Selling Things

[Scott NC]

  I used to give all my stuff away, but I found a store that likes my face sculptures and want's to do them on commission, which is ok with me.  I just decided on a fling to take some samples and a portfolio of sorts in and ask if they would be interested, it's 30%.  It's an eclectic little shop, but in a pretty high end area.  The owner has a bird shop too and said if I could come up with something unique along those lines, he would sell them too.

  I was thinking of making some bird houses, textured sheet metal, maybey a twisted roost or porch with handmade (small) hinges and hardware, similar to this old beat up wood one I have:

  I could fashion it as an outhouse.  Or even a bent old stovepipe coming out the top.

  Or a hanger like this?  The birds would be easy to forge.  I think hang by baling or piano wire.

  What unique bird related stuff could I do?  I looked at the bird shop and they have a lot of hangers and whatnot.  I have an assurance, I'd get a nice price for handmade as opposed to import stuff.

  That hanger is wood birds and twine.

[Daswulf]

I see a lot of really nice birds being made with spoons forks and butter knives. I've wanted to try some myself. 

If you want to go big you could make a scrap metal birdbath. Maybe a flower motif in the middle.

I made a humming bird a few back that the feathers were made using cold hammered finish nails. You could try something like that.  People love hummingbirds. 

There are a Lot of things you could do. 

I like the birdhouse idea. 

Glad to hear you'll be selling some of your work. Getting paid makes it a practically free hobby. I always enjoy when someone likes something I've made so much that they would pay for it.

30% eats a bit but if they can get a good price and they are doing the sales it could be worth it. 

Other than seeing the faces of people who like my work, sales is not very fun for me. I hate sitting around and Im not usually very talkative being a bit of an introvert and all. 

[Scott NC]

  I have a bunch of planter discs I could turn into birdbaths pretty easy, but never thought of that.  I also overlooked making birds from silverware.  I have a friend back home that makes them.  These are all great ideas and I should have thought of some of them.  I just want to start off on the right foot so asking for ideas.  I tried a few times in the past and didn't go so good but this sounds promising.  I'm a bit introvert myself and just going into that shop was a trip.  I do ok once in an established setting tho.  Thanks.

[Frosty]

How many of those planter discs do you have? You could hang 2-3 by the center spaced pleasantly for wind chimes. You can tune the notes by grinding around the edges. A forged bird, woodpecker, etc. on spring legs would peck it's disc every time the wind moved it. Hmmm?

They'd would also make a nice cover for a hanging bird feeders,

Okay, I'm starting to get warmed up here. Mount one of the discs next to the doorbell like it's stuck in the wall with a part of a hand sticking out from "under" it. Paint NO Solicitors! on the disk. Hmmmm?

Could hang one by a leather thong on the porch with a nicely forged striker. A sign saying ring the bell or be ignored, Or I'm deaf ring it DANG IT! Etc. Lots of room to expand there.

Mother wanted a triangle and striker, hung it on the porch and as far as I know nobody ever rang it. Until I wrote a small sign, ring the triangle, No knockers allowed!

Frosty The Lucky.

[Daswulf]

Same here with established places or people Scott. I get high anxiety in crowded busy places but I handle it ok. Never do get everything I need at a walmart. That place starts getting to me quick and I just want to get out. 

Planter discs would make good birdbaths. A crank shaft would make a good pillar and something heavier for the base. Something bigger and heavier like that you'll want to try to make it as modular as possible. At least so they can take the disc off to pack it in the car. It isn't a must but you'd be surprised how many people will pass because they don't know how they would get it home not having a truck. Show the people selling them as well. Could be as easy as welding a bigger nut and bolt to the joining parts so it screws on. 

 

Always love your wild ideas Frosty. 

[TWISTEDWILLOW]

2 hours ago, Daswulf said:

see a lot of really nice birds being made with spoons forks and butter knives. I've wanted to try some myself

Oh man if it’s the same ones I’ve seen that’s an excellent idea!

they look almost lifelike 

[Frosty]

I'd toss some more out there Das but the Arctic Winter Games are being held in the Mat Su valley Ak, where I live! And curling starts any time now, they're prepping the ice and I'm watching the live stream. Soooo, I'll maybe in and out for a week. 

If anyone is interested they're curling on the same ice I curl on! https://app.hometeamlive.com/#/home/events/35

Frosty The Lucky.

[Daswulf]

No problem Frosty. Enjoy. 

Having my birthday when winter olympics are on I am all too used to people paying attention to it. I have no problem with someone being into the games. When you pop in we are still here. 

