Cutting Board Business

[Kent Adams]

I've been thinking of starting a secondary job, I work full time in a non-woodworking business. I came across someone at a craft show while at the beach this summer that sold unique cutting boards. I'm sure everyone knows that type of craft booth. I asked him how many he sold during the year and how he sold them. After guessing the average price of one of his cutting boards based on the prices of his various pieces, I figured he made about $13,000 per year gross. He sold his cutting boards primarily at about 20 craft shows a year.

The boards were nice, but not all that unique. His woodworking skills I thought were about average and his routing really below average. He has no webpage and traveling to craft shows to sell seems like an expensive way to sell these items. I can see doing a couple of craft shows a year, but not relying on them solely. I thought to myself, I could do this better and in my spare time. It doesn't take exceptional skills to make a cutting board and I figure, with my equipment, I could probably make 10-20 of them in a weekend once I had a system and workflow down. I would need to do some research on material costs, as most of these cutting boards use "exotic" woods. I can't imagine one can have a very good margin though when you factor in the cost of the wood,time, travel and booth fees.

Here are my questions for those of you in the business of building crafts like the one above.


How do you determine your costs per piece (excluding equipment)?
How do you set your retail price?
If you sell on the web how much time do you devote to marketing your website (luckily, I can build a complicated backend website myself so I can save money there)?
If you sell both on the web and at craft shows, which would you choose if you could only have one of those avenues to sell into?
Has anyone attempted to become a seller on Amazon?


If there are other considerations I haven't thought of above, please feel free to point them out.

[cody michael]

I tried making some endgrain cutting boards which were really nice looking, I had maybe 5 I don't think any of them sold at the craftshows, I would have had to sell them for a decent amount of money 50-75$ just to pay myself minimum wage and have some money to replace the wood I used, if you had a good system where you could make 10 a day you might be able to make money, I have seen pretty decent looking ones for what I considered cheap around my area and they were not selling well.

They do make great gifts though.

[rudy de haas]

Ah..

I have a friend who does this for a living - see http://www.serranostudios.com/ . He sells mainly at farmer's markets but does a lot of work for very little money.

If you have web and marketing skills one option you might want to consider is setting up to market products like his -i.e. make yourself the web sales outlet for a small number of specialized wood workers who can be considered artists in their own right but aren't terribly interested in, or good at, selling. If you can find these people at various markets or on the web and offer them a low hassle, but effective, sales channel you might add a lot of value to their lives while getting some cash for yourself too.

[Roy Harding]

Although I build custom furniture for a living, in the summer I fool around in the local Farmers Market and a couple of craft shows - keepsake boxes, blanket chests, cutting boards, an small items like that. It's a good way to experiment with new techniques, finishes, etcetera. I did sell online for a while, but that became too much of a hassle (again, I do custom furniture for a living - and small stuff like this as an interesting and fun side-line.)

I've found that there are two main types of customers at these venues; those looking for a "bargain", and those who truly appreciate craftsmanship and artistry and are willing to pay for it.

I first tried appealing to the bargain hunters, I made simple, but well-crafted keepsake boxes that were slightly more expensive than the mass-produced stuff at Walmart. And I constantly heard remarks about how much cheaper they could get stuff at Walmart - they weren't able to comprehend the difference between dovetail construction, and some cheap pine slammed together with brads. I found there is no pleasing these folks - these are the same folks who can't figure out why the local organic farmer charges more for their produce than the factory farmed stuff available at the supermarket.

Last year I went "high end". I started producing items with intricate inlays, nicer hardware, more "fancy" design elements, and charged four times as much - which is when I discovered the second, more discerning type of customer. I haven't looked back.

As far as cutting boards go - the bargain hunter isn't going to understand the difference between your finely crafted endgrain boards, and the hunks of plastic or bamboo they can purchase for ten bucks at the big box store. I went to the local community college and spoke to the culinary arts instructors - I now do a slow but steady trade in custom boards (with their names or anything else inlaid), in the species of their choice, and orientation (end grain or face grain) for the aspiring young chefs who appreciate the difference.

That's been my experience - I know of others who are successful marketing to the lower end, but personally, I wasn't satisfied to just barely cover my materials cost - which is what it would take to match the price of the mass market distributors - not to mention that I didn't want my furniture business associated with "cheap" goods.

Your circumstances and experiences are no doubt different than mine, good luck to you.

[Steve Peterson]

I made one end grain cutting board, so not much experience, but here are my thoughts anyway.

The final dimensions were 20x14x1.5 inches or around 3 board feet. I started with 10bf of 4/4 stock. A production design would probably take around 6bf of material. It probably also took a few dollars worth of glue and other materials. Assume around $10 of consumables. My total effort was around 10 hours. This was my first design. A production run should be able to cut this down to around 3 hours in a small shop by my estimate.

I see similar cutting boards on Etsy listed for $150-200. If you can buy wood for $3 per bf plus $10 for consumables and want to earn $20 per hour times 3 hours, then your cost is around $90. Selling it for $150 might be reasonable to also cover the craft fair booth and your time while you are selling it. This puts it into a price range that most people are not willing to pay.

Look at the other extreme of side grain cutting boards. You can take about 1.5bf of material to end up with a 12x16x3/4" board. Mix maple with stripes of cherry and walnut to get a nice design that goes together quickly. Your consumables are much smaller and it should take less than an hour to make. Your cost (including an hour of labor at $20) is under $30 and you could sell it for $50. You would probably sell 10 times more of these boards. Smaller cheese boards for $20 would sell even better.

I would stock my booth with a couple of nice end grain cutting boards and lots of smaller side grain boards. It is much easier (and cheaper) to build up an inventory of side grain boards.

Good luck with your venture if you decide to do it.

Steve

[Kent Adams]

Rudy, excellent idea. I've got lots of thoughts in my head already on how i could do that. One of the issues with selling on the internet, is that Amazon and other marketers have raised the bar on shipping times. If a person can meet the seller, then I think they are likely to wait for a product to be produced because the physical presence of the seller makes the purchase more tangible/real. In the cyber world, my feeling would be that you have a small window of time to deliver and you need to promise to deliver in a certain time, with exceptions like Woodpeckers or others that have built up their credibility and brand over time. I would think that to begin with, you need to establish your brand and credibility by shipping quickly. I think I would need to purchase inventory from the artisans first, so I could ship out within a reasonable time. Buying inventory is capital intensive, but might be worth it if I start small, say only buying cutting boards. Then, once I have some cash flow that is predictable and have figured out the niche and my customer, then move on to other products and eventually custom ordered pieces that require more time to deliver.

I can do a great website. Its labor intensive but its not difficult at all. For instance, I could build a website that looked like this in an afternoon and for about $300: http://www.joomlart.com/demo/#ja_bookshop.

[Kent Adams]

Although I build custom furniture for a living, in the summer I fool around in the local Farmers Market and a couple of craft shows - keepsake boxes, blanket chests, cutting boards, an small items like that. It's a good way to experiment with new techniques, finishes, etcetera. I did sell online for a while, but that became too much of a hassle (again, I do custom furniture for a living - and small stuff like this as an interesting and fun side-line.)

