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Grumpy John
15th August 2007, 03:00 PM
I am starting to gather quite a few bowls, vases etc. around the house and SWMBO is throwing out hints that maybe I could sell a few of them to subsidise my addiction. This made me think that maybe some of the forum members might like to get together and form a sort of co-op and do the rounds of the craft markets around Melbourne (interstate members may like to do something similar).
There are six craft markets operating around Melbourne (http://www.craftmarkets.com.au/contact.asp) and it costs about $70 for a stall which could divvied up between forum members. So if this idea appeals to anyone pm me and maybe we can work something out and do the rounds of the markets now Spring and Summer are just around the corner.

weisyboy
15th August 2007, 05:02 PM
we need to start one up here in qld to.

Skew ChiDAMN!!
15th August 2007, 06:50 PM
You know those tourist traps that are built from empty bottles embedded in concrete and lined with sea-shells?

I wonder if any have been built with bowls, goblets and other turned doodads? :rolleyes: I know I have enough lying around, cluttering the place, to at least make a 4-car garage... :-

Grumpy John
15th August 2007, 06:52 PM
So is that a yes or no

Wayne Blanch
15th August 2007, 07:08 PM
This is potentially a good idea but I think that you really need to be very selective as to what markets you went to.

I made the mistake of trying the Chandler markets here in Brisbane. They are a general market where you are able to find most things ranging from the bloke cleaning out his shed to many "Permanent Stallholders" selling almost anything. I managed to sell enough stuff to cover my costs but thats about all. Allowing for the time and the effort required and a day sitting on your behind in the sun. It just wasn't worth it.:((

I had one piece broken when a woman picked it up said "Thats Lovely" dropped it on the asphalt and walked off, I had several small things knocked off (stolen for those not fortunate enough to live in Australia.):U

Many people looked at the stuff and commented on how nice they thought it was but they didn't buy. I think that because it was a "General Market" most people go there looking for a bargain and are unwilling to pay a fair price for quality items.:~ Basically they want to get good stuff for free or at least close to free!

I should point out that I asked advice from this forum prior to going to the markets and priced my stuff below the recommendations of the members. I was not out to make a profit but to cover costs and at the time I didn't think my produce was up to commercial standard.

Since this little effort I have decided that I would rather give the stuff to people who appreciate it than to try to sell it to people who want everything for nothing:( Maybe I am getting a little short tempered in my old age:rolleyes:

It would be possible that if you were to put products into a craft market you may have more success. It may be worth trying somewhere like the Cleveland Markets that specialise in hand made items and where people go to get quality items and not to get someone Else's junk.

Having said all that I still think that it is a good idea if you are careful re markets and possibly you would need a couple of people on the stall to stop customers taking the 5 finger discount.

Grumpy John
15th August 2007, 07:14 PM
Wayne
If you follow the link you will see that the markets I'm talking about are very selective; only hand made products, no second-hand goods, no buying cheap T-Shirts and sticking on an iron on transfer, no bootleg DVD's or CD's ther are not trash & treasure markets. Also they do not allow too many of the one type of product so there are not 50 people trying to sell handmade soap etc.

Gra
15th August 2007, 07:25 PM
You might also want to include Warrandyte into the list. it would have the correct type of customer (Though you may have competition, not sure haven't been for a while).

Folks used to do Mornington, did well there, and my sister does mornington and Yarra glen, does well there as well. So your choise of market is good.

Now for the bad news.

I am not good enough yet to join in, but sound good on the surface, it would be the smaller things that will cause you issues, like
1. who would man the stall,
2. how negotiable are the prices.
3. Who would supply the float
4. how would the profits be divided (Could tie into 1)
5. Tables
6. Transport/storage of goods
7. Insurance

Don't let me discourage you, just giving you some things to think about

Calm
16th August 2007, 12:14 PM
Having never been to any of those markets listed

but

Salamanka Market in Hobart every Saturday morning is a great example of selling good quality wood turnings. They run all sorts of stalls and it is a magnet to tourists not just local bargain hunters. I would think that the stall holders over there make good money.

weisyboy
16th August 2007, 01:39 PM
i normaly go to the craft markets on the Gold Coast and in the hinterland always make a good profite

hansp77
16th August 2007, 03:06 PM
Just a few thoughts,

loved the Salamanca markets,
why the hell didn't I buy any wood:doh:

I've worked a few markets selling different things (not wood related).
You gotta find your niche and you gotta stick it out for a while.
For something like turned wood, IMHO, I reckon the first few weeks, months, even years, work as a form of advertising. People may not buy the first time, but they if they know you are going to be there regularly, not necessarily every time (ie like every first market of the month), then they will keep you in mind and maybe come back, or tell people about it. You gotta be a good comunicator, and let people know exactly what you do and are doing in this regard, and no doubt there would have to be a lot of education involved, in a way to sell them the product and method of production.

