What kind of money will people pay you for your works?
In another thread about cutting boards it was said that the cool
cutting boards sold well. It made me wonder at what price?
What have you sold lately and how did you decide on the price?
I wonder how prices trend. Higher in big cities, etc., etc.
Lower in places where there is a higher concentration of woodworkers.
Sonny <[email protected]> wrote:
> On Wednesday, December 24, 2014 4:58:16 PM UTC-6, Swingman wrote:
>
>> Besides a fiddle in the band, in Texas you gottta cover all bases.
>>
>> Played in a Texas Swing band with half these guys when playing in South
>> Central and West Texas:
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oC5JK537ZM&list=UUGRqzwROXKuwmgZWgy5Ufqg
>>
>> And four of us, plus a chick singer, as a BG band when playing in East
>> Texas:
>>
>> https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopJustStuff?noredirect=1#6096540884647896722
>>
>> And, what I love about Sirius XM radio in the truck: Bluegrass Junction...
>
> Dang! I had you (and Leon) pegged wrong. I had imagined this working
> garage scenario for you two:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clk4G5EF4AY
>
> Sonny
We thought you was a Toad! LOL
On Wednesday, December 24, 2014 4:58:16 PM UTC-6, Swingman wrote:
> Besides a fiddle in the band, in Texas you gottta cover all bases.
>
> Played in a Texas Swing band with half these guys when playing in South
> Central and West Texas:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oC5JK537ZM&list=UUGRqzwROXKuwmgZWgy5Ufqg
>
> And four of us, plus a chick singer, as a BG band when playing in East
> Texas:
>
> https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopJustStuff?noredirect=1#6096540884647896722
>
> And, what I love about Sirius XM radio in the truck: Bluegrass Junction...
Dang! I had you (and Leon) pegged wrong. I had imagined this working garage scenario for you two:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clk4G5EF4AY
Sonny
On Saturday, December 20, 2014 11:53:07 AM UTC-6, Electric Comet wrote:
> What kind of money will people pay you for your works?
>=20
> In another thread about cutting boards it was said that the cool
> cutting boards sold well. It made me wonder at what price?
>=20
> What have you sold lately and how did you decide on the price?=20
>=20
>=20
> I wonder how prices trend. Higher in big cities, etc., etc.
> Lower in places where there is a higher concentration of woodworkers.
The easiest way to figure out "what to charge" <<IF YOU WANT TO MAKE MONEY>=
> is to determine the value of your product on the market. Got to some cra=
ft shows and woodworking shows if you have them in your areas and talk to v=
endors.
That should be your start point to determine if there is a market for your =
product and give you some guidelines as to pricing. Remember all the thing=
s you should put in there like the cost of getting material in your hands, =
not just the purchase price. Remember consumables such as sandpaper, finis=
hes, paint, odd hardware, and costs such as electricity, cost to get your g=
ood to market (not just the price of the table) and all the other things yo=
u need. Don't forget some kind of rudimentary business card, cost of lunch=
at the venue, and any additional costs of adding your additional bookkeepi=
ng and tax prep to your annual income.
I had a smokin' business around 2000 making wooden pens. I had a great lin=
e on the hardware and had a ton of ebony, teac, cocobolo, zircote, bocote, =
etc. that I got from an exotic wood distributor here in town. He brought a =
lot of that stuff in, and the wood he wold me was basically sawed from much=
large pieces that were broken and split in his load. I only made the clas=
sic Scheafer and Pellican models from the turn of the last century.
I made some good money for about 4 years doing that, then they were everywh=
ere and the price collapsed. Even the Boy Scouts were turning them as fund=
raisers The point being, pricing is market driven.
A good friend of mine had the same thing happen to him when he was making d=
esk humidors.
Most of the reason my market collapsed is as noted above, I no longer had a=
nything close to an exclusive product. Worse, almost all the guys I met at=
the county fairs, wood working shows, exhibitions, etc. told me (after bei=
ng stunned at their low pricing) they didn't care if they made money or not=
, they were just having fun. It was a hobby their wives tolerated. That w=
hole mentality swallowed up all my turned Christmas ornaments, lamp pulls, =
oil lamps, desk pen sets, etc.
Still, I would encourage you to do it. If you find the right product, you c=
an make some money and have some fun. =20
Robert
On Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:33:59 -0500, Ed Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
>On 12/20/2014 12:52 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
>> What kind of money will people pay you for your works?
>>
>> In another thread about cutting boards it was said that the cool
>> cutting boards sold well. It made me wonder at what price?
>>
>> What have you sold lately and how did you decide on the price?
>>
>>
>> I wonder how prices trend. Higher in big cities, etc., etc.
>> Lower in places where there is a higher concentration of woodworkers.
>>
>>
>
>My works? Most I ever got was the cost of wood. I don't do it for
>money so I refuse to take any for a hobby.
>
>No would pay what I'd want to earn.
>
>Most of the stuff I see for sale at craft shows and the like are in the
>$10 to $50 range. It seems that is the sweet spot for impulse buys.
Trying to recoup more than your costs on anything that distantly
resembles something that can be purchaced made in Japan, Korea,
Mexico, India, or VietNam is basically a fool's errand.
When I build something I do it for the satisfaction of making it
myself and knowing there is quality there that "money cannot buy"
If I give it as a gift it is to someone who appreciates that.
On Thu, 25 Dec 2014 21:52:15 -0600, Martin Eastburn
<[email protected]> wrote:
>On 12/24/2014 4:57 PM, Swingman wrote:
>> On 12/23/2014 8:43 PM, Martin Eastburn wrote:
>>
>>> East Texas has BG festivals every year - in several towns.