I've found that there are two main types of customers at these venues; those looking for a "bargain", and those who truly appreciate craftsmanship and artistry and are willing to pay for it.

I first tried appealing to the bargain hunters, I made simple, but well-crafted keepsake boxes that were slightly more expensive than the mass-produced stuff at Walmart. And I constantly heard remarks about how much cheaper they could get stuff at Walmart - they weren't able to comprehend the difference between dovetail construction, and some cheap pine slammed together with brads. I found there is no pleasing these folks - these are the same folks who can't figure out why the local organic farmer charges more for their produce than the factory farmed stuff available at the supermarket.

Last year I went "high end". I started producing items with intricate inlays, nicer hardware, more "fancy" design elements, and charged four times as much - which is when I discovered the second, more discerning type of customer. I haven't looked back.

As far as cutting boards go - the bargain hunter isn't going to understand the difference between your finely crafted endgrain boards, and the hunks of plastic or bamboo they can purchase for ten bucks at the big box store. I went to the local community college and spoke to the culinary arts instructors - I now do a slow but steady trade in custom boards (with their names or anything else inlaid), in the species of their choice, and orientation (end grain or face grain) for the aspiring young chefs who appreciate the difference.

That's been my experience - I know of others who are successful marketing to the lower end, but personally, I wasn't satisfied to just barely cover my materials cost - which is what it would take to match the price of the mass market distributors - not to mention that I didn't want my furniture business associated with "cheap" goods.

Your circumstances and experiences are no doubt different than mine, good luck to you.

Roy, great feedback and I appreciate the personal experience you have shared. I think you and I are on the same thought process here. I see these craft shows as attracting a crowd that might do an impulse buy, but not attracting a crowd interested in anything more than something they could pay out of their pocket/billfold. My idea would be to target people that were actually searching for specialty cutting boards, thus the website marketing and Amazon selling. I don't see the point (at least from a profitability view) of selling something to the general public when it comes to this type of piece.

Your experience has just reinforced my gut feelings.

[Kent Adams]

I made one end grain cutting board, so not much experience, but here are my thoughts anyway.

The final dimensions were 20x14x1.5 inches or around 3 board feet. I started with 10bf of 4/4 stock. A production design would probably take around 6bf of material. It probably also took a few dollars worth of glue and other materials. Assume around $10 of consumables. My total effort was around 10 hours. This was my first design. A production run should be able to cut this down to around 3 hours in a small shop by my estimate.

I see similar cutting boards on Etsy listed for $150-200. If you can buy wood for $3 per bf plus $10 for consumables and want to earn $20 per hour times 3 hours, then your cost is around $90. Selling it for $150 might be reasonable to also cover the craft fair booth and your time while you are selling it. This puts it into a price range that most people are not willing to pay.

Look at the other extreme of side grain cutting boards. You can take about 1.5bf of material to end up with a 12x16x3/4" board. Mix maple with stripes of cherry and walnut to get a nice design that goes together quickly. Your consumables are much smaller and it should take less than an hour to make. Your cost (including an hour of labor at $20) is under $30 and you could sell it for $50. You would probably sell 10 times more of these boards. Smaller cheese boards for $20 would sell even better.

I would stock my booth with a couple of nice end grain cutting boards and lots of smaller side grain boards. It is much easier (and cheaper) to build up an inventory of side grain boards.

Good luck with your venture if you decide to do it.

Steve

Thanks Steve for the feedback on your costs. I think I'm leaning in for selling less for more based on my gut for this market, similar to what Roy above commented on. I think the key is to target market to those actually looking to buy a high end cutting board, not someone I'm likely to find at a craft show. Perhaps at a restaurant equipment/kitchen/home show but I'm sure the booth fees for those are much higher but might be worth it.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

I am an amazon seller, but, I have never listed my own things, I have only chosen to sell things that were already there.... and that is easy to do. You might consider something like etsy.

[Kent Adams]

I am an amazon seller, but, I have never listed my own things, I have only chosen to sell things that were already there.... and that is easy to do. You might consider something like etsy.

Andrew, if you have the time, can you tell me what its like to sell on Amazon and what to expect?

[Roy Harding]

I am an amazon seller, but, I have never listed my own things, I have only chosen to sell things that were already there.... and that is easy to do. You might consider something like etsy.

Just to add to what Andrew said - when I WAS online selling, I started with Etsy. I found them an amazingly supportive and worthwhile organization - they took the pain out of the learning curve. After being with them for a year, I branched off on my own - not through any dissatisfaction with Etsy, merely because I felt that I no longer needed their assistance, and wanted to do things with a website that weren`t possible with them. I have since stopped selling online, but I don`t hesitate to recommend Etsy as a good place to start if you have no experience with online selling. I can`t speak to Amazon.

[Julie Moriarty]

An article I read in FWW featured a guy who made all sorts of cutting boards and was so busy he had to turn people away. Yet he was bored stiff making cutting boards, but he couldn't stop doing it because he was making too much money. Maybe he was good at marketing. Maybe he had good connections. I don't know. But he seemed sincere. In any kind of business, you have to find people who want to buy your product or learn to make what they want to buy.

[Matt Day]

I've had plenty of people tell me I should do craft fairs and sell cutting boards and such. Thing is I don't WANT to spend my time cutting the same long strips of wood and slathering on a ton of glue.

I do ww'ing for me because I enjoy it. Making it a monotonous production environment would take the joy away for me.

If you can pay the bills at your main gig and do ww'ing for fun, I suggest you keep it that way.

[Peter Aeschliman]

I've had plenty of people tell me I should do craft fairs and sell cutting boards and such. Thing is I don't WANT to spend my time cutting the same long strips of wood and slathering on a ton of glue.

I do ww'ing for me because I enjoy it. Making it a monotonous production environment would take the joy away for me.

If you can pay the bills at your main gig and do ww'ing for fun, I suggest you keep it that way.

I think this is fantastic advice.

[Allan Speers]

Ah..

I have a friend who does this for a living - see http://www.serranostudios.com/ . He sells mainly at farmer's markets but does a lot of work for very little money.

If you have web and marketing skills one option you might want to consider is setting up to market products like his -i.e. make yourself the web sales outlet for a small number of specialized wood workers who can be considered artists in their own right but aren't terribly interested in, or good at, selling. If you can find these people at various markets or on the web and offer them a low hassle, but effective, sales channel you might add a lot of value to their lives while getting some cash for yourself too.


This is a very good idea.

Doing all that grunt work re marketing, just for one item that you make yourself, sounds like a terrible idea, but having a a deeper product line, with "sub contractors" all using the same marketing resources, makes sense.

One nice extra with this business is that you can legitimately write-off a lot of new tools. :)

One downside is the self-employment tax. :mad:

[Kenton Keller]

I hope it is ok to tack on to this thread. This is my first post here, and I was going to start a thread asking about tools for making cutting boards, but it seemed like a good fit here. I retired from doing CAD work a year and a half ago, and bought a 4'x8' cnc router table. I have been having fun making all kinds of things, but started thinking about making cutting boards too. I started shopping for a planer, and figure it should be a 20" model. I am finding them out of my price range, especially if you get the helical head.

