Advice on selling turnings?

[Stephen Saar]

I was interested in possibly doing some turning to sell. I'm not looking to make a career out of turning, or even break even on my equipment costs (I don't even want to think how much I've spent in the last 3 weeks on lathe stuff), but a little extra money here and there couldn't hurt, and it would be fun to say that someone paid for some of my work. I was thinking about bowls and pens, but I don't really have any ideas about how one goes about selling these items, or if it's even worth it. Anyone here ever sell anything, or is it just not cost effective to ever sell anything?

Thanks.

-Stephen

[Mike Minto]

no hijack intended here, but along with the original thread, do those of you who sell turned items at craft shows and such have businesses, insurance, etc., or just what? mike

[Dennis Ford]

I sell a few, mostly through a gallery. Pricing is possibly the hardest to figure out. Set a price that you will be satisfied with. If they all sell quickly, price the next ones higher. If none sell, possibly they were priced too high. Turn what you enjoy making, don't worry about customers while you are turning. You won't make a lot of money so might as well enjoy it.

[Jack Mincey]

Hi,
It all depends on what you have to sell. I've sold game calls now for 4 years all on line. It started with a call trade to a call maker that was well respected on a few of the online game call forums. After he posted how he liked my call I couldn't keep up with the demand for my calls. Sales spike ever time I post pictures of some of my new calls on these sites. I've made enough to pay for my lathe and few other items over the last couple of years. I just started selling my bowl's in July. I'm not sure if they would sell well On Line unless you have a big name and reputation in the world of turning. I've been lucky to have a High End Fly fishing shop that I've worked for as a guide for over 20 years want to sell my bowls. I'm very happy with the result. If you can find a place that customers come to that have serious money it is easier to get top dollar for your work. I've been to some of the big craft shows in our area to visit fellow turners and check out their prices. I'm not willing to sell my bowls as cheap as they are. I few of these turners are very good with a good product. To be competitive they are selling 12" bowls for $80.00 +or- a few bucks. I'm able to sell similar work turned from some what nicer wood for 3 or 4 times what they are getting in a fly fishing shop. The best part of my deal is the shop only takes 25% for selling my work. When I retire in 2 years 7 months I hope to start selling in several of the galleries that or in my area.
Good Luck,
Jack

[Cody Colston]

I sell both turned items and flat work. I sell the turned stuff in a couple of art shows every fall. A friend who turns wine bottle stoppers and I share a 10' x 10' booth. We don't get rich but did sell a couple thousand dollars worth in two days last year at one particular high-end art show.

I turn and sell just whatever suits my fancy...bowls, hollow form vessels, vases, lidded boxes, weed pots, some pens and even duck calls. Surprisingly, those sold very well at the last show I was in last fall, mostly women buying them for their duck hunting husbands/boy friends. I don't hunt but have a duck hunting friend who says the calls are very good. He uses one of mine exclusively.

Even if you just make back the entry fee, a good show is a lot of fun. You will get to meet a lot of craftspersons, make a lot of contacts and get your name/business cards out in the public.

The flat work I sell is just from word-of-mouth. People will hear that I make such and such, will ask about it and soon I have a commission that I really didn't even try for.

I don't have business insurance but I did apply for and get a Texas sales tax number so that I don't get in trouble with the tax man.

[Barry Elder]

You might consider that for the first year or so that you are turning items, most of the members of your family will be wanting to have some of your work. And they usually won't care whether it's gallery quality or not.

[Bernie Weishapl]

I sell mostly thru a couple of galleries. My biggest sellers are mini birdhouses, bottle stoppers, ornaments. I do sell quite a few bowls, vases, HF's, and potpourri pots. I do have insurance and a business license. Like Dennis said about pricing it took me 2 yrs of selling to finally figure out a price range for my items for my area. I know with what I got invested in my shop I will never break even or get rich so I turn for fun and if I make a little money I am happy.

[Reed Gray]

I sell mostly utility bowls, but have been selling threaded boxes, pen/pencil cups, a few hollow forms, spurtles, rolling pins, small Shaker style tables, but no pens or bottle stoppers. I do travel to a few shows. Some are now requiring liability insurance. I sell enough that I do have business insurance. Most home owner policies won't cover tools if you are selling, and some will drop you if they find out you have a wood shop. My policy covers me at shows, and in my shop, when I am teaching/mentoring, when I travel, and for my DVD. Best deal was through the Hartford (Bill Grumbine told me about them). I am fortunate to have a local Saturday Market that has been going for 40 years. A relativly cheap way to find out if your stuff will sell. Higher end shows cost more money, and will usually generate better sales than the church bazarrs, farmers markets, and county fairs. The bad thing about show business is you just never know what will happen. Every show seems to be some ones best show, and some one elsed worst show. Oh, yes, in some places you need tax ID numbers. We don't have a sales tax here in Oregon. I call my self a semi pro. I can make enough to support my habbit, and pay some bills, but not enough to live off of.

robo hippy

[Jerry Rhoads]

I sell at art shows and at the local Farmers Market. Near the University of Illinois, in Urbana Illinois.
A lot of high class people and out of country people visit here and I do real well.

I carry business insurance. I also demo on my Mini at most of these shows.
I use solar panels, a deep cycle battery, and power inverter to run my Jet mini at the Market. The area is real "green" and folks really like to see that.
If you are allowed to demo at shoes, it helps. It also helps the booths near me, as people do stop just walking by.

Jerry

[Frank Kobilsek]

Stephen,

You posted 'My First Bowls' and the 'Selling' question 10 minutes apart. As you continue to turn the selling part will come natural if you are open to it. Use your early works in your home and as gifts for friends and family. Allow the 'mistakes' to stay in the shop to hold nails etc. Someday in the not too distant future somebody will ask to buy something.

Shows require investments in display equipment and lots of time, time that some turners just hate. Show also require inventory. You can not sell $2000 wirht of work if you only have $200 worth in the booth.

Go slow, enjoy learning the new craft of turning. Selling is a different craft.

Frank

[Stephen Saar]

I don't have any plans for selling anything anytime soon, I was just curious about how people went about doing it.

-Stephen