Baluster turning

[kevin nee]

baluster photo.jpgbaluster photo.jpgHello, I have been asked to make 4 balusters see photos. They appear to be about 36 x 1.5 what would be a good price to charge to be fair to everyone. I am thinking of using maple that I have. Thanks in advance, Kevin

[Dennis Nagle]

How long will it take you....realistically. Then how much is your time worth.

[Thom Sturgill]

Don't discount the value of the supplies used, or your time. It will almost certainly take more than 4 tries to get 4 that look enough alike unless you have a duplicator. I have seen stairways that used three or four different patterns interlaced to keep the viewer from seeing the differences in individual balusters.

Table legs are separated by considerable distance compared with balusters, and still can be difficult to match.

[Reed Gray]

Really hard to say. Hourly, unless you are a master spindle turner, the price would be very high. If you are doing 100 of them, then the first one will take you 10 or more times longer than the last one. You can go to some of the big box stores or catalogs and find ready made ones for what it would cost you for the wood. I found out that one the hard way. For me, and I am not much of a spindle turner, I would charge in the $20 to $40 range, which is high. Yea, I know, barely the cost of the wood.

robo hippy

[Jamie Donaldson]

Pricing has many factors to consider, such as time, material, location, application, etc. Poplar is another wood to consider since it appears the finished product will be painted.

[Bob Hamilton]

I had a similar job a few years ago, where someone needed a few balusters. I can't remember if it was 4 or 6. As I recall, the first one took me almost an hour and a half, but the last one only took 20 or 30 minutes. I charged $15 each.

Good Luck!
Bob

[Terry Quiram]

I make balusters for people all the time. I would charge $40 each for this design. More elements equals more money. Never less than $25. You have to remember the only option to replace these balusters is to hand make them otherwise they would go to the store and buy one. Don't short change yourself. You have the equipment and knowledge to do this. If it was easy everyone would be doing it.