So my question is how dumb would it be to try to do the planing on the CNC router. I know there would be a HUGE time difference, and the quality wouldn't be there, but then I could buy a much cheaper drum sander to get the finish I need. I just know that If I buy a smaller planer, I am going to be kicking myself, but I can't justify the cost of the 20" models, so I am just trying to figure out if I can do End grain cutting boards without a planer. Thanks for any advice or suggestions.

[Bob Vavricka]

I have made a few end grain cutting boards and have a 24 inch planer, but I did not and would not suggest running an end grain board through a planer. I just don't think that is going to turn out good. I would be interested in hearing if anyone has tried it and how it turned out.
I do have a drum sander and that is how I flattened mine. Coarse sandpaper and light passes and it went pretty fast.
I used some cauls during the glue up of the boards to make them as flat as possible in the glue up stage.
You can do end grain boards with out either a planer or drum sander, the first one I made I flattened it with a belt sander and a coarse belt. I wouldn't recommend it for a production process.

[Roy Harding]

I hope it is ok to tack on to this thread. This is my first post here, and I was going to start a thread asking about tools for making cutting boards, but it seemed like a good fit here. I retired from doing CAD work a year and a half ago, and bought a 4'x8' cnc router table. I have been having fun making all kinds of things, but started thinking about making cutting boards too. I started shopping for a planer, and figure it should be a 20" model. I am finding them out of my price range, especially if you get the helical head.

So my question is how dumb would it be to try to do the planing on the CNC router. I know there would be a HUGE time difference, and the quality wouldn't be there, but then I could buy a much cheaper drum sander to get the finish I need. I just know that If I buy a smaller planer, I am going to be kicking myself, but I can't justify the cost of the 20" models, so I am just trying to figure out if I can do End grain cutting boards without a planer. Thanks for any advice or suggestions.


A planer won`t do you any good for end-grain boards. I have a dual drum sander which is just about perfect. You may need the planer for lumber prep, of course. I also have a CNC, but it is only used to do inlays (if any) on cutting boards - all the milling, cutting, etcetera is done on other machines.

As far as using the CNC to do the planing, it could probably be made to work, but getting the board to sit flat would require some significant jigging. Don`t forget that although it`s a fancy, computer controlled, extremely accurate machine - your CNC is, at heart, just a remote controlled router. Would you use a router to plane end grain - I wouldn`t - the blowout would be significant. A CNC MAY do it, but your passes would have to be so thin (probably less than .01 inch per pass), that you`d spend so much time doing it that you would soon tire of it.

[Kenton Keller]

Thanks Bob and Roy for the responses. The planer would be mainly to square up the lumber, before cutting the strips, and that is what I am considering trying to use the cnc for also. As far as cutting end grain, this guy does it all the time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL2O3EypcLk One of his many videos, he has text explaining his method, and how his cutter life is really good. I can't find that particular video right now, but I would say some of his videos are a good watch for anyone considering doing end grain boards.

[Jim Finn]

Making approximately ten cutting boards on a week end is a good trick but selling ten a week would be an even better one. I make and sell small decorative boxes and can make twenty per week and I occasionally sell that many per week. I do over 25 shows a year and have done this for seven years and only once, in the hundreds of shows I have done, did someone ask me if I made cutting boards. My point is: make sure there is a market for what you feel like making.

[Kent Adams]

Thanks Bob and Roy for the responses. The planer would be mainly to square up the lumber, before cutting the strips, and that is what I am considering trying to use the cnc for also. As far as cutting end grain, this guy does it all the time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BL2O3EypcLk One of his many videos, he has text explaining his method, and how his cutter life is really good. I can't find that particular video right now, but I would say some of his videos are a good watch for anyone considering doing end grain boards.

That is also the guy I got my idea from. It appears he makes a living doing this and he's highly skilled.

[Kent Adams]

Making approximately ten cutting boards on a week end is a good trick but selling ten a week would be an even better one. I make and sell small decorative boxes and can make twenty per week and I occasionally sell that many per week. I do over 25 shows a year and have done this for seven years and only once, in the hundreds of shows I have done, did someone ask me if I made cutting boards. My point is: make sure there is a market for what you feel like making.

If you're just selling boxes, why would someone ask you about a cutting board or are you selling a number of different items and boxes just happen to be one? Also, what is the range in cost for the booths at the shows you attend?

[Kent Adams]

I've had plenty of people tell me I should do craft fairs and sell cutting boards and such. Thing is I don't WANT to spend my time cutting the same long strips of wood and slathering on a ton of glue.

I do ww'ing for me because I enjoy it. Making it a monotonous production environment would take the joy away for me.

If you can pay the bills at your main gig and do ww'ing for fun, I suggest you keep it that way.

I'm not really looking to replace my full time job, but looking for a challenge of building my own business. Nearly every job is repetitive, whether you are a doctor, lawyer, CPA or commercial banker like I am. I don't plan on this replacing my current job, unless it exceeds my current income and benefits, which I doubt it ever could.

[Brian Henderson]

I've had plenty of people tell me I should do craft fairs and sell cutting boards and such. Thing is I don't WANT to spend my time cutting the same long strips of wood and slathering on a ton of glue.

I do ww'ing for me because I enjoy it. Making it a monotonous production environment would take the joy away for me.

If you can pay the bills at your main gig and do ww'ing for fun, I suggest you keep it that way.

That's always been my position, I refuse to turn any of my hobbies into something that makes money. Hobbies are for having fun. I do them when I want, the way I want and nobody can tell me differently. If it becomes something I have to do, it stops being fun.

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Andrew, if you have the time, can you tell me what its like to sell on Amazon and what to expect?



It is easy to become a seller.
You set the price, and they set the shipping (at least for books), so price it based on what they will charge for shipping so that you know that is covered.
They have packaging and postage requirements. They do not want you to send using the USPS and then paste on 100 one cent stamps (I see that often in the stamp world).
You put it up and wait. When it sells, you receive an email telling you to ship. They require you to ship in a specific time frame.


It is easy, but, if you are leaving town for a week, don't keep things up for sale.

I have never sold anything "original" on Amazon so I cannot comment on that.

You can sell on etsy, probably in this category:

https://www.etsy.com/c/home-and-living/kitchen-and-dining/cookware

There is a place called craftyboards.com, should be easy to find.

[Tony Joyce]

I hope it is ok to tack on to this thread. This is my first post here, and I was going to start a thread asking about tools for making cutting boards, but it seemed like a good fit here. I retired from doing CAD work a year and a half ago, and bought a 4'x8' cnc router table. I have been having fun making all kinds of things, but started thinking about making cutting boards too. I started shopping for a planer, and figure it should be a 20" model. I am finding them out of my price range, especially if you get the helical head.