>>>
>>> Just without most of the Texas Swing that I like.
>>
>> Besides a fiddle in the band, in Texas you gottta cover all bases.
>>
>> Played in a Texas Swing band with half these guys when playing in South
>> Central and West Texas:
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oC5JK537ZM&list=UUGRqzwROXKuwmgZWgy5Ufqg
>>
>> And four of us, plus a chick singer, as a BG band when playing in East
>> Texas:
>>
>> https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopJustStuff?noredirect=1#6096540884647896722
>>
>>
>> And, what I love about Sirius XM radio in the truck: Bluegrass Junction...
>>
>I use Pandora myself on my cell phone. To many trees around here for
>XM to be in the car, long road trip we might sign up for it. Had it for
>a short time, Turn on the car and start to drive down the driveway and I
>hit dozens of trees that are dense (Live Oak) and then even along
>the highway into town the road has high trees shielding the southern sky.
>
>I might have to get one for the library and have it sit still - or get
>an outdoor antenna...
We have XM in my wife's car but I decided I didn't need it in my truck
(thought they keep sending "special" offers). I'd rather listen to
talk radio for the commute. There are times I'd like it but it's not
worth the money. At home (where I have wifi - 4G is to expensive) I
listen to I-Heart-Radio. I've found a few stations that are really
good. I was recently in the hospital for 9 days and used it for
background at night. Didn't sleep more than a couple of hours a night
so listening to music was better than watching the clock go 'round.
graham wrote:
>
> I was once asked how much I would charge for a salad bowl by someone
> who
> wanted to buy one as a wedding present. I checked with a friend who
> made
> his living as a woodturner and quoted a fair price that wouldn't
> undercut him.
> Of course she was stunned with the quote; I think she thought that
> she
> could get it for peanuts.
-------------------------------------------------------
Reminds me of the people who ask, "How much is that boat?"
There is only one answer, especially if it is a Hinckley.
If you have to ask, you probably can't afford.
Lew
"Mike Marlow" <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
>
> Merry Christmas to you as well Karl,
>
> ...and all the rest of the wRec!
>
> (Just got done making a bunch of dozen of perogis with my wife. Can't
> wait for the kids to get here on Saturday now, to eat them! Too much
> work, but boy are they worth it...)
>
Merry Christmas.
I'm gonna leave that last paragraph alone... It doesn't read how you wrote
it.
Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.
[email protected] wrote in news:[email protected]:
>
> We have XM in my wife's car but I decided I didn't need it in my truck
> (thought they keep sending "special" offers). I'd rather listen to
> talk radio for the commute. There are times I'd like it but it's not
> worth the money. At home (where I have wifi - 4G is to expensive) I
> listen to I-Heart-Radio. I've found a few stations that are really
> good. I was recently in the hospital for 9 days and used it for
> background at night. Didn't sleep more than a couple of hours a night
> so listening to music was better than watching the clock go 'round.
I got bored with the Sirius/XM stations after a few months. We had it as
part of Dish's satellite package, and I had it on all the time like a
radio. I'm apparently not in their demographic aim.
My solution is to build a music library (from CDs, I refuse "soft
ownership" like MP3 downloads) and put it on my phone. The van supports
audio over bluetooth (whatever that profile is called ?A2D2?) which means
any time I'm in the van the music plays. I get stuff I like, and don't
have to keep listening to a station that's more about talking than music.
Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.
Bill <[email protected]> wrote in
news:[email protected]:
> Puckdropper wrote:
>> [email protected] wrote in
>> news:[email protected]:
>>
>>> We have XM in my wife's car but I decided I didn't need it in my
>>> truck (thought they keep sending "special" offers). I'd rather
>>> listen to talk radio for the commute. There are times I'd like it
>>> but it's not worth the money. At home (where I have wifi - 4G is to
>>> expensive) I listen to I-Heart-Radio. I've found a few stations that
>>> are really good. I was recently in the hospital for 9 days and used
>>> it for background at night. Didn't sleep more than a couple of
>>> hours a night so listening to music was better than watching the
>>> clock go 'round.
>> I got bored with the Sirius/XM stations after a few months. We had
>> it as part of Dish's satellite package, and I had it on all the time
>> like a radio. I'm apparently not in their demographic aim.
>>
>> My solution is to build a music library (from CDs, I refuse "soft
>> ownership" like MP3 downloads)
>
> What's the difference? As soon as I buy a CD I dump it onto
> my
> computer. With the appropriate software tools,
> you can burn it back to a CD for your car if you want.
>
>
I don't trust "trust us, we'll make your purchased license always
available". If I've got the professionally made CD, then rebuilding a
lost digital collection (as unlikely as that is) is possible even if the
company I purchased the CD from is gone.
Plus, if I ever decide I don't like a CD (want a copy of Brian Wilson's
Smile?), I can sell the CD later.
Puckdropper
--
Make it to fit, don't make it fit.
On Monday, December 22, 2014 8:14:32 PM UTC-6, G. Ross wrote:
> Sorry, Sonny. I'll stick with Hawaiian or bluegrass instrumental.
> =1D GW Ross =1D
I got a chuckle from that. I knew someone would "object", that way. Actua=
lly, I like a variety of music and I'm more in tune with C&W, Cajun French,=
60's & 70s R&R, than with those soundtrack instrumentals.
