Check Out Butch Kasubick’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Butch Kasubick.

Hi Butch, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My father taught me woodworking when I was a young man. We spent many hours in his shop together, building various wood projects. We crafted everything from a 16-foot John boat to jewelry boxes. My dad taught me the love of woodworking. Butch’s Building Blocks was started in my garage. This is where I created my YouTube channel (Butch’s Building Blocks) to help others learn how to make beautiful wooden projects. I was a vendor in several fairs and started selling my wooden projects. As my business grew, I purchased more equipment to keep up with the demand for my “Functional Kitchen Art”. Functional Kitchen Art refers to the fact that all the projects that I make are beautiful, but are still usable for their intended purpose. Why have a plain cutting board when you can have one that makes you smile as you use it? Even with a large dust collector, sawdust was creeping into my house and space was limited. The best solution to the dust and not enough space was to convert my barn into a 875-square-foot shop. I now have the equipment and space to make any kind of wooden project, from Kitchen tables to jewelry boxes.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Working a full-time job and then coming home and working until 11:00 PM in my shop was not easy. My weekends were full of family functions, and again, it was late-night woodworking.

As projects grew in size, my equipment needed to grow in size and power. Many pieces of equipment cost several thousand dollars to buy. Juggling everyday living expenses and purchasing new equipment often put a strain on family finances.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I have had many professions. I have served our country in the armed forces. I was a stockbroker for several years. I went back to school and earned a BS in chemistry and an MS in engineering, then worked in pharmaceuticals for 18 years. I then returned to school and earned an MEd in education to teach in Fort Collins for many years.

I rescued many abused horses and rehabilitated them to give them a second chance at life. Many of these horses I rode in the wilderness as a volunteer for Poudre Wilderness Volunteers. When in the wilderness, I am passionate about fly fishing, horseback camping, and enjoying everything Colorado has to offer us.

Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
Many people are very good at what they do; however, most of them are not good teachers. You may need to work with several people before you find one that is a good fit for your learning style. It is not unusual to work under several mentors before you find the one who will guide and teach you best.

Networking is just a matter of putting yourself out there every chance you get. Never turn down an opportunity to talk to someone about what you can do. Every person that you contact will move you closer to talking to people who could help you.

Pricing:

• Pricing is based on your time to creat the project
• The more intracate the pattern will cause price to increase
• Using exotic woods increases pricing
• Size of the project increases pricing

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.butchsbuildingblocks.com/
• Youtube: Butch’s Building Blocks

Image Credits
All photos were taken by me.