I hit the mother load.....

[doug king]

As I am starting up this new laser engraving offering in our business I decided to hit up a couple of local businesses to me. I first went to a local furniture manufacturing company that I went to highschool with the owners 20 years ago. The son is now running the company and they build high end custom furniture from solid wood. A bed as an example will cost around 6,000 for the wood frame. I asked if they had any scraps that they threw away and he laughed at me... He walked me through the factory, saws going, sanders, CNC machines and he took me to a HUGE dumpster and told me they fill that up every day. I could have as much as I wanted because they had to pay someone to haul it off. There were hundreds of solid pieces of Oak, Teac, Ash, Maple and Walnut that were about 20 inches long, 10 inches wide and 8 inches deep. There were pieces of solid woods that were every bit of 24 x 16 x 1 all the way down to 1/4 thick.... He told me good hunting, asked me what I was going to do with it and when I told him he said he wanted me to bring him some samples..... Cool

Then I went to another friends marble business about a mile from the house and asked them about scraps. He asked me what I considered a scrap, I told him just small pieces anwhere from 3 inches to 12 inches (I was on the spot at that point) he laughed too and then took me through his warehouse to the back lot and showed me pallet after pallet of marble, and granite that had been cut out of solid sheets. These were the sink cutouts that they call scrap... Every color, every combination, he said he has been collecting it for years and needs to get rid of it... He told me I could have it all..... And there is about a pallet every week that keeps on coming... He asked me what I was going to do with it and I told him and then he asked if I wanted to do some outsourcing for him.. He said that just about every house they do the counters in someone asks him for a piece with the address or something like a bible verse put into the back splash....

WOOOOO HOOOO my laser isnt even here yet and I have all the material I can stand to practice and sell on.....

What a blessing this is....

[Dee Gallo]

Free material AND future jobs? I guess you DID hit the motherlode!

Looks like you are going to hit the ground running, good luck (as if you need it) and have fun!

[doug king]

Free material AND future jobs? I guess you DID hit the motherlode!

Looks like you are going to hit the ground running, good luck (as if you need it) and have fun!

thanks Dee, we always planned on the website being our bread and butter with some local work as filler. As it is starting to look maybe we will be busy with both... My plans seldom work out as I expect but I have learned in life to roll with it and the end result will be better than I could have asked for...

more to come...

[Mark Winlund]

Congrats on finding a source for materials. The real problem becomes what to do with it all. I have mountains of wood and veneer for that high paying special job that rarely materializes. Storing and organizing it takes more time and money than you can generally get out of it.

Unless you are in the woodworking business, it is hard to compete with the suppliers of ready made wooden blanks such as plaques, desk sets, and so on. I can buy a ready made, black walnut 9x12 plaque board for about $12. The time it takes me to make and finish such an item means I'm working for less than minimum wage, unless the quantity is large enough.

I have done enough of these to know what to devote my time to and what to "farm out". I specialize in engraving, not woodworking.

The exception arises when you find someone that is willing to pay a premium for custom work that requires exotic woods and veneers. These people are the exception to the rule. Most of the time you will be fighting to your customers to pay for an ordinay black walnut plaque, rather than a piece of printed particle board that cost $2 instead of $12. (Of course, as you probably know, said particle board will crumble if you just look at it hard!)

Mark

[doug king]

Congrats on finding a source for materials. The real problem becomes what to do with it all. I have mountains of wood and veneer for that high paying special job that rarely materializes. Storing and organizing it takes more time and money than you can generally get out of it.

Unless you are in the woodworking business, it is hard to compete with the suppliers of ready made wooden blanks such as plaques, desk sets, and so on. I can buy a ready made, black walnut 9x12 plaque board for about $12. The time it takes me to make and finish such an item means I'm working for less than minimum wage, unless the quantity is large enough.

I have done enough of these to know what to devote my time to and what to "farm out". I specialize in engraving, not woodworking.

The exception arises when you find someone that is willing to pay a premium for custom work that requires exotic woods and veneers. These people are the exception to the rule. Most of the time you will be fighting to your customers to pay for an ordinay black walnut plaque, rather than a piece of printed particle board that cost $2 instead of $12. (Of course, as you probably know, said particle board will crumble if you just look at it hard!)

