# Products to Sell in a Sticky Situation



## moulderman (Apr 2, 2016)

To make a long story short. I lost my job and I'm looking but no luck. I need to produce some income pretty quick. Anything would help at this point. I have five kids plus a wife to support. I normally work as engineer and wood working is a hobby.

I have three questions.

Does any body have any suggestion for widgets that I can make and sell fairly quick?
Does any body have any suggestion for a outlet that I could sell woodcrafts at or on?
Does any larger shop owners here have any production overflow they could pass on to me or products I could help with?

Just to give people a idea of my woodworking ability. Here is a list of what I have to work with and what I have done.

I have two table saws, one is commercial grade and runs on a 220v with several attachment including moluding cutters. and the other saw is contractor grade. I have a bench planer, router and table with about fifty bits, belt sander, small drill press.

I also have wood to work with. This includes oak, pine, poplar, and some walnut. I tore down a barn that was made entirely from red oak last spring I have planed and stacked all the lumber in my garage. My father-in-law also has house that was built in the 30s and he is letting me take the wood in exchange for cleaning it up. It is mostly pine and poplar.

Some of my creations include, end tables, benches, picture frames, cutting boards, kitchen tables, shelves, etc. I really like to build speaker cabinets. I put as much science and engineering in them as I do craftsmanship.

Any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated.


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## upinflames (Jun 24, 2012)

You can always make up some glue sizing and bottle it up and sell it for a ridiculous price and claim it is a "magic potion" and have some goober spam it constantly here. In all seriousness, find a niche in your area, small boxes, picture frames or anything that would be quick and cheap to make. You could do as some folks in my area, they go buy $30 garage sale crap, repaint it some goofy color and sell it for $20 and claim to have "refinished" it. I have in the past had good luck with small to medium size chalk boards. Good luck in any avenue you choose.


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## Finn (May 26, 2010)

Toys for toddlers sell well if you can make them and offer them for $5 each. Sell them at a local farmers market. I started with them and sold $1300 worth of $3 and $5 toys in one day at a local pumpkin festival. That was nine years ago.


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## onoitsmatt (Mar 7, 2015)

Check yard sales and antique stores and flea markets/swap meets in your area for old hand tools. Clean them up and sell them on ebay. I sustain the cost of my woodworking habit this way. If I had more time to look for tools and clean them up, I could probably limp along wih it as a near liveable income.


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## JohnDon (Mar 14, 2015)

I've not done it myself, but Etsy might be an outlet for woodcrafted items. Best of luck in getting through tough times.


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## Lsmart (Jan 1, 2012)

+1 Etsy… cutting boards? speakers?


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## Ger21 (Oct 29, 2009)

You'll make more money getting a part time job just about anywhere.


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## moulderman (Apr 2, 2016)

Thank you for all of the responses. I have found something I can list on ebay that would be easy for me to crank out and looks like it will sell.

I also have some 18 inch tile left over from my kitchen remodel. I'm going to turn out a red oak coffee table tomorrow with tile inlay on top. I'm hoping to get $300 for it on local classifieds.

Please keep the responses coming. Others might glean from this in the future.


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## woodworkingprincipal (Jul 1, 2012)

Hi there, I retired three years ago and am selling adirondack chairs, deck coolers and porch swings. Selling them as fast as I can make them. Have 30 orders right now. Wherever you live, I'll bet there are Facebook sale sites like there are where we live near Memphis. There are about 50 sites that I advertise on absolutely free. Check them out. Send me a message if you want more info. Glad to help.


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## tncraftsman (Oct 21, 2009)

"Does any body have any suggestion for widgets that I can make and sell fairly quick?"

The usual suspects, cutting boards, cheese boards, bottle openers, anything made from "pallets", anything "upcycled", farm tables, anything "reclaimed" or shabby chic. Browse etsy, you'll get the idea.

"Does any body have any suggestion for a outlet that I could sell woodcrafts at or on?"

Etsy, Ebay, Amazon handmade, local FB groups.

"Does any larger shop owners here have any production overflow they could pass on to me or products I could help with?"

Check out Makersrow.com

+1 to what Ger21 said about getting a part time job. If you need fast cash that's the way to go. There are all sorts of items people are selling for almost the cost of materials.

"I really like to build speaker cabinets." 
Go to every high end home theater store in your town. Tell them what you can do with a portfolio of your work. Also look at car stereo places. They may need custom boxes made for cars.


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

Small step stools and small benches sell like hotcakes in our area. Nothing fancy and something you can sell in the range of $45.00 - $75.00. I've got a friend that lost his job several years ago and at his age…welcome to Walmart four hours a week is all he could find.

I made him some patterns, gave him a load of short cut-offs and sent him home to his shop. I told him to bang them together, throw some paint or stain on them and take them to the mom and pop stores and cut a deal with them.

He started getting calls just about everyday wanting more from the mom and pops. That fast income saved him and gave him a breather until he could find another decent job. He still bangs out those stools and benches and made no changes in them and still making that extra income. I think he also sells them on CraigsList and the area Facebook Yard sale sites in several areas. Google Facebook yard sales in your area.

I don't know where you live but here in these mountains women seem to have a fetish for banged out step stools and benches to site around on their porches and in their homes. My wife bought one of his benches. I'll try to remember to put up a pic of it tomorrow. I'm also going to draw up a set of plans for it and put it on my free plans site for beginners.

Good luck and hope things turn around for you soon.


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## moulderman (Apr 2, 2016)

It would be great if you post a step stool picture to get me going. Those seem to be something I could turn out fairly quick.

I have to have at least five post to send a message. Dave, as soon as I reach my post limit I will message you. I bought a book not to long ago on making adirondack furniture and hand plans on making a few pieces anyways this spring.


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## CharlesNeil (Oct 21, 2007)

PM sent ..email me , can and will help


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## HokieKen (Apr 14, 2015)

This time of year when people are ready to start getting outside, Adirondack chairs and Cornhole boards might be a good bet. Best of luck. And, you should definitely contact Mr. Neil ^. He is a very well known and respected craftsman and, from everything I've heard, an all around helluva guy!


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## bruc101 (Sep 13, 2008)

> It would be great if you post a step stool picture to get me going. Those seem to be something I could turn out fairly quick.
> 
> I have to have at least five post to send a message. Dave, as soon as I reach my post limit I will message you. I bought a book not to long ago on making adirondack furniture and hand plans on making a few pieces anyways this spring.
> 
> - moulderman


Looks like Charles has jumped in to help you. Can't find any better help than his. Good luck.


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## upinflames (Jun 24, 2012)

Holy cow….the world is saved now…top secret strategies, world dominance, will be yours. Your problems are over…..no need anyone else even trying to help…as far as that goes…you don' even have to ask questions in the forum any longer…just PM and email will get all kinds of "secret help"...

ROTFLMAO


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## Ocelot (Mar 6, 2011)

The only person I have run into who has found something very simple to make and very easy to sell and making good money, had a sawmill and was making cross-ties. He gets $32/ea. The processor takes delivery 24/7. His trailer can hold 50 and he comes away with a check for $1600. His sawmill costs about $28K and he has a good source of logs for cheap.

-Paul


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