Another Year in the Workshop – What 2025 Taught Me About Woodturning and Running a Small Craft Business

The end of the year always slows me down a little and gives me space to look back at what actually happened in the workshop and the business. 2025 didn’t go the way I expected in some areas, but it still turned into a year of steady progress. A lot changed quietly behind the scenes. Some improvements were obvious, and others were the kind you only notice after months of work.

It wasn’t a year of big dramatic moments. It was a year of shaping things properly again, the workshop layout, the website & new blog sites, the classes, and the direction of the business as a whole.

A lot of that thinking ties back to why I still believe woodturning is more than just making objects, it’s a process that teaches patience and focus over time.

What Surprised Me This Year

Every year brings a few surprises. Sometimes it’s the grain of a rough turned bowl that stops me in my tracks as I clean away the drying process stained exterior and reveal gorgeous patterns underneath.

Other times it’s a new student who picks up a technique faster than they realise. This year, the big surprise was how much time I ended up spending on the website side of the business. I expected to spend more time at the lathe, but instead I found myself deep into improving listings, tidying up older pages, reorganising categories, rebuilding pages and formats, and making the whole thing easier for people to navigate.

I thought I was finished with major website redesigns, but while researching posts for my new David Condon Finds blog I realised there were better ways to present my pages. Several areas needed a fresh approach, so I made the changes. It was very time consuming with little to show externally.

It wasn’t glamorous work, but it has paid off months later. Craft supplies, in particular, have really taken off in the last couple of months. That shift in website thought processes also pushed me to start writing more practical posts aimed at beginners and students, covering things many people only learn through trial and error. Amazing how completely different topics spark creativity and new thinking in one another.

It’s encouraging to see that the hours spent rewriting and reshaping the store are actually connecting with people who need the products. I also started posting new blog posts after an extended break, aiming more towards students and addressing issues many woodturners don't know or don't realise.

The Highs of Teaching

Teaching was again one of the highlights of 2025 although slightly quieter and shorter than the previous year. No matter how many sessions I run, there is still something great about showing someone how to make their first clean cut or watching them step back from the lathe with a finished piece and say, “I actually made that.”

I also learn a lot from the people who come through the workshop. Every student brings their own background and their own way of thinking, and that keeps me on my toes. Some are complete beginners, some have machines at home already, and others are trying woodturning after years of thinking about it. Those conversations and those shared moments at the lathe always remind me why I enjoy teaching.

I used these prior sessions to revise some of my teaching practices and improve some aspects of classes which weren't lacking but could have benefitted from a more polished direction. For anyone curious about what a session is actually like, I’ve tried to explain it properly rather than dress it up in my post Your First Woodturning Tuition Class: What to Expect.

A Better Workflow in the Workshop

I made a few changes this year to how the workshop is laid out, and it has made a big difference. I wanted a safer, more comfortable and more open layout for both teaching and production, and that meant rethinking a few areas. Safety and space matter more than most people realise when they’re starting out. I have more to do but I'm on the right track now once again.

I cleared out old structures, removed things that had served their purpose for getting my business started, and reshaped the space so students could move more freely and work with more confidence.

Its starting to feel more like the workshop I always pictured in my head. I can’t wait to get back into it properly after the Christmas break and start making again.

Why Woodturning Still Matters to Me

It’s easy to get caught up in the business side of things, especially when you run everything yourself. But when I’m standing at the lathe with a piece of Ash or Beech, nothing else matters for a while. That quiet focus, that feeling of watching shavings curl away from the gouge, is still the reason I do this.

Even on the tougher days, I still love the craft. I love the wood, I love the tools, and I love that moment when a shape finally comes together the way I pictured it. There’s something grounding about it, and no amount of screen time or admin can ever replace it. It’s also why I still believe mindset matters just as much as tools or technique.

And honestly, I often wish my starting-off self had known what was possible with enough time, patience and practice. If I’d understood how far I’d eventually come, I think I would’ve pushed even harder in those early years and maybe spent a bit more to get the right equipment right from the start. But that’s the beauty of woodturning — you grow with it, and it grows with you.

Looking Ahead to 2026

Next year will be a fresh start in a lot of ways. I’ll have a renewed workshop layout, new classes available, and I’m looking forward to getting stuck into my newly organised wood store and finding some pieces to make. I plan on expanding my range of small products and finally finishing my bowl stock, some of which have been around since I started my business.

The plan is simple. Make more. Teach more. Keep improving the website. And hopefully keep meeting more people who are as interested in woodturning as I am.

Thanks for being part of the journey this year. I hope you have a peaceful Christmas, and I look forward to getting back into the workshop properly in January.

Thanks for Reading,

David

About the Author

I’m David Condon, a woodturner and small business owner based in Tralee, Co. Kerry. I’ve been working with wood for most of my life at this stage — 11 years as a carpenter and over a decade running my own woodturning business.

Over the years, I’ve learned that woodturning is as much about patience and problem-solving as it is about tools and technique. I work mainly with Irish hardwoods, teach woodturning full-time, and spend most days learning something new in the workshop myself. On this site, I share the same practical knowledge I pass on to my students, shaped by experience, mistakes, and time spent at the lathe.

© David Condon Woodcraft – All Rights Reserved.

☕ Buy Me a Coffee?

I used to run ads on my website to generate a small income, but they slowed things down and didn’t fit the feel of what I’m building here. So, I’ve removed them in favor of something simpler and more personal—a “Buy Me a Coffee” button.

If you found this post interesting, helpful, or simply enjoyable, feel free to use the link below to show your support. No pressure at all—but every little bit helps, and it’s always genuinely appreciated. As a small independent maker, I rely on a mix of teaching, crafting, and sharing to keep things going. This is just one way to help keep the shavings flying. Thanks so much!

More Woodturning Pages to Explore​

● Hampshire Sheen - Fine Finishing products that will highlight your project pieces

● Hamlet Tools - Fantastic Woodturning Tools from a well trusted brand

● Sanding Essentials - Essential sanding products for Woodturners & Woodworkers.

● Woodturning Blanks - A fine range of Hardwood Spindle Blanks & a few Bowl Blanks too!

● Woodturning Pen Blanks - A huge assortment of Acrylic & Irish Hardwood Pen Blanks.

● Crafter's Haven – A vast range of craft supplies for crafters and gift givers!

Original content © David Condon Woodcraft — Written by David Condon. Please credit and link if shared.