TomG

And that is pretty much exactly what I was saying. I think the issue started with offense over the word "handling". Your formula is exactly correct. It's just that most businesses lump everything after "Shipping costs" in the Handling part of it. I also have a major problem paying the excessive handling charges. I don't have a problem paying reasonable ones. And by reasonable, I mean a dollar or 2. I do realize that there are many, many costs to ship items out that some might not consider. This is more true for large volume businesses than us small, home-based or mom & pop ones. I don't need a crew of people to pick drive a forklift across a warehouse to pull my order, pallets to store them on temporarily, very expensive inventory and control software to direct things, etc. And all of those things have to be paid for somewhere in the system... It's a cost of doing business and comes out of the selling price of an item or in a handling charge.... but.. we're gonna pay it. Otherwise, the company goes out of business. But, I have a hard time envisioning that handling cost being $8 - $10 for a small flat rate box of buckles or a first class envelope of patterns. And yeah, insurance is to protect the sender, not the buyer.....If it isn;t, then why does the sender have to file the claim???

I agree with you - in theory. That would be very nice to do. But at some point, you have to average it out. I think a part of the problem here is the word "handling". For the majority of sellers, "handling" is not just the time spent packaging, but also the supplies to do so. Here's part of the problem with most of us charging exact 'postage' costs. 1) Lots of folks - tens of thousands - sell on Etsy and other venues. That service does not have a mechanism to add shipping based on weight and destination - 2 factors needed to calculate it. You have to list 1 cost per item. 2) My main website however, does do a live calculation. As long as I have the product weight correct, it does a pretty good job of calculating the costs and gives the buyer the option of shipping via several methods. But it does a poor job when I have to use different packaging based on quantity How do you add any real costs into each individual product? Shipping has legitimate costs over the actual postage. I have items that range from less than 1 ounce to several pounds at times. Say someone orders a bookmark. That fits into a regular 1st class letter envelope. A regular postage stamp covers it. So what is that now? 47 cents? But, if they order 4 or 5 of them, I can no longer send them in that envelope. I now have to use a 75 cent envelope and postage jumps top $1.93. If I have added the 10 cents into each bookmark for my envelope costs, I've lost 35 cents on that sale. Plus, they are so light, the website software has no mechanism to know I now have to use an envelope that is more expensive to ship. So, I have also lost another $1.46. If I were to take manual orders, I could do all of the custom shipping cost stuff. But not with my shopping carts BUT - again, I agree with you and LTC about gouging on handling in some instances. EBay is a MAJOR example of this. I can not tell you how often I have seen a $10 item that weights 6 ounces and the seller has a $18 S&H fee, for example. That's a ripoff. So, Honest question here - how do you go about including - packaging, packing slip paper, labels, ink to print them, wear and tear on the printer, tape, gas to drop off at PO or shipper, time to do so, etc. into each individual product when it varies by product? Effectively, that is. And I agree that if it take 5 minutes to do all the prep, packaging, etc, and I want to make $20/hour, that's $1.67 in shipping labor and I could just add that to the cost of each item. Ohio Travel Bag - whose S&H fees started all of this - is a very good company to do business from. I have been using them for years and have never had any issue with them myself. As I mentioned earlier, you can ask them to use the cheapest shipping method and they will do so. Yes, they really do need to fix their website to allow customers to select the best shipping method for them. Oh, BTW, that leash costs about $2.95 in postage on average, plus the envelope ($.75) plus the other supplies, so, no, I don't make a profit on shipping, in that case anyway. Later

LTC - I think you are totally off base here. Ferg commented early in this thread that they use a flat rate to ship. He said he makes a few CENTS on some packages and loses a few CENTS on others. Where did you come up with him overcharging $10 per package? The only place I saw it was another poster commenting about repair shops charging a hazmat or other $10-$20 fee. That sounds like an auto repair shop. And if you have ever tried to ship that many packages per day AND get them right, you'd better have someone pretty sharp doing it. They can be well worth $20 an hour. Especially since the job it sounds like she is doing is Office Manager for a small company. So, you are quick to judge Ferg, and claim he is gouging customers -- tell us how YOU charge for shipping? How many products do you produce? How do you differentiate between that $.25 envelope and the $2 box you have to use depending on quantity? Or the padding some items need that others might not? Is my $3.50 fee for a leash overcharging? I'd love to hear your solution

Harbor Freight Tools sells a buffer than you can put certain burnishers on. I have one of the machines and use it all the time for buffing, knocking off excess black dye, etc., but haven't added the burnisher to the end. I use a Foredom handpiece to hold my burnisher. Others have shown pics here of the ones with the burnisher attached. For some reason, I'm not seeing an Attachment button to post a picture. Here's a link http://www.harborfreight.com/8-inch-buffer-40668.html

You are right that you have to price each shipment individually. What I've found is that the Regional Rate boxes have their place for larger, but lighter items that fit into that niche of too big for the Flat Rate small box and RR are less expensive than the flat rate medium.

Speaking of flat rate boxes, allow me to introduce a USPS service that I'll bet the majority of users are unaware of... Regional Rate Boxes. They come in sizes like "A", B" and "C". All are supplied for free by USPS, and ship Priority mail. They are not truly flat rate, but ship at a cost based on the "A", "B", "C" size and distance. And you can see the rates on the USPS site, just like other services. Sort of a cross between 1st class and Priority mail... Much cheaper than parcel post for larger packages. And no box costs. But you will need to order your boxes in advance in a lot of places. I was told, but have not confirmed, that some PO's do not stock the Regional Rate boxes.

