Inspiration please

[Doug B]

The secretary of my local turning club has ask the members to make some turned items to sell at an up coming charity stall.

Having never sold stuff at a stall before my suggestion of door stops or fruit, got the response of " I suppose so" this didn`t fill me with confidence that these were what he wanted.
So can anyone suggest a few items i could make, (piccys if possible) that will sell on a stall.


Cheers.

 

[Blister]

Kitchen paper towel roll holder

 

[gerrybhoy70]

Hi Doug,

I did a fundraising craft fair just before xmas and the best sellers were bottle stops, tealights & lidded boxes. Added some photos for you.
Some people couldn't get enough of them.

Might have been just the time of year, but I'm not really convinced of that.

Also sold a few incense holders shaped like goblets, but with only a shallow amount of the cup hollowed out and 2mm holes drill in at a slight angle so that the ash is gathered inside rather than going everywhere. Unfortunately I don't have any pics of these, but if you can do a goblet, it's pretty much exactly the same.

Good luck with the stall, whatever you decide to put on it.

 

[jumps]

light pulls (display hanging on strings), tea light holders (display/sell) with tea lights in them and bottle stoppers (display in bottles)

these require small amounts of wood but, as with Blister's suggestion, have a function that enables them to appeal to the need as well as the want - you might try a couple of bowls complete with fruit as higher value products initially; if they don't sell plan B would be to split them up.

 

[nev]

nowt but wood...

egg cups (his n hers)

mug tree

candle holders

or for a little outlay
pot pourri pots (very popular at xmas)

pens (from the cheapest kits, about 1.20 each)

hth

 

[jumps]

I like that pen Nev - clever; looks good.

 

[nev]

I like that pen Nev - clever; looks good.

ta , known as 'The Knobbly' , also proved popular at xmas for the ladies :?

 

[Jensmith]

I was going to suggest tea lights or pens. Sounds like you've got some good suggestions there though.

 

[Dieseldog]

Fruit bowl..they always sell well

 

[Lodds]

sorry to jump in here.

Turning this stuff is one thing selling it is something totally different. I'm new to turning so have not yet reached a standard to sell. I'm curious though as too what cost you put on these things, do you add a percentage onto the material costs or do you just think of a price and hope it sells? Sorry for what some may think of as a silly question.

Tony

 

[jumps]

sorry to jump in here.

Turning this stuff is one thing selling it is something totally different. I'm new to turning so have not yet reached a standard to sell. I'm curious though as too what cost you put on these things, do you add a percentage onto the material costs or do you just think of a price and hope it sells? Sorry for what some may think of as a silly question.

Tony

Not a silly question Tony, and you will find long threads on the subject from time to time. The basic answer has to be that there will be a price that people are prepared to pay for any particular piece - and that will be dependant on location, environment and time of year; all assuming that quality is acceptable. As an example, Nev's potpourri might fly at the right location Christmas market for £15, but fail to shift at all at £8 another time, another place.

That's the bottom line.

The issue of material costs and time etc is one for you to make as to whether it's worth doing, against your objectives, rather than a pricing one in this market.

 

[Jonzjob]

I agree totally Jumps and have had that experience. One day nothing sells and another you haven't got enough on the stall. Who knows why?

Not turned, but one of the popular things I have had sell at fairs are book marks. Just thin slivers of well coloured wood, nicely sanded and sanding sealed. Yew branches are really good for that and if you have anyone who does pyrography then pyro names on them. I used to sell them for £1 each. Very popular!

It can backfire though, like the 'femail' dressed completly in balck leather, hells angles style, who asked if I could pyro "freedom's just another word for nothing else to loose". I jokingly asked if she would like the rest of the song and the serious reply was "no, just his name (Eugene or whatever it was :twisted: ) man." Just as well she had chosen one of the bigger book marks!

 

[boysie39]

AH ! Yes I remember it well ! When I pointed out that Lose was pyro'd with two OO's I cant tell you what she did with it,
But it does hurt from time to time

 

[Doug B]

Thanks for the ideas folks, looks like I`ve a busy weekend ahead.

I`ll post some piccys of what i achieve.


Cheers.

 

[Doug B]

Well even the snow couldn`t stop me, though it did slow progress not only as i had to clear a path to the workshop, but also because i was instructed to over see the building of snow men after the present Mrs B was not pleased to see the kids first effort.

:shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock: :shock:
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Take 2, with dad over seeing.

After all that excitement it was time to turn, I manage a few of the suggested items,

A square bowl & an oversized apple in slightly spalted Beech & an Oak kitchen towel holder.

Then to speed things up, a set of 3 tealight holders made from planed spalted Beech with the corners knocked off with the skew.

Think i need to iron my back drop sheet

Hopefully I`ll get time to make a few more things before the show.

Cheers.

 

[L2wis]

Haha fantastic snowmen/women! Great pieces too!! I really like the finial on the kitchen roll holder and the tea lights look really sellable!! What was the finish on them if you don't mind me asking? Melemine lacquer?

 

[gregmcateer]

Doug,

Nice turnings. I particularly like the last tealight holders - really effective and lovely sheen without looking plastic.

(Though I reckon the kids' snowman was better than yours!)

Cheers, (and glad you sold the bandsaw - apologies again!

Greg

 

[Doug B]

What was the finish on them if you don't mind me asking? Melemine lacquer?

Apart from the Oak towel holder which is oiled, everything else is just buffed with the Chestnut buffing system.

(Though I reckon the kids' snowman was better than yours!)

Everytime Greg, unless of course SWMBO is in ear shot :lol:

No worries re the bandsaw, I just need the space.

Cheers.

 

[Jonzjob]

The 1st snowman looked as if it could protect it'self with the double barreled sling shot? Shame you decided to capitulate and change it :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

The wood work don't look bad either? Some nice beech in that lot!!

 

[boysie39]

Doug, when you say just buffed with buffing system, I take it some kind of wax is used