During the school year I spent in Idaho, there were lots of bluegrass fans,=
listening to the BG radio station, there. I do appreciate BG. We don't h=
ave a BG radio station here in S. Louisiana, but I do have the Pandora conn=
ection. Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to reconnect with BG.... and th=
ose school-time memories.
Sonny
On 12/27/2014 9:09 AM, [email protected] wrote:
> We have XM in my wife's car but I decided I didn't need it in my truck
> (thought they keep sending "special" offers). I'd rather listen to
> talk radio for the commute. There are times I'd like it but it's not
> worth the money.
I resisted for years, but bit the bullet with this last truck purchase,
and found that when Traveling back and forth 500 miles to AR, and being
able to stay on the station du jour the entire way without having to
continually scan for something worth listening to every 100 miles, was
worth the coffee money/month.
Particularly like the coverage, both in content (still love to listen to
Car Talk) and in location.
AAMOF, Too bad cable TV isn't more like XM radio...
--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://www.google.com/+eWoodShop
https://plus.google.com/+KarlCaillouet/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
On 12/20/2014 12:52 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
> What kind of money will people pay you for your works?
>
> In another thread about cutting boards it was said that the cool
> cutting boards sold well. It made me wonder at what price?
>
> What have you sold lately and how did you decide on the price?
>
>
> I wonder how prices trend. Higher in big cities, etc., etc.
> Lower in places where there is a higher concentration of woodworkers.
>
>
My works? Most I ever got was the cost of wood. I don't do it for
money so I refuse to take any for a hobby.
No would pay what I'd want to earn.
Most of the stuff I see for sale at craft shows and the like are in the
$10 to $50 range. It seems that is the sweet spot for impulse buys.
On Saturday, December 20, 2014 3:25:14 PM UTC-6, Leon wrote:
> As Swingman has indicated, there is money to be had when you offer=20
> something that is not main stream. =20
I agree with Karl and Leon. =20
I'm retired, also. My (mostly) high-end customers don't care if I work at=
my leisure. They know my work or they have been referred by someone who k=
nows my work. I rarely place a price on an item. I usually just accept wh=
at they offer, when they ask if I can make an item. Their offer is usually=
reasonable or fairly generous.
Recent requests: =20
*Prie dieu - $200 offered, basic/not fancy, upholstered knee & arm rests.
*Basic upright display cabinets - 6'H X 4'W, rustic/weathered, salvaged cyp=
ress, little to no finish, $1K/cabinet offered.
*Rustic garden gate (lawn decor) - salvaged cypress pickets, rusty nails, s=
alvaged/rusty strap hinges.... They want to hear the hinges creak. "$1 for =
the gate, $199 for the creaking".
*Simple 4' plank bench - $250 offered, rustic, salvaged cypress.
Sonny
On 12/24/2014 5:33 PM, Sonny wrote:
> On Wednesday, December 24, 2014 4:58:16 PM UTC-6, Swingman wrote:
>
>> Besides a fiddle in the band, in Texas you gottta cover all bases.
>>
>> Played in a Texas Swing band with half these guys when playing in South
>> Central and West Texas:
>>
>> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oC5JK537ZM&list=UUGRqzwROXKuwmgZWgy5Ufqg
>>
>> And four of us, plus a chick singer, as a BG band when playing in East
>> Texas:
>>
>> https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopJustStuff?noredirect=1#6096540884647896722
>>
>> And, what I love about Sirius XM radio in the truck: Bluegrass Junction...
>
> Dang! I had you (and Leon) pegged wrong. I had imagined this working garage scenario for you two:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clk4G5EF4AY
>
> Sonny
>
Those are the deep south boys. Soggy Bottoms.... :-)
On 20/12/2014 11:33 AM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 12/20/2014 12:52 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
>> What kind of money will people pay you for your works?
>>
>> In another thread about cutting boards it was said that the cool
>> cutting boards sold well. It made me wonder at what price?
>>
>> What have you sold lately and how did you decide on the price?
>>
>>
>> I wonder how prices trend. Higher in big cities, etc., etc.
>> Lower in places where there is a higher concentration of woodworkers.
>>
>>
>
> My works? Most I ever got was the cost of wood. I don't do it for
> money so I refuse to take any for a hobby.
>
> No would pay what I'd want to earn.
>
> Most of the stuff I see for sale at craft shows and the like are in the
> $10 to $50 range. It seems that is the sweet spot for impulse buys.
I was once asked how much I would charge for a salad bowl by someone who
wanted to buy one as a wedding present. I checked with a friend who made
his living as a woodturner and quoted a fair price that wouldn't
undercut him.
Of course she was stunned with the quote; I think she thought that she
could get it for peanuts.
Graham
On 12/28/2014 1:51 PM, Bill wrote:
>
> What's the difference? As soon as I buy a CD I dump it onto my
> computer. With the appropriate software tools,
> you can burn it back to a CD for your car if you want.
I do pretty much the same. I'll take a regular CD and burn it as MP3 or
on a flash drive for the car. It the copy gets damaged in the hot car
or gets stolen, loss is minimal.
On 12/23/2014 8:43 PM, Martin Eastburn wrote:
> East Texas has BG festivals every year - in several towns.
>
> Just without most of the Texas Swing that I like.
Besides a fiddle in the band, in Texas you gottta cover all bases.
Played in a Texas Swing band with half these guys when playing in South
Central and West Texas:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oC5JK537ZM&list=UUGRqzwROXKuwmgZWgy5Ufqg
And four of us, plus a chick singer, as a BG band when playing in East
Texas:
https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopJustStuff?noredirect=1#6096540884647896722
And, what I love about Sirius XM radio in the truck: Bluegrass Junction...
