My First furniture projects

[brett gallmeyer]

I am just finishing up building two small end tables and one coffee table. There all made out of cedar and are made to be Outdoor / Indoor use. I'm trying to make some $ on the side by selling them at a local consignment shop. The larger table will have 12"x12" slate tiles in the openings at the top. This was my first project where I used mortise and tennon joinery on the aprons. Any thoughts?

Brett G.

[Jack Camillo]

Very nice.
I have two thoughts:
I was just working with cedar, my first time, building a pergola. That wood is very prone to dings, dents, and scratches, etc., though it looks and smells very, very nice. As long as you are advertising them as indoor/OUTDOOR, you can justify the wood choice.
How much would you expect to get for them and to what profit? The wood is expensive (looks like Western Red). And how much time is invested in each piece? Are you sanding and sealing them?

[brett gallmeyer]

I have about $12 invested in each small table and was planning on selling them for $25.

I havn't figured up the cost of the large table yet, but I would guesstimate around $45-50. I was going to try and sell that one for around $75.

Both of these sets of prices include all lumber, finish, and other materials. I got 2x4x8 cedar for $5 each and 4x4x8 for $10 each.

Those prices for selling probably dont cover all my time invested. I'm primarily using them to get my name and product out there to build a customer base. The local consignment store said they sell anything outdoor very well. And they would be happy to hand out my buisness cards If someone was looking for something else that they didnt have. Plus if they do sell good I can allways make multiples at once and cut down on labor alot.

I designed the larger table myself so there was some trial and error. I actually built a different top useing half lap joints on the corners. however they just didnt look great. So I went with a mitered corner, reinforced with a biscuit.

I did sand all the pieces before assembly and touched things up after glue up.

I used an outdoor timber oil finish by cabrot. I believe its called australia timber oil or something like that. I got it at my local Blue Borg. Its a mix of several things. It goes on easy, dries relativly quick. It says to use only one coat but I used two and rubed it down with 0000 steel wool between coats and after.

Anything else you would like to know please ask. I really enjoy talking to other WW's.

[Jack Camillo]

I would imagine they would sell easily at that price, but you don't have to and shouldn't take a beating. Someone might accuse you of running a child labor sweat shop or something. If you were to build a customer base at those prices, you might have difficulty getting a profit when you decide you need to. That is way below a fair or even bargain price in my opinion. You should at least get something over and above the money and time you've invested. Just throwing numbers out there, I would double the prices you stated above, and they'd still be a good bargain. Not trying to sway you, just hate to see good woodwork not bring the woodworker any profit. And the consignment shop has to take its cut, too. On a different note, I think I might experiment with a wood top of some type to compare (I would start with something like 1x1 slats, but that would increase the time and expense for sure).

[brett gallmeyer]

so here are the finished pics of my larger table. The slate is installed and sealed.

[John Keeton]

If you sell for those prices, you are going to really hack off Garden Ridge and the rest of the Chinese importers! I would be afraid to sleep at nite. Looks like you even grouted in the slate.

I agree with Jack. People want and expect to pay more for handmade - they can buy factory produced crap all day long. They want to tell their friends, "it is handmade or handcrafted." It seems so much more status than saying, "oh, I got those at Walmart or Garden Ridge."

If you are going to do this for profit, then make some! If you are doing it as a service to the world, then your prices seem fair. I suspect that at those prices, you are getting somewhere around $1.50/hr - not bad for third world labor!

You said, "I'm primarily using them to get my name and product out there to build a customer base." I am afraid that your name and product will be labeled as cheap with your pricing structure - not a very good marketing ploy.

Get one of those branding irons, mark your stuff, and sell it for what it is, US made furniture, handcrafted locally. You may surprise yourself.

Good job, by the way!

[Greg Cuetara]

One thing to consider is that a great deal of people see something for cheap and just assume that it is cheap....sometimes if you charge more they will just pay it assuming that it is a much higher quality product, which it will be. One option I might consider is to try and set your prices at XX amount and then put them out there for a discount. Say 25% off right now because you want to get your name out there and then when things are going good you can drop the 25% off. The price will rise and people won't be suprised when the price goes up.

If you really want to get an idea of how much you should charge I would go over to wally-world and see what they have and how much they are charging then put your prices a bit above theirs for right now and then you can raise them up when you feel comfortable. You should be at least getting what the cheap importers are getting right now. Also remember that if you start to supply any place you may have to sell at 60% off your retail cost. I believe that stores pay around 40% of MSRP to the manufacturers for their products. If it is consignment you need to work that cost into your pricing. If you want to get $25 / table and the shop takes $5 then you need to price it at $30 to start with.

Just a few things to consider but looking good so far.
Greg

[Lars Thomas]

I'll comment on the design. . . The legs on the larger table look about 1/2" - 3/4" too thick. Also consider where water will pool and install the tile in such a way it doesn't keep the wood wet. I also echo the sentiments the others have mentioned. I think you need to multiple your prices by at least 4.

[brett gallmeyer]

As for the price. maby I should have clarified a bit. the consigment shop that I'm going to be selling them at is going to pop a 30-50% commission on top of what i want to sell them for. So the small table will be priced around $35-40 and the larger table will be around $100. That really one of the reasons I was wanting so little out of the tables. And what I ment by getting my products out there.
I do plan on marking them by writing my name then burning it in with a wood burner. I dont have the $ right now for a stamp and I havn't figured out a name for my shop yet. lol.
I am doing this on the side. I would love to work at a cabinet shop but there are very few in my area and none that I've talked to are hireing. So this is a way for me to pay off some of my toys and maby afford some new ones or upgrades.

As for the design advice. I greatly appriciate the input. The legs are 3'' square with a 2 1/2'' apron. the top has an exposed edge of 2'' and the center t is 1 1/2 wide. It sits 22' high and is about 29'' square. I used such stout legs to really establish its strength. I was going to go with 2'' or 2 1/2'' legs but they just looked a bit too small. But hey I'm still starting out so maby the next one I build I'll take your advice and thin down the legs. I also think i might try one with diagonal slats instead of slate.

??

I love building!, Brett G.