Pricing your work for selling.

[bobh47955]

I just read one topic on here about pricing your work for selling. That is just what I was looking for today. Although I am a newbie at this hobby Ii thought it might be worth the effort to sell some come next summer. For the time being I am making something for all my kids and grandkids for their Christmas presents. Since I found this topic on another post I copied and pasted it into Microsoft Word so I can read it all when I get home. Thanks guys for all the information.

[cowboysfanatic]

This is really up to u on how much u want to make and what u r happy on settling on. Always keep in mind u have all your materials and then your labor. If I want to sell something for fifty I normally have 20 or so in materials and my time is about 10 to 13 so my profit broke down would be about 3 dollars an hour. Not to many people would go to work for that lol. Some things up will do better on than others but just keep in mind this is for fun and not many people get to do this for a living. Oh by the way I do a lot of portrait style work Charles Dearing ect.

[bobh47955]

This is really up to u on how much u want to make and what u r happy on settling on. Always keep in mind u have all your materials and then your labor. If I want to sell something for fifty I normally have 20 or so in materials and my time is about 10 to 13 so my profit broke down would be about 3 dollars an hour. Not to many people would go to work for that lol. Some things up will do better on than others but just keep in mind this is for fun and not many people get to do this for a living. Oh by the way I do a lot of portrait style work Charles Dearing ect.

Hey Cowboysfanatic. I want to do portrait style work also and I have Photoshop to process portraits on. Unfortunately I have not figured out how to get a pattern made from a portrait yet. I am also a photographer but never needed to do anything like this before but I can edit photographs like crazy. Is there any secrets you would like to share on making a pattern?

[don in brooklin on]

There is a tutorial on SSV


http://www.scrollsawvillage.com/forum/47-village-university/

It use GIMP but my guess that using Photoshop would be the same process. 

There are programs like Coyote that creates portraits. 

don

[cowboysfanatic]

To be honest I always order from wooden teddy bear they are already pre made patterns. My brother n law has coyote stencil and I would like to try it out. I have a lot of neat pictures I'd like to scroll.

[cowboysfanatic]

Don suggested a great site to find help on and get patterns from. Also try out Charles Dearing you tube page he has a bunch of videos on tutorials for doing pictures to patterns. I'm a big fan of his. I also think Steve has a coyote stencil video on his you tube page. (I think ).

[CMHN]

I check etsy and similar websites to see how much similar items are selling for.  If you are selling at craft fairs, walk around and see what your competition is selling similar items for.   Stay around them, don't undercut for this helps nobody.  You know how much materials cost and a rough amount of time that it takes you to make something.   You need to decide if its worth your time to sell an item for the prices your individual market can afford.

I saw for fun, if I can buy my lumber, saw blades, and maybe a new tool off of my sales then great.   I'm not going to get rich from using a scroll saw, but I'm not going to let the hobby bankrupt me neither.

My best shows are jurried street fairs.   (Just had one last weekend where we made $4000 in 3 days.)

My worst shows are church craft shows. (Barley make $200 a show)

[bobh47955]

Thanks guys. That's a lot of info to think about.

[sawdust703]

I'd have to kinda go along w/what cowboy said. I'm not going to sit here & tell ya I scroll for "fun" necessarily, more like an addiction. My work has to help pay its way, or I couldn't do it. I've found the #1 secret to selling your work is making things that folks like & want. Not just lookers, but fascination. Catch the buyers' eye. Once you have their attention, then educate them if they are curious. Your price can reflect several things. Don't blow smoke if you have no idea what you're talking about. Your workmanship will show it! If you're higher than most, folks kinda get the impression you're better than they are. If your prices are in the affordable range, folks are more apt to give you a chance. Make an attempt to recoup your material costs.

[Jim Finn]

I'd have to kinda go along w/what cowboy said. I'm not going to sit here & tell ya I scroll for "fun" necessarily, more like an addiction. My work has to help pay its way, or I couldn't do it. I've found the #1 secret to selling your work is making things that folks like & want. Not just lookers, but fascination. Catch the buyers' eye. Once you have their attention, then educate them if they are curious. Your price can reflect several things. Don't blow smoke if you have no idea what you're talking about. Your workmanship will show it! If you're higher than most, folks kinda get the impression you're better than they are. If your prices are in the affordable range, folks are more apt to give you a chance. Make an attempt to recoup your material costs.

     I agree.  I make and sell small cedar boxes with maple inlay.  Images or lettering.  I sell at street fairs and festivals and found that $20 items sell well but more pricy things do not.  I make about 300 boxes a year and sell them all.  It takes me about two hours to produce a box ready to sell.  I do not make a lot of money but I do have a self funding hobby, plus a little.