So my question is how dumb would it be to try to do the planing on the CNC router. I know there would be a HUGE time difference, and the quality wouldn't be there, but then I could buy a much cheaper drum sander to get the finish I need. I just know that If I buy a smaller planer, I am going to be kicking myself, but I can't justify the cost of the 20" models, so I am just trying to figure out if I can do End grain cutting boards without a planer. Thanks for any advice or suggestions.

I think the CNC sounds like a good idea, especially for planning an end grain board. Although I've not planed cutting boards on a CNC I have done a lot of CNC work. It may be slower than a planer, but the quality will be good enough to sand. The key will be a good bit selection. A surfacing bit would probably work best with an insert bit that is almost parallel with the bottom of the bit. Use as small a diameter surfacing bit as you can get. The large ones make a tremendous amount of dust. DAMHIK

Tony

[Kent Adams]

While I appreciate all the advice on why I shouldn't do what I'm thinking, I'm not looking for that advice, unless it is coupled by your own experience which you offer as evidence to do or not to do something. If it didn't work for you, then I'd like to know why as that would be useful. However, my main questions were outlined in post #1 and I'm seeking advice from those that have gone down those paths. Thanks in advance to everyone. I don't mean to sound grumpy, but just want to stick to the topic so I don't have to repost these questions again.

[Kent Adams]

It is easy to become a seller.
You set the price, and they set the shipping (at least for books), so price it based on what they will charge for shipping so that you know that is covered.
They have packaging and postage requirements. They do not want you to send using the USPS and then paste on 100 one cent stamps (I see that often in the stamp world).
You put it up and wait. When it sells, you receive an email telling you to ship. They require you to ship in a specific time frame.


It is easy, but, if you are leaving town for a week, don't keep things up for sale.

I have never sold anything "original" on Amazon so I cannot comment on that.

You can sell on etsy, probably in this category:

https://www.etsy.com/c/home-and-living/kitchen-and-dining/cookware

There is a place called craftyboards.com, should be easy to find.

Sorry to be a pest, but I assume Amazon wants a cut of sell. How much is their cut? Since Amazon is also acting as the receivable collector, how long until you get paid by them?

[Kent Adams]

This is a very good idea.

Doing all that grunt work re marketing, just for one item that you make yourself, sounds like a terrible idea, but having a a deeper product line, with "sub contractors" all using the same marketing resources, makes sense.

One nice extra with this business is that you can legitimately write-off a lot of new tools. :)

One downside is the self-employment tax. :mad:

That's how all businesses are started though Allan. Doing the grunt work single-handedly in the beginning and making one product really well. It all blossoms from there if you do it right.

[Allan Speers]

...... So my question is, how dumb would it be to try to do the planing on the CNC router? I know there would be a HUGE time difference, and the quality wouldn't be there, but then I could buy a much cheaper drum sander to get the finish I need. I just know that If I buy a smaller planer, I am going to be kicking myself, but I can't justify the cost of the 20" models, so I am just trying to figure out if I can do End grain cutting boards without a planer. Thanks for any advice or suggestions.

This is a serious suggestion:

Since you would be using a drum sander for the final finish,anyway, you should strongly consider getting into hand planes. You could easily get by with "beginner" skills because of the sander. It's easier than you think, and great exercise. You'd need a very good workbench, a few planes, some winding sticks, and a sharpening system. - The whole deal would cost far, far less than a 20" planer.

Well, this is the wrong thread for this discussion. If you are intrigued, post a query down in the neanderthal / galoot / knuckle-dragger's forum. We'll get you set up right.

[Bob Varney]

I think this guy (MTMWOOD) is Russian and has web site sells all over the globe.

Bob

[Matt Day]

I have to disagree with the comparisons. My wife is a physician and sees different cases everyday; they are all different. My BIL and SIL are lawyers.

Making cutting boards is 5 basic things (milling, Ripping, gluing, planing/sanding, and finishing) that occur and over with the only difference being how you arrange the sticks of wood and the type of wood. To me, that would get mind numbingly boring.

But you're right in that that is pretty much the way the craft fair scene must work. You have a few items that you make and sell, over and over. If I were you and went that direction, I'd use it as a means to capture the high end clients and try to get that better paying custom business.

[Kent Adams]

I have to disagree with the comparisons. My wife is a physician and sees different cases everyday; they are all different. My BIL and SIL are lawyers.

Making cutting boards is 5 basic things (milling, Ripping, gluing, planing/sanding, and finishing) that occur and over with the only difference being how you arrange the sticks of wood and the type of wood. To me, that would get mind numbingly boring.

But you're right in that that is pretty much the way the craft fair scene must work. You have a few items that you make and sell, over and over. If I were you and went that direction, I'd use it as a means to capture the high end clients and try to get that better paying custom business.

Agree the high end might be the best way to go.

[Dave Cav]

My mom and dad did the craft fair thing for a few years after he retired. This was in the '90s and they were making, for lack of a better term "rustic Americana" stuff from boxes up to shelves and small cabinets. They were modestly successful, but craft shows eat up an ENORMOUS amount of time for not a lot of return; if he had not been retired first from the military and then from teaching, there's no way he could have done it. Finally after a few years he just started wholesaling all of his stock to a few stores that specialized in that sort of thing and and made what sold.

And as far as Etsy is concerned, there are a LOT of people selling cutting boards there.

With regards to end grain cutting boards, a wide belt sander is really the way you need to go if you are after any kind of serious production.

I'm a shop teacher. We make a ton of cutting boards and clipboards (the clipboards are just a cutting board that has been resawn into two or three blanks). Everyone is very impressed with them, but no one is knocking my door down for us to make custom boards. They're very happy if we give them one, though.

[peter Joseph]

Threadjack aside....

You do have to see if there is a market for what you want to produce at the pricepoint you want to sell at. The primary reason small businesses fail is due to a lack of consideration to the aforementioned question. Years back, at the height of the cigar craze, I was making and selling as many humidors as I could produce via craft fairs (in wealthy areas). It was only for fun and as the demand took a nosedive, so did my interest in continuing to make humidors.

When it comes to cutting boards, most people could care less if its finely crafted from beautiful stock, or a piece of bamboo. Even then, I've made several myself and always grab the composite board for chopping bc it can go in the dishwasher and is easier to thoroughly clean. I think you're looking for people to tell you this is a good idea, however, I personally do not think it is. Sorry. Talk to people about what they want and you'll be sure to get some direction. My non-woodworking business is in a very highly saturated area and outperforms all of my competitors. The niche I fill was extracted by talking to consumers in the area to see what they want and werent able to find.
Good luck

[Kent Adams]

Peter, how would you go about discovering what people want? What methods have you used to discover an unfilled need in the market?

[John A langley]

Kent I have a cabinet shop behind my house I'm getting to the age where I don't want to build Full set of kitchens anymore I don't want to give up working I enjoying it ,My son has a mortgage company He came to me and asked me to make some breadboards that he could give to his clients so I made 30 now he wants 40 more . I know I fell into this my point is there are hidden markets out there The upside for me is I have all the equipment to do this efficiently, i've watched all of MTM videos and he makes very interesting boards yes he is Russian and sales all over the world he glues a spoil board on the end of his end grain boards and cuts it off after he runs it through the planer

[Don Jarvie]

How about making a few items and sell them at a Christmas Bazaar this year and see how you do.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Go over to NC Woodworker, and contact "Boardsmith." He recently closed his cutting board business. He could tell you the pitfalls, and joys, as he's "been there, done it".