--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://www.google.com/+eWoodShop
https://plus.google.com/+KarlCaillouet/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
On 12/23/2014 11:14 AM, Sonny wrote:
> On Monday, December 22, 2014 8:14:32 PM UTC-6, G. Ross wrote:
>
>> Sorry, Sonny. I'll stick with Hawaiian or bluegrass instrumental.
>> GW Ross
>
> I got a chuckle from that. I knew someone would "object", that way. Actually, I like a variety of music and I'm more in tune with C&W, Cajun French, 60's & 70s R&R, than with those soundtrack instrumentals.
>
> During the school year I spent in Idaho, there were lots of bluegrass fans, listening to the BG radio station, there. I do appreciate BG. We don't have a BG radio station here in S. Louisiana, but I do have the Pandora connection. Thanks for the reminder, I'll have to reconnect with BG.... and those school-time memories.
>
> Sonny
>
East Texas has BG festivals every year - in several towns.
Just without most of the Texas Swing that I like.
Martin
On 20/12/2014 6:47 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On 12/20/2014 3:30 PM, graham wrote:
>
>>
>> I was once asked how much I would charge for a salad bowl by someone who
>> wanted to buy one as a wedding present. I checked with a friend who made
>> his living as a woodturner and quoted a fair price that wouldn't
>> undercut him.
>> Of course she was stunned with the quote; I think she thought that she
>> could get it for peanuts.
>> Graham
>
> You probably were over charging. After all, that big hunk of walnut is
> about the same price as a 2 x 4 stud at Home Depot and it only takes a
> few minutes to turn. The machine does all the work.
>
No effing way! Those big chunks cost a lot to replace if you depend on a
wood merchant. The machine doesn't do all the work! The skill of the
turner makes a difference. You should see some of the monstrosities that
I've seen turned out by guys with no feel for form.
> They figured you'd be cheaper than Wal Mart.
> Most people have no clue.
With that I agree! Not only in woodworking but also in my profession.
Companies with multi-million dollar budgets seem to think that I will
work for peanuts when they are depending on my considerable experience
to solve their problems. Fortunately, at my stage in life, I don't lose
any sleep if they decide to look elsewhere.
Graham
On 12/20/2014 11:52 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
> What kind of money will people pay you for your works?
>
> In another thread about cutting boards it was said that the cool
> cutting boards sold well. It made me wonder at what price?
>
> What have you sold lately and how did you decide on the price?
>
>
> I wonder how prices trend. Higher in big cities, etc., etc.
> Lower in places where there is a higher concentration of woodworkers.
>
>
As Swingman has indicated, there is money to be had when you offer
something that is not main stream. I sell quite successfully at a fair
price, for me and my customer custom designed and built furniture.
In another post today I completed a cutting board. I built them to give
as gifts, I wold sell them for $200+ if selling them. I am long retired
and could maybe make a decent living at selling my work, if I wanted to
work that hard at it, but I don't want to. What I charge way more than
pays for the high dollar equipment I buy to produce it.
Sonny wrote:
> On Monday, December 22, 2014 2:30:53 PM UTC-6, Electric Comet wrote:
>
>> Yes using french words seems to up the price.
>>
>
> Yeah, my bad. I should have used rustique, instead of rustic. And while you're buildng the items, have something like this playing in the background.
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X025OK5mfwo
>
> Good music is inspirational, often times.
>
> Sonny
Sorry, Sonny. I'll stick with Hawaiian or bluegrass instrumental.
--
GW Ross
You have two choices for dinner: Take
it or Leave it.
On Sunday, December 28, 2014 2:42:41 AM UTC-6, [email protected] wrot=
e:
> I got bored with .....
You know, all this talk about comforting one's ear, with music, no matter w=
hat the occasion.... maybe we should sing to ourselves, sing what we like, =
at the moment, and not have to worry about tuning in to the best station or=
whether the next radio song will be suitable.
>=20
> My solution is ....
On a related note: Sometimes, after creating/building a project, someone w=
ill comment that the idea, workmanship, project is unique... "How do you do=
that?" I tell them there's a secret, to that kind of woodworking, and, o=
f course, they want to know the secret. So, (looking both left & right, to=
make sure no one else is listening) I whisper in their ear, the secret:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3DgPhqTmuPFkQ
So, to solve your working or traveling musical needs, simply "sing" to your=
selves.
Sonny
On Monday, December 22, 2014 2:30:53 PM UTC-6, Electric Comet wrote:
> Yes using french words seems to up the price.
>
Yeah, my bad. I should have used rustique, instead of rustic. And while you're buildng the items, have something like this playing in the background.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X025OK5mfwo
Good music is inspirational, often times.
Sonny
On 12/20/2014 12:33 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> Most of the stuff I see for sale at craft shows and the like are in the
> $10 to $50 range. It seems that is the sweet spot for impulse buys.
There's riches in niches...
--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://www.google.com/+eWoodShop
https://plus.google.com/+KarlCaillouet/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)
On 12/20/2014 12:57 PM, [email protected] wrote:
...
> Trying to recoup more than your costs on anything that distantly
> resembles something that can be purchaced made in Japan, Korea,
> Mexico, India, or VietNam is basically a fool's errand.
...
There are quite a number of folks who specialize in the crafts markets;
some of them do so quite successfully. It takes approaching it in a
manner appropriate to the genre, though...if you take a weekend on a
"one-off" item, that doesn't cut it.
