dave@fluke.UUCP (Dave Van Ess) (08/22/85)
> > Since I am new to this newsgroup, I apologize if this topic has already been > discussed. > > I am a woodworking hobbiest of modest skill with a pretty well equipped > shop: radial saw, band saw, scroll saw, jointer, and a host of hand tools. > With winter approaching, I would like to find some projects requiring > some skill, but not too difficult, that I could sell to get money > to buy more goodies. I would very much appreciate any advice from anyone > in net.land with any ideas or experience making and selling wood products. > > Some specific questions are: > > 1) What kind of projects have you made and sold at a profit? > > 2) How do you go about finding stores that will sell your goods, > and what kind of arrangements do you make with the manager > for paying you? Consignment? Do you sell to the store outright? > > 3) How do you decide how much to sell a particular item for? > > 4) Do you find that items made from hardwoods like oak, cherry or > walnut sell better than those made from pine? > > 5) Have you found a "plan service" that offers plans for items > that sell well? > > 6) etc. > > Thanks to all for any and all advice, and happy woodworking!! > > Larry Ciesla > > PS: The reason I'm an engineer is that I'm not smart enough to be > a carpenter. Larry, you didn't say what sort of woodwook you do. furniture? cabinets? toys? what you can do and what you can make depends on this. furniture; It is very hard to make money building furniture. Let me give you an example: I made my wife a sewing table for her birthday. It has an 4ft by 2ft top made of 5/4 red oak and is 29 inches high. Here the the prices list 16 sqft of red oak * 5/4 = 20 bdft waste and errors + 4 bdft (valid number, by the way) ---------- 24 bdft * 3.00 bdft = $76 hardware screws,bolts etc = $ 6 sanding belts = $ 5 stain = $ 5 pegs, glue, sanding paper, etc =(let's call this free) beer =(let's call this $400) gas for truck = $ 5 ------- $97 Now this doesn't count having to buy any tools (clamps doweling jigs etc) or any maintence on your tools. (I had to buy a $12 router bit) A table, something like this, (not nearly as nice, but alot of people don't notice) could be bought on sale for about $150. This means you would have a hard time selling it for more than $200. A consignment shop takes 33 to 40%. This leaves: $200 - $80 = $120 worst case $200 - $65 = $135 best case This means you make $25 to $35 for what is about 20 to 35 hours work. This is fine if it is something you really want to build. But as a money making venture a dollar an hour is not to good. Cabinets: There are alot of cabinet makers out there trying to make a living. They get there wood at wholesale and you don't. Besides it is hard to find people that will trust you with a project the size of a kitchen. Toys: Probably the best way to make money. Toys can be sold at craftfairs, etc. Materials can be boughten cheaply from cabinet shops ( their scrap is just the right size). The problem is that you get real sick of building little wooden duckies that flap their wings as you pull them along. Just How to Afford This Vice I have found the best way to support my wood and tool habit is to get a second job. Instead of working 30 hour on a project at $1/hour, work as a consultant in your profession for 3 hours at $10/hour. This leaves you 27 hours left to build something you want. I can keep myself in tools and all the wood I want for about 4 hours extra work a week. This doesn't mean that I don't do work for money. I do, but I don't have to. That's what keeps the woodworking fun. Dave Van Ess John Fluke Mfg Co Everett WA