Jim Tolpin's Guide to Becoming a Professional Cabi (Popular Woodworking) [Paperback]

Jim Tolpin (Author)

Book Description

Series: Popular Woodworking | Publication Date: October 1, 2005

Who hasn't dreamed of doing what they love as their job? This author did just that by turning his cabinetmaking hobby into a lucrative, full-time profession. And this book shows other woodworkers how to do the same in Jim Tolpin's Guide to Becoming a Professional Cabinetmaker. He provides readers with: Proven strategies for working with clients, saving on costs and improving profit margins; All the business forms needed, including a job estimating template and a sample client contract; Illustrated tips on laying out an organized workshop, guaranteed to improve work flow; Streamlined directions for doing what cabinetmakers really love: building amazing cabinets

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Jim Tolpin has been a custom cabinetmaker since 1969. He's written several woodworking books, including Table Saw Magic.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Popular Woodworking Books (October 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558707530
• ISBN-13: 978-1558707535
• Product Dimensions: 11.1 x 8.5 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #865,658 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Properly titled, October 19, 2007

By 

petrock - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Jim Tolpin's Guide to Becoming a Professional Cabi (Popular Woodworking) (Paperback)

The book is about managing a cabinet making and installation job. It contains solid shop and job site tips from a salient and obviously experienced author. It does contain some construction guides but they are very basic and not the focus of the book. Jim did author another book regarding cabinet construction which I do have and highly recommend.

In closing, I used the advise of the text to fit a sample cabinet set up for a corner of my hobby shop. Tops and bottoms for about 8 feet of total counter length. Used story sticks and Jim's layout advise. The stick is a great method for translating positions from the wall to the ply sheets. The ceilings and floors of the shop are uneven there and it allowed me to test Jim's cabinet fitting advise during the install. Some of the generic forms in the book were also very helpful. everything is square plumb and tight and nice to the eye.

Those were my first cabinets made ( attempting a glue-up counter now also ). The wife likes them, so maybe I accomplished something. Need more pine and poplar to practice. I have no expectations that I will be competing with any of the home improvement stores or established cabinet shops. My brother and I on occasion will renovate and resell homes therefore remodeling a kitchen for cost is a priceless skill and will help our margins. Thanks Jim.

8 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars can you do what you like?, May 16, 2007

By 

B. Roon "conscious" (colorado mountains) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Jim Tolpin's Guide to Becoming a Professional Cabi (Popular Woodworking) (Paperback)

many people who love to work wood decide to do it for a living, and this book covers the basics. as far as this type of cabinetmaking book goes, it is pretty good. for most of us, the cabinets are not the issue. the problem is that suddenly we have to know taxes, paperwork, marketing, some law, personnel management, etc.

where all these books fall short is in the stuff we don't want to do: set up a business plan in depth. why are you different from the guy down the street who is making boxes too? why are you better, where is your weakness? any book can tell you how to make a face frame cabinet or euro cabinet, but what about the other aspects you will have to know?

again, it is a book of value, and better than the others of this genre i have read, but check it out and go from there.

5.0 out of 5 stars An updated version, June 27, 2010

By 

Thomas( Doc Savage 45) (St. James, MN United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

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This review is from: Jim Tolpin's Guide to Becoming a Professional Cabi (Popular Woodworking) (Paperback)

Excellent book by Mr. Tobin. Wish I had read the practical information he gives when I first became inspired. It would have made my woodworking journey less painful.

He said one thing in his earlier version of this text which has been updated and is more now current. I am paraphrasing.."If there is no place to put it don't build it." good advice for guys who save everything then have no shop space to work?

Helps to organize and simplify?