I had a good friend in E TN who make "rustic" toys, yard ornaments and
the like and made a decent living at it for years. It was "junk"
wood-working by the standards of virtually everybody here, but it sold
at a net profit in surprising volume.
To do so was, however, a job, not recreation and definitely not fine
cabinetry.
I've not been to one of the types of shows/markets he frequented in 20
yr; at that time others did pretty well with the turned pen/pencil sets
and other decorative turnings.
Others who were successful concentrated on green-stick furniture,
basket-weaving (not so much actual woodwoorking but a cellulosic raw
material) and boxes so not sure how it's evolved but I'd think probably
the same items probably do about as always did. The advent of the laser
engraver has added new niches, of course...
But, fine woodworking as a hobby and selling higher quality products is,
as noted, highly unlikely to be profitable on an 'on-spec' kinda' basis
of making something you like and then hoping it'll sell.
Guys like Brian Boggs started out sorta' that way but they worked
exceedingly diligently at their craft and turned it into a specialized
high-end business over a long period of time. I remember Brian when he
wasn't yet a name in Berea, KY. All was, of course, exceptionally fine
work but not all was successful even for him in the early going.
He's since moved to Asheville and has reinvented a business model based
around the cooperative. There's a survey article in FWW on that from a
few years ago...let's see....ah, there it is--
<http://www.finewoodworking.com/item/32471/can-brian-boggs-change-the-world-for-pro-furnituremakers>
--
On Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:02:00 -0600
Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> There's riches in niches...
This seems to be true. I've seen segmented bowls fetch a lot of money.
They require lots of skill/time/effort too.
The niche might be as simple as the selling venue. Or as complex as a
segmented tall-thin vase. Or a combination. (^;
On Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:33:59 -0500
Ed Pawlowski <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Most of the stuff I see for sale at craft shows and the like are in
> the $10 to $50 range. It seems that is the sweet spot for impulse
> buys.
That seems reasonable for craft-festival-fair-faire-flea-market-swap-meet
show audience (or demographics).
On Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:57:58 -0500
[email protected] wrote:
> Trying to recoup more than your costs on anything that distantly
> resembles something that can be purchaced made in Japan, Korea,
> Mexico, India, or VietNam is basically a fool's errand.
Yes, competing with that is a fool's errand, is that what you're
saying? Also buyers expecting the price to be the same are fools or
they just don't care, which is not foolish just ignorance probably.
> When I build something I do it for the satisfaction of making it
> myself and knowing there is quality there that "money cannot buy"
You won't get that satisfaction if you sell it? Or you're not willing to
sell it at a loss? Or you don't want to sell? I don't understand.
I think it comes down to going to venues where the works are created
locally and that fact is advertised and maintained and adhered to.
I know some venues that require the seller to be the maker.
> If I give it as a gift it is to someone who appreciates that.
Gifts are a nice way to share works.
On Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:30:25 -0700
graham <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> I was once asked how much I would charge for a salad bowl by someone
> who wanted to buy one as a wedding present. I checked with a friend
This reminds me of that old saying "If you have to ask you can't
afford it."
On Sat, 20 Dec 2014 15:24:45 -0600
Leon <lcb11211@swbelldotnet> wrote:
>
> As Swingman has indicated, there is money to be had when you offer
> something that is not main stream. I sell quite successfully at a
> fair price, for me and my customer custom designed and built
> furniture. In another post today I completed a cutting board. I
> built them to give as gifts, I wold sell them for $200+ if selling
> them. I am long retired and could maybe make a decent living at
> selling my work, if I wanted to work that hard at it, but I don't
> want to. What I charge way more than pays for the high dollar
> equipment I buy to produce it.
This is encouraging. Even more so because I buy low dollar equipment
and sometimes I get stuff free! Heck I'm practically in the black
as I type.
On Sat, 20 Dec 2014 15:02:20 -0800 (PST)
Sonny <[email protected]> wrote:
> Recent requests:
> *Prie dieu - $200 offered, basic/not fancy, upholstered knee & arm
> rests. *Basic upright display cabinets - 6'H X 4'W, rustic/weathered,
> salvaged cypress, little to no finish, $1K/cabinet offered. *Rustic
> garden gate (lawn decor) - salvaged cypress pickets, rusty nails,
> salvaged/rusty strap hinges.... They want to hear the hinges creak.
> "$1 for the gate, $199 for the creaking". *Simple 4' plank bench -
> $250 offered, rustic, salvaged cypress.
Encouraging as well as funny. I have no idea what a prie dieu is.
Do I need to learn french to make more money?
$199 for creaking sounds cheap.
On Sat, 20 Dec 2014 13:27:09 -0600
dpb <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> There are quite a number of folks who specialize in the crafts
> markets; some of them do so quite successfully. It takes approaching
> it in a manner appropriate to the genre, though...if you take a
> weekend on a "one-off" item, that doesn't cut it.
>
> I had a good friend in E TN who make "rustic" toys, yard ornaments
> and the like and made a decent living at it for years. It was "junk"
> wood-working by the standards of virtually everybody here, but it
> sold at a net profit in surprising volume.
Sounds like he found the "sweet spot". Just enough effort but not too
much. A niche.
The Boggs comments are interesting and I think that same story has played
out all over the country. The coop idea sounds like the same thing as
what the menonites/amish/quakers do.
On 12/20/14, 10:52 AM, Electric Comet wrote:
> What kind of money will people pay you for your works?
>
> In another thread about cutting boards it was said that the cool
> cutting boards sold well. It made me wonder at what price?
For me, it depends on the hours/supplies/wood quantity.
