What do you sell the most of? Your Woodworking

[Rick Cicciarelli]

Trying to get into the hobby a little bit more and would like to try to make a few bucks on the side if possible. I am just wondering what the general trend is in terms of successful selling. I see other woodworkers selling items locally in shops, but I am curious what actually sells. You see lots of bowls, bottle stoppers, jewelry boxes, rolling pins, honey dippers etc, but I am just curious what folks have the most success actually selling. Just curious.

[Matt Meiser]

I don't, but you might want to review with your insurance agent before deciding to go down that route. There have been numerous posts here in the past about the dramatic difference between a hobby shop and one that does anything for sale.

[Rick Cicciarelli]

What do you mean?

[Jim Rimmer]

There have been many posts about the insurance issue. Apparently making things for sale makes your shop a commercial shop and insurance requirements (read RATES) change significantly.

[Rick Cicciarelli]

There must be a way to move into the process slowly rather than diving right in and calling yourself a business. Does someone who does beading or glass blowing at their kitchen table have to call their house a commercial shop?

[Myk Rian]

I don't normally sell what I make, but have sold a few lighthouses, and mailbox posts.

[Kirk Poore]

Pick your target audience first. I make repro medieval furniture and camp gear, but I have a very narrow market. Figure out who you're trying to sell to, then determine what they like & will buy.

Kirk

[Don Jarvie]

Let friends, co-workers, relatives know you do woodworking and see if anyone needs something. I've made a few cabinets and radiator covers for a co-worker.

I am going to make some cutting boards for the holiday season this year and see if I can sell a few at the Church fair. Not expecting to make anything but I would like to give it a shot.

[Andrew Joiner]

There must be a way to move into the process slowly rather than diving right in and calling yourself a business. Does someone who does beading or glass blowing at their kitchen table have to call their house a commercial shop?

Unfortunately if you sell one item it can change your liability exposure from personal to business. This is the way our countries laws are.

Here's an example. If you give a wood toy to a friend and that toy ever harms someone your homeowners/rental insurance should cover it. You have less liability if you gave the toy away.

Worsted case scenario:
You sell a wood item to a friend. His kid or any kid chokes on a part from it, even after the item is 20 years old, even if the kids abused the item, you are liable.
You say " my friends wouldn't sue me". What happens after the kid is hospitalized is insurance reports get filed. An investigation finds the product was purchased from you. You are then a manufacturer of toys and the lawyers will try to prove you are at fault and must pay the damages. Even if you win the lawsuit your court costs could be astronomical . If you lose a case they can take your house and all your cash/assets. If you have no money they can take a portion of your future income for life! I have a friend who had this happen to her.

Bottom line selling one item exposes you. Insurance to cover a hobby woodworking business's product liability can be added to you homeowners insurance in some states for about $500 a year, if your gross is less than 15K a year. A full on business policy can be 4 times that. Look for art and craft insurance. Shop around. The good news is even if sell your stuff for a year with the product liability and you quit selling, the product liability protects you forever ( as long as the insurance co is still in business).

I'm not an insurance guy or a lawyer. I've had commercial woodshop insurance in the past with product liability. It went from about $200 a year in 1975 to over $4000 a year when I got out of the business.

[Rob Holcomb]

I've made and sold a Toy Chest, several cutting boards and a few bottle stoppers. I don't advertise really. More word of mouth and I only sell some things to cover the cost of the rough cut lumber I buy.

[Brian Kent]

I have no input on the insurance / business side of things. My answer has to do with what has sold the best at church fund-raising auctions:

1. The library chair that converts to a step ladder: $350 to $400.
http://www.amazon.com/Library-Stool-...uct/B003P2BTGO

2. Jewelry Boxes: $35 to $175

3. Cutting Boards: $20 to $30

These are silent auctions where the items are displayed and the people have 30 days to bid on a piece of paper nearby.

[Jon McElwain]

I do not sell anything, so I cannot help you there, but I did want to chime in on the insurance topic. I had severe water damage in my shop a while back (oil fired hot water heat line burst in my shop). Water sprayed over the ENTIRE shop for three days while we were on vacation. Insurance repeatedly asked if I ever sold anything to friends, craft fairs, or for any sort of business. Thankfully the answer was no. They replaced everything that was damaged. If I had made any money through the use of my shop, they would have been able to deny the claim.

[Larry Edgerton]

I carry a $4m liability policy and have for over twenty years. Mine has gone down every year as I have never had a claim. I now pay about a thousand a year. I would not consider doing business without it, even on a small scale. I have too much to lose, and there are many lawyers out there just looking to ruin someones life.

One thing I made when out of work that may be out of the norm but sold will through a friend that does the circuit was toilet paper holders that stood on the floor. They were very nice pieces and sold in the $150-200 range.

Good luck, and get insurance. It sucks, but it is reality. Everyone in this world is not a nice guy/girl.

Larry

[Larry Whitlow]

I do not sell anything, so I cannot help you there, but I did want to chime in on the insurance topic. I had severe water damage in my shop a while back (oil fired hot water heat line burst in my shop). Water sprayed over the ENTIRE shop for three days while we were on vacation. Insurance repeatedly asked if I ever sold anything to friends, craft fairs, or for any sort of business. Thankfully the answer was no. They replaced everything that was damaged. If I had made any money through the use of my shop, they would have been able to deny the claim.

With certain exceptions, the standard homeowners policy excludes businesses pursuits run out of the home. The main exception being office type activities (telecommuting). In my state (California), I would have to put a "prop 65" warning on anything that I sold out of the shop. Personally, I would like to sell products I make in the shop and do some kitchen rehabs, but there are too many exposures to deal with and I don't want the expense of completed operations or products liability coverage.

[jerry cousins]

years ago i moved from the hobby style woodworking to a business due to insurance reasons. i have a stand alone shop building - do make pieces on commission and have pieces in galleries - and this is california stuff but - i found out that if i was selling pieces i was considered a business & my homeowner's insurance would not cover the cost of the tools if they needed replacement - i had to get a separate business policy. the policy really is just an additional rider on the homeowners - but shop & tools are now part of the mix. another key element was that my shop is not a gallery and there is no customer foot traffic. it was a hard search to find an insurance company that offered this kind of arrangement.
jerry