But that said, it must be a difficult way to make (or make back) a buck.
It just seems to me that turned wood bowls and stuff don't really have the biggest pool of buyers to draw from. Particlarly not buyers who are willing to pay anything near the cost of wood, labour, and a few cents profit.
Throughout Tassie it seemed the timber stalls and sellers did quite well, but then Timber is one of the draw cards to Tassie, and it seems most people get some sort of timber fever when they get there, and decide they just have to buy something made out of Huon Pine (and something to match that something) that they would never have bought at home.
Also, as I spent a few hours looking around and through whatever timber shops and stalls I could find. I saw a lot of spoons sell, some cutting boards, and a heap of different blocks and planks of raw timber. I saw some very pretty bowls, and can't say I saw one sell (though I am sure they do).

Anyway, like Tassie and the Huon Pine, I reckon it would help to have some sort of angle- local native timber, recycled/reclaimed, special orders/styles, blah blah blah... I gotta say I've never bought a a turned bowl from a woodturner, though we have a fair few in the house. Most have come from opshops for 50c or $1.00, or where just found or saved.

ramble over.

Hans.

reeves
16th August 2007, 06:41 PM
This is potentially a good idea but I think that you really need to be very selective as to what markets you went to.


yes thats good advice, I would also suggest having a good look at what kind of items you are offering for sale. The only markets I have done, at Hampton, i covered costs but only sold a few sets of drink coasters cut from logs. Poeple commented favourbaly on the other turnings, bowls, platters boxes etc but I sold none.

I have been keeping an eye on some local markets at carbarlah and Toowoomba and whilst there is plenty of woodwork on offer and some nice turnings, no one seems to be selling much on a regular basis. The things that do sell seem to be useful household items such as rolling pins, breadbaords, beer holders, some clocks, pot planters, wine stoppers, wine racks, pepper mills etc.

In terms of the general population there just too much cheap imported stuff avilable, why would people buy a nice hand turned fruit bowl or salad bowl when you can by a pressed bamboo one from Crazy Clarks for $5.

The only reason is they appreciate quality, which not all market goers do.

So going for the craft specific markets or ones that cater to the tourist trade might give a better scope for actually selling stuff, making things that are usable items and promoting the uniqeness of the woods might all help to sell.

The only stuff I am selling regularly is wool spinning tools online and thats going quite well with regular orders and I am working hard to meet customers needs and build things up.

http://spindlemaker.etsy.com

Theres a guy on ebay selling aussie turnings and he seems to have sold quite a few at decent prices..check out his sold list..

http://stores.ebay.com.au/TURNED-ON-WOOD_W0QQcolZ4QQdirZ1QQfsubZQ2d33QQftidZ2QQtZkm

whichever way, if you expect to sell stuff you have made for yr own enjoyment then you may be dissapointed, like all selling you need to build up an awareness of the customers needs, but dont give up, have ago and see what happens..
good luck !

cheeeers
john

rsser
16th August 2007, 06:44 PM
Yeah, in a piece in AWR Richard Raffan talked about making money from turning, and how kitchen tools were the cash cow.

John, for my own use I'm interested in doing some coasters. Maybe you could start a thread on how you did yours?

reeves
16th August 2007, 07:07 PM
i normaly go to the craft markets on the Gold Coast and in the hinterland always make a good profite

hey weisyboy, why dont ya try the Carbalah markets with yr slabs ?

They are on the last sunday of each month next to the pub, Carbarlah is about 15 k's north of Toowoomba.

Bill harms a local bloke used to sell slabs and turning chunks there but hasnt been for a while cos he's working on a goat farm full time. Reckons he used to clear a few hundred bucks no problem.

Its quite a busy market and lots of local woodies go there...some good tool stalls as well..

cheeeers
john

Jigsaw
16th August 2007, 08:23 PM
You could try approaching a furniture shop that sells furniture from real wood.

Our wood working club was approached by a local furniture maker who wanted to sell smaller items in the shop apart from tables & chairs etc.

As a club we could not go ahead because it was against our constitution but more importantly we could not give a committment (as a club) to produce the number of items in the time span. Our members are all volunteers, mostly retired and did not want to be tied down. We left it up to individual members to deal with the person. Some have done so.
The person also provided the wood offcuts from the furniture to use, some of which can be used by the individuals for their own use.

