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# FAQ

Below you will find a list of Frequently Asked Questions that relate to Offerman Woodshop. If you don’t find an answer to your question below, please contact us and we’ll do our best to answer you in a prompt manner.

- Sales & Shipping
- Product Care
- Nick Related
- General Questions

## Sales & Shipping

If I buy a Product from the store, when will it be delivered?
  Every wooden product in the Offerman Woodshop Store is made by hand and at times made to order. We ship these items within one week of receiving the order (unless the product is listed as being on backorder OR lead time on product page states otherwise). We always ship via Priority Mail, which takes 2-3 business days for Domestic shipping. You should receive your USA domestic order within 7-10 days, though it often arrives earlier. International Customers please allow 12-14 days for delivery. Due to customs we cannot guarantee delivery by a certain date.
I just bought my product but don’t see any tracking number, will I get one?
  Yes you will receive a tracking number when the order ships . If you have not received a tracking number, then your order has not shipped yet, or the tracking number went to your spam folder. The shipment notification email will be sent from [email protected] and will have the subject title: “Your recent Offerman Woodshop Order #XXXX has been Shipped!”
Who do you ship with?
  We ship with USPS Priority Mail.
Why can’t I choose my shipping type?
  We have chosen the most affordable and reliable shipping method for our business needs.
Will my product be insured?
  We only insure orders that are over $100 in total and have a US Domestic address. This cost is absorbed into your original shipping fee.
I’m ordering from outside the USA, will I be charged extra?
  Import duties, taxes, and charges are not included in the item price or shipping cost. These charges are your responsibility. Please check with your country’s customs office to determine what these additional costs will be prior to making your purchase.

Are customs taxes included in my shipping charges? UK customers where is my package?
  No – We are not responsible for any country’s customs taxes and fees, nor are they incorporated in any way to the shipping costs. Please take this issue up with your government. UK customers can track their packages on Parcelforce.com. Contact them directly to resolve customs fees and package collection, it is the customer’s responsibility to follow up on these matters.
The Webstore Shipping Calculator says that it can’t ship to my address, what should I do?
  Check to see if the address has been input correctly, or try an alternate address (your work, instead of home, for example). If you still have a problem, contact us and we can investigate it further.
Can I get something ‘Extra Special” customized on my product?
  We will consider any such requests for extra special customizations. Please contact us with the specifics of your request and we’ll try to work it out.
Can I exchange or return my item??
  Please email [email protected] for exchange and return inquiries, please include your order number in the request. You have 30 days from receiving your item to resolve any return/exchange issues. Customized merchandise is final sale.
I am in a hurry to get the product – can I get an Express shipping service?
  If you really truly need something in a hurry then please contact us in advance and we’ll consider it. Generally speaking the shipping cost will at least double for us to send something Priority Express and we are not always able to respond to your needs in such a manner.
My product has a slight imperfection; is this refundable, or just part of the whole “handmade craft” thing?
  One of our primary attractions in making hand-made wooden products is the charming idiosyncrasies inherent in working with a medium (trees) that is always changing. No single piece of wood looks like any other, and as such they are all perfectly imperfect! Likewise with our branding of Custom initials, and the OWS Logos, we do all of this with our own hands, and as such imperfections are built-in to our aesthetic. So the answer is yes – it’s a part of the whole hand-made craft thing. The world has many other avenues available to procure something that looks exactly like it does in the catalog, but fortunately our shop is not one of those avenues.
You used to sell another product (Cribbage Board, Bird House etc.) can I still buy one?
  When an item is discontinued, it is no longer made and no longer available for order. If we decide to bring a product back for sale in the store we will promote it through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and through our OWS Newsletter.
Do you ever have a Sale?
  YES! The best way to keep abreast of our sales and specials is to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram or subscribe the OWS Newsletter.
Can I get a Discount Coupon?
  We may use coupons in the future and again, the best way to keep abreast of our sales and specials is to follow us on Facebook,Twitter, Instagram or subscribe to our OWS Newsletter.
Can I buy a Gift Certificate?
  Yes! Please see our Lucky Offerman Gift Cards

## Product Care

How do I take care of my cutting board/meat paddle?
  While your new wooden cutting surface will inevitably take some nicks and stains, we recommend oiling a couple times a year with any food safe oil–our favorite is BioShield herbal oil. And, of course, never soak a wooden cutting board or put it through the dishwasher.
How do I take care of my apron/carpenter’s pouch?
  Replenish the oils in the leather patch prior to it drying out completely. A well conditioned leather patch will be less likely to change when it gets wet.

## Nick-Related

Is it possible for me to buy something actually hand-made by Nick Offerman?
  Nick is currently busy with a lot of different projects. Unfortunately this means that he doesn’t have the time to make products for sale through the webstore.
If I buy Nick’s Autographed book, can Nick address it to me?
  The books are autographed by Nick, but it is not possible for him to personalize them to you, or your friend/relative.
Can I get my OWS product signed by Nick?
  Unfortunately this is also not an option. You can however get some products customized with initials of your liking.
I saw that Nick is making Ukuleles. Can I buy one?
  It is true that Nick is in the process of prototyping an Offerman Woodshop Ukulele. They are currently not for sale, and we are not taking advanced orders. When they do become an official OWS product, then we will be sure to promote them through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and via our OWS Newsletter.

## General Questions

Can I come to visit the Shop and say hello?
  Due to safety and liability issues, we cannot have people dropping in to say hello.
I live in Los Angeles, can I just drive over to buy something at OWS and save on postage?
  The same liability issues prohibit us from selling anything directly at the shop.
Do you offer shop tours?
  We do not offer tours of the Offerman Woodshop, but we highly recommend these fine Los Angeles establishments that do (in fact, you will probably run into many of us there, ditching work to ogle at the majestic wooden craft-stuffs).
  - The Gamble House
  - Sam Maloof House
Do you have a Furniture Showroom?
  We don’t have a Furniture Showroom, as all of our projects are one-off commissions. However, you can see our furniture portfolio here, or peruse our web store for smaller items.
Can I buy one of your enormous Slabs?
  If you are interested in buying (or ogling) at slabs, you can peruse our official Offerman Woodshop Slab Inventory here.
Can you teach me woodworking?
  Members of the Offerman Woodshop do offer educational opportunities through workshops held at Allied Woodshop in downtown Los Angeles. You can check out our their upcoming workshops here.
Where can I go to learn more about Woodworking?
  If you are local, we recommend the workshops held at Allied Woodshop in downtown Los Angeles, the woodworking program at Cerritos College, the wood program at CSULB School of Art, Side Street Projects, & Community Woodshop.

  We also highly recommend the more extensive programs at the College of the Redwoods and the North Bennet St School.

  Some books we love are Tage Frid Teaches Woodworking, Soul of a Tree by George Nakashima, and The Impractical Cabinetmaker by James Krenov. We subscribe to Fine Woodworking Magazine and use their archives & articles frequently.

  Read the full Offerman Woodshop Reading List here.