Are there any plans floating around for the foldable book case? or is it something you just put together?
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For the people that sell bowls at craft shows/ markets.
- Thread starter Sam Fleisher
- Start date
Always one more tool but the bright side is you got part of it covered.YAY! Sold my first bowl tonight.......Does that mean I can retire and live off the interest?? LOL YA RIGHT!
Sadly it doesn't even cover the set of jaws I ordered the other day..... baby steps though. It will cover half of the set of jaws I'll order tomorrow! LOL Isn't this how it works? Your hobby is supposed to fund itself in a perfect world? I think I'll be feeling a deficit till the day I die though
I feel you, Sam-I've probably made a few thousand in informal sales in the last couple of years, and I'm nowhere close to breaking even. After upgrading to a bigger lathe, I spent another few thousand on bigger chucks, jaws, and it's always something in the shop as y'all know. Plus I spent at least $1500 this summer on instruction, classes, etc. And every time I bump up my PayPal balance, I order more stuff. Hopefully by the time I retire from my teaching job in a few years I'll have most of what I need.
I've had some success with bartering. Plumber, HVAC, lawn guys, other visitors...etc. Typically more than willing to accept turnings as payment especially when they need a gift. Having filled bowls on the table with fruit, nuts, candy starts that conversation without having a sales pitch at hand. Where did you get those bowls....
Tom Gall
TOTW Team
I knew you would probably be unhappy with your display shelving. From the photos it looked like it would be very time consuming to assemble ... and probably need two people to make it easier.It would be difficult to describe the hinged 3-part lightweight frames I used (no assembly required) - \_____/ (reversed - open side to the public). Just insert the shelves at desired levels (I used lattice) for the type of items you have. I would avoid the enclosed book case look.
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Perhaps this would give you some ideas - our setup, I have a 5 Ft and two 6ft folding tables (and for outdoors, a 10x10 quick canopy) items are toted around in my wooden crates (I made them too) and then some crates as they are unpacked are flipped over bottoms up to use as display stands...
My Facebook Album Xmas Bazaar setup
Another question---- Sign or don't sign your work? Initials?
I'm leaning towards initials written with archival ink with maybe the year. I read somewhere you don't want to get specific on the date because people might think they are old.
I'd put the type of wood too but my hand writing is bad enough and writing on the bottom of a bowl might not be legible for anyone but myself!
I'd like to put small medallions but I haven't really found where people are buying those. I'm already never going to cover expenses but if I find some cheap enough they do look nice.
Or suggestions????
I'm leaning towards initials written with archival ink with maybe the year. I read somewhere you don't want to get specific on the date because people might think they are old.
I'd put the type of wood too but my hand writing is bad enough and writing on the bottom of a bowl might not be legible for anyone but myself!
I'd like to put small medallions but I haven't really found where people are buying those. I'm already never going to cover expenses but if I find some cheap enough they do look nice.
Or suggestions????
- Joined
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- 1,227
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- 1,077
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- Roulette, PA
- Website
- www.reallyruralwoodworks.com
Me? India Archival Ink (Black) pen with which I don't sign (My handwriting is AWFUL) but will PRINT out my name (first,last), date, (MM/YYY) and Species of wood (or in some cases a "Title" for the piece if it was an inspired thing - such as a Cedar/Juniper natural edge bowl with which I captured a small branch growing out of a sort of fold in the log - I titled it "Twiggy") and have done with it.
I have to sort of DRAW each letter with some concentration to make it legible as I noted my handwriting sucks... I need to hold the piece in my lap and right up on my belly so as to be able to hold my arms in close to body and keep steady and rest my hand on the object while I draw the letters with finger movement.. might work for you that way?
So I could never manage a woodburning tool, etc, and a branding iron to me just kind of stinks of "Commercial" - (I noticed a neighbor vendor at a market that did some sort of ceramic work that used a stamp on it, and I was told (since I'm deaf it isn't something I overhear!) that some of the booth visitors were commenting that they saw the brand and thought it a cheap import from China or something.. making me realize that for some, the expectation of "Handmade" includes branding/signing of the piece....
You should consider signing and dating your work at a minimum. I will also include species if known. In 50 years if one of your pieces survives it would be interesting to the owner what the provenance was.
You should absolutely sign your work. The only time I’ve been disappointed with a swap is when someone didn’t sign their piece. @Tom Gall recommended name instead of initial, and that stuck with me. I include the date, though I have also been told that some buyers won’t buy older work—in that case it may be preferable to have a code system (if so, you should keep a record). I prefer to sign with a burning pen or an engraver, depending on the wood. It’s more permanent than any type of pen. Short of fire or vandalism, my signature will remain as long as the piece does. With these it does take practice to get your name to look better than chicken scratch (ask me how I know haha).
