Turning a hobby into cold hard cash.

[stuvy]

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=34666&highlight=oil+drum

please read this first if you plan on chopping oil drums apart.


My other thing to think about is if you have to ask a question do you have the skill to do it?

 

[Micky89]

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=34666&highlight=oil+drum

please read this first if you plan on chopping oil drums apart.


My other thing to think about is if you have to ask a question do you have the skill to do it?

I will give that a read after work. Well to be honest, probably not. I'll get the hang of it in no time I hope. A bit Of trial and error.

What will be the bigger pitfall do you think?

 

[Micky89]

http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=34666&highlight=oil+drum

please read this first if you plan on chopping oil drums apart.


My other thing to think about is if you have to ask a question do you have the skill to do it?

Just gave it a quick read! Yeah I'm not that silly. I'd probably try cutting it with a butter knife. No sparks. No explosion.

 

[stuvy]

i dont mean to throw water on your fire mate but iv met a fare few people that look at things and think "i can do that" then hurt themselves in the process and potentially others that would buy a product only for it to fail and injure them then giving them the option to sue which is all too often in this society

 

[Micky89]

i dont mean to throw water on your fire mate but iv met a fare few people that look at things and think "i can do that" then hurt themselves in the process and potentially others that would buy a product only for it to fail and injure them then giving them the option to sue which is all too often in this society

That's a fair point, however I spend my days welding elevator cars and fitting parts meant to keep the elevator from plummeting to the ground. So I may not be experienced in what I aim to do, but I'm at least competent

I can't see too much able to fail with a planter though apart from soil spillage lol.

I do see where you're coming from though.

Thanks,

Micky.

 

[stuvy]

thats cool mate just gotta be one step ahead, have you though of what legs your gonna put on it?

my missus has a metal trough in the garden thats 8'long by 2'x2' once filled with soil it stays where she put the bloody thing!
maybe wheels to move it? the could always be discreetly hidden too

 

[Micky89]

thats cool mate just gotta be one step ahead, have you though of what legs your gonna put on it?

my missus has a metal trough in the garden thats 8'long by 2'x2' once filled with soil it stays where she put the bloody thing!
maybe wheels to move it? the could always be discreetly hidden too

I'm maybe thinking of some flat bar curved in such a way that it's vaguely a U shape on both ends to spread the weight over the 2 contact points with the ground, rather than 4 legs because as you said it will get bloody heavy! But not just boring flat bar. Maybe some round bar detailing within the U shape in a curvy floral sort of style. Would strengthen it as well as hopefully looking half decent. Maybe even have a handle coming from the legs.

The wheels would be a good idea. That's something to think about for sure.

 

[stuvy]

if you stick U shape ones youl wanna stick to flat pieces on the ends as if the customer sticks it on grass itl sink pretty damn quick

have a look at scroll formers you could bend the U to include the 'feet' aspect, think old wrought iron benches and youl get what i mean

 

[MattF]

If you're doing the legs out of bar or rod, just put a tight scroll at the ends as the feet. You can always slip a removable rod through there which will take a couple of wheels then. Saves the wheels being stuck on there all the time, (would look tacky), but can easily be added if you need to shift the thing.

 

[Micky89]

Good ideas gents. I'm going to have to look into scroll formers. Hopefully not too pricey. I like the temporary wheels idea, cheaper too I guess.

Cheers guys.

Also, how would I see them? Sunday markets, asking in garden centres, Internet?

 

[pidgeon chit welder]

Perhaps you could also see if an investment in free ads or exchange & mart 9 if it is still going ) for bespoke small runs of welding metal work undertken and see if you get any come back.

A few years ago I wanted two thousand sets of five items PDQ
Someone who had a folder and a spot welder would have been most welcome for I ended up purchasing my own and spent several weeks making cnc punched out forms up into housings , holders and frames.

 

[pondman]

Hello

You've got to start somewhere and I think you're on the right track. When the recession hit I started making small men out of nuts and scrap sheet metal. I started selling them at local markets and craft fairs, they were great to make but I couldnt get a great profit magin on them because I don't like making crap so put a lot of attention into the detail. To cut a long story short I kept trying out new things getting better and better and then a product I made started selling well, I now have my own small workshop and a profitable business. Just keep making your bits, look for inspiration in other products but dont copy, try to do something different, add the detail the far east rubbish doesn't have and just keep at it, you just never know ) Good luck!!

 

[Micky89]

Hello

You've got to start somewhere and I think you're on the right track. When the recession hit I started making small men out of nuts and scrap sheet metal. I started selling them at local markets and craft fairs, they were great to make but I couldnt get a great profit magin on them because I don't like making crap so put a lot of attention into the detail. To cut a long story short I kept trying out new things getting better and better and then a product I made started selling well, I now have my own small workshop and a profitable business. Just keep making your bits, look for inspiration in other products but dont copy, try to do something different, add the detail the far east rubbish doesn't have and just keep at it, you just never know ) Good luck!!

What do you sell now? The same sort of thing but on a bigger scale?

Thanks for the reply.

 

[Dev]

Bespoke pond covers, have a look at his gallery.

 

[pondman]

What do you sell now? The same sort of thing but on a bigger scale?

Thanks for the reply.

As Dev says, I make bespoke pond covers and sculpture. I'm always on the look out for something new that might sell, so just keep making things that interest you.

Regards

 

[Micky89]

Where would you look to sell something you've made? Decorative garden items for example.

 

[stuvy]

Good ideas gents. I'm going to have to look into scroll formers. Hopefully not too pricey. I like the temporary wheels idea, cheaper too I guess.

Cheers guys.

Also, how would I see them? Sunday markets, asking in garden centres, Internet

You answered your own question earlier in this thread

have you made anything yet or just "planned"?

 

[Eastblock]

I was made redundant in June 2012 and since I couldn't find a new job I started up as self-employed, trying to make hobby into a business. It's a lot of hard work and there is a lot of unpaid work to do such as doing the bookkeeping and VAT returns (I'm VAT registered). Leading up to Christmas I was working 100+ hours per week to keep up with order. In February there has been ****** all to do and I'm not even making enough to cover my regular outgoings. You have to be a bit balmy to be self-employed but there is a lot of satisfaction in it when things go the right way. Try and keep overhead as low as possible and keep good accounts. If you sell something where there is a risk people can hurt themselves with it/on it you might want to consider liability insurance. Anyone selling anything should really have this but many don't due to the cost. If anyone is interested you can see the stuff I make here: http://www.bustedbricks.com

Michael

 

[Coppers Lot]

I was made redundant in June 2012 and since I couldn't find a new job I started up as self-employed, trying to make hobby into a business. It's a lot of hard work and there is a lot of unpaid work to do such as doing the bookkeeping and VAT returns (I'm VAT registered). Leading up to Christmas I was working 100+ hours per week to keep up with order. In February there has been ****** all to do and I'm not even making enough to cover my regular outgoings. You have to be a bit balmy to be self-employed but there is a lot of satisfaction in it when things go the right way. Try and keep overhead as low as possible and keep good accounts. If you sell something where there is a risk people can hurt themselves with it/on it you might want to consider liability insurance. Anyone selling anything should really have this but many don't due to the cost. If anyone is interested you can see the stuff I make here: http://www.bustedbricks.com

Michael

Well done, hope it all goes well for you.

 

[Eastblock]

At the moment it's not going that well and I would be better off financially if I closed the business and just stayed at home. At the moment every Pound I make is countered by a reduction in housing benefit. If I stopped working I would not have to pay for a second car, petrol to drive to the workshop, online shop rent, site rent etc. I know the business will grow with time but I'm running out of time.