He was after bowls, pens, pen stands, lamp stands or anything else that you could think of.

reeves
17th August 2007, 10:53 AM
John, for my own use I'm interested in doing some coasters. Maybe you could start a thread on how you did yours?

Ok no worries Ern, dunno if it's worth a whole thread.

For those ones that sold i just cut the coaster sized log on the bandsaw (about 4 inches or so) into cross sections and then smoothed them on the belt sander, finished of with 240 grit and then laquered them. They just need to be quite flat. They sold for between 10-15 bucks for set of 6.

The longs i used were Gidgee, Hairy oak, Boree, anything that looks cool and it quite hard. They were sold as 'rustic' coasters.

There is other ways to turn them, such as rounding a 4X6 inch piece of wood, making some indent patterns or rim for the top of the coaster then parting them off at 1/4 or 1/2 inch thickness. I only tried a few and havent sold any in that style but its a bit more creative. Theres probably quite a few adaptions available that could be fun.

Probably the main thing, apart from them being flat is they need good sealed laquer or estapol spray so that can withstand liquid and washing.

cheeeeers
john

suzieightysix
17th August 2007, 11:39 AM
I have tried the craft markets here in Melbourne and met with limited success. Some stuff sold, but not on the first couple of days. After the third attempt, when the customers knew I would be regular, things picked up and I did OK. I had to give it up due to family pressure (looking after a sick wife), and am just starting to get back into turning. I'll need to get some more practise before my standard is back to acceptable though, it's surprising how much skill I lose after a few years away. Cheers Russell

Wayne Blanch
17th August 2007, 03:00 PM
:jacked:

Ok no worries Ern, dunno if it's worth a whole thread.

For those ones that sold i just cut the coaster sized log on the bandsaw (about 4 inches or so) into cross sections and then smoothed them on the belt sander, finished of with 240 grit and then laquered them. They just need to be quite flat. They sold for between 10-15 bucks for set of 6.

The longs i used were Gidgee, Hairy oak, Boree, anything that looks cool and it quite hard. They were sold as 'rustic' coasters.

There is other ways to turn them, such as rounding a 4X6 inch piece of wood, making some indent patterns or rim for the top of the coaster then parting them off at 1/4 or 1/2 inch thickness. I only tried a few and havent sold any in that style but its a bit more creative. Theres probably quite a few adaptions available that could be fun.

Probably the main thing, apart from them being flat is they need good sealed laquer or estapol spray so that can withstand liquid and washing.

cheeeeers
john

I have done some coasters a few of times, the first time I did it like John said but I also turned a container (open top straight sides) and cut slots out of the sides to make extracting the coasters easier.

I also did some that I turned from limbs of Sheoak (about 4" diameter) leaving the bark on, I turned a recess in the top of the coaster (then used to remount in the chuck) Once re-chucked I turned a matching protrusion so that each coaster fitted into the next and stacked without the need of a container. I have done a couple of sets of these, the first one I made each coaster individually and it looked good but was a a pain because you had to ensure that you put them together in the correct order. The second set I used standard size recess and protrusions so that it could be assembled in any order. I also put some felt on the bases of them, Learning from this I made the second sets recess slightly larger than the protrusion to allow for the felt. I don't think that this style of coaster would be saleable as there is too much work in them to sell at a price the average victim (sorry customer:D ) would be willing to pay.

Unfortunately these were all Christmas presents last year and I have no photo's of them.

Regards
Wayne

Frank&Earnest
17th August 2007, 03:24 PM
There is some good advice here from hansp77 that should be stressed:



I gotta say I've never bought a a turned bowl from a woodturner, though we have a fair few in the house. Most have come from opshops for 50c or $1.00, or where just found or saved.



Which, from the woodturner point of view, translates into:

go regularly into all the opshops in your area and buy all the bowls on sale for a song. Some you will be able to use as raw material, bring out their hidden beauty with your superior skills and resell at their true value. The others you can just burn as a cheap sacrifice to Apollon to raise the standard of your market. (And, in the rare but not impossible case that you find a truly beautiful one and you have the ability and honesty to recognise that it is far better than you could possibly do, keep it yourself for inspiration!)

Calm
17th August 2007, 03:34 PM
There is some good advice here from hansp77 that should be stressed:



Which, from the woodturner point of view, translates into:

go regularly into all the opshops in your area and buy all the bowls on sale for a song. Some you will be able to use as raw material, bring out their hidden beauty with your superior skills and resell at their true value. The others you can just burn as a cheap sacrifice to Apollon to raise the standard of your market. (And, in the rare but not impossible case that you find a truly beautiful one and you have the ability and honesty to recognise that it is far better than you could possibly do, keep it yourself for inspiration!)

:2tsup: :iagree: :2tsup: