Members vince66mphs Posted January 18, 2019 Members Report Posted January 18, 2019 I use a program called "CraftMaker Pro" that I'd originally bought for my wife and her jewelry making. It will allow you to keep up with materials for each item you make and add the time, etc. I don't include anything like thread and dye, but I add lace by the inch and things like that. At least for me starting out, it gives me a baseline to make sure I'm not losing ground. Quote
Rockoboy Posted January 22, 2019 Report Posted January 22, 2019 I have found some people who have quoted me a price for something will try to tell me the price is $XX because its handmade and takes me longer, so it costs more. Then on the flipside, another person has tried to tell me the price is $XX because its made quickly with the newest fully auto machines. At the end of the day, all I am interested in "What quality is the item I am paying for and how much money in total?" If the manufacturer can produce an item of the quality and price I want, I shell out the cash. Their time or fancy machines mean nothing to me. Quote Kindest regards Brian "Whether you think you can or whether you think you can't, you are right" Henry Ford Machines: Singer 201p, Kennedy, Singer 31K20, Singer 66K16 ("boat anchor" condition), Protex TY8B Cylinder Arm (Consew 227r copy), Unbranded Walking Foot (Sailrite LSV-1 copy)
Contributing Member JLSleather Posted January 22, 2019 Contributing Member Report Posted January 22, 2019 32 minutes ago, Rockoboy said: At the end of the day, all I am interested in "What quality is the item I am paying for and how much money in total?" If the manufacturer can produce an item of the quality and price I want, I shell out the cash. Their time or fancy machines mean nothing to me. EXACTLY. Don't tell me whether you ordered leather online, or WALKED to pick it up. Don't tell me if you chopped the pieces out with a knife made from the shin of an elk, or clicked out the parts on a hydraulic press. JUST tell me WHY I should buy your item, at your price. Don't tell me its HANDmade... show me it's WELLmade. Quote "Observation is 9/10 of the law." IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does.
Members Dwight Posted January 22, 2019 Members Report Posted January 22, 2019 1 hour ago, JLSleather said: EXACTLY. Don't tell me whether you ordered leather online, or WALKED to pick it up. Don't tell me if you chopped the pieces out with a knife made from the shin of an elk, or clicked out the parts on a hydraulic press. JUST tell me WHY I should buy your item, at your price. Don't tell me its HANDmade... show me it's WELLmade. I think a lot of people equate "hand made" to "having given attention to the details of the product". I'm not sure they care if it was clicked, cut, or chopped out, . . . hand sewn or machine sewn, . . . if they can understand that the maker took the time to create it correctly, . . . and it passed a decent "QC" inspection, . . . they are happy. At least that is the type of feedback I get from my customers. AND, . . . yes, . . . they do want HANDmade to be WELLmade. May God bless, Dwight Quote If you can breathe, . . . thank God. If you can read, . . . thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran. www.dwightsgunleather.com
Contributing Member JLSleather Posted January 22, 2019 Contributing Member Report Posted January 22, 2019 6 minutes ago, Dwight said: I think a lot of people equate "hand made" to "having given attention to the details of the product" That's how I WOULD like to think of it. But I've seen the multitude of ads 'n' posts on cutesy and various web sites (including lw.net) insisting that "flaws" and "defects" are what MAKES it handmade. And I have been told on more than one occasion that "can't be hand made, it's too perfect". It's ridiculous, but still consistently claimed. Obviously false - since tanneries charge MORE for leather WITHOUT this "charm" and "character" ... Quote "Observation is 9/10 of the law." IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does.
Members robs456 Posted January 22, 2019 Members Report Posted January 22, 2019 28 minutes ago, JLSleather said: insisting that "flaws" and "defects" are what MAKES it handmade That's the people not caring to learn things right and just wings it. They want to make a cool 'thing' but it comes out looking crap and then they don't see that their skills are lacking, no of course that's how it's SUPPOSED to look 'cos it's handmade.... I do my best to do things the right way and for me handmade means that I have better 'control' of the product and can make it a little bit 'extra', even if that takes more time. I can't charge extra for that time though, but I will charge more due to the better quality. If that makes sense... Quote Instagram: rob5leather
Members Dwight Posted January 22, 2019 Members Report Posted January 22, 2019 You and I find flaws, . . . probably could find them in each other's work, . . . but so much of the purchasing world out there, . . . they either go over it with a fine tooth comb looking for a big enough reason to get a discount or return it, . . . (maybe 3 - 5 % ), . . . or they unpack it, smile, and go to using it. The maker knows his mistakes, faults, etc, . . . including how he hid the "charm" and "character". Most of my brands, . . . they go inside the holster, . . . it's still branded, . . . but I've never had one come back with that complaint..........lol May God bless, Dwight Quote If you can breathe, . . . thank God. If you can read, . . . thank a teacher. If you are reading this in English, . . . thank a veteran. www.dwightsgunleather.com
Members JazzBass Posted January 23, 2019 Members Report Posted January 23, 2019 1 minute ago, JLSleather said: ..."charm" and "character" ... Haha! "charm and character" is what happens to a great item from years of honest use. . I always laughed at the fact that folks would often pay more, to have someone flail a new piece of furniture with a chain to make it "look" old. Go figure! Quote Christopher J. Gordanhttps://www.youtube.com/user/ChrisGordan
Contributing Member JLSleather Posted January 23, 2019 Contributing Member Report Posted January 23, 2019 Yup. Those dents make your truck worth LESS, not more. Calling it a "classic" isn't helping you around here. Quote "Observation is 9/10 of the law." IF what you do is something that ANYBODY can do, then don't be surprised when ANYBODY does.
Members nrk Posted January 23, 2019 Members Report Posted January 23, 2019 On 1/22/2019 at 10:06 PM, JLSleather said: EXACTLY. Don't tell me whether you ordered leather online, or WALKED to pick it up. Don't tell me if you chopped the pieces out with a knife made from the shin of an elk, or clicked out the parts on a hydraulic press. JUST tell me WHY I should buy your item, at your price. Don't tell me its HANDmade... show me it's WELLmade. sometimes it's not a sellers job to tell why and how - recommendations and personal touch will put the dots in place. some buyers rely on a feedback and some won't believe until use it and convince themselves that the item they have paid is worth the money. Quote
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