Moto Woodworks is a custom woodworking and laser engraving business. At least, that’s what it says on the home page. If I’m forced to describe it in one line, that’s usually the line I give. But I just poured myself a glass of scotch, so here’s a bit more.
My woodworking journey
I’ve been handling home improvement and repair projects, mostly those involving woodworking, since a woodshop class in junior high school. I put it on hold while I was in college, picked it up again when I bought my first townhome. I put it on hold again when I got a job that required me to travel a lot, picked it up again when I changed jobs and bought a house. Then I put it on hold again to start a family, and picked it up again when my wife and I bought a school.
It’s a Montessori school for children ages 18 months through six years old and the campus has three, log cabin-style buildings. The ongoing need for educational toys, stools, chairs, tables, cabinets, signs, and more forced me to step up my woodworking game. I’m adding and upgrading tools, and turning one-third of our three-car garage into a workshop. Making the most of this space is a constant challenge! Not only am I working in a very small space, I’m also working with a very limited time budget. I still have a full-time job, so all of this work for the school is fitting into my evenings and weekends.
The point I’m making is there was a lot of woodworking that went on, both in developing skills and accumulating tools, before I finally got around to creating Moto Woodworks. I really just put a label on something I was already doing.
Okay, it’s a little more than just a label. After several years of building out my workshop and refining my woodworking skills for the benefit of our school, a woodworking business was the obvious next step. Why wouldn’t I take advantage of the head start provided by the school and try to make a few extra bucks? So, I did.
My woodworking niche
But I’m not hiding the fact that Moto Woodworks is a side hustle. I don’t expect it to take off because I can’t put that kind of time into it. I’m happy to engage in my woodworking passion and make a few bucks supporting other small businesses. How’s that for a mission statement?!
What kind of products do you make? Well, that’s honestly still a work in progress. I’ve spent more time thinking about the parameters of the business, so let’s start there:
- The ideal client is a small business. I can’t fulfill high volume orders from my tiny workshop.
- The ideal client is local. I don’t want the hassle of packaging and shipping. I enjoy personally delivering the products.
- The ideal order involves a combination of woodworking and laser cutting or engraving. I really enjoy how the laser machine adds precision and repeatability (among other things) to my work.
Those aren’t “hard and fast” rules, just some goals to help me focus. The reality is that many MW products come from my work at the school. If the school needs a sign, you’re probably going to see a sign on my website. If the school needs a toddler stool, you’re probably going to see a toddler stool on my website.
Disambiguation
I love this word. My non-dictionary definition is that disambiguation helps people understand what you mean by explaining what you don’t mean. When I was thinking about names for the business, I would search for the name and see what came up. When searching for Moto Woodworks, I found:
- Project MOTO. Project MOTO won a design award from WoodWorks.org in 2017. MOTO is a 64-unit residential apartment building in Denver, Colorado. It’s a very cool project, but there is no relation to Moto Woodworks.
- Motorcycle-style Chair. YouTube will present you with this video from DT Woodworks. Again, very cool and it has no relation to Moto Woodworks.
- Dremel Moto Saw. I own a Dremel, but not this particular tool. It’s basically a mini scroll saw. Cool, and no relation to Moto Woodworks.
About me
My wife is the administrator of our school, Moto Woodworks super fan, and my best friend. We have three boys. One is a teenager, one is soon to be a teenager, and one is a dog that acts like a raccoon. If you’d like to adopt a raccoon, please let me know.
In addition to side-hustling woodworker, I’m a loyal Michigan Wolverine, avid golfer, and true crime junkie.