Mark

Words of wisdom for sure... The plan is to make this a family ordeal. My inlaws and my parents are retired and really bored, while I can see this as a potential disaster both sets of parents are good with detail and are familiar with working with wood. It will give them something to do, as far as I am concerned my time is cheap, if I can save a few bucks a day on consumables and I have the time to oversee things then it makes good sense...

I do however absolutely see your point about doing what your good at and maximizing that effeciency to make the most money you can... For me engraving is going to be just an enhancement to what we offer today....

You have the business sense people should listen too....

Doug

[Stephen Beckham]

Good-show Doug... Keep the positive attitude and recognition of it as a blessing... Everything happens for a reason - be glad and thankful. Wouldn't happen to be getting the laser around Thanksgiving would you?

[George Brown]

As I am starting up this new laser engraving offering in our business I decided to hit up a couple of local businesses to me. I first went to a local furniture manufacturing company that I went to highschool with the owners 20 years ago. The son is now running the company and they build high end custom furniture from solid wood. A bed as an example will cost around 6,000 for the wood frame. I asked if they had any scraps that they threw away and he laughed at me... He walked me through the factory, saws going, sanders, CNC machines and he took me to a HUGE dumpster and told me they fill that up every day. I could have as much as I wanted because they had to pay someone to haul it off. There were hundreds of solid pieces of Oak, Teac, Ash, Maple and Walnut that were about 20 inches long, 10 inches wide and 8 inches deep. There were pieces of solid woods that were every bit of 24 x 16 x 1 all the way down to 1/4 thick.... He told me good hunting, asked me what I was going to do with it and when I told him he said he wanted me to bring him some samples..... Cool

Then I went to another friends marble business about a mile from the house and asked them about scraps. He asked me what I considered a scrap, I told him just small pieces anwhere from 3 inches to 12 inches (I was on the spot at that point) he laughed too and then took me through his warehouse to the back lot and showed me pallet after pallet of marble, and granite that had been cut out of solid sheets. These were the sink cutouts that they call scrap... Every color, every combination, he said he has been collecting it for years and needs to get rid of it... He told me I could have it all..... And there is about a pallet every week that keeps on coming... He asked me what I was going to do with it and I told him and then he asked if I wanted to do some outsourcing for him.. He said that just about every house they do the counters in someone asks him for a piece with the address or something like a bible verse put into the back splash....

WOOOOO HOOOO my laser isnt even here yet and I have all the material I can stand to practice and sell on.....

What a blessing this is....


Are you sure you didn't die and go to heaven????:D

[AL Ursich]

Wooooo Hoooooo is RIGHT..... Good Job !!!!!

AL

[Roy Brewer]

WOOOOO HOOOO my laser isnt even here yet and I have all the material I can stand to practice and sell.....Doug,

Well for goodness sake, tell us what kind of a laser you have coming in!:D

[doug king]

Ummmm if you can make it get here faster I will tell everyone what model it is! :eek:

[doug king]

Here are a few shots of the hundreds of peices put in the dumpster each day... Teac and Oak are what was being discarded today.. I know it looks a little raw but my mind is spinning like crazy... The dumpster they have is about 24 feet long and 6 feet high, they fill it each week and pay someone to haul it off.

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[Angus Hines]

Doug dont forget to hit up your local Top shops for Corian sink cut outs and other goodie scraps!!!!

[doug king]

Doug dont forget to hit up your local Top shops for Corian sink cut outs and other goodie scraps!!!!

You read my mind.. I had a discussion with a company today... I should be able to pick up their scraps too... You guys keep those ideas coming... I learn at least 10 things every day...

[Dan Hintz]

I learn at least 10 things every day...
So do I... problem is, I tend to forget 11...

[leslie blackburn]

Doug, this is truely a blessing. Good Luck and have fun experimenting around with your laser.
Leslie

[Jerry Hewett]

Doug,

This was suggested in another thread.

Check the frame shops for acrylic scrap and glass. This material can be used to tweak the laser settings.

Thanks for your input and tips.