Barn wood carvings

[danhamm]

I picked up a couple of new outlets for our smaller carvings..
now have to keep my nose to the table 'so to speak'..

Got it down to 1 fini pass .0625 bit 1hour and 13 min. size 5x14 and the other is 9in dia.

[ssflyer]

Beautiful work, Dan.
I love the gold prospector! I have some old redwood pieces laying around that I've been wanting to play with - now I'll have to! :)

[myxpykalix]

Dan,
I like your carvings, what kind of wood is that and what kind of finish are you using? I noticed your pricing and that is in line with some of the pricing for carvings i have charged and wondered if that was a good pricing for you and if you had luck selling at that price? You could sell them for $5.00/each and some people would still complain:rolleyes: but if someone likes it they will pay without complaint.
the only suggestion I might make is that you put the price on the back instead of the front. Then at least they have to pick it up and there is something to be said for a "tactile bond" that is created if while they are holding it you explain the work it took to create it. Are you selling more of your "spinning tables"?
Good Job....again!

[gundog]

I like the carvings but if that is your price on them you priced them too cheap double or triple that price is about right.

Mike

[danhamm]

Jack, I wish you were closer, I could use your machine and a couple more as the tourist season is just starting here..

the wood is..old barn boards, probably fir and or spruce, 1-inch thick and a variety of widths. but I do have a limited stock,unless I tear down some more old buildings.

I am seriously thinking of creating a copy machine, basically a 4x4 with 2 gantries and 2 z-axis on each..on a cement base for stability. just to do small carvings..
Price - I am fine with that price, I get it up front, they sell for what they need, I have 2 of each item at 4 outlets..

[myxpykalix]

Send me an email maybe i can help you out....no problem.:)

[David Iannone]

Excellent work!

[joe]

Good stuff Dan, I've watched you over the years as you keep improving.

Could I purchase one of your panels?

Joe Crumley

[danhamm]

Joe, you can have the file the barn boards, or even tell me what you would like on it, Ive garnered so much from your posts over the years..
besides I'm older than you..lol...

[myxpykalix]

Dan you can't be older then Joe because we all know that Joe is "older then dirt":D

[joe]

Dan,

I'm not choosy. What I'm most interested in is one of your carvings with a signature. I'll hang it in my sample display area.

Joe Crumley

[cowboy1296]

very nice. i have no way of knowing how to price this stuff and maybe some of you could chime in. i typically go with 50 cents a minute for the finishing tool path, plus cost of wood and staining. everything else is free. and i thought i was cheap.

i dont think i have seen the artwork before where did you get it?

[joe]

Rick,

Here is the way I price my work.

Lets say you end up with a product or path you want to follow. What would you need to charge on each of your pieces to pay the bills at the end of the month and have enough left over to support the family. There shouldn't be any confusion about this topic.

If you have, what looks like, a good product but won't sell for enough to keep you going that's the sign to move on. There are lots of excellent, attractive art pieces that won't make enough money. It's a tricky business choosing the right path. I'm not a good example to follow. Thirty years ago I rolled the dice. That's exactly what I did and while it came up in my favor, it's a poor way to get started. More fellows will be successful with a good business plan.

I'm looking forward to discussing this very topic at the up coming Indiana workshop. Many SB ers started their business with little or no idea about marketing. They have good will and intentions but don't have a firm business outline. Without that it can be a struggle.

I have lots of respect for you fellows who are making it as a business. I also have lots of respect for the guys who attend un-sponsored workshops, not pushing a products, but are dedicated to showing methods of making a business go. We are in need of more of these.

Joe Crumley
www.normansignco.com

[cowboy1296]

fortunately for me I don't depend on the shopbot for a living, I am retired and living on a pension. I work out of the corner of my garage, so zero overhead. Living high up in mountains of Colorado I found the walls closing in on me in the winter and had to have something to do, hence the shopbot. I donate enough things to various vet and cop support groups so i will always operate in the red. But when i do offer something for sell I don't want to give it away.

Unfortunately there are not be enough of us in Colorado to put a school or camp together, I would luv to attend one.

Anyhow I am stealing someone else's post. The artwork and cuttings on this post are great. I have a rodeo coming up and looking at ideas to offer for sell. Where I am at, Cowboy is in.

[myxpykalix]

Dan,
email me i have lost your email address myxpykalix@hotmail.com:confused:

[danhamm]

I agree with Joe, every product has a price, its up to you to get the product you produce to a competitive price that you can sell it for.

Just because your wife likes it and your friends want it (for nothing) doesn't mean "John doe" public will buy it.. so do some research.

3/d stuff by itself is hard to make anything on, combined with other efforts it can add to the mix, if it takes 13 hours of carving and you have to get 600 bucks out of it, then it better be good, big, and put into a market that wants it..

There are ways to speed up carving, I very seldom do a rough pass, with the bit selections and the files available I can cut times to compare with the (chinese + shipping) prices...grinning here....

Then again, a lot of files can be made to look 3/d just using round over bits of various sizes...or portions of files.

The question keeps getting asked, what do I charge for 3/d work,
only you can answer that, the reason being... all the variables associated with what has to be done and the efficiencies of each individual, the machinery and support equipment methods of operation and so on.???

[joe]

That's right Dan.

I use 3D as a support to my product line. From a design point of view, you have two options. A 3D file can be the main feature or a secondary support element. Either way you have to be honest about the time invested and it should be priced in there.

I've predicted there will need to be some serious workshops for CNC owners. I'm not talking about just 3D lessons either. We need some serious lessons on efficient finishing techniques, proper materials usage, sales approaches, an marketing. Most of the new router fellows don't have many woodworking skills which sets them behind from the start. I don't know how this could come about but there is a serious need.

Joe crumley