[Frosty]

The first games were pretty good and the players were young teens, 13-14 and I must admit way better curlers than I was. I was bouncing back and forth between curling and cannon videos. Makes for an entertaining if odd afternoon. 

It is a little odd seeing a world sporting event going on in an ice arena I'm intimately familiar with. It'd be fun to stop by Safeway for sushi and show up to help set up. It was a timing thing when I was curling but I'd show up open skating and classes were clearing out and the Zamboni was making the ice pristine and eat my sushi while things got changed over then help when I wouldn't be more in the way than helpful. One of the guys would pebble the ice while we set the hacks and move the rocks out. And today on the screen our score boards, Palmer Curling Club hosting the world. It's just soo cool!

I'll maybe stop grinning  in a month or two IF I can stop thinking about it. 

Frosty The Lucky.

[BillyBones]

10 hours ago, Daswulf said:

A crank shaft would make a good pillar

My buddy's mom made an out door table like that. The top was the fly wheel, i think the base was mounted in a rim if IIRC, all nice and welded up. She found the crank and stuff in the garage, the crank was a forged steel stroker for a big block Chevy my buddy paid a pretty penny for. 

As far as bird stuff, how about nice elaborate French baroque style bird cages? From looking at them on the interweb machine most look as if they would be a lot of tedious welding of small round bar with a bit of sheet metal work. 

[Brian Hibbert]

Maybe make decorative birdhouse or feeder hangers rather than the birdhouse?  Something similar to a plant hanger only with a more avian decoration.   I've got a shepherd's hook with a sheet metal bird silhouette welded to it.  Perhaps something like that would sell to bird watchers for a feeder hanger. 

 But what kind of Bird Shop is it?  Is it for people with pet birds like parakeets or is it for wild bird watchers?  The target market changes what you'd want to make.

 

[George N. M.]

in a situation like this where you are making things for a specific audience at a specific location you have to be aware that you may, and probably will, saturate the market pretty quickly.  We make durable goods and once a person has bought an X they are unlikely to buy a second one.  I have done events where I did great the 1st year, OK the 2d year, and barely covered costs the 3d year because the same people were coming back every year and they had already bought the things they wanted from my offerings.

So, you either have to keep coming up with new items to attract subsequent sales or move your stuff around to different outlets where a new group of customers will be exposed to your wares.

"By hammer and hand all arts do stand."

[Al Stephens]

Once upon a time, I made my living selling hand forged items. At one point I had active customers in 44 states and 2 Canadian Provinces. Needless to say I had a line of "stock" goods that most customers were able to resell at a profit. Here are some of the lessons I learned.

Custom made things were normally used to display or promote others work, I very seldom remade the piece to sell.

Custom work ALWAYS takes more time to make, and many times created "shipping" issues. Price it accordingly.

Always schedule your work load. You don't do your best work when you are worn out.

Don't let a customer decide your work load. If you put one customer's work in front of another's, at what point do you stop?

No two customers will ever display your work the same, what sells well at eye level doesn't sell well off the bottom shelf.

Set your work standards high, and maintain them. OK, very rarely sells.

If you should land a BIG customer, never build your business based on that customer. They will drop your item, just as fast as they started selling them. This was very wise advice I was given and it is TRUE!

Living off the "fruit of your labors" can be very rewarding. It can also be very difficult. You must be able to both enjoy the high's, and be able to survive the low's.

Good Luck! 

Al

 

[Scott NC]

  I'd like to thank you all for your ideas, thoughts and input.  I seriously appreciate it.   I'm putting the bird themed ideas on hold for a time as I already ran into a snag with the face sculpture venture.  It did not take long.  A bit of who's telling who what to do.  And they want big sculptures now, which I'm not set up for, time, shop or scrap pile wise.   I really do appreciate all the ideas though, and I can always look back here at the bird part if I get on track with this.  Ideas are timeless.

  I used to sell vegetables back home at the farm market but that was easy, you just put up a stall, put it on the tables and people bought what they want.   Nobody told me what to grow....

  I talk again with them this afternoon... 

  Thanks, again.

  

[Daswulf]

Stick with what you want to and with what you are comfortable making. 

Sometimes suggestions on what someone wants and will be purchasing is fine if it clicks with me and I know I am ready and capable. Other times I've turned down work I knew I wouldn't have time for or the right materials or even thought process to make.

I much prefer to make things that I like and come natural to me then offer them up. It keeps it fun for me and I never had a problem selling what I make.  If this was my main living things might be different.