For the board I made similar to Leon's, I asked $45 at the local gallery
and it sold in a few days. This area is fairly low income so prices one
could ask probably vary 2x. My board was rock maple with walnut/white
oak/mahogany inlay, about 15"x10", curved edges with finger grooves on
the ends. Other boards with basket weave patterns sell for $50, but the
effort is _far_ greater. The biggest cost is wear and tear on the drum
sander belts when leveling end grain boards. Wood usage can be up to 3x
the amount that ends up in the final board.
Simple boards, just laminations of sticks with rounded curves and finger
grooves usually sell well for $30. Extra fancy stuff goes for more, but
the upper limit around here seems to be about $70.
Either way, after figuring in materials, I make maybe $0.50-$2.00 an
hour (obviously I don't do this for the money) 8^)
-BR
>
> What have you sold lately and how did you decide on the price?
>
>
> I wonder how prices trend. Higher in big cities, etc., etc.
> Lower in places where there is a higher concentration of woodworkers.
>
>
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: [email protected] ---
On Sun, 21 Dec 2014 12:43:14 -0800 (PST)
"[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> The easiest way to figure out "what to charge" <<IF YOU WANT TO MAKE
> MONEY>> is to determine the value of your product on the market. Got
> to some craft shows and woodworking shows if you have them in
> your areas and talk to vendors.
>
> That should be your start point to determine if there is a market for
> your product and give you some guidelines as to pricing. Remember
> all the things you should put in there like the cost of getting
> material in your hands, not just the purchase price. Remember
> consumables such as sandpaper, finishes, paint, odd hardware, and
> costs such as electricity, cost to get your good to market (not just
> the price of the table) and all the other things you need. Don't
> forget some kind of rudimentary business card, cost of lunch at the
> venue, and any additional costs of adding your additional bookkeeping
> and tax prep to your annual income.
>
> I had a smokin' business around 2000 making wooden pens. I had a
> great line on the hardware and had a ton of ebony, teac, cocobolo,
> zircote, bocote, etc. that I got from an exotic wood distributor here
> in town. He brought a lot of that stuff in, and the wood he wold me
> was basically sawed from much large pieces that were broken and split
> in his load. I only made the classic Scheafer and Pellican models
> from the turn of the last century.
>
> I made some good money for about 4 years doing that, then they were
> everywhere and the price collapsed. Even the Boy Scouts were turning
> them as fund raisers The point being, pricing is market driven.
>
> A good friend of mine had the same thing happen to him when he was
> making desk humidors.
>
> Most of the reason my market collapsed is as noted above, I no longer
> had anything close to an exclusive product. Worse, almost all the
> guys I met at the county fairs, wood working shows, exhibitions, etc.
> told me (after being stunned at their low pricing) they didn't care
> if they made money or not, they were just having fun. It was a hobby
> their wives tolerated. That whole mentality swallowed up all my
> turned Christmas ornaments, lamp pulls, oil lamps, desk pen sets, etc.
>
> Still, I would encourage you to do it. If you find the right product,
> you can make some money and have some fun.
Thanks for sharing, one thing seems clear and that's I should not
try too hard to sell at craft shows. So I will look for the right
venues and there's always etsy.
We're told that there are ~7 billion of us here so there's always
going to be someone else doing the same thing. So I won't be making
what's already out there or make them in some novel way.
Puckdropper <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
> "Mike Marlow" <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>>
>> Merry Christmas to you as well Karl,
>>
>> ...and all the rest of the wRec!
>>
>> (Just got done making a bunch of dozen of perogis with my wife. Can't
>> wait for the kids to get here on Saturday now, to eat them! Too much
>> work, but boy are they worth it...)
>>
>
> Merry Christmas.
>
> I'm gonna leave that last paragraph alone... It doesn't read how you wrote
> it.
>
> Puckdropper
Whaaaat? You don't eat your young? :-). Merry Christmas yall,
On Wed, 24 Dec 2014 19:19:22 -0600, Swingman <[email protected]> wrote:
>Merry Christmas, Sonny,
>... and all the rest of the wRec!
And Merry Christmas to you and everybody else on the wRec. Haven't
been too active here lately, but when I do go online, this is the
first newsgroup I view.
Leon wrote:
> Puckdropper <puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
>> "Mike Marlow" <[email protected]> wrote in
>> news:[email protected]:
>>> Merry Christmas to you as well Karl,
>>>
>>> ...and all the rest of the wRec!
>>>
>>> (Just got done making a bunch of dozen of perogis with my wife. Can't
>>> wait for the kids to get here on Saturday now, to eat them! Too much
>>> work, but boy are they worth it...)
>>>
>> Merry Christmas.
>>
>> I'm gonna leave that last paragraph alone... It doesn't read how you wrote
>> it.
>>
>> Puckdropper
> Whaaaat? You don't eat your young? :-). Merry Christmas yall,
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year (to ya'll)!
Bill
On 28 Dec 2014 08:42:39 GMT, Puckdropper
<puckdropper(at)yahoo(dot)com> wrote:
>[email protected] wrote in news:[email protected]:
>
>>
>> We have XM in my wife's car but I decided I didn't need it in my truck
>> (thought they keep sending "special" offers). I'd rather listen to
>> talk radio for the commute. There are times I'd like it but it's not
>> worth the money. At home (where I have wifi - 4G is to expensive) I
>> listen to I-Heart-Radio. I've found a few stations that are really
>> good. I was recently in the hospital for 9 days and used it for
>> background at night. Didn't sleep more than a couple of hours a night
>> so listening to music was better than watching the clock go 'round.
