[TheForge] RE: making a living

[Jerry Frost]

Not charging enough is probably the biggest mistake I've seen local
blacksmiths make. I used to work in a service station and the guy who ran it
was always telling me to raise prices if business was slow, lowering them
was the kiss of death.

I was doing a demo at the state fair in `95' with a bladesmith and a
farrier. (who showed for maybe half an hour in the entire two weeks of the
fair) One of my favorite demo pieces is a leaf coat hook, I can knock them
out in about ten minutes while maintaining a patter, answer questions, laugh
at THE blacksmith joke, etc. When I finished a hook I'd give it to my helper
if mom and dad let one of the kids turn the blower or toss it on the table
with a $10.00 price tag.

After the first week and I hadn't sold a single hook the bladesmith started
filling me in on what I HAD to do to sell, I was charging way too much for
MY work. You see I'm not particularly interested in making knives and for
some reason this meant I didn't know much of anything at least in his
estimation. So, after listening to his adament counsel I doubled the price
and couldn't keep a hook on the table, started getting orders for sets and
other work.

The down side was I wasn't really looking to sell a bunch of stuff, I had a
great paycheck job and was looking forward to just having some fun, not
turning a demo event into a production run. The other hot mover was dragon
head bottle openers @ $20 a pop. <grin>

Nol Putnam has about the most practical (easiest workable) formula I've
heard and I use something like it to set shop rate. WHEN I'm looking to turn
a profit, I still have that great paycheck job you know. <grin> Regardless,
I don't negotiate on shop rate, I'll bid a job but will not give em a "deal"
on shop rate. I'm not saying I don't do freebees for neighbors and friends I
do, it's good PR but but that's a different aspect of business.

Frosty
------------------------
If it ain't forged
it ain't real.
Wrought iron is.
The FrostWorks

Meadow Lakes, AK.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Ray Miller" <debmiller@fuse.net>
To: <theforge@mailman.qth.net>
Sent: Sunday, July 14, 2002 2:55 PM
Subject: Re: [TheForge] RE: making a living


>
> Another great outlet for us metal mongers is the functional art world. I
> have interior  decorators and art galleries commissioning me for
> original pieces all the time. And no matter what I quote them, they are
> never taken aback, and they all mark everything up 50% some of them
> double my price and still get it, so don't be shy. I remember something
> I read on theforge years ago. I think it was Nol Putnum said it,
> "Figure out how much you want to make a year, how many hours a year you
> want to work, and estimate what your shop costs are per hour. Your rate
> is the income you want to make a year divided by thenumber of hours you
> want to work plus your shop costs." Sounded outrageous to me at first,
> but as time goes on it makes more and more sense.
>
> If you are getting what you think your time is worth you make the extra
> effort, your clients are no trouble and you are doing what you want to
> do and enjoying it. Look at Albert Paley, or Bob Irwin, or Alexander
> Calder or David Smith in the art world. Im sure Albert Paley never
> worries about what he charges.
>
> Ray Miller
> Cincinnati
>
>
>
>