Selling cutting boards at markets

[AndyG]

Hi all!

I'm planning on making a bulk amount and selling them at the local markets. My question is, how many boards do you think I should make for my first time and in what styles? I know this is a hard question to answer but I'm hoping to generate discussion so I can get a better idea how to go about this

I've made them over the years and sold to friends, gave some for presents and made them for myself. I've made them in the end grain (similar to Marc's design) and also just face grain.

I'm thinking of making both end grain and face grain. The end grain will be in a brick style pattern/Marc's style and the face grain will a variety of combination of species mixed together.

For those who have sold boards at markets what are your biggest sellers? To people generally go for the cheaper boards? What sizes are more popular?

I'm also going to make a mix of mineral oil/beeswax and sell small bottles to compliment my boards.

The markets that I'm going to sell them at attract lots of tourists and people interested in craft items. Last time I went to the markets there was no one selling boards so hopefully I bring something new and interesting.

Thank you your help is much appreciated.

Andy

[wtnhighlander]

Andy, unless the market supports high-end prices, I doubt you will turn a profit on the end grain boards. There is just too much of your time invested. In my area, face grain, or simple edge grain boards are likely to have a better profit margin.

[treeslayer]

Andy, @wtnhighlander is right on, too much time in an end grain board for any profit. try to set yourself apart from the rest of the crowd with different woods and designs, I'm including a picture of one i made out of cherry with walnut and cherry strips, they aren't to hard once you have done a few, good luck.

[RichardA]

I've sold a bunch, mostly edge and face grain, all from off cuts from projects.  The last batch mostly looked like this!

[Eric.]

1 hour ago, wtnhighlander said:

Andy, unless the market supports high-end prices, I doubt you will turn a profit on the end grain boards. There is just too much of your time invested. In my area, face grain, or simple edge grain boards are likely to have a better profit margin.

Agreed.  People don't know anything so they're not willing to spend the extra money on fancy pants cutting boards.  Toss your pride in the trash can and slap some boards together willy nilly without thought or care.  People will ooh and ahh at them regardless of their simplicity, and they'll sell.  You don't even have to sand them.  People don't know the difference.  Send them through the drum sander to make them flat, tie some jute twine around them and attach a clever little card that makes you seem hipstery and environmentally conscious...you're set.

Lots and lots of customers at my yard make and sell cutting boards.  Only a couple of them know what they're doing and make very nice boards.  They, of course, make no money.  The guys who throw together the shoddiest boards with the ugliest materials in the least amount of time...they do okay.  Don't expect to quit your day job either way.  It's still gonna be a ton of work for not much reward.

People are used to buying junk.  I guess give them what they want.

[Tom Cancelleri]

Face grain cutting boards are not preferable. Edge grain is really fast and easy. If you batch out bunches of them you can knock them out quickly. Mill your wood, rip lengths of wood about 1.25" wide and glue em up. Run em through the drum sander, cross cut them on your tablesaw with a so they are square. Light sanding to break the sharp edges. Mineral oil, and call it done.  

[drzaius]

1 hour ago, Eric. said:

Send them through the drum sander to make them flat, tie some jute twine around them and attach a clever little card that makes you seem hipstery and environmentally conscious...you're set.

And wear a man bun for extra effect.

[Pwk5017]

I used to sell a fair amount of end grain cutting boards MTO. Paid for quite a bit of my equipment, actually. Oddly enough, i do not sell that many these days. The last six months of cutting board requests have been large (24-36" squares) of varying patterns. I wouldnt mind making more typical end grain boards like you are thinking. I have an excess of 8/4 shorts laying around that are ideal for making cutting boards. Being the go to for big boards in your area is nice. They are few, but $400+ a board is good money for the effort. 

[CandorLush]

25 minutes ago, drzaius said:

And wear a man bun for extra effect.

https://www.amazon.com/Clip-Instant-Man-Bun-Brown/dp/B017TPQDVI

[Isaac]

I don't really get this whole cutting board explosion, I've got a couple in my house. The one I like best is a just a chunk of 8/4 walnut that I carved a track around the bottom so it sockets into the granite around my sink, so you chop over the sink. As far as I can tell, they will likely last until my son is a grandfather and If I want a new one, I can get one one in a variety of shapes and woods from Bed Bath & Beyond for somewhere between $10 and $50.

I'm not really into woodworking to make money, but isn't mass production of simple things best left to an actual factory setting?

Obviously, if you are talking about something truly artistic like what Treeslayer posted, I can see some care went into it, though as Eric suggested, I'm not sure you'll get compensated for that effort. 

[Tom Cancelleri]

Here's something awful about cutting boards. I've made 5 of them throughout my woodworking career, and none of them were for me.

[Pwk5017]

14 minutes ago, Isaac said:

I don't really get this whole cutting board explosion, I've got a couple in my house. The one I like best is a just a chunk of 8/4 walnut that I carved a track around the bottom so it sockets into the granite around my sink, so you chop over the sink. As far as I can tell, they will likely last until my son is a grandfather and If I want a new one, I can get one one in a variety of shapes and woods from Bed Bath & Beyond for somewhere between $10 and $50.