>
>I got bored with the Sirius/XM stations after a few months. We had it as
>part of Dish's satellite package, and I had it on all the time like a
>radio. I'm apparently not in their demographic aim.
>
>My solution is to build a music library (from CDs, I refuse "soft
>ownership" like MP3 downloads) and put it on my phone.
Ditto. I only buy "soft" audio books, which I'm not likely to listen
to more than once.
>The van supports
>audio over bluetooth (whatever that profile is called ?A2D2?) which means
>any time I'm in the van the music plays. I get stuff I like, and don't
>have to keep listening to a station that's more about talking than music.
My vehicles are supposed to have this but it doesn't work. Bluetooth
devices, whether operational or not, also screw up voice navigation. I
have to connect via USB and that's a PITA. On long trips I will put
the iPod in the car but for every day it's not worth it.
On 12/21/14, 4:30 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Sun, 21 Dec 2014 12:43:14 -0800 (PST)
> "[email protected]" <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> Thanks for sharing, one thing seems clear and that's I should not
> try too hard to sell at craft shows. So I will look for the right
> venues and there's always etsy.
>
> We're told that there are ~7 billion of us here so there's always
> going to be someone else doing the same thing. So I won't be making
> what's already out there or make them in some novel way.
>
IMO "Novel" is the key. Any wood object you are trying to make money on
(or at least recover your direct costs on) probably is already being
sold for less than you can do it for. Your ace in the hole is to be
unique. Not necessarily 'artsy', but clever. Many of the cutting boards
I make have the 'sin' of ending up as end-grain glue ups and/or mixed
species of wood. Get these wet from too much cleaning or setting on a
wet kitchen counter and the glue joints will fail. With these type
boards, I leave a 'description card' with the wood species, care
instructions, etc. and most importantly a warning that the board is
'decorative' and excessive moisture will cause issues. Take one fancy
bread board, add feet or low profile handles, then call it a trivet. Add
a shallow frame (so the board 'floats' like a door panel) and call it a
serving tray.
I also make simple business card holders which are a great way to use up
nice looking scraps. My wife who does fused glass stuff makes a simple
diachronic plate that gets glued to the front. This changes a $5 item
into a $40 piece. Same with boxes. The 'nice' hardware will instantly
kill your profits. Use something 'rustic' (i.e. cheap) and add some
unique objects to the lid (the wife helps out here again) and you have a
seller.
-BR
>
>
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: [email protected] ---
On Mon, 22 Dec 2014 08:10:36 -0700
Brewster <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> IMO "Novel" is the key. Any wood object you are trying to make money
It seems to be and put another way by another poster "riches in niches"
In some way a new angle has to be found, could be in the product
or the selling venue. Or both.
> ups and/or mixed species of wood. Get these wet from too much
> cleaning or setting on a wet kitchen counter and the glue joints will
> fail. With these type boards, I leave a 'description card' with the
> wood species, care instructions, etc. and most importantly a warning
> that the board is 'decorative' and excessive moisture will cause
Waterproof glue won't work here?
> issues. Take one fancy bread board, add feet or low profile handles,
> then call it a trivet. Add a shallow frame (so the board 'floats'
Yes using french words seems to up the price.
> I also make simple business card holders which are a great way to use
> up nice looking scraps. My wife who does fused glass stuff makes a
> simple diachronic plate that gets glued to the front. This changes a
> $5 item into a $40 piece. Same with boxes. The 'nice' hardware will
> instantly kill your profits. Use something 'rustic' (i.e. cheap) and
> add some unique objects to the lid (the wife helps out here again)
> and you have a seller.
Encouraging for sure. I like the idea of using other materials
together. glass/wood, leather/wood, epoxy resin/wood, etc.
On 12/22/14, 1:29 PM, Electric Comet wrote:
> On Mon, 22 Dec 2014 08:10:36 -0700
> Brewster <[email protected]> wrote:
>
>>
>> ... I leave a 'description card' with the
>> wood species, care instructions, etc. and most importantly a warning
>> that the board is 'decorative' and excessive moisture will cause
>
> Waterproof glue won't work here?
>
It's the mechanical forces of different rates of wood expansion along
the glue line. I've seen recommendations to use glues with a bit of
'give' to help prevent this.
For complex stuff, I use epoxy exclusively due to the much longer
working time even though TB-III might make more sense.
-BR
>
>
>
--- news://freenews.netfront.net/ - complaints: [email protected] ---
Swingman wrote:
>
> Merry Christmas, Sonny,
>
> ... and all the rest of the wRec!
Merry Christmas to you as well Karl,
...and all the rest of the wRec!
(Just got done making a bunch of dozen of perogis with my wife. Can't wait
for the kids to get here on Saturday now, to eat them! Too much work, but
boy are they worth it...)
--
-Mike-
[email protected]
Swingman wrote:
> On 12/27/2014 9:09 AM, [email protected] wrote:
>
>> We have XM in my wife's car but I decided I didn't need it in my truck
>> (thought they keep sending "special" offers). I'd rather listen to
>> talk radio for the commute. There are times I'd like it but it's not
>> worth the money.
>
> I resisted for years, but bit the bullet with this last truck
> purchase, and found that when Traveling back and forth 500 miles to
> AR, and being able to stay on the station du jour the entire way
> without having to continually scan for something worth listening to
> every 100 miles, was worth the coffee money/month.
>
> Particularly like the coverage, both in content (still love to listen
> to Car Talk) and in location.
