Quilt Rack - Design and Pricing

[Clint Schlosser]

I am wondering if anyone has some quick thoughts about building a simple quilt rack and pricing the project.



Will hold about 4 Quilts
Wood will be some oak or walnut I have at essentially free to me cost
Finish will likely be BLO with Shellac and Poly
Most online sources have the cheapest at $40 so I was initially thinking $50+

[Rick Gooden]

sounds like way too much time and materials for $50. Who is you market. Handmade quilt racks that I see on my search were from about $120-$200. That still sounds cheap to me. How many can you produce in a day, and how many can you sell?

[eugene thomas]

if your doing as hobby business can charge what want but if want to make money. $50 not enough.

[steven c newman]

and some more are in a post about a Quilt rack with five woods. Kind of a Windsor Style. Add a couple more arms, and widen the stance of the feet to hold four quilts.

[Clint Schlosser]

This is a one time gig for a neighbor. She is using it to display quilts that she makes at shows. Maybe $75 might be reasonable given the average of the market.

[Andrew Gibson]

When figuring out how much I would have to charge for a piece I try to use the 1/3 of the total cost should be materials. The other 2/3 should be for your time. depending on the project you may need to go with 1/4-3/4 when pricing.

Lets say that you have free wood, (really I would look at market value of the wood and use that as your base) lets say you need 5 bf for the project and the wood is $4 bf. that is $20. Now you need sandpaper say $5 worth for the project. BLO $5. Poly $5 maybe more. At least $5 worth of tool wear, you will need to sharpen at some point chisels, maybe a saw blade jointer/plainer knives and so on... Gas for trips to the suply store if its close $5+-

So in my quick math you have about $45 in cost. In reality this number could easily be double or more if you do not have a stock of sand paper and finish, or you have to invest in a new saw blade or jointer knives. So as I see it at minimum the cost would be $135 to $180.

Remember you are not making a mass produced Chinese made quilt rack, you are making a one of a kind hand made rack worthy of your signature.


Edit. Just saw you post about it is for your neighbor... There is a Family and Friend discount, that can be in my opinion as much as 50%. I have been known to build pieces for cost. I consider my time and skill as a gift, as long as the friend covers cost.

[Tony De Masi]

The one I made for my wife is a ladder style quilt rack. Floor dimensions are roughly two feet deep by three feet wide. IIRC the legs are splayed at a 15 degree angle. It currently holds seven quilts. I made mine from Mahogany as that's what I had on hand that would cover what's needed for the project. If I had to sell one of these to a friend/relative at cost I would have charged somewhere between $75-$100. For oak it would be somewhat less I guess.