Chris C Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 "Back when" I was a professional custom furniture builder, my shop time was $45/hour. Bring me a chair to fix and if it took two hours it was $90. That was back in the early 90's up until I shut down the business in '08. That figure was derived from dividing cost of lights, heat and air, water, business insurances, operating costs such as fees from my lawyer, accountant, shop towels, sand paper, replacing and buying small consumable tools, saw blades, drill bits, shipping and receiving goods (material for resale and operating), cost of fuel, tags and maintenance on my truck, etc. down to an single hour. Then was added the cost of materials used in the furniture.............wood, finishes, dyes, hardware, etc. If it's a business, it's a business. If it's a hobby and you can afford it, have fun. That's always been my mantra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blacksmith-450 Posted March 9, 2020 Share Posted March 9, 2020 Some forgewelding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frazer Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 (edited) Bluerooster, I agree, I pretty much always end up giving away the things I make. Usually to family, friends, coworkers, and the like. I look at it as good practice and as I improve my work by making things I would have been making anyway then giving them away, I'm getting things out there so when I do feel confident enough in what I'm making (and can do things more efficiently) there are already people who have seen some of my work. Efficiency is definitely the main problem, some of the things I make, I may have tens of hours in hand sanding and file work in simply because I haven't bought a grinder yet. So putting a price on something like that is hard. To me, at least at this point in time, it's just about the experience and having some fun making things while my day job pays for the fuel, and materials and such. Anyway, speaking of spending a long time hand sanding, I've been practicing my forge welds and making a little damascus. I have another piece that's bigger (and by that I don't mean big! Wow Blacksmith-450 now that's some serious forge welding!) and where the welds went much better, this one had a little delamination up by where I punched the hole, so I called it quits on this piece and It'll just be a keychain of sorts. I like looking at it as it took me a long time to do. My brother is fascinated with damascus so I started this project with him in mind. I have also continued on my scissor project. most of the forging is done, but the handles are still a little uneven and there is still quite a lot left to do. Edited March 10, 2020 by Frazer minor additions after seeing new post Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 I do a lot with scrap metal; but have learned that "materials cost" should always be for REPLACEMENT of the metal you used. If you make a piece from free scrap and sell it with a materials cost of zero for steel; then what happens when they come back and want eleventy dozen more just like that and you have to tell them the price went up because you have to go buy new steel to make them. Customers don't like that! Now if you price it with replacement cost and you can make it with scrounged or scrap steel---that increases your profit. Customers often don't understand that you may have negative economies of scale for large orders---you may have to hire help and buy expensive equipment that wasn't necessary for a "one off" made in your spare time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Nice work blacksmith-450 and Frazer. The scissors are cool. It doesn't look like it'd take much to even out the handles. I've given away a bunch of stuff and I've got piles of stuff still sitting. It is a good idea to get your work out there to be seen. I wanted to make spoons and forks and I just made some and my husband put them in his lunch bag. The guys at work started wanting them after seeing his and now others want them. I guess I'm a one trick pony right now but I ought to get real good at them. I appreciate all the business advice. It is not easy to figure out for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Back 35 or so years ago there was a fad among knifemakers to do highly creative eating sets and IIRC there was even a dinner planned at the Knifemakers Guild Show for people who had made such items to show them off. I'm sure that there are pictures out there somewhere if you want some over the top examples to work towards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 That may be interesting to look at. Thanks Thomas Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexandr Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 It took almost 2 days to pack the chandelier. Very stringent air carrier requirements. Sent to Minneapolis. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olfart Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 This month's project for our club is to make a Jonquil since our meeting this month will be at Old Washington State Park, AR, at the Jonquil Festival. Here's my first attempt. Needless to say it's 30 - 40 times the size of an actual Jonquil, but my arthritic hands don't let me do micro work anymore. The material was from an old satellite dish. The blossom was cold-formed, the cup in the center was heated and driven into a 3/4" nut, then heated again and driven into the Pritchel hole. I had to grind off some of the uneven edge of the cup to make it relatively symmetrical. The pistol was made by making a 3-way split in the end of the 3/16 rod and bending the ends out 90 degrees. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Polygon ( Hexagon) finial. Filmed for new video. 20200310_180008.mp4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 You're just "too cool for school", Jennifer. Such hammer control. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Well, I figured I might as well wrap up with variations on the same methods as the Blacksmiths diamonds. The skill set learned in those videos are so applicable elsewhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 10, 2020 Share Posted March 10, 2020 Your "skill set's" are so far beyond what mine will ever be it's getting to where I don't even want to embarrass myself (drooling) watching your videos! I can't even imagine what it takes to forge one of those diamonds. They are so nearly perfect it's almost diabolical. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Crew Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 So is the title? Jennifer the Diabolical Hammer Mistress Sadly I could not view this video either. I need to watch someone with hammer control. I lack control hammer and otherwise. Diabolicaly Perfect ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 alexandr, the quality and amount of work you do makes me feel lazy! Gorgeous as per usual. John, that's a lovely flower. I hope I can get out to an IronMunchers meeting sometime soon. I'd love to meet you in person and forge with you guys. Jennifer, I couldn't view the video either, but I will as soon as I can. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Irondragon Forge ClayWorks Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 I had to wait a long time for the video to load, but it was worth the wait. It's just a 22 second blurb showing the finished product. Just amazing and the video showing how it's made will be a master piece in hammer control IMHO. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 She is amazing to watch and an awesome teacher Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jlpservicesinc Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 Thanks guys.. The video was uploaded to IFI server.. it might take a little to load in your browser. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 I'll be checking shortly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris C Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 I've been checking. Nada..............nada danged thing yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rojo Pedro Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 All good stuff. Love the scissors Frazer Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olfart Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 Thanks, CGL. I'm looking forward to meeting you as well. Jonquil 2.0 is on the drawing board. I hope to correct some of 1.0's inadequacies. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CrazyGoatLady Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 I think 1.0 looks pretty darn good, John. Please post #2 when it is done. If I can get a critter sitter, I'd like to come out your way this summer. I haven't been any further away than Dallas in nearly 2 years. I'm a homebody, but I do like to go on a trip occasionally and that would be a perfect destination Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alexandr Posted March 11, 2020 Share Posted March 11, 2020 5 hours ago, CrazyGoatLady said: the quality аnd amount of work you do makes me feel lazy! Gorgeous as per usual. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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