Easy things to make and sell.

[8squared]

I've made a few chopping boards, phone/candle holders, bar stools that I've been asked to make or I've made to sell.

These have all been made from pine or oak/mahogany I get for free, I do have a little maple and have had a little walnut but not much to make anything really useful.

So I'm looking at getting some 8' 2x5's of...

Oak
Mahogany
Ash
Cherry
Walnut
Maple


But not having great financial standing spending a fair amount for this isn't really justifiable if it's just going to be wasted... Which with my limited skills I'm bound to waste a fair amount.

So I was looking for ideas of simple things to make that generally sell ok to very good.


If anyone can help I would appreciate it.


P.s- I can't do lathe or bandsaw work.

 

[bourbon]

I would be very careful if I were you, as any money you make will be stopped from your benefits. If you decide to do it illegally, then the fines can be very steep and you may go to jail

 

[custard]

If you can get Pine, Oak and Mahogany for free then you're a lucky man and should stick with that until you've raised your skills to the level that warrants buying timber.

 

[rafezetter]

If you can get Pine, Oak and Mahogany for free then you're a lucky man and should stick with that until you've raised your skills to the level that warrants buying timber.

I would echo this - I know its said a lot but pallets are a great source of free timber and now and again you'll find some hardwood slats - Oak, ash, and darker colored ones too - get a whole bunch of these and make practise copies of what you intend to make, and not just one, make at least 5. By then you'll have raised your skills to the point that bought wood won't end up on the floor as shavings, and hopefully you'll be off benefits so you won't be breaking the law.

I know people think "it's only a bit of extra money" but it only takes one sale to the wrong person, and you'll be in serious trouble and should you ever need benefits again you'll have a hell of a time convincing them you are not earning illegally again.

A few years back I got investigated while on benefits because I mentioned that my parents had given me some money to pay for driving lessons (as part of a help you get back to work and broaden your possibilities), another person at the jobcentre office reported they overhead I was "getting money" and they went through my bank records three times during a 6 month period and a whole bunch of "interviews" in their investigative branch in town before they finally agreed that payment had been a one off - AND most importantly; during that 6 month period they cut my jobseekers benefit allowance by 50%.

and just to repeat that money came from my parents, which I proved - NOT an outsider. Trust me, this is not a game you want to play, there's NO APPEAL, and no way to make the process stop until they say it is and that can last months and months.

 

[jamesevenlode]

Drum practice pads.
You just need a hexagonal or octagonal piece of MDF with piece of rubber glued onto it.

They look like this:

And they sell for £20 a piece.

 

[Knot Competent]

It's true that stuff made from pallet wood seems to be an attraction for some people. I don't understand it myself, but I'm not complaining. And there are a huge number of YouTube tutorials available. Painting products increases the attraction. I use acrylic paints from Wilko, it's so easy to do, and seemingly the rougher the better!

I'm really interested in your drum practice pads, James! What sort of rubber is it?

 

[rafezetter]

It's true that stuff made from pallet wood seems to be an attraction for some people. I don't understand it myself, but I'm not complaining. And there are a huge number of YouTube tutorials available. Painting products increases the attraction. I use acrylic paints from Wilko, it's so easy to do, and seemingly the rougher the better!

I'm really interested in your drum practice pads, James! What sort of rubber is it?

Pallet wood is just "wood". It can be cleaned / sanded / planed up so it looks just like any other PAR, blocked together to form larger sections or flat surfaces or anything. It's a much overlooked resource, it just takes a bit of effort to remove the "came from a pallet" look - which in turn gives skill experience, just treat it like roughsawn wood and go from there; that's the point I was trying to make.

From the majority of the more recent posts from people new to the hobby they all have a recurring theme - "I bought PAR and it's no good" to which the reply 99% of the time is "buy roughsawn larger than you need and prep it yourself".

Learning how to do this is a fundamental base skill for woodwork - doing it with pallet wood is free.

 

[Random Orbital Bob]

Pallet wood certainly has its uses but do beware when planing that members that were once in contact with the ground frequently harbour grit that dings your plane blades wiping out any savings you thought you might make. Ensure they're cleaned up before putting through a planar/thicknesser.

 

[custard]

Pallet wood certainly has its uses but do beware when planing that members that were once in contact with the ground frequently harbour grit that dings your plane blades wiping out any savings you thought you might make. Ensure they're cleaned up before putting through a planar/thicknesser.

Good advice. There's also the issue with pallet wood that different manufacturers use different preservatives, and some of them are fairly toxic (the OP mentioned chopping boards, which isn't a good idea with pallet wood, nor is children's toys).

If you Google the subject you'll find information on how to decipher the code stamped onto pallets which will tell you the level of toxicity for that particular one.

 

[jamesevenlode]

Drum practice pads.
You just need a hexagonal or octagonal piece of MDF with piece of rubber glued onto it.

They look like this:

And they sell for £20 a piece.

That isn't my drum pad- I've never made them myself (I only make guitars and other stringed instruments) but I know someone who has.
It was a decent earner for him for a while.
I can ask what sort of rubber if you like.

 

[Mr_P]

Think the horse has bolted with the drum pad idea, a lot on ebay for £20 and not many sales.

Plus a lot of work there for £20 and even if your wood is free that's not £20 profit.

ebay = £2, paypal = £1, p+p = £5 ?, rubber = £1 ?

Heard great things about planters and car boots but guess not until Spring.

 

[Knot Competent]

That would be worthwhile knowledge, James. I'd be grateful if you'd ask, if he knows, of course.

 

[8squared]

I know it's a very big grey area when it comes to working for extra income, having a job is do-able for a certain amount of hours per week with no affects (not for me as I'm caring for my daughter)... But when it comes down to having a hobby even just selling a few things on a stall proves my intention of going out to make money therefore I could be classed as having a business... A whole new ball game and not something I want.


I started with pallets and getting them for free/next to nothing is easy and is where I all started, I just found it time consuming in getting them ready to use compared to just buying new wood for the same costs.


As for sticking with with oak and mahogany I get... because it's off cuts and unsellable despite it being blocks big enough to turn bowls and lengths that are more than useful.... But I've been been working with it for 2 years now so feel it's time I moved on.

 

[rafezetter]

Sorry 8squared - I didn't realise you'd already been down that path with pallets, apologies for teaching you to suck eggs.

 

[8squared]

Sorry 8squared - apologies for teaching you to suck eggs.

No problem... I love eggs.


I got started in woodwork thanks to the mrs... In B&Q one time she seen a kids picnic table highly priced, she commented it looked just like pallet wood and I could probably make one.

So I got a jigsaw, hammer, nails and of course pallets and made one that lasted a year. In that time I made others, planters and bird houses.

Then as the saying goes the rest is history.