>
> AAMOF, Too bad cable TV isn't more like XM radio...
My most used feature on my smart TV is the USA Today App--basically like
reading the newspaper.
Puckdropper wrote:
> [email protected] wrote in news:[email protected]:
>
>> We have XM in my wife's car but I decided I didn't need it in my truck
>> (thought they keep sending "special" offers). I'd rather listen to
>> talk radio for the commute. There are times I'd like it but it's not
>> worth the money. At home (where I have wifi - 4G is to expensive) I
>> listen to I-Heart-Radio. I've found a few stations that are really
>> good. I was recently in the hospital for 9 days and used it for
>> background at night. Didn't sleep more than a couple of hours a night
>> so listening to music was better than watching the clock go 'round.
> I got bored with the Sirius/XM stations after a few months. We had it as
> part of Dish's satellite package, and I had it on all the time like a
> radio. I'm apparently not in their demographic aim.
>
> My solution is to build a music library (from CDs, I refuse "soft
> ownership" like MP3 downloads)
What's the difference? As soon as I buy a CD I dump it onto my
computer. With the appropriate software tools,
you can burn it back to a CD for your car if you want.
> and put it on my phone. The van supports
> audio over bluetooth (whatever that profile is called ?A2D2?) which means
> any time I'm in the van the music plays. I get stuff I like, and don't
> have to keep listening to a station that's more about talking than music.
>
> Puckdropper
Puckdropper wrote:
> Bill <[email protected]> wrote in
> news:[email protected]:
>
>> Puckdropper wrote:
>>> [email protected] wrote in
>>> news:[email protected]:
>>>
>>>> We have XM in my wife's car but I decided I didn't need it in my
>>>> truck (thought they keep sending "special" offers). I'd rather
>>>> listen to talk radio for the commute. There are times I'd like it
>>>> but it's not worth the money. At home (where I have wifi - 4G is to
>>>> expensive) I listen to I-Heart-Radio. I've found a few stations that
>>>> are really good. I was recently in the hospital for 9 days and used
>>>> it for background at night. Didn't sleep more than a couple of
>>>> hours a night so listening to music was better than watching the
>>>> clock go 'round.
>>> I got bored with the Sirius/XM stations after a few months. We had
>>> it as part of Dish's satellite package, and I had it on all the time
>>> like a radio. I'm apparently not in their demographic aim.
>>>
>>> My solution is to build a music library (from CDs, I refuse "soft
>>> ownership" like MP3 downloads)
>> What's the difference? As soon as I buy a CD I dump it onto
>> my
>> computer. With the appropriate software tools,
>> you can burn it back to a CD for your car if you want.
>>
>>
> I don't trust "trust us, we'll make your purchased license always
> available". If I've got the professionally made CD, then rebuilding a
> lost digital collection (as unlikely as that is) is possible even if the
> company I purchased the CD from is gone.
Try this. http://sourceforge.net/projects/taudioconverter/
>
> Plus, if I ever decide I don't like a CD (want a copy of Brian Wilson's
> Smile?), I can sell the CD later.
>
> Puckdropper
On 12/24/2014 4:57 PM, Swingman wrote:
> On 12/23/2014 8:43 PM, Martin Eastburn wrote:
>
>> East Texas has BG festivals every year - in several towns.
>>
>> Just without most of the Texas Swing that I like.
>
> Besides a fiddle in the band, in Texas you gottta cover all bases.
>
> Played in a Texas Swing band with half these guys when playing in South
> Central and West Texas:
>
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8oC5JK537ZM&list=UUGRqzwROXKuwmgZWgy5Ufqg
>
> And four of us, plus a chick singer, as a BG band when playing in East
> Texas:
>
> https://picasaweb.google.com/111355467778981859077/EWoodShopJustStuff?noredirect=1#6096540884647896722
>
>
> And, what I love about Sirius XM radio in the truck: Bluegrass Junction...
>
I use Pandora myself on my cell phone. To many trees around here for
XM to be in the car, long road trip we might sign up for it. Had it for
a short time, Turn on the car and start to drive down the driveway and I
hit dozens of trees that are dense (Live Oak) and then even along
the highway into town the road has high trees shielding the southern sky.
I might have to get one for the library and have it sit still - or get
an outdoor antenna...
Martin - 'Deep' East Texas Retire
On 12/20/2014 3:30 PM, graham wrote:
>
> I was once asked how much I would charge for a salad bowl by someone who
> wanted to buy one as a wedding present. I checked with a friend who made
> his living as a woodturner and quoted a fair price that wouldn't
> undercut him.
> Of course she was stunned with the quote; I think she thought that she
> could get it for peanuts.
> Graham
You probably were over charging. After all, that big hunk of walnut is
about the same price as a 2 x 4 stud at Home Depot and it only takes a
few minutes to turn. The machine does all the work.
They figured you'd be cheaper than Wal Mart.
Most people have no clue.
On 12/24/2014 5:33 PM, Sonny wrote:
> Dang! I had you (and Leon) pegged wrong. I had imagined this working garage scenario for you two:
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=clk4G5EF4AY
LOL ... you ain't far wrong:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EjadWaB_L2g
Between me and Leon, that movie has been plumb wore out...
Merry Christmas, Sonny,
... and all the rest of the wRec!
--
eWoodShop: www.eWoodShop.com
Wood Shop: www.e-WoodShop.net
https://www.google.com/+eWoodShop
https://plus.google.com/+KarlCaillouet/posts
http://www.custommade.com/by/ewoodshop/
KarlCaillouet@ (the obvious)