How to Craft Wood for Profit
If you've ever thought about what it would be like to start your own business and be your own boss, and if you have some basic design skills, consider mass producing simple woodworking products and selling them for a profit. With a little hard work and a good business sense, you'll be turning a profit in no time.
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Things You'll Need
- Several pieces of 1/2 inch plywood
- Holiday or niche-themed patterns
- Woodworking table with a clamp
- Jig saw
- Low- and high-grit sandpaper
- Assortment of paints & lacquer
Instructions
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Choose a holiday- or niche-themed product and keep it as simple as possible, as this will give you the best chances of making a profit. Try making items that are simple to mass produce and relevant to the current holidays or seasons, such as a pumpkin in October or a cross at Easter.
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Trace the outline several times over a few pieces of wood. The more units you produce using the least amount of wood, the better, so choose something moderately sized and which has an uncomplicated outline.
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Clamp the wood down onto a woodworking table and cut out the patterns using the jigsaw.
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Sand down the entire item until it is smooth. The smoother the product, the more professional the craftsmanship will appear to be. Consumers will always pay more for something that is high quality.
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Apply stain to your product, wait for it to dry and then detail the item with paint. Apply the lacquer finish to create a glossy look.
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Create a reasonable price for your products. Take into account the cost of material, your time, rental space at arts and crafts shows and mark up 25 to 40 percent of that final number.
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Check your local newspaper or church fliers to find local arts and crafts venues, and rent a space to sell your products. The closer the better. If you live in a secluded area, try selling your products on websites that are specific to handmade crafts, such as Etsy.
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Tips & Warnings
After the first few attempts at selling your products you'll be able to track which items sell the most. Continue to mass produce those specific items, and add others as you gain knowledge about what your customers want. Take on more complex products, such as furniture and bowls, as your experience grows.
When choosing the products you want to produce, start off small. Don't spend many hours creating an involved piece of art, as this could lead to you taking a loss, because you will likely not be able to sell it for enough to make up for your time and effort.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit gatto di legno image by alberto maisto from Fotolia.com
