Looking for a little Advice

[djcarm]

My name is Dan Carmody and recently I have taken up the hobby of scroll sawing as I near retirement.  I hope to eventually sell some of my work in order to support my hobby after retirement.  I have received quite a few of Steve's free patterns that he e-mails and have made several of them so far.  If I sell something that I have made from one of Steve's free patterns, is it proper ethically to donate a portion of the sale to his website?  I have also purchased some patterns on line from other websites; do you think I need to pay a portion of those sales to the person that I bought the pattern from?   I would appreciate your input on this subject because I want to be sure that I do the right thing. I would appreciate any advice, thanks.

[DWSudekum]

Dan you can always donate to Steve's site it helps keep it up and running so that the community has a valuable resource at hand.  Most everyone that makes patterns do not mind folks cutting them and selling the finished product, they do care however if someone tries to claim the pattern as their own.  If you are unsure you can always contact the pattern maker and get permission if needed.  Looking forward to seeing your work.


DW

[djcarm]

Thank you, I appreciate your input.

[Rapid Roger]

All of Steve's patterns are completely free. You can cut them for yourself, give the cut item to friends and family and sell as many as you want as long as you don't go over 10,000. (No sense being greedy LOL) Of course you must buy the CD's if you want them but, you can down load all of those patterns directly from Steve's blog for free also.
If you buy a pattern from another designer, again you can cut as many as you want to. Just don't clam it as your design and DONT sell copies of the pattern to other people.

[scottisscrollin]

Djcarm that is a pretty good idea to take a portion of sales to donate this this site  mind if i steal that idea too?  i have use this site for all kinds of info / patterns and advise i think i will help out with donations if i acidently go over 10,000 what happens do i get demoted ? lol

[Jim Finn]

Hi Dan;

     Good advice already given here.  I make and sell a lot of my scroll saw work and find it is hard to sell anything that is ment to hang on the wall.  I do not do fretwork but have done lettering for signs and have done intarsia.
     I find that making boxes with images inlaid into the hinged lids sells very well.  I have literally sold well over 2000 of them in the past 9 years.  After about a year of making these I could make a box with the inlay in about two hours.  I think fretwork would take longer and I know intarsia does.  Making pine toys also works well for me.  I sell enough of them to pay my space rent every time. (I now only do 18 shows each summer.)