first craft show....did ok..sort of gloating

[Dave Cohen]

I was in my first craft show this weekend and I did OK
considering the bad economy (as long as I don't calculate all the time/labor...maybe even materials that went into the projects)

I sold all 8 cutting boards - two end grains, a bunch of edge grain boards made out of purple heart, maple, paduk, cherry etc, and a couple of cherry bread boards

I sold an asian garden bench to a banker

Sold a purple heart, maple and cherry chess table to a friend right before the show

1 pair of salad tongs (made 8, they didn't move too well)

And I did not sell any of my photos of travels through SE Asia that I had matted and made handmade splined hardwood frames for...there were some pretty nice shots there got lots of compliments on them, but no sales not sure what went wrong there.

Still have another garden bench made out of oak left over and a couple of portable outdoor white oak chairs.

I also got two orders for cutting boards after the show and an order for a chess board, because someone saw the chess table....

I pulled in about $1200 gross, but have to pay out sales tax and credit card commissions, and craft show fee still...looks like when I take all that and materials out I will have netted about $500. I worked for months part time in between kids and full time work building up inventory from nil, so looking at it realistically not ready to quit my day job, but possibly could develop into a good part time gig and help pay for my hobby.

Would welcome perspectives from other more experienced folks.

Thanks

[Lucas Moore]

Thought about doing the same thing. Definitely the butcher block and the chess boards and some other small things. Do you have a pictures of the stuff you made. I would love to see them.

[Dave Cohen]

I don't have all my stuff on my site, but here are a few shots:

http://picasaweb.google.com/alhenex/...94602601059442

http://grasshopperwoodworks.com/pics/Item3.JPG

http://grasshopperwoodworks.com/pics/item4_a.JPG

Cutting boards sold really well

If and when I do another show I will make a lot more, good price to effort ratio

Furniture is so much work, can definitely make more off smaller items...but I will probably still make some pieces just as a show piece and the satisfaction of doing it.

[Matt Campbell]

Dave,

would you mind sharing the price for your cutting boards?

[jim sauterer]

those are some very nice looking cutting boards.great job

[Dave Cohen]

I don't have exact size but any end grain board starts at $50 say about 8"x14" 1" thick or so

I sold a large end grain board for $90 that was 6/4

the simple purple heart and maple bread board is $28 its about 3/4" thick

and I sold some other edge grain boards that were made out of paduk, purple heart, maple and cherry...3/4" thick about 8"x12" for $35 (probably too cheap) but they moved well.

HTH

[Matt Campbell]

Wow, that's awesome.

[Dave Cohen]

hey thanks, nice to get the feedback

[travis howe]

Great job Dave, congrats! On your end grain pieces, did you have a display that detailed what they were and how much better than they were on knives or did you find most people picked that up on their own?

Any pictures of your booth?

Travis

[Dave Cohen]

I explained it verbally to people when they started looking at the boards, which did get a bit tiring after awhile .

Next time I will put it on the card with the board.

I had a small card explaining that it was an end grain board and the types of woods in the board.

Will post pics of the booth in a few days, still recovering from the event...had a head cold last week and putting up the stall, running the booth and breaking it down on sunday wiped me out.

[Matt Schell]

Thanks for the post, I am curious about your shop space, basement, garage?

[Dave Cohen]

too small....I have 1 long bay of a two car garage

with a 50" cabinet saw, chop saw, router table, mortiser, band saw various work benches, scroll saw, drum sander (just got this one), various hand and portable power tools etc.

Its too crowded have a number of stationary tools on mobile bases, that helps