I'm not really into woodworking to make money, but isn't mass production of simple things best left to an actual factory setting?

Obviously, if you are talking about something truly artistic like what Treeslayer posted, I can see some care went into it, though as Eric suggested, I'm not sure you'll get compensated for that effort. 

You would be surprised about people and cutting boards. I doubt it's no surprise that the explosion of Food TV over the last decade has garnered an increased interest in cooking. 

http://www.chowhound.com/tag/cutting-board

Who didnt want a john Boos board after seeing Bobby Flay use one on tv? I linked several discussions concerning cutting boards, specifically end grain cutting boards. I dont know what your walnut cutting board is like, but i can say for myself that it blew my mind when i went from using flimsy 1/2" thick small cutting boards during my childhood and early adulthood to using a 24x24 3" thick end grain board after purchasing my first house. My wife and I cook a ton, and I am routinely grateful for superb end grain cutting surfaces. I cant wait for the day i have a massive 7" thick end grain island with a built in trash chute. I need a new house for that to happen!

 

To answer your question, i actually think cutting boards are a niche market. 99% of the world cuts on mass produced glass/plastic/bamboo for pennies, but the other 1% that own fine steel and enjoy cooking as a hobby, not just a means of survival, give woodworkers a lucrative market to satisfy. Boardsmith, Boos, MTM, and plenty of others are doing just fine.

[Isaac]

25 minutes ago, Pwk5017 said:

You would be surprised about people and cutting boards. I doubt it's no surprise that the explosion of Food TV over the last decade has garnered an increased interest in cooking. 

http://www.chowhound.com/tag/cutting-board

Who didnt want a john Boos board after seeing Bobby Flay use one on tv? I linked several discussions concerning cutting boards, specifically end grain cutting boards. I dont know what your walnut cutting board is like, but i can say for myself that it blew my mind when i went from using flimsy 1/2" thick small cutting boards during my childhood and early adulthood to using a 24x24 3" thick end grain board after purchasing my first house. My wife and I cook a ton, and I am routinely grateful for superb end grain cutting surfaces. I cant wait for the day i have a massive 7" thick end grain island with a built in trash chute. I need a new house for that to happen!

 

To answer your question, i actually think cutting boards are a niche market. 99% of the world cuts on mass produced glass/plastic/bamboo for pennies, but the other 1% that own fine steel and enjoy cooking as a hobby, not just a means of survival, give woodworkers a lucrative market to satisfy. Boardsmith, Boos, MTM, and plenty of others are doing just fine.

Its like a an 8/4 slab of Walnut like I described. My point was that with Boos etc. already producing their boards in factories, it's especially hard for an individual craftsman to compete. You can do like Eric says and produce cheap boards quickly, but what is the fun in that? At least for me, my day job pays better than I'd make selling hastily made cutting boards. 

To each his own, but I'd rather put my time into a fine cabinet or table and target selling for thousands. That way I'd enjoy the build/challenge, and get the financial return. 

[Pwk5017]

4 minutes ago, Isaac said:

Its like a an 8/4 slab of Walnut like I described. My point was that with Boos etc. already producing their boards in factories, it's especially hard for an individual craftsman to compete. You can do like Eric says and produce cheap boards quickly, but what is the fun in that? At least for me, my day job pays better than I'd make selling hastily made cutting boards. 

To each his own, but I'd rather put my time into a fine cabinet or table and target selling for thousands. That way I'd enjoy the build/challenge, and get the financial return. 

Yeah, and my point was you CAN get the financial return. Boardsmith started as a dude in a home shop making end grain boards that catered to the boutiquey crowd. After he sold it, i think it became more factory-like, but it still stands to reason a guy like MTM can make a good living off high end cutting boards. My last cutting board was a 24x24x3 end grain checkerboard of sapele and walnut that sold for $400. I had about 3-3.5 hours in it and $90 in materials. My advice to the OP is, try the market stall if you want, but i wouldnt expect much of it. Like Eric said, you should anticipate people wanting to spend $15 on a board. Much better to market to the people who appreciate the quality of end grain, but arent prepared to pay william sonoma/Boos' prices. That market kept me busy for 1-2 years. If you cant undercut Boos' prices and make a healthy profit, then you need to reevaluate your costs and production methods.

[AndyG]

Thanks for the input. There has been no real surprises with your posts so far. The end grain v face and edge grain boards really makes sense that people are more willing to buy the cheaper option.

This idea came about when I realised I have so many off cuts and pieces of really nice wood that would be perfect for a cutting board and not much else. I really hate clutter so I'm going to turn them into boards (and why not make a little money for another tool?)