[Kent Adams]

Thanks Bruce, will do!!!

[Kent Adams]

Bruce, I couldn't find his posts via the search there. Can you PM?

[Kent Adams]

Thanks John for that incite. That is an area I have also thought about.

[Jim Finn]

If you're just selling boxes, why would someone ask you about a cutting board or are you selling a number of different items and boxes just happen to be one? Also, what is the range in cost for the booths at the shows you attend?
I make and sell many items but over 1/2 of my sales are in $20 boxes. I also sell intarsia, wall hung stars, crosses, walking sticks, toys and wall plaques. Most have images or lettering inlaid into them. Prices range from $125- $5. I find it hard to sell anything that costs over $25. I found out what sells by offering many items at a price I like and see what works. I started making toys and $125 trunks and tried making small cedar boxes with the cut-offs from them. I no longer make the trunks and sell over 300 boxes a year. I think the reason I was asked if I made cutting boards is because of the variety of wooden items I do make. The cost of the booths I use range from $15 to $60. There are some for over $350 but I do not do those sales. I have done a few $500 orders for custom stuff but just a few.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Bruce, I couldn't find his posts via the search there. Can you PM?Go over to NC Woodworker and in upper right corner, enter the word Boardsmith. This will get you to a thread that is either about him, or by him. From there you can send him a PM. You may have to join to use PM function, but dues are great- You have to live, be from, work or plan to in NC or one of the surrounding states.

[Ted Reischl]

Here is an example of your competition:

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/cooks-tools/cutting-boards/?cm_type=gnav&N=51

You can rest assured that anyone looking to buy a wooden cutting board in the price ranges being discussed is going to know about places like W-S. And that is where the challenge starts.

People LIKE to buy from high end stores if they have the money.
They FEEL good walking out the door with that W-S shopping bag in their fists. It is like an advertisement "I just bought high end cooking gear. . ." AKA "conspicuous consumption".
They LIKE the idea that if they have any problems they can walk into that store and receive excellent customer service.
Having a brand on that board like "Boos" makes a statement in their kitchen to their friends "look at me".

So, you had better start thinking about what would make YOUR cutting boards more desirable since Boos, et al are not going to go away anytime soon if ever.

When you get into a price point like that for a kitchen item, being $10 cheaper won't make a difference because people buying higher end items are not price sensitive. If they were, they would be buying plastic boards for 1/10 the price.

Which brings up a point, having a wooden cutting board is not a must have item. In fact, most of the cooking shows will eventually mention how plastic boards are so much safer because they can be cleaned in a dishwasher. And yes, I am aware of studies that indicate that is not true, but it does not matter to the consumer if they heard Alton Brown say so, he is an expert, you are nothing more than a woodworker trying to sell a product.

Frankly, making wooden cutting boards would be one of the last things I would consider marketing, if ever.

[Kent Adams]

Here is an example of your competition:

http://www.williams-sonoma.com/shop/cooks-tools/cutting-boards/?cm_type=gnav&N=51

You can rest assured that anyone looking to buy a wooden cutting board in the price ranges being discussed is going to know about places like W-S. And that is where the challenge starts.

People LIKE to buy from high end stores if they have the money.
They FEEL good walking out the door with that W-S shopping bag in their fists. It is like an advertisement "I just bought high end cooking gear. . ." AKA "conspicuous consumption".
They LIKE the idea that if they have any problems they can walk into that store and receive excellent customer service.
Having a brand on that board like "Boos" makes a statement in their kitchen to their friends "look at me".

So, you had better start thinking about what would make YOUR cutting boards more desirable since Boos, et al are not going to go away anytime soon if ever.

When you get into a price point like that for a kitchen item, being $10 cheaper won't make a difference because people buying higher end items are not price sensitive. If they were, they would be buying plastic boards for 1/10 the price.

Which brings up a point, having a wooden cutting board is not a must have item. In fact, most of the cooking shows will eventually mention how plastic boards are so much safer because they can be cleaned in a dishwasher. And yes, I am aware of studies that indicate that is not true, but it does not matter to the consumer if they heard Alton Brown say so, he is an expert, you are nothing more than a woodworker trying to sell a product.

Frankly, making wooden cutting boards would be one of the last things I would consider marketing, if ever.

I agree with everything you wrote. I think the collective belief here (SMC) is "don't make cutting boards" which makes me think I can contribute here because most folks wouldn't do it for one reason or another. All very logical reasons...for most people :)

[Barry Richardson]

I've made and sold a few hundred end grain cutting boards over the years. For me the key is getting the material cheap, at auction, mill your own, etc. If you have to pay retail for the wood, it's pretty much a deal breaker to begin with. You also need a wide belt sander if you make a lot. A drum sander works of course, but is much more time consuming cause there will be a lot more finish sanding to do. As stated above, the marketing part is huge, The Cutting Board Gallery, formerly Ozark West, has endorsements from several celebrity Chefs, and can charge very high prices for their boards because of it. For example, a board I might sell for $100, sells for $300 for similar size/design on their site. I still make them, just made a couple this week, but mostly when I have smalls and scraps of lumber to use up, good for making some spare change, but I will never get rich from it. The fellow you cited in your initial post, who you calculated grossed 13k per year, I would calculate nets about half of that... after materials, craft show fees, etc...

[Kent Adams]

I've made and sold a few hundred end grain cutting boards over the years. For me the key is getting the material cheap, at auction, mill your own, etc. If you have to pay retail for the wood, it's pretty much a deal breaker to begin with. You also need a wide belt sander if you make a lot. A drum sander works of course, but is much more time consuming cause there will be a lot more finish sanding to do. As stated above, the marketing part is huge, The Cutting Board Gallery, formerly Ozark West, has endorsements from several celebrity Chefs, and can charge very high prices for their boards because of it. For example, a board I might sell for $100, sells for $300 for similar size/design on their site. I still make them, just made a couple this week, but mostly when I have smalls and scraps of lumber to use up, good for making some spare change, but I will never get rich from it. The fellow you cited in your initial post, who you calculated grossed 13k per year, I would calculate nets about half of that... after materials, craft show fees, etc...

Thanks Barry for your feedback. I suspected that if he makes $13k gross it was more likely 20-30% and that was being generous. However, in high enough volume, that's a respectable NOI. You're the 2nd one to recommend a wide belt drum sander. Is there a model you'd recommend? I don't intend to sell at craft shows, but would probably go to trade shows and try to get my boards in the local high end kitchen retailers as well as selling direct (I'm aware of the obstacles for both). For end grain supply, I suppose I could get some wood from a local millworks place. I'm not aware of wood auctions. Are there specific auctioneers that do this?

