Why I’m a Custom Made Guy
When my partner Seth and I tell people about the company we are building, they often say, “Custom woodworking – that’s an odd business for two guys from Boston…are you guys woodworkers?” Our answer is, of course, no. We are website marketing guys.
So why are we involved in a company that is the online source for anything custom? The answer is we both LOVE custom stuff. We are buyers of custom furniture, custom suits, custom jewelry, and other custom items. If I could have everything in my life custom made, I would be a much happier consumer.
Mike Salguero, President of CustomMade.com
Why do I love custom? Well, for one, there is a value proposition to custom. I’ve found that you can get much better quality for your money. In addition, when you buy custom you’re buying a service, not a product. You buy something made by someone with whom you can build a relationship, whether that someone is an individual or a company.
In terms of woodworking, the value of buying something custom rather than a product made in a factory overseas is apparent in the end result. Many of our woodworkers can make you a piece that will last a lifetime, not just a few years or until you move to another home.
Here is a photo of me in my favorite custom item: a leather and sheep’s wool jacket that I had made while I was visiting my father in Montevideo, Uruguay. I talked to the maker of this jacket, gave him my specifications, and purchased exactly what I was looking for!
I bet you have stories about things you’ve had custom made – isn’t sharing them part of the fun? You can do that here – it could be furniture, of course, but anything custom is fair game – clothing, jewelry, shoes, drapes, artwork – anything! Go to the Comments section and “Leave A Reply” – upload a photo by clicking on the “add images to your comment by clicking here” link just below the “Submit Comment” button. You can then copy and paste the URL for your photo! (NOTE: your photo must be online to be uploaded).
C’mon fellow Custom Made evangelists – share!
-Mike
My fiancee Lisa’s ring was custom made of course, and that was quite a fun custom project. I found several pictures and combined features from all of them into one very cool engagement ring. I don’t have a picture of the ring, but I do have a picture of the girl! By the way… the suit I am wearing in the picture was custom made in Thailand.
[img]http://hphotos-snc3.fbcdn.net/hs023.snc3/11069_231177540551_750130551_4575840_4336938_n.jpg[/img]
I love living the custom lifestyle, it’s all about being creative and standing out. I got this box made for me in Tasmania, some very talented artisans down there!
[img]http://www.erictoczko.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/photo.jpg[/img]
My wife was looking through a popular home furniture catalog and picked out a high back bench for our mud room. Something to hang the kids coats and put hats and mittens in. I took a ride to the retail outlet to have a look and needless to say, I wasn’t impressed with the actual piece. A stapled and glued box of laminated pressed board for a price they should be ashamed to be asking. Not to mention, it would have to sit away from the wall because of the baseboard heat at the floor. So, I cut the photo out, stuck it in my wallet and went to my local lumber yard and then to Rockler for the hardware and a few special router bits. One nice weekend and I had something to be proud of, my wife had her bench and one of the kids will one day have it for their kids to put their hats and mittens in. I’m am not a professional, just a weekend woodworker who enjoys wood and I’ve become a fan of the talent shown here at CustomMade.com. If you want things to last and fit your life, it needs to made from quality materials and care.[img]www.keepsafeco.com/images/DSCF6903.JPG[/img]
My wife was looking through a popular home furniture catalog and picked out a high back bench for our mud room. Something to hang the kids coats and put hats and mittens in. I took a ride to the retail outlet to have a look and needless to say, I wasn’t impressed with the actual piece. A stapled and glued box of laminated pressed board for a price they should be ashamed to be asking. Not to mention, it would have to sit away from the wall because of the baseboard heat at the floor. So, I cut the photo out, stuck it in my wallet and went to my local lumber yard and then to Rockler for the hardware and a few special router bits. One nice weekend and I had something to be proud of, my wife had her bench and one of the kids will one day have it for their kids to put their hats and mittens in. I’m am not a professional, just a weekend woodworker who enjoys wood and I’ve become a fan of the talent shown here at CustomMade.com. If you want things to last and fit your life, it needs to made from quality materials and care.
[img]http://keepsafeco.com/images/DSCF6903.JPG[/img]