Today's Belt & Strap Production

[craftsman827]

Post some photos of the belts finished.

I think they are great.

I have a question. On the basket weave pattern, how did you get the pattern to line up so perfect???

Do you use a certian angel, like 30 degrees ?

Some one told me 32 degrees is the perfect angle.

Do you use an angle, or just by eye?

[rdb]

Thanx everyone. Good idea abn!

craftsman, thats just an eyeball after a scratchline down the middle. Once you layout the straight line, everything else kind of falls into place. Someone had a good tutorial about basketweaving on the forum here, see if you can find it. It might be among the missing after the crash, but maybe someone kept a copy

[Hidemechanic]

RDB, I went back and looked again after craftsman's ? and may I suggest on your guitar straps that you either use a shorter punch or a wider strap to fill the slot as much as you can? Maybe just wide enough that the strap can slip for adjustment but not so much that the strap slips off to one side of the slot. Just a thought. You're making me want to stamp out some belts now. GH

[rdb]

Good suggestion...I couldn't make up my mind..to use a wider long strap, or a skinnier slot...

[broncobuster]

check out walmart belts they run from 12-18.00. I charge 20.00 for just a plain strap with a cheaper buckle on it(not the tinny ones the ones that are like 2.00 or so from tandy) anything with a design go up from there. n i live in the cheap area same as you but when they buy a belt at walmart n it last a month or 2 they will come to shop and get one from me and no quams. I get the "thats to much syndrom" but you will sell at least a few belts at a show. Belts are popular most shows i do. but it goes in spurts. secret to selling at shows---have lots of items under 10.00--key rings, bracelets, etc cause these will go faster than a larger item and they do add up in the end if you are paying for your booth. Bonnie

[rdb]

Good solid advice...thanx

[Johanna]

Johanna hurries up and orders a couple belts for her old man before rdb raises prices!

[rdb]

Take your time Johanna...muhhahaha

[indypbear]

Sorry about coming in late on this but here is my .02. Get a feel for your market and don't under sell your product. Chan Geer, Jim Linnell etc. can get top $$$ (10x) for their product 'cause they have name/product recognition in their market arena. You'll get there but starting with keystone (2x) your material costs is a bare minimum. I personally started with 3x material costs. I agree with the demonstration of "crank" vs. quality touchy-feely sells the product. If they don't like the price they can have WalMart or Dollar General make them. "Oh Well-tough s--t, next case"!!!!

Sorry, but I don't tolerate retail and price whiners well. They waste our valuble time and some of us have darn little left!!!!! soap box over.

Happy toolin',

Indy

[tjg]

rbd - A marketing trick I learned from my Grandma when setting up for a craft/street fair was take the tools of your trade. If you just set up the product, that is what people see, if they see your tools and see you working on a piece it makes it more personel and raises the prices. People see this as more special and one of a kind. Sell it to them that is hand made by showing them.

tjg