# Latest Idea



## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I make and sell Adirondack Chairs. My latest idea to get these chairs known around town is to donate a couple of them with a nice name tag of my company attached to them. Something discrete yet noticeable. 
We have a very popular botanical gardens near by called Powell Gardens, and they have people walking on paths all day. I'd need to design these out of something more durable than WRC, I think well treated pine would be best, nice thick wood too.

Whadoyathink?


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## PRGDesigns (Jan 25, 2012)

I would make them out of Ipe w/SS screws so that they are heavy, sturdy, and never ever rot. Powell Gardens is awesome. I used to camp with the boy scouts not very far from there. Memories….....


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

What's Ipe?


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## HerbC (Jul 28, 2010)

I would NOT use "treated" pine. I think many people would be concerned about the potential contamination from the treatment process.

Why not use either cypress or Eastern Red Cedar (heartwood only)? Both would be very good weathering the outdoor environment and both would be quite attractive with a clear finish.

I would use 5/4 for all parts except the legs and support frame, that I'd use 7/4 or thicker.

Good Luck!

Be Careful!

Herb


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## ShaneA (Apr 15, 2011)

Ipe is a south american hardwood. Weather/rot resistant, heavy, hard, oily. Probably in the $6-8bf range. Nice, but not easy to work…so I have heard.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

5/4 western red cedar is a good solid wood. I could use 2×4 in the frame. The seat slats need to be stronger than 1×2 cedar though, it will get kids jumping on it and stuff. I'll just use the 5/4. My TS is groaning down in the shop.

I never use treated wood. The 5/4's I get are untreated and when you sand them with some 60 grit they look beautiful. I'm going to give them several coats of spar.


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## pierce85 (May 21, 2011)

Like Shane, I have no firsthand experience with Ipe either, but I've heard other woodworkers who've tried working with it vowed never to try it again.

Matt Kenney over at Fine Woodworking built an outdoor bench out of Sipo and reports that it has held up quite well since he built it in 2010.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I've built a lot of stuff out of treated lumber, a deck and a couple garden boxes that measured 4'x12' out of treated 4×4's, and my hands were red and swollen for three days.


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## exelectrician (Oct 3, 2011)

Try Trex, it is plastic and sawdust compressed and extruded, into "planks" Call decking installers for off cuts cheap.


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## Puzzleman (May 4, 2010)

I agree with the Trex. It comes in colors and it weather resistant. Makes a nice looking product. Expensive but nice.


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

I don't know. I like to stick with natural wood. I love the look and feel of it. Plastic just won't cut it.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

For under $1000 you can get a 30 second commercial made and inserted into the "Today Show" about 3 times per hour in your local market.
I think you will reach more of your target clientele than by placing freebies in a spot that is going to be used primarily by tourists and school kids.

If you change your materials for the venue, how will the clientele know how well your chairs work? They need to stand on their own merits, not be enhanced for public use.

I think you will find that your WRC is plenty strong enough, although you may need to increase the strength of the fastening system… more bolts in stress areas, usually using a triangle set up would be good.

Good Luck, but also think about this: Summer won't be around much longer. When Summer quits, so will your sales. It's time to start looking for a winter time product to entice the rubes into buying. Maybe Red Ryder Sleds made of oak or pine with steel runners? If you made them in a retro fashion you could hit the baby boomer market pretty easily!


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Dallas - As soon as I get the web page functional I plan to open an ebay account. Not an auction but a store.

I'm rethinking the donation. They don't seem to eager anyway. I may just have to open up to a world market and try to figure out a way to ship them safely. I have a couple choices, one is to have the chair completely disassembled and provide instructions, or to remove the seat and back and ship in two boxes.


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## Dal300 (Aug 4, 2011)

You really don't need a website (or web page as you put it), Do a Facebook page, add your pictures there.

eBay isn't built to send people from them to your website and eBay WILL suspend your account if they find you are doing that, even as an eBay store. That's why they have eBay stores.

More on eBay: Get a PayPal Business account. Fund it through a minimal bank account that is not connected to your regular account, otherwise you can have your account cleaned out by PayPal if someone hollers. This way, all they can get is what is in that bank account.
Use a debit card provided by PayPal, (MasterCard). Buy your materials with that… it makes it easier to see what you are actually making for income.

If you need a functional website, contact me via PM… I may be able to help as I host many sites with my web hosting company.

Good Luck!


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## RussellAP (Feb 21, 2012)

Dallas, thanks. I'm going to start in earnest on Wed. I have a great resource in the web hosting company that i'm using. I'd like to actually sell other things under a different name on Ebay. Something that maybe can generate some extra income in the off season, something small and ship-able.


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## a1Jim (Aug 9, 2008)

I agree with you plan but I would not use Pine. If your going to build something as a promotion it needs to be the best quality product you can make. I agree with using Ipe that will impress any perspective buyers. Ipe is a very solid wood that will hold up to weather for years and years and is even fire rated. I've built a good many decks from it and some super outdoor furniture. If you don't what to spend the little bit of extra money on Ipe the Western red ceder,cypress or eastern cedar will do the job. I would stay away from port orford ceder it tends to split easily . If you build your sample chair cheep the customer will know and want to pay a cheep price. I know your from Missouri so you will build it the way you want LOL


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## Doss (Mar 14, 2012)

I agree with *Jim*. The chairs need to showcase your abilities and products. If you donate some chairs using something like PT lumber, people will think that you make cheap chairs with cheap materials (IMO).

I would want whatever I'm donating to reflect the highest order of my work so when people see it they relate me to quality or whatever metric you want to be related.

How about teak if ipe isn't your thing?

Also, I'd use paint/contrasting stain/burnt in letters or something else to put your contact information on the armrest or the upper back portion of the chair.


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## casual1carpenter (Aug 16, 2011)

Russell, the donation thing got me thinking. But the thought was that some very well constructed, and nice looking chairs, and rather unattended. Most of the areas I have been around they would probably find their way into someone's trunk.

Also the tourist and school kid statement brought about a thought. Surely you have boy scouts, girl scouts, school bands or sports, where the children are having a fund raiser sales thing now and again. How about you make up a few chairs perhaps along with a small table and donate them for a drawing or raffle? The tickets could link to your web page and the donated lawn furniture be displayed at your site or the school. Shame to sort of take advantage of the kids this way, lol, but if the total prize value is good enough it might generate both interest in your product and help to buy band uniforms or what have you. Look at how little the girl scout troops actually receive for cookie sales, I heard it is not much.

A plan like this could be done with a number of different groups and even a number of towns within a reasonable drive of your hometown. It's good community spirit and might even be a tax deduction and it would get your product in front of a lot of peoples eyes, at least in my warped brain.


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## americanwoodworker (Nov 26, 2011)

Not sure what kind of supplies you can get but have you ever heard of thermally treated wood? I have read many many good things about it. Unfortunately I cannot find a supplier for it here. I have never worked with it but it may be another option for you.


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