Culinary & hands-on workshops
Books and taxes for woodturning and woodworking classes.
Class tickets, custom furniture deposits, hardwood costs that vary by species, and bowls sold at the fair. Gus sorts it all, an accountant checks every transaction, and you get one number a month.
- From $197 a month
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever
May came in at $13,000. The custom dining table deposit from the Hails is tagged to that piece, not counted as income until the table is actually finished.
- Custom furniture deposit, HailCustom commissions
- Craft fair sales, bowlsRetail sales
- Hardwood lumber orderLumber and wood stock
- Sawdust disposal serviceShop waste disposal
- Finish and lacquer orderFinishing supplies
Why your books are different
Woodturning and woodworking books go wrong in the same four places.
A generalist sees lumber buys and class tickets. Your business is custom commissions paid for months before they ship, hardwood species that cost wildly different amounts, finished pieces sold at fairs next to class seats, and a steady sawdust hauling bill. When the books do not separate those, pricing gets guessed.
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1
Custom commission deposits get counted as income too early
A custom dining table commission often takes two or three months to build, but the deposit gets paid the day it is booked. Counted as income right away, a slow month of shop work can look flush with money for a piece that is not finished yet.
What we doKeeps custom commission deposits tagged to the piece they are for, so income lines up with the work as it actually gets built. -
2
Hardwood species cost wildly different amounts per board foot
Walnut, cherry, and figured maple can cost several times what pine or poplar runs per board foot, and a bowl or table built from a premium species needs a very different price than one built from construction lumber. Lumped into one lumber line, pricing gets guessed.
What we doKeeps lumber spend visible by the species and project it went to, so pricing reflects what the wood actually cost. -
3
Finished pieces sold at fairs blur with class revenue
A hand-turned bowl or a finished cutting board sold at a craft fair booth is a different sale than a class seat, but rung up through the same card reader they often land in one lump line, hiding what retail work actually contributes.
What we doKeeps retail sales of finished pieces separate from class tickets, so you see what each side of the business brings in. -
4
A new lathe or dust collector gets filed as a supply
A quality lathe, a cabinet table saw, or a dust collection system can cost thousands and gets used for years, but bought alongside sandpaper and glue it often gets filed as one more shop supply instead of the equipment purchase it is.
What we doFlags big equipment buys the day they show up, logs them as equipment, and gets the accountant's call on how to write them off. -
5
Sawdust disposal gets buried in general expenses
A busy shop generates a steady, recurring cost hauling away sawdust and scrap, and lumped in with general supplies, that recurring expense is easy to lose track of against what the shop actually produces.
What we doKeeps shop waste disposal in its own line, so you can see it as a steady cost of running the shop.
Your categories
The categories Gus keeps for a woodworking business.
Set up once for how you get paid and what you spend. You never pick a category. He does, and an accountant checks it.
Money in
- Class ticket salesOpen enrollment turning and woodworking sessions, paid at booking.
- Custom commissionsFurniture and turned pieces built to order, paid by deposit and a final balance.
- Retail sales of finished piecesBowls, cutting boards, and small furniture sold at fairs or from the shop.
- Private and group bookingsTeam-building groups and scout troops, booked by deposit.
- Membership or open-shop feesRecurring access fees for members who use shop equipment outside of class time.
Money out
- Lumber and wood stockHardwood species like walnut, cherry, and maple from a lumber supplier.
- Finishing suppliesLacquer, oil, stain, and wax.
- Sandpaper and consumablesSandpaper, glue, and lathe tooling.
- Shop waste disposalSawdust and scrap hauling.
- Shop rent and utilitiesStudio lease and electric for saws, lathes, and dust collection.
- Booking and payment feesEventbrite and card processing fees.
- MarketingLocal ads, craft fair booth fees, and class photography.
What we watch for you
- Cost per class
Lumber and consumable cost against the ticket price, so you know which classes pay.
- Commission margin
What a custom piece nets after lumber, finish, and hours, so quotes keep up with wood costs.
- Retail versus class share
How much of the month came from selling finished pieces against teaching.
- The set-aside
What you will owe, tracked every month, so tax season is not a surprise.
Ask Gus
Things woodturning and woodworking owners ask Gus.
Text him like you would text anybody. He answers in plain English, and when a question is above his pay grade, an accountant looks and gets back to you.
I tag it to the piece it is for, so it does not show up as earned income until the work is actually done.
Yes. I keep lumber spend visible by species and project, so you can see what the wood actually cost against what you charged.
Usually yes. I logged it as equipment, not supplies, and flagged it so the accountant makes the call with your whole year in view.
The tax side
The tax side of a woodworking business.
Most of what goes wrong here is timing and labels. A custom commission deposit booked too early, and equipment filed the wrong way.
