Bowl Pricing???

Re: Bowl Pricing???

Mike Schwing from Md.

>What a difficult question to answer! I guess I will take the first stab.

There are many things to consider, here are some listed in no particular order

Your audience - crafts show, housewife, art collector. Each will dictate different pricing, maybe even for the same bowl. For example, I recently turned a bunch of apple wood bowls for a friend's craft show. Almost the same amount of work went into them that goes into my larger salad and display bowls, but I priced the craft show bowls at $30, my larger bowls fetch $100 or more. $100 bowls aren't going to sell at that particular show. (and I won't be turning bowls for crafts shows any more)

Your goal - to make a business out of this or just to reclaim some money from your hobby and feel good about your work. If the former, you have to fctor time/materials and add on to that. Hobby funds - what price makes you feel good? And can you find a customer to pay that?

Suggestion - ask people in your area what you'd pay for one of your bowls. Show them one - show some housewives, show some coworkers. Prices are different regionally, asking potential buyers what they'd pay for a bowl will give you a good idea of how much you can ask and expect a sale in a reasonable time frame.

These thoughts are only a start from someone pretty new at this, too.

Re: Bowl Pricing???

Fred in NC

>I don't sell bowls; I do sell other turned items.

This is how I look at it, and I think Russ Fairfield would agree with me:

MINIMUM PRICE is the lowest I am willing to sell the item for. That includes all costs plus a reasonable return for me.

MAXIMUM PRICE is whatever the intended market will bear.

Once I set a price for an item, I will not sell for a lower price. It is not fair for the customers who paid the higher price.

Also, selling too cheap is unfair to those who make a living at it.

Just my opinion!

Re: Bowl Pricing???

Mark Kauder

>I agree with the others that have posted above me.

Now before I say more, let me insert this caviot - I do not sell many "Function Bowls", most of the stuff I am selling is getting it's price from the "Artistic" side. I do not mean that in any snobby way, just that the segmented bowls that I sell, and generally put on a shelf for looks.

I don't know who said it, Russ Fairfield or Bill Grumbine, but some where around $10 an inch of diameter is a good starting point for bowls over 10" in diameter. Beyond that, you need to consider wood cost - obviously you are not going to charge the same for a 12" Oak bowl as you would for a 12" Cocobolo Bowl.

Now having said all that, when I set the minimum price, I add up the expendable material costs (wood, finish, sandpaper) and add that to $20-30 an hour labor. Since I am a hobbiest turner, the hourly labor cost is an attempt to pay for the tools, lathe, electricity, etc. I am trying to make my hobby at least a zero cost endevor. And considering the money spent before selling the first bowl - that will take some time. My only "Profit" is my enjoyment in the turning (well the IRS has an entirely different view of that subject).

In a recent discussion with David Nittmann, he said that his hourly shop fee is upwards of $75 an hour, but he is making a living at turning. That said, he does not make anywhere near that on his artistic "Basket Illusion" work. He said that he puts 300-400 hours in one of those pieces, and they are now selling in the $5000 plus range, putting him back in the $15 an hour range. Some things you just do for the love of it.

Just my opinion.

Mark

Re: Bowl Pricing???

Bill Grumbine, Kutztown PA

>Hi Ezekiel

I start at a very rough $10.00/inch, and go from there. Some bowls are deeper, some are shallower, some have nicer wood. All those variables serve to change the price some. Some geographic regions are easier to sell in, and will get higher prices than others. Some wood has a story or a significant history. That is worth more. Some people will be able to get more because their name is on the bottom. So, is any of this helping you out some? ;-)

Bowls which are finished well with no tearout or obvious sanding scratches will get a better price than those which have those defects. Bowls which have a nice shape will command a better price, and it is interesting that people will often like those bowls better without knowing why. Artsy bowls can often get a better price than a functional bowl. I have found that heavy walled bowls sell better if they are functional. I am turning a bunch right now for a show, and the arty bowls are thinner, while the functional bowls are thicker. The reverse does not seem to work (most of the time) unless the thickness is exaggerated or featured as part of the art. Thin is tough to sell for functional around here, at least for me.

Personally I think pricing is a learning process as much as turning is, and it takes a while to get it down, if ever. A very good friend of mine and I discuss this on a regular basis. We have both been turning for years, and we still struggle from time to time with how to price a particular piece.

Good luck with it,and I hope this helps you out some.

Bill

Re: Bowl Pricing???

Lou Bignami

>Replacement wood cost plus $40 an hour plus 15 percent for overhead works. I can turn a typical 12 1/4 to 1/8th inch bowl in less than an hour and my wife spends about the same time finishing after final sanding. So $10 an inch seems reasonable.

Commissions -- I've an open-end commission to do 10 by 14 inch vessels for an orchird fancier at $120 to $150. However, if you want to make money consider craft items. I can turn about 5 3" thin globes and 5 finials in an hour after lots of practice and with wood prepped. This works out to btween $80 and $100 per hour as spray finish goes on in three coasts after a final "sanding" with brown paper bag after typing paper.

Re: Bowl Pricing???

Marvin ewing

>The best way I found is width times height times 2.5 example 10 inch by 4 inch would be 100.00 or 10x4x2.5=100. Arts type bowls are more.

Re: Bowl Pricing???

Peter Teubel

>"He said that he puts 300-400 hours in one of those pieces, and they are now selling in the $5000 plus range, putting him back in the $15 an hour range. Some things you just do for the love of it."

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Don't forget the gallery commission which further reduces what he actually gets.

Re: Bowl Pricing???

Dinyar Chavda

>Mike:

You said: "Show them one - show some housewives", presumably talking about salad bowls. For the first thing, that is sexist! For the second, you have removed the sole item I can "cook" from my repertoire! I resent that, sir! :-)

Dinyar

Re: Bowl Pricing???

Mike Schwing from Md.

>Dinyar, you say that like its a bad thing?

The return of the caveman! :-)

Dinyar Chavda

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