

1. Possible to make money woodworking, but not “get rich quick.”
2. Hobby costs (tools/lumber) aren’t dropping—economics matter.
3. Workflow optimization matters (CA glue clamps; templates).
4. Underestimating time is common; builds take longer than planned.
5. Batch production results for chairs: 1h 45m for 3 chairs (cut/assemble/paint).
6. Chair materials estimated at $7.95.
7. Pricing attempt: chairs at $45; stated profit-rate if sold.
8. No top coat; decorative technique (“show sugi ban”) didn’t come out well (in his view).
9. Small items like squirrel picnic tables sell poorly due to shipping costs; local channels work better.
10. Sales channels shrink when you can’t ship.
11. Bench build: 1 hour plus ~20 minutes next day.
12. Bench materials estimated at $20.24.
13. Etsy/online floating shelves are impractical because of shipping economics (as discussed).
14. Local demographics determine whether Marketplace sales succeed.
15. Competition can be intense in higher-income areas.
16. Chairs didn’t meet his labor/time expectations (“no money in chairs”).
17. After chair failure, he shifted toward bigger custom work (bar tops/dining tables/custom pieces).
18. Floating shelves on Etsy require skepticism; Etsy is a competitive business environment.
19. Oversaturated Etsy niches get outcompeted quickly; CNC/bulk pricing matters.
20. Fees, shipping, packaging time, and LLC complexity reduce hobby profits.
21. Starting as a business can drain hobby joy; tracking is essential.
22. He later sponsored by Relay because he lacked tracking and misjudged profitability.
23. Eventually, projects were given away rather than sold profitably.
24. Moral: vocational schools for electricians/plumbers exist for a reason—flipping projects isn’t guaranteed income.

---

Pros / Cons Summary

Pros

• Simple starter-friendly projects can help beginners build quickly.
• Workflow tweaks can reduce build time.
• Local sales could theoretically fund tool purchases.

Cons

• Real-world sales are difficult: inquiries don’t convert; demand varies locally.
• Time estimates are unreliable; labor often worsens margins.
• Shipping constraints severely limit online sales for many small wooden items.
• Competitive marketplaces (Facebook/Etsy) can drive price wars and undercutting.

---

Ratings / Numerical Scores

• No star ratings.
• Key numbers mentioned:
  • Chair materials: $7.95; batch time 1h 45m for 3
  • Bench materials: $20.24; build time 1h (+ ~20 min varnish later)
  • Etsy shelf claim referenced: about $1.5 million
  • Chair price: $45
  • Bench examples: $80–$165
  • Creator’s bench price: $65
  • “Voss” raised price: $65 → $85

---

Overall Verdict / Recommendation

Recommendation: Don’t expect “get rich quick” results from woodworking projects sold locally or on Etsy/Marketplace. The experiments highlight how time underestimation, limited local demand, shipping costs, fees, and competition make consistent profitability difficult. Woodworking can help fund tools when approached with realistic hourly accounting and workflow tracking—but it’s not a reliable quick-income strategy.