[ian maybury]

I haven't read all of the thread, but i have to say that having watched numerous businesses spring up selling 'traditional Irish cutting boards' (??) here in recent years that i'm a bit cynical about the whole thing. One view might be that (a) there's so many it's going to be very hard to get decent prices, and (b) that ultimately it's going to be down to the guys milling their own timber and with computer CNC routers and belt sanders to fight it out because the retailers will squeeze so hard on price that there will otherwise be no margin in it.

Unless that is a maker can somehow build a unique brand direct selling something of genuine value that's not easily copied...

[Kent Adams]

"Unless that is a maker can somehow build a unique brand direct selling something of genuine value that's not easily copied..."

[Andrew Hughes]

Heres a cutting board that I make,when I get enough maple scraps I call it the pocket board just for fun.The wife like it everyone thinks I can make a wheel barrel full of money sells them.Cutting boards are too easy and boring to make.So I make them for gifts.And too much competition everyone wants a bargen.Esp crafts shows.Feel free to make one of mine if you like.

[Art Mann]

"Unless that is a maker can somehow build a unique brand direct selling something of genuine value that's not easily copied..."





Here is the kind of thing I do. (click to enlarge)

320909

The board is maple and cherry and the Kokopelli is walnut. I used the vcarve inlay technique. I also do custom lettering and graphics for wedding and other special event gifts. Generic boards are common and they are easy to make. Consequently, the prices are low. In my experience, customization is where all the profit is made.

[Kent Adams]

Very nice Andrew, I've not seen one like that before. Did you use a CNC to make that cut out?

[Kent Adams]

Nice Art! I agree with you, customization has got to be where the profit is typically made.

[Roy Harding]

Here is the kind of thing I do. (click to enlarge)

320909

The board is maple and cherry and the Kokopelli is walnut. I used the vcarve inlay technique. I also do custom lettering and graphics for wedding and other special event gifts. Generic boards are common and they are easy to make. Consequently, the prices are low. In my experience, customization is where all the profit is made.


Exactly. I do similar things, using the same technique - I'll find a picture of a bread board I make with inlay. I've found a slow, but steady market at the local community college, in their culinary arts section. Come graduation time, the parents are all over getting their new chef a personalized, quality cutting board.

[Mike Heidrick]

I love doing Vinlays on the CNC.

Kent, Yes, Vectric is CNC software.

You use a Vbit and you make the inlay taller than a typical inlay, wedge clamp glue it in, and then remove the waste and sand flush. This St Jude logo child is 2" tall. Notice the lips, fingers, and hair ends.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e169/BloomingtonMike/CNC%20Router%20Build/jti2.jpg

[Brian Henderson]

People LIKE to buy from high end stores if they have the money.
They FEEL good walking out the door with that W-S shopping bag in their fists. It is like an advertisement "I just bought high end cooking gear. . ." AKA "conspicuous consumption".
They LIKE the idea that if they have any problems they can walk into that store and receive excellent customer service.
Having a brand on that board like "Boos" makes a statement in their kitchen to their friends "look at me".

Only if those people are really shallow, which unfortunately, a lot of people are. Those are not people who deserve respect, at all.

[Roy Harding]

Only if those people are really shallow, which unfortunately, a lot of people are. Those are not people who deserve respect, at all.
I don't need or desire respect for or from them. I just want them as customers.

[Roy Harding]

Exactly. I do similar things, using the same technique - I'll find a picture of a bread board I make with inlay. I've found a slow, but steady market at the local community college, in their culinary arts section. Come graduation time, the parents are all over getting their new chef a personalized, quality cutting board.
I don't have a photo of the bread board handy - but here are a couple of keepsake boxes using the vcarve inlay technique - same technique that Art and Mike are using:

320910320911

[Andrew Hughes]

No Cnc here, just a router with sloped ramp and a bowl bit.Cnc machine would be the way to go plus the other inlay work the other members showed.The sky's the limit!

[Kent Adams]

Go over to NC Woodworker, and contact "Boardsmith." He recently closed his cutting board business. He could tell you the pitfalls, and joys, as he's "been there, done it".

Bruce, I found his website. It looks like he sold his company to someone from Texas. http://theboardsmith.com/ The boards there are quite expensive, one is over $800.

[Kyle Iwamoto]

True that. Your signature really seals that statement.

[Michelle Rich]

Threadjack aside....

You do have to see if there is a market for what you want to produce at the pricepoint you want to sell at. The primary reason small businesses fail is due to a lack of consideration to the aforementioned question. Years back, at the height of the cigar craze, I was making and selling as many humidors as I could produce via craft fairs (in wealthy areas). It was only for fun and as the demand took a nosedive, so did my interest in continuing to make humidors.

When it comes to cutting boards, most people could care less if its finely crafted from beautiful stock, or a piece of bamboo. Even then, I've made several myself and always grab the composite board for chopping bc it can go in the dishwasher and is easier to thoroughly clean. I think you're looking for people to tell you this is a good idea, however, I personally do not think it is. Sorry. Talk to people about what they want and you'll be sure to get some direction. My non-woodworking business is in a very highly saturated area and outperforms all of my competitors. The niche I fill was extracted by talking to consumers in the area to see what they want and werent able to find.
Good luck


I think Peter hit the nail on the head. You must make what they want and at a price they will shell out. Here's my 30 yr experience. I am a turner and furniture maker. I make cutting boards to use up wood from furniture making. THEY WANT COLOR..they want bloodwood, padauk, purpleheart and burls, and they want it all for $10.00. When you explain the wood is not local and to get the color it all has to be imported, they think you are lying. What, has no orange wood nearby in those trees? they think it is dyed, or colored in some way..or they say..oh look, it's plastic, and I want wood. You explain it is wood. Oh they say, I like it but it is too expensive. So you take oak and make it in a chevron pattern to try to lower your costs. they ignore it..no color. What is your market? what is average price that stuff is selling at craft fairs & farmer's markets..and do you like to work for little $$$$. Go to the fairs and watch what people buy..how many are carrying bags? are they all in groups catching up with neighbors? is it a social event? Who buys in your area? wealthy? middle class? country or city? Do lots of research, you might be surprised.

[Kent Adams]

Michelle, thanks for the feedback. I don't really intend to sell at craft shows or farmer's markets precisely for what you identified. I may go to kitchen shows though just as a marketing tool as well as find local upscale kitchen supply retailers. I'm looking to do more in line with what these folks are doing: www.theboardsmith.com (http://www.theboardsmith.com) and http://www.mtmwood.com/

I wanted the craft show feedback to affirm what I thought which was people looking for bargains and impulse buys. I suspected these folks wouldn't be my demographic and a lot of folks are confirming that. I've made some expensive purchases at craft shows, but I know the value of what I'm looking at and I think most don't. I think its clear, judging from other's experience here, is that its probably best to work in a niche market (producer fewer products of higher quality and higher prices). One of the things I think I can add that those manufacturers above aren't doing very well is marketing and SEO optimization.

[Bruce Wrenn]

Instead of a wide belt sander, consider building a stroke sander with movable table.

[Kent Adams]

Instead of a wide belt sander, consider building a stroke sander with movable table.

I never knew those existed until your comment. Neat machines, but look like they take up a lot of floorspace?