What your return has to get right
Your accountant signs it, so it gets done right the first time.
- Lumber and material cost of goodsLumber, finish, and hardware used directly in what you sell are cost of goods, the direct cost tracked against each sale, not a general supply expense.
- Equipment write-offsLathes, table saws, and dust collection systems can usually be written off the year you buy them. Bonus depreciation is 100 percent for property acquired after January 19, 2025.
- Contractor 1099sA guest instructor or booth helper not on payroll gets a 1099-NEC if you pay them $2,000 or more in 2026, due January 31.
- The pass-through deductionMost owner-operators can take up to 20 percent of business profit off their taxable income. It comes out right when the books are right all year.
Deductions woodturning and woodworking classes miss
Your bookkeeper knows what to look for in your statements. You never have to.
- Hardwood lumber stock
- Lacquer, oil, and stain
- Sandpaper and lathe tooling
- Glue and hardware
- Sawdust and waste disposal
- Craft fair booth fees
- Eventbrite and booking fees
- Shop rent and utilities
- Liability insurance
- Class photography
- Dust masks and safety gear
- Cleaning and shop supplies
General information about 2026 federal rules, not advice for your business. Your accountant looks at your actual numbers before anything gets filed.
All year, not just April
A woodworking year, kept every month.
Fair season runs hot and custom orders run steady into the holidays. Your team keeps you ahead of both, and ahead of taxes too. Every month in between, your bookkeeper closes the books and speaks up the moment something looks off.
- January
Plan the year
Last year's return gets started, the guest instructor 1099 list is finalized, and you get a monthly set-aside so April is already handled.
- April
Filed. Done.
Your return is filed and signed. No surprise bill this spring, because the set-aside has been building since January.
- July
Fair season
Craft fairs and outdoor markets run heavy through summer. Gus keeps retail sales and class tickets sorted while the booth stays busy.
- October
Custom orders for the holidays
Custom furniture and gift commissions pick up before December. Gus keeps deposits tagged to each piece so income lines up with the work.
What you get
What you pay depends on what your business needs, and it does not move after that, busy season or slow. No hourly bills, no surprise invoices, no setup fee.
Book a call- Monthly bookkeeping
Every transaction sorted into categories set up for woodturning and woodworking classes. You never categorize a thing.
- An accountant checks every transaction
Real review, every month, before your books close. Not a spot check.
- Your business tax return, filed
Prepared, reviewed, and signed by that same accountant every year.
- The monthly number
What you made, what you spent, what to set aside for taxes.
- Your own bookkeeper
A real person assigned to your business, in the app whenever you need them. No hold music.
- On your books all year
Every month, not just in April. Your team speaks up whenever something is worth your attention.
- Cancel any time
No contract. No cancellation call. Your books are yours.
Straight answers
Questions woodturning and woodworking owners ask first.
A custom commission takes months to finish but the deposit lands right away. How does that work in the books?
Gus ties the deposit to the piece it is for, so it does not count as earned income until the work is actually finished.
We sell bowls and cutting boards at craft fairs. Does that count differently than class income?
Yes. Gus keeps retail sales of finished pieces separate from class tickets, so you can see what each side of the business brings in.
Walnut and cherry cost a lot more than the wood we use for beginner classes. Can Gus track that?
Yes. He keeps lumber spend visible by species and project, so pricing reflects what the wood actually cost.
Do I need a 1099 for a guest instructor who taught one weekend class?
If you paid him $2,000 or more this year and he is not on payroll, yes, by January 31. Gus keeps that list running all year.
We just bought a new lathe. Can we write it off?
Usually yes, often in the year you buy it. Gus flags the purchase as equipment and the accountant decides how to write it off with your whole year in view.
Our books are a year behind. Is that a problem?
No. Send the bank statements you have. Gus sorts them, the accountant checks them, and most owners know where they stand inside a week.
Is a real accountant checking my books?
Yes. You get your own bookkeeper, Gus does the first pass on every transaction, and an accountant checks every one before your month closes. That same accountant prepares, signs, and files your business return. Goatkeeper is not a CPA firm, and we never pretend a person looked when they did not.
What does it cost, and can I cancel?
It starts at $197 a month, depending on what your business needs. No setup fee, no hourly bills, no contract. Cancel any time from the app, and your books go with you.
More in culinary & hands-on workshops
We keep books for the business next door too.
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What makes a bookkeeper worth paying for Every business we keep books for
Book a call
Pick a time. That's the whole signup.
Fifteen minutes with a real person on our team. They look at where your books are, tell you straight what it takes to get caught up, and get you set up on the spot if it fits.
- $197 a month to start
- An accountant on every transaction
- Cancel whenever