Agree totally with Ferg. We charge by the item, based on weight, because that is how our costs are calculated by the shipper in most cases. Plus our direct costs. On our Etsy shop, the majority of our items are $3.50 in the US. Items we know cost more are charged appropriately. This covers our USPS costs ($1.93 minimum to around $3 max) for 1st class mail. Add $.50 to $1 for an envelope/box, plus the label, etc. Like Ferg said, some you come out ahead, some you lose a bit. It averages out. On our regular website, the shopping cart can directly calculate the costs for USPS and UPS and the customer can select the method of shipping they want to pay for. We add $1.50 to that calculated cost to cover the envelope, labels, ink, padding, and labor to put it all together. We basically break even on website S&H. Unless you have a small, limited product line, rolling the S&H costs in are not really practical for most of us. Unless you overcharge for the S&H <g>

They need to fix their website. They only offer UPS on the site. But if you put comments in to please ship USPS or cheapest method, they will do it. I think my last 4 pound order came on a medium P-2 box for $12 or so.

Tandy used to carry a double cap rivet with a star on the caps. They discontinued them a number of years ago. Does anyone know anyone who still makes or carries them, or something similar?

I'm considering selling my 111W155 and getting a Consew or other machine with reverse. I've never master the "pull-back" method of locking in the ends of the stiches. It's in what I consider pretty good condition for it's age. I had a new hook put in about 6 months ago and had it gone over. It could possibly use a new plate under the walking foot. Can't remember the name of it off the top of my head. The teeth are a bit rounded.. I actually consider that a plus as it cuts down on the marks on the backside. My question is.. What's a fair asking price for it -- just the head? I'll keep my table and servo motor.

I guess I'm fortunate. I've never had family ask for freebies, although I have, and will continue to, make gifts for some of them "just because". It's usually something fairly easy and simple. If they ask for something, I will do it for the cost of my materials - on occasion. And in my timeframe. I have to take care of paying customers first. Friends are always charged, unless I am making them a gift. Depending on who they are, I may discount it, but they understand that I am not a charity organization. Oh, BTW Don... Since you have that new machine, can you whip me out a complete set of luggage when you get a sec? I'm more than willing to pay half the shipping to Georgia

You need to skive the leather at the buckle end to 1/2 the thickness of the strap. I go from the rivet holes all the way to the end at the buckle end. Never had one crack doing this.

I remember that stuff. Scotch #191 Decorative tape. I have some plastic type tape we used to stripe our PVC poles when we made dog agility equipment. I still have some and will give it a try. Thanks

Man, I'd love to find out what kind of tape that is. Sounds like a real time-saver!!!

Well, someone tell me where I went wrong. I needed Orange. I mixed red and yellow together in equal parts but it just came out a lighter red. I did cut it to 25% red and 75% yellow and it is heading towards orange, but not quite there yet.

I've done a few "craft" shows. I do my personalized stuff up the end - stopping before my final finish. Customers can come back in about 30 - 45 minutes to pick it up.. or pay to have it mailed. So, Case... Stamp/Carve... Dye... Leather Balm w/ Atom Wax except the open custom area... Antique... STOP... Now, at the show, I can use a put the name/initials in the spot I've left open for them. I case the top, and when it returns to color, I stamp and then hit it with a hair dryer on low heat. Mount the dryer on a pedestal for hands-free drying.. Then, I do a coat of leather balm and buff it until dry and glossy. Antique over the stamps and back under the drier. Then I do my final finish - usually a 50/50 Resolene. Works for me. Just be sure not to cook your leather, or apply the finish if the antiquing is not dry. And I'm sure there are better ways to do this. I'm all for hearing how as well!

What's the wooden block used for?

Wow. I bought that same punch a few years ago and it had the same unpolished edge but none of those nicks! In fact I have 2 different sizes and no nicks from the store. Now, my larger 1 does have 1 nick where I dropped it a while back but nothing like your photos. Both of might cut just fine from the first. I recently bought the 1" Pro model and it had no edge whatsoever. It has a hard time punching through 8oz leather! It's on my to-do list to be sharpened.

What is the consensus on any or all of the Lexol products? What is the best cleaner/protector/restorer for VegTan, for Chrome tan and for upholstery leathers? I would thing the different leathers might benefit from different products

Needle size too small for thread size can do it as well.

I have the high-end punch from Tandy and it's a workhorse. It has replaceable punches. I hated spending that much money on a punch, but after 2 of the $12 punches falling apart in short order, it proved to be more economical to buy the better tool.. as usual. Check their flyer. Lots of stuff on sale this weekend

And I misread the post. I thought you wanted a small box like you see wallets put in in the stores. Personally, I use the padded mailers to ship my collars,leashes, etc. Get a box of 25, I think, for around $4-$5 at Sam's Club

Try www.uline.com But you may need a tax ID or at least a business checking account. Not sure what they require these days. I used them years ago when I was making some dog agility equipment for folks.

Found it. I though it was a Whip Knot, or Whipping, and was right.... Do a Google search and you'll see tons of images on how to do it.

I've used this numerous times on small leather cord stuff. Very easy to do. The knot has a name, but I can't remember it off the top of my head. If you make it from the same piece of cord that has the loop, it's called a Hangman's Knot. But using a thinner, separate piece of thread and it has a different name. Here's a link that shows how to make it. Just ignore the stuff about button's, clays, etc and look at the bottom of the page. http://www.creativityinpieces.com/2013/05/07/silver-polymer-clay-jewelry-bracelet/