So it will likely be a one off thing or something I do every year or two to make good use of off cuts that I have. At this stage I'm going to make a small, medium and large board (mostly edge grain and some face grain). I may make an end grain or two to see how they go.

Any opinions on the sizing? Do larger boards sell better? Again, this is hugely dependent on the market and who is there on the day.

Thanks

[wtnhighlander]

I would suggest a variety of sizes. Maybe do end grain on the larger end of the scale, edge grain in the middle, and edge or flat for smaller "cheese board" pieces.

I currently use a 12"x12" edge grain board I made a couple years ago. Occasionally I find myself wishing for one large enough to bridge the kitchen sink. I like those that incorporate the "ramekin" dishes for sorting the chopped goods, also.

[Brendon_t]

55 minutes ago, AndyG said:

 

So it will likely be a one off thing or something I do every year or two to make good use of off cuts that I have.

That sounds like a good plan. I sell and make a lot of cutting boards and honestly, won't make one until I have 4 orders just because of the time it saves batching them out.  I would go to sizes. 10x14 and 12x17. Those are the two most popular sizes I sell. The use of scrap to build them is a huge bonus.

[Dan S]

I haven't sold them at markets, but I have made and sold more than i care to think about. End grain are the best looking and longest lasting. They take the most time to produce though, and are thus the most expensive unless you have the right tools for the job (drum sander). 

Face grain is the easiest to produce because they can be made from just 2 or 3 boards, and thus can be made cheaply. Depending on the species you chose, they can be very pretty. I have made several face grain boards that have ended up as nothing more than kitchen decorations. The only negative about face grain is that they are the least durable.


The most popular boards I have made, have been edge grain boards. They are easy enough to produce that I can sell them for a price that most consumers consider reasonable, while still making a good hourly rate. 

[rodger.]

On 26/01/2017 at 11:28 AM, Tom Cancelleri said:

Here's something awful about cutting boards. I've made 5 of them throughout my woodworking career, and none of them were for me.

I've made at least 20, and none were for me either!  Haha

[Patrick]

On 1/26/2017 at 7:14 PM, AndyG said:

 

Thanks for the input. There has been no real surprises with your posts so far. The end grain v face and edge grain boards really makes sense that people are more willing to buy the cheaper option.

 

This idea came about when I realised I have so many off cuts and pieces of really nice wood that would be perfect for a cutting board and not much else. I really hate clutter so I'm going to turn them into boards (and why not make a little money for another tool?)

 

So it will likely be a one off thing or something I do every year or two to make good use of off cuts that I have. At this stage I'm going to make a small, medium and large board (mostly edge grain and some face grain). I may make an end grain or two to see how they go.

 

Any opinions on the sizing? Do larger boards sell better? Again, this is hugely dependent on the market and who is there on the day.

 

Thanks

 

You're in a tourist area?  'Name drop' the town or state on the board with a branding iron.  If you want to sell higher ticket boards cut them into the shape of the state.  

Thr branding iron costs about $30 but it adds $10 to each purchase.  

This comes from my own experience.  

[gee-dub]

I was going to offer that a half a dozen to show possible variations and then take orders based on those "samples".  However, if you are just looking to use up scrap that would not play out.

[bbarry9999]

On 1/26/2017 at 8:30 AM, Tom Cancelleri said:

Face grain cutting boards are not preferable. Edge grain is really fast and easy. If you batch out bunches of them you can knock them out quickly. Mill your wood, rip lengths of wood about 1.25" wide and glue em up. Run em through the drum sander, cross cut them on your tablesaw with a so they are square. Light sanding to break the sharp edges. Mineral oil, and call it done.  

Can you clarify?  When talking face grain or edge grain are you referring to exposed or glued sides?  I.e.:  is face grain, glued on the face grain or is the face grain the surface of the board?

Thanks

[Tom Cancelleri]

Just now, bbarry9999 said:

Can you clarify?  When talking face grain or edge grain are you referring to exposed or glued sides?  I.e.:  is face grain, glued on the face grain or is the face grain the surface of the board?

Thanks

I speak of the exposed cutting surface. Edge grain cutting board is glued face grain to face grain.

[Eric.]

11 minutes ago, bbarry9999 said:

Can you clarify?  When talking face grain or edge grain are you referring to exposed or glued sides?  I.e.:  is face grain, glued on the face grain or is the face grain the surface of the board?

Thanks

"Face grain" and "edge grain" are exactly the same thing...they're both long grain.  I think people are referring to the way boards are put together, as in are the boards laid down flat and glued together, or are they flipped up on edge and glued together?

If that's not the case, people are confusing themselves.  Long grain is long grain.

[Dan S]

28 minutes ago, Eric. said:

I think people are referring to the way boards are put together, as in are the boards laid down flat and glued together, or are they flipped up on edge and glued together?

Face grain boards are usually made from fewer wide boards and are thus more prone to cupping & bow. Edge grain boards are usually maid from a larger number of narrower boards stood on edge and are thus less prone to the movement issues seen in face grain boards.