Leftover materials

[twelchPTM]

Just curious, how many would be interested in a web site that through a classifieds\forum type setup allowed for the exchange of excess materials through buying, selling or trading?

For example Job X requires 4.5 sheets of material A but you have to buy 5 full sheets. bob needs a half sheet of material A and joe has a half sheet leftover from job X but bob and joe don't know each other.....

Or jim isn't sure if material B is right for Job Y but there aren't sample sizes available. steve has a bunch of squares of material B on a shelf but jim and steve don't know each other....

this site would be restricted to materials only and organized by type of material.

[myxpykalix]

I think you would need to be close enough to each other to meet to make it viable because shipping would kill any savings.
However i can see how maybe i could get in on a buy with someone else. All it is going to take is a little effort to set it up and publicize and see if it works...:D

[blackhawk]

I think that it is a great idea.

[steve_g]

There are many materials I would like to experiment with but can't justify the expense of a full unit of material. I like this idea but see shipping eating up the benefits. Flat rate shipping might help. USPS has a large flat rate box they call the "Game Box" its internal dimensions are: 23 11/16" x 11 3/4" x 3 and ships anywhere in the US for $16.85 that's about 6 bd ft of goods. (max 70 lbs)

Another possibility would be to have a material swap at ShopBot camps. This would save the shipping and promote discussions about material uses, likes and dislikes.
SG

[genek]

PROBLEM WOULD BE SHIPPING AND SMALL PROBLEM OF PAYMENT.

I WOULD OPEN IT UP TO ALL WOODWORKERS NOT JUST SHOP BOTTERS

IF YOU FIGURE THE COST OF THE MATERIAL PLUS SHIPPING YOU ARE CLOSE TO THE PRICE OF A FULL SHEET OF PLY WOOD.. STILL A GOOD IDEA FOR THOSE THAT ARE CLOSE TO EACH OTHER OR MEETING AT TIMES. i THINK YOU NEED TO ADD OTHER ITEMS OTHER THAN JUST MATERIAL.. THIS IS MY THOUGHTS.

WHEN I DO A JOB I FIGURE IN THE MATERIAL IF THE JOB CALLS FOR A HALF A SHEET OF PLY WOOD, I BILL AND PRICE A FULL SHEET. I HAVE A STORAGE BIN THAT LEFT OVERS GO INTO.. I EITHER USE THE LEFT OVERS ON OTHER JOBS, USE THEM TO DO PROTOTYPE OF NEW DESIGNS OR TO MAKE SOMETHING FOR THE WIFE. UPS CAN SAY THAT IT WILL SHIP ANY WHERE FOR THAT, TRY PRICING TO PIKEVILLE, KY. I CAN DRIVE 4 HOURS ROUND TRIP TO GET MY WOOD AND MATERIAL CHEAPER THAN I CAN HAVE IT SHIPPED TO ME. AND AT THE END OF THE YEAR I HAVE A YARD SALE. I ALLOW OTHER WOODWORKERS IN MY AREA TO COME IN AND BUY MY SCRAPS AND FULL LENGTH WOOD. THIS SAVES THEM MONEY MAKES ME MONEY, AND HELPS KEEP MY SCRAP IN CONTROL.. HERE IS A DISPLAY OF ONE OF MY SCRAP WOOD BINS AND THE OTHER IS SMALL BABY RATTLERS THAT I MAKE OUT OF SCRAP WOOD, I ALSO PUT SMALL PART IN WHEN I HAVE SPACE THIS KEEP BUILDING INVENTORY AND IS USING MATERIAL FROM THE ORIGINAL JOB THAT NORMALLY WOULD BE WASTE.. MY BURN BIN IS A 5 GALLON BUCKET, NORMALLY ALL THAT GOES OUT OF MY SHOP ARE PIECE OF PLY WOOD OR PIECE THAT ARE TOO SMALL TO DO ANYTHING WITH, I EITHER FIND SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT OR SALE IT. YOU WILL BE SURPRISED AT THE HOBBYIST THAT WILL GIVE YOU 50 CENTS FOR SMALL PIECES OF WOOD. I HAVE ONE CRAFTIER THAT USES MY SCRAP TO CUT OUT JEWELRY WITH,,, SHE COMES TO THE SHOP AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK.


RUN A ADD IN YOUR LOCAL PAPER THAT HIT SEVERAL COUNTIES WE HAVE TWO MAJOR PAPERS THAT REACH THE WHOLE STATE A ADD PLACED THERE EACH YEAR BRINGS IN OTHER WOODWORKERS AND PEOPLE THAT NEED YOUR SHOP SERVICES.. I FIND THAT THE WOODWORKERS ALSO BUY ITEMS FROM ME.

[gerryv]

Great idea. While it's true that shipping will often be an issue, it won't always be the case, especially in places like North Carolina where the average family has two cars in the driveway and three CNC routers in the garage :-) The poster could indicate pickup only or will ship COD.

[myxpykalix]

Another possibility would be to have a material swap at ShopBot camps

Actually Steve has a good idea:eek:
At our monthly woodturners meetings we have a table setup for those guys who want to bring in extra turning stock and then they would have a silent auction and you bid for stuff, usually a couple bucks or so and then we donated the proceeds to the club.

What would be a good idea would be for those who are going to be attending a shopbot camp to announce what they may be bringing be it material or even spare parts and set a price on it and have it there for others to buy. You may only get to do this once a year at a camp but it would eliminate shipping.:D