The New Show room

So as is usual around the Rusted Nail we have an idea of what needs to get done around the shop next and all of a sudden we change everything.  The original post-Apple fest plan was to put our heads down and get a few projects built to have them ready to sell for the Christmas season.  But of course of our first day back in the shop we were slapped in the face with the idea of creating an in shop showroom.  This of course was no small task. First we had to move a few hundred boards that felt like they weighed about 700 pounds apiece, from one side of the shop to the other just to make space. Second we had to clean that space and then decide on a basic layout for the pieces.  As of right now we have walls made of old barn doors and tin, a barn wood counter top and furniture pieces placed in no particular order. However it seems the best plan is to not have a plan, as the disheveled look somehow works. It is still definitely a work in progress but we believe having a showroom will only help us in the long run. We will need to figure out the best ways to get people to visit our new showroom once it’s open and ready to go. But that’s for a later day. For now it’s time to get into the shop and build some projects until another grand idea comes knocking on our minds door.

Apple Fest Preparations

The past few weeks have been a busy time at the Rusted Nail Shop. First we completed another reclamation project of a smoke house in Jasper Georgia. The tear down lasted half a day and the clean up last half a week. Second was our big event of the year, The Apple Festival in Ellijay Georgia was held this past weekend. Since it was our only show this year we had no excuse to not put our best foot forward. We created many new projects just for the show, which included a barrel table, a country cupboard and probably the most popular a 5 drawer side table.  Along with the new pieces we created a barn wood frame for the tent that added a unique rustic feel to the booth. Unlike some of the shows we did last year, we planned and executed every aspect our display from the placement of our products to the positioning of our brochures and cards. In the end the weather was great and the crowds were perfect. We sold some pieces but more importantly we met many people that were genuinely interested in our work. 

Now we move forward with an eye for the Christmas season.  We are hoping to get a few Christmas related projects completed and posted online.  We also plan on building some projects that have been on our to do list for some time now, that includes a bedroom set for our online retailers, and a table for Jocelyn.

Guests in the shop

Over the past few weeks we have had our share of visitors to the shop. Some expected and appreciated others not so much. This week we had the guys from Diablo stop by the shop to have us test out some new sand paper they have been working on. In the end of their 5” random orbit sandpaper redesign is finally becoming usable.  But those were the only guests we warmly welcomed in The Rusted Nail shop.

A  few weeks ago when we opened the shop for the day there was a rather large frog hopping around, no big deal we just left the door open  and assumed he found his way back to the pond. The next day when we opened the shop for the day another guest had spent the night in the shop. This time it was a rather large lizard. (When we large it was about 5” long, no gila monster or anything) So again we just left the door open and let the big guy find his way out.

Unfortunately our next guest wasn’t so easy to eradicate.  While working on the computer in the office there was some movement in the corner. We looked over and just about had a movement in our pants. Apparently the frog and lizard were not in shop because they wanted to admire our furniture but had come in to escape the snake that was now in the office.  We would love to tell you that it was a 10 foot rattlesnake that we man handled and body slammed out of the shop in a manner that would make the crocodile hunter proud.  But not us, we freaked out a bit. We pretty much destroyed the office, throwing paper and crap out of the way so we could keep an eye on it. We eventually found a metal rake and some fireplace tools that we could use to grab the 3 foot rat snake without actually having to touch it. We took it outside let it loose in the field hoping this was some sort of good sign for the future of the shop. 

Thoughts on the business

When we began building furniture we knew that in order to succeed we were going to have to be better at the business of woodworking than the others that try it. It’s been nearly two years since we tore down our first barn and began taking orders. We’ve come a long way and rolled with many punches since then. What began as a one man shop in the family tool shed is now a 5000 square foot building that continues to fill up one piece of equipment at a time.  Our first projects were for local customers for very little or no money. And now, this year alone we have shipped pieces to New York, Idaho, Arizona and a couple of retail stores locally. We began with a small booth in a local antique shop, which we decided to close, but now have booths in a number store across north Georgia. People have begun using us as resource as well. We have gotten calls from people wanting to know how much their barn may be worth, or wanting information on reclaimed wood.  

Now it’s time to move forward again. We have taken a dive into the deep end of the proverbial pool by filing our paperwork to become an LLC in the state of Georgia.  We also have been developing new marketing and advertising strategies.  Both strategies having to be unique and creative as the bulk of our funds are tied up in upgrading the shop. Our objective is to eventually move up the ranks from a micro business to a small business stature. Our end goal remains the same, to enable everyone to have a high quality piece of reclaimed wood in their home or office. In order to reach our goal we must remain creative and maintain the ambition and drive that has taken us this far.

As long as it evens out

This week at the Rusted Nail has had its ups and downs.  Monday started off with a series of small calamities that when combined formed one large headache.  Debacle #1- a project that was nearly finished and needed a few final touches decided to act a stubborn little brat when the door that was installed on it randomly decided to warp and not close properly. After failing to get the door to close as it should we stepped away and began working on another disaster. Debacle #2- We decided cleaning boards for future projects was good choice since not many things can go wrong de-nailing and sanding. But of course we were wrong. We got the nails out of the board and began sanding when all of a sudden the sanding equipment began making sounds that would make Chuck Norris squirm. But unlike Chuck Norris, we don’t have a magic fist behind our beard that could fix the problem. We decided to take a few hours off, go home take a nap and hope to forget about the previous couple of hours. After falling into a mini coma the phone rang. Figuring it was a call saying the shop had burned down or that some other debacle had occurred we just let it ring. It seems things have a way of leveling out however and the phone call turned out to be a customer wanting to buy a 2 pieces for her home, one for each debacle earlier in the day.  Let’s hope this next week has more gratifying moments than disastrous ones.

Sorry for the Wait

It has been a while since our last post, and we do apologize for that. But like any good teenager we do have a very good reason or excuse depending on your point of view. The summer months have been extremely busy for us at The Rusted Nail.  The month of May consisted of us making daily trips to Tunnel Hill, Georgia to tear down and reclaim wood from a 100+ year old barn.  The big prize from the barn was the rare American Chestnut logs we were able to get our hands on. We were able to get back in the shop in June and we stayed busy building a vanity shipped to Idaho, a side table and table top for a whiskey barrel for a local customer and a few projects for stores around the Atlanta area.  In July we were able to take a small vacation, our first in a very long time.  Currently we are back in the shop building new items, such as a Bedroom set, a book shelf, and a small Bathroom vanity  to name a few.  We promise to keep writing as we continue to build and to keep you posted on everything going on in the life of The Rusted Nail