tsaxby

Hello --- I am brand new at using this forum for discussion. I would like to know if anyone is aware of those that may a router to create wall art for the home and garden.

I create quite involved templates to create silouette images with imbellishment-- to some extent similar to scoll saw work. The difference of course is that with a well done template I can make a consistant copy much more quickly than if I were to use a scroll saw.

Most of the images I create are from history ie. Celtic Tree of Life, Celtic cross, Tracery mirrors (church window designs) and so on.

I produce these pieces from Red Oak, Cherry, White Cedar and for the garden and outdoor use recycled plastic in white or grey.

I am intererested as well as to your comments as to how receptive the buying public may be to them, as well as suggestions as to how to market them.

Do you think Router users would have a interest in purchasing these templates?

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reible

Hi,

Enjoyed looking at your work!

The dove one reminds me of some fret work shade pulls I made........ think silver dollar size.

As far as marketing templates, I would have to say that yes router users like myself have been known to buy things. I have the SpiroCrafter and various other shaping templates (circles, ovals, butterflies and the like). The big thing will be can you make them and sell them cheap enough? The spirocrafter sells for about $40 with a holder, two templates, sub-base, centering gauge, pencil holder, guide bushings, and booklet and combined you end up with 10 shapes that make many many different projects......

Now if you are going to sell me a template for say $100 I would most likely be saying to myself "make it yourself"... now if it were $10 I'd order one. Other people who are saying doing craft shows may say "I can sell that tree for $25 and if I can make 100 of these...."

Just a few thought... as some people like to say you get what you pay for and in this case my thoughts are free.

Ed

tsaxby

Thanks for your comments. I regularly sell the Celtic tree of life out of Red Oak for $225. The only way that I could make the templates at a low enough price would be to have them made on a CNC router or if I were to go to the substantial cost of having a plastic mold made. In that I would have to have a substantial order for these templates to make it worthwhile it looks as if I will just make a small number for sale in that they are so time consuming.

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Terry Saxby

reible

Not to get to much into this but what about making a template to make the templates?

Also just for reference what is the size of one of these? I'm picturing like 8"-10" but maybe I'm way off.

Ed

tsaxby

I sometimes do that now. It however still takes too long to make to sell at a price that I think might appeal to woodworkers. The smallest pieces are two foot round. The mirrors are about 24"x37" Some of the Celtic Trees of Life are 2' round and others are 4' round. The larger pieces are meant to decorate Large hallways or Garden areas when made out of white recycled plastic. It takes about 3 days from the drawing stage to the finished original template and to make a template from a template would take about 2.5 to 3 hours each on average plus consumables and material. Thanks again for your thoughts.

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Terry Saxby

reible

I'm even more impressed, they are very large pieces!

I can see your problem with the amount of time it takes for development and then making a master template then to making a template to sell... you have a lot of hours and materials invested. In ruff terms you have 3 * 8 * $25 = $600 + $30 (mat'l) = $630 for the main template, then 3 * $25 = $75 + $30 (mat'l) = $105.... now it you sell 10 of them it adds up to $105 + $63 = $168 + overhead makes them around $200 ea.

Interesting to think about.....

Ed

tsaxby

I have read just about every issue of fine woodworking magazine and have reviewed the router workshop shows as published and find myself wondering if using a router to create art pieces is something new. A fellow that I met along the way that has a decorative welding business and has attended the Toronto gift shows tells me that my 4' Celtic tree of life made of wood would sell at about $1200.00. I have no way of knowing whether or not that is true or not. I do know that I sell my larger mirrors made out of Red Oak for $325.00. Having sold Real Estate for 20 years I am of the belief that there should be a market for decorative wall art. Square pictures get a little boring after a while. I wonder if I just might be on to something.

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Terry Saxby