[John Sincerbeaux]

I have been selling boxes in galleries and private commissions for over ten years.
Here is my advise:
1) Ifyou truly want to make money... Good money... in woodworking or any craft, you have to be an artist AND a craftsman.
2) You must produce a product that few others have the skill or knowledge to produce. Hate to be blunt here, but that eliminates cutting boards.
3) Have a "real" job to supplement your woodworking business. This keeps your passion and creativity fresh!

[Andrew Pitonyak]

Sorry to be a pest, but I assume Amazon wants a cut of sell. How much is their cut? Since Amazon is also acting as the receivable collector, how long until you get paid by them?

Sorry for the delay, the feel schedule is listed here:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=1161240

The general fee for most items is in the neighborhood of 15%

For shipping of cutting boards, I think that they will pay you

Standard shipping: $0.45 + $0.05/lb.
Faster shipping: $0.65 + $0.10/lb.

Hope This Helps

[Barry Richardson]

Kent, I have access to a 37" Timesaver, but they, Grizzly, and others make a 24" model, that would be quite a bit cheaper.... As for auctions, I have scored pretty big a couple of times with IRS Auctions. You should be able to find quite a few in your part of the country, out west here, they are very infrequent. They would be a good place to look for a used wide belt sander too... otherwise, I troll craigslist quite a bit....

[Barry Block]

I just recently signed on for a high end local craft show. It's totally an experiment and in addition to several small inexpensive items I will be showcasing a number of my furniture pieces so I am looking at it more as a marketing tool since its local. That said I certainly hope to make a little money. Now my sitiuation is a little better then most given that I produce a number of items out of my shop which supply me with a lot of scrap wood which is just large enough for cutting boards, tea candles etc so my cost is preety much nil. I also pay little to no rent or overhead since I share my shop with a retired millionaire. I can tell you that like a previous poster stated that if your purchaseing the wood out right it will be hard to make money.
With respect to cutting boards competition is steep. Online you have two problems, you have a retired guy looking to make some side money to fund his hobby making things rediculously cheap and then you have full scaled production shops with CNC's making personialied boards. Both make it difficult to charge enough money to do well at it unless your producing 100's at a time which will require a large investment. Search etsy and see how many cutting boards come up and just how low some of the pricing is.

My approach to the craft show has been to offer as many products to start and see what sells. i have boxes(mid to high end) End grain cutting boards, live edge boards,Inlayed boards, 4 tiers of tea lights, pens, bowls, plus one or two items(if anyone has any ideas I'd love to hear them). Pricing goes from 15-250$ Plus a few pieces of large furniture pieces(Barryblockwoodworking.com). Given my cost scenerio I can afford to charge significatly less then your average craftsman at a show so I hope that is my edge but who knows. Like I said if I can pickup even 1 custom job and sell a few items then I will consider it a success.

[Alan Wright]

I've made about 50 "nice" end gran cutting boards over the years. Gave about half away as Xmas gifts. Last year I decided I wanted a couple new tools and didn't want to take money out of my household budget. I made a dozen or so to start lo. I figure total cost of about $20 in materials each and about 2 hours labor per board. I have a fairly good "system" now, and yes, I have all the tools I need. I sell them for an average of $100 each. The idea of wasting my saturdays at craft shows makes me ill.

I had more requests than I could handle. Brought one to work (30 Peron office) and had 10 requests. I ended up selling about 30 and could have sold more. Put a bunch on my Facebook page and when people "liked" them, got requests from friends of friends. Getting customer's wasn't a problem. Now this was around Christmastime, so that helped, but if u make well made end grain boards, there seems to be a market. I made around $3000 gross, and had about $600 in materials. I was able to buy a $2,000 jointer, and a couple Festool Sanders for me effort. I just picked up about $300 in lumber today to get started for this Xmas season. I picked up some each of cherry, maple, sepele, walnut, paduuk, and yellow heart. Exotics are pricy, but staples are maple, cherry, and walnut. I wouldn't want to spend months making cutting boards, but there is money to be made. I figure I'm making about $30 an hour doing something I generally enjoy. Just making some mad money for me at this point.

[Kent Adams]

Thanks Alan. Glad I checked this board because I wasn't notified in my email about your post. You have the most cost detail comment yet. Good luck with this year's sales. I'll need a jointer and planer, which I don't have the room for yet before I can start. I'll just have to wait some more.

[Ian Moone]

I would make a suggestion if I may.

Like others here - when making furniture I used to turn many board off cuts into chopping boards (cheese serving boards) as gifts for family and friends at Christmas especially the women who are good cooks/kitchen proud etc.

Wooden chopping boards are great on knives and help slow the process of dulling them etc.

So you'd THINK professional chefs would love them for that reason and MANY do.

But having also run a commercial kitchen licensed by the health department... to serve paying guests, and inspected by health inspectors bi-annually i KNOW they actually HATE timber cutting chopping boards with a passion.

Their safe food handling literature is very specific about avoiding cross contamination of foods in both preparation and storage in fridges etc.

Using a timber cutting board that gets used on meat prep, chicken prep, fish prep & vegetables fruits prep is a BIG NO NO!

In fact they require the easy to clean Poly Boards and require multicolored ones specifically to help avoid cross contamination (Red for red meat prep, white for chicken prep, blue for fish prep, green for vegetables prep, yellow or orange for fruit prep and so on.

Its the same reason commercial chefs kitchens require up to 3 separate sinks.. 1 for hand washing prior to food prep, 1 for washing foods stuffs and a 3rd for washing up dishes and pots pans etc after food prep.

ONE of the big bug bears with timber chopping boards for health inspectors, is meat prep where the meat tenderizing mallet, is used and leaves big mallet 'dimple' imprints into the timber surface that accumulate food to then decay and contaminate every other food stuff used subsequently on the same board. Same applies to food trapped within knife cuts on the board.

I guess MAYBE something you could do is make "matching SETS" of chopping boards with say a bull (& sheep) laser engraved onto the end or handle of one with say red wood for red meats, one with a rooster for chicken prep out of say white oak, and so on... to match the color coded Poly boards - that professional food kitchens and chefs favor for health inspection reasons!.

Just a suggestion - maybe it would differentiate you enough from every other chopping board maker out there to be able to market into professional chefs and restaurants as a niche?

YMMV (Your Mileage May Vary).

[Roy Harding]

Ian Moone makes an excellent point regarding commercial kitchens. Although as I stated earlier, I DO sell custom boards to culinary arts students (usually their parents), I doubt many of those boards make it into a commercial kitchen - except, perhaps, as a display piece in the chef's office.

[Denny Nebgen]

I realize that I am late to the party by like 6 years here but, it would be wonderful to bump this to the top and see if Kent ever followed through with his plan and how he made out. I am a wood turner and I make cutting boards from scraps plus neighbor has a sawmill and I have access to more scraps. I do craft shows and farm markets. Some customers will not buy what you are selling but, others will. You are not going to sell out in a day for sure.