Dave Landers
Beta Tester
Sign everything. Doesn't matter really if it's legible or could be just a mark or symbol. But make your mark.
For me, signing everything was one of those things that helps me improve. If I have to put my signature on something, I am "claiming it" - proclaiming that this is my work and it is the best I could do. Inspires me to make the next one better.
I didn't used to put date on things, because of that "might be old thing - but now I mark the year because I found, when looking at my home gallery, I wanted to know when I did this or that. If anyone balks at the "age" I make sure they understand that the piece has withstood the test of time, having been displayed in my home for X years.
I also put a generic wood species (like just Maple rather than Silver Maple etc) because everyone wants to know. There are a few pieces where I really want the piece to speak regardless of the wood (and some just too small for it to fit on the bottom). So I don't mark those. But I probably should, because when they go to the gallery I need to know so it's at least on the inventory sheet (and my memory is not that great sometimes).
For me, signing everything was one of those things that helps me improve. If I have to put my signature on something, I am "claiming it" - proclaiming that this is my work and it is the best I could do. Inspires me to make the next one better.
I didn't used to put date on things, because of that "might be old thing - but now I mark the year because I found, when looking at my home gallery, I wanted to know when I did this or that. If anyone balks at the "age" I make sure they understand that the piece has withstood the test of time, having been displayed in my home for X years.
I also put a generic wood species (like just Maple rather than Silver Maple etc) because everyone wants to know. There are a few pieces where I really want the piece to speak regardless of the wood (and some just too small for it to fit on the bottom). So I don't mark those. But I probably should, because when they go to the gallery I need to know so it's at least on the inventory sheet (and my memory is not that great sometimes).
Always sign! And autograph as well. Who knows, you may become famous some day. I used to date them too, but shortened that to the year I sanded it out and finished it. I have some that have sat for years since I turned them.... Yup, the proverbial "around 2 it"....
robo hippy
robo hippy
Well, I was still getting anxious because my first (and probably last) fall festival is coming up the first two weekends in October.
Yesterday I packed away approx. 60 bowls/candy dishes/ whatever's into storage totes. Strangely my sister was helping me and neither one of us can count apparently. There was either 57 or 61 but then I took the tenon off another four last night.... anyway... For me that should be plenty to test the waters of capitalism.
I'm not feeling the rush to get a bunch out now like I was so this will give me a couple of weeks to come up with something that has a little color to get into the spirit of fall or xmas! HA!
Also I'm not worried about selling them all because I figure anything can sell if you want to price it right. If I feel at the end of the second weekend that ONE of these "entrepreneurial adventures" was enough there will probably be a CLEARANCE SALE!!
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Assembly was a breeze. Didn't take them apart, just hauled them on a little trailer and stood them up. Worked fine.
It would be difficult to describe the hinged 3-part lightweight frames I used (no assembly required) - \_____/ (reversed - open side to the public). Just insert the shelves at desired levels (I used lattice) for the type of items you have. I would avoid the enclosed book case look.
The first weekend of the fall festival is done. One more weekend to go...
23 bowls sold was the number. All regular utility type bowls with my embellishments or rim treatment on them. 1 natural edge in oak that was one of the first sold. (only had one)
Three types of buyers I saw.
People that purchased at a certain price point. $25 to $45 was the sweet spot. (until you get a Chicagoite in the mix)
The dyed bowls did well so color mattered not the type of wood.
And smoothness of finish.
I had a big colorful salad bowl out front and center and I'm almost wondering if I can call it a new bowl anymore after the number of people I saw run their fingers around it as they walked past.
23 bowls sold was the number. All regular utility type bowls with my embellishments or rim treatment on them. 1 natural edge in oak that was one of the first sold. (only had one)
Three types of buyers I saw.
People that purchased at a certain price point. $25 to $45 was the sweet spot. (until you get a Chicagoite in the mix)
The dyed bowls did well so color mattered not the type of wood.
And smoothness of finish.
I had a big colorful salad bowl out front and center and I'm almost wondering if I can call it a new bowl anymore after the number of people I saw run their fingers around it as they walked past.
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Really appreciate this type of feedback on your experience. Very useful.
The 'feel' of the bowl is a huge selling point. That does vary a lot from person to person, but if some one comes in and starts to caress one bowl, it will probably sell.... As for sales, I figure at my bigger shows, I would sell about the same $ amount of big and little bowls, so lots of $5 to $50 bowls, and a few $100+ bowls. You just never know, so have lots of everything....
robo hippy
robo hippy
My inventory was 73 and it was cherry picked pretty good I thought. But I put them all out because I was there to sell bowls so next weekend probably will be a little tougher. My sister seems to think I can crank them out in minutes because she said I need to get busy and make more of what sold by next weekend. Set her straight on that idea.
Only one person bargained me down $5 and her husband made her give me the asking price! lol
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