Personally I do not do well with online selling. People just do not buy my bowls, bangles, pens, cookie cutters, etc. online. I do much better when they can handle the craft work in their hands and see the grain up close. That is just my experience. YMMV.

I am curious however as to Kent's journey and how it turned out for him?

[George Yetka]

I just wrote out a couple paragraphs before I realized this was a 6 year old thread.

I tried etsy store my material cost is averaged at $40 a board including packaging and board oil included for edge grain boards 12x18x1+ (using walnut/cherry/maple/yellowheart/redheart/wenge/leopard/etc) Shipping can be expensive 10-20 depending on shipping zone. etsys cut is almost 10% so i priced at 85 or so leaving me 15-25$ profit for a board that takes me 1-1/2" hour to make. And at that they dont even sell. Etsy is flooded and it is near impossible to find my boards on it. You will need to advertise your page on your social media. And then it becomes your family supporting you.

A website is 30-40 a month so if you arent selling 5 boards a month it wont pay.

Never tried craft shows. I suppose they could be the way to go but I have young kids so im out.

I would be happy if someone would supply me all the materials and packaging, come and pick them up, and cut me in $15 a board

[Alex Zeller]

Even though it's 6 years old this subject is always of interest. I think cutting boards are going to become even harder to sell as time goes on. CNC routers are in demand right now and with the number of lower priced models now it's opening up markets to non-woodworkers. A couple of the places I buy hardwood from are also woodworking shops. They often have narrow boards for sale at a reduced price that I'm sure they would run through their cabinet saw so they are ready to be glued up. Add a chop saw, some clamps, and sanders and with a CNC router someone could make custom cutting boards. Used open sanders are often for sale around here for well under a grand.

The wife's sister gave us a cutting board with a design on it and our names/ wedding date as a gift. It's maybe 1 1/2 BF of something like yellow birch made from strips 2" wide. I would think that someone who was just looking to make a few bucks so they could feel like the CNC router was paying for itself could easily make up a dozen or more cutting boards that required no real woodworking skills. If they had a way of transporting their CNC router to a craft show they could even customize the boards they are selling and have them ready for people before they left the show. Even if they were too busy to do it while they waited or if the design was too complicated to do in a short period of time customers still would get to see another one being done.

[Andrew Hughes]

The cutting boards i see selling at stores are mostly made in Indonesia Some Thailand some India.
It must be such a loosing proposition not even China wants any part.
Some things are just better left for the fun of making and can go no further.
Good Luck

[Denny Nebgen]

I sell them at craft shows. I don't do just cutting boards as most of what I sell are turned pieces. I certainly won't sell 10 a day or anything but, I do sell the 10 eventually. As most items one day you may sell 3-4 and another day you won't sell any. Just depends on the market and the mood of the buyer.

[Keith Outten]

I sold Corian cutting boards for several years. I got the material for free from a top shop that was throwing their counter top sink cut-outs scraps in a dumpster. I machined my cutting boards with my CNC so the only time I had in each one was sanding. Sold them for 40 bucks each and couldn't make them fast enough, every board I made on the weekend was sold on Monday morning at a job I was working at the time. I really got tired/bored of making them. I did inquire at the local Bed, Bath and Beyond store at our local mall about them selling my cutting boards and they were hot for the deal but I moved on to other projects that were more enjoyable.

Every now and then one of my daughters asks me to make a custom cutting board for them to give to a friend who is getting married. I usually route the person's name on the back and fill with Corian adhesive. The Corian boards are dishwasher safe and durable but not the same as a wooden board as you would expect but the ladies loved them.

No reason that any woodworker can't make these even without a CNC Router. Making routing templates you could machine them almost as fast as a CNC.

[Zachary Hoyt]

I sold a few cutting boards years ago, cut to custom shapes and such, and I used to have a few on consignment at a local gift shop. My materials cost was $2 to $5 or so per board, and I used to sell them for $20 or so. I have a website for the things I sell now, and it costs me about $10 a month, so it's not too bad at all since most of my livelihood comes from it. The cutting board market is so vast that it's hard to make a name for oneself in it, I think. Almost everyone needs a cutting board, and about 10% of the population seem to be making them and trying to sell them.

[Matt Day]

I've had plenty of people tell me I should do craft fairs and sell cutting boards and such. Thing is I don't WANT to spend my time cutting the same long strips of wood and slathering on a ton of glue.

I do ww'ing for me because I enjoy it. Making it a monotonous production environment would take the joy away for me.

If you can pay the bills at your main gig and do ww'ing for fun, I suggest you keep it that way.

I’m just going to quite myself from 6 years ago. ‘Nuff said.

[Patrick Kane]

I started out making end grain boards to pay for tools. It worked pretty well for me for many years. It ultimately transitioned into making countertops and island tops, which paid significantly more per hour of labor. I am trying to remember, but i routinely sold 18-20" square end grain boards that were 2-3" thick for $150-200 a piece. You look at William Sonoma, for example, and a walnut board that size is $300-400, i think. There is definitely room to compete and make a decent wage. It is every bit as monotonous as you would expect. I used to make 2-4 at the same time, and sanding those at the end of the process suckkkkkkeedd. I never went to craft shows or whatever else, and i strictly made end grain boards to compete with The Board Smith, Boos, or William Sonoma. I routinely compared my product and pricing to those groups at the first interaction with a potential customer/prospect. I very rarely make boards now, but i think making boards is a great idea if you have the free time. In a way, cutting boards allowed me the luxury of investing in the level of shop tooling that i have. Elevating to the next step of making very large end grain pieces and countertops allowed me to pay off all my student loans in my late 20s. I say all this to let folks know there is money to be made in simple quality utilitarian items, but i would avoid ebay/etsy/amazon like the plague. 99% of my sales were local face-to-face.

You dont want the normal every day joe that is cutting on a corian/glass/marble--no offense, Keith!!!--because those people do not know or care a gnat's wing about cooking and their knives. Find the people that are very into cooking and high quality knives. Spending time on kitchen knife forums would be a good place to interact and market. This is primarily how the Board Smith did so well. The original owner was first on the scene on a lot of these Japanese knife forums and it got to the point where a new member would join and everyone would command them to go get an end grain board, and specifically a Board Smith board. If you spend $300 on a knife, you do not cut on granite.

[johnny means]

That's always been my position, I refuse to turn any of my hobbies into something that makes money. Hobbies are for having fun. I do them when I want, the way I want and nobody can tell me differently. If it becomes something I have to do, it stops being fun.
So of hobbies are for having fun, is work for suffering? I love my work and pity those who don't do what they love for a living.

[Andrew Hughes]

So of hobbies are for having fun, is work for suffering? I love my work and pity those who don't do what they love for a living.

Cut him some slack Johnny. That was Brian in 2015 I’m sure his saws and hands have tasted the victory of paying commissions.
I myself am reduced to the status of Amateur woodworker. Feel free to take my opinion as such.:)

[Keith Outten]

Patrick, none taken :)

[Thomas L Carpenter]

I think I've read somewhere on this site that woodworking for profit makes you a business and you require a change in your homeowners insurance. You probably can get away with it unless you have a fire and then of course you are in deep do do.