Any body know of a respectable piece work opportunity?

[Tim W]

I am wondering if someone has ever found a good piece work opportunity to make some extra cash?  I need to make about 200 a month extra and because of physical limitations I don't see getting a part time job and I was hoping to make use of my small shop to fill the gap for a few months.  

I'm just wondering if anybody has some experience with stuff like this, or resources that can point me in the right direction.

 

Thank you,

Tim

[wtnhighlander]

Tim, I wish you luck. There has been exactly ONE thread that I can recall, where someone was asking for folks to do piece work. 

I'm sure there are jibs out there, but you'll have to work at it to root them out.

Maybe a post that outlines what sort of things your shop and skills can provide would lure a lurker into contacting you.

[treeslayer]

I'm hooked up with a couple of local trophy shops and do their custom work, stuff they can't get, specific size, shape, wood. pays good but i don't think i could compete with their suppliers on regular plaques, trophy bases but you may touch base with the local shops and see if there is any work to be had, maybe ask what price point you would need to meet to make it worth giving your some work. batching out large amounts of 8X10, 5X7 plaques or whatever they need could keep your costs down. good luck

[wdwerker]

I build shelves for a companies display department. I used to make plaques for them as well. That work got underbid by a company with automatic equipment. There is lots of hand work in the shelves. So look for something that's somehow not suitable for automated CNC type equipment.

[Coop]

Man, I wish him luck. Not a good time of the year to be short on cash/work. This is probably the only reason I don’t like the holiday season. 

[..Kev]

Maybe something like https://www.custommade.com where you can bid to build projects suitable to your situation.

Best of luck!

[lewisc]

On 11/13/2018 at 2:39 PM, wdwerker said:

I build shelves for a companies display department. I used to make plaques for them as well. That work got underbid by a company with automatic equipment. There is lots of hand work in the shelves. So look for something that's somehow not suitable for automated CNC type equipment.

Steve, do you have any interest getting into CNC routing? Would it help for the main work you do?

[wdwerker]

Not at all ! Me and computers don't get along too well. IPad is about as computer as I go. 

[Bankstick]

Cremation urns? I was told by another WWer that you figure one cubic inch per body weight, as a rule. Most I have seen are much larger than what would follow the "rule of thumb."  I have seem some online and at funerals that were rather elegant. Contact a cremation service and chat with them.

[Coop]

On 11/19/2018 at 7:18 PM, wdwerker said:

Not at all ! Me and computers don't get along too well. IPad is about as computer as I go. 

Yeah, but these younguns didn’t get to enjoy the 60’s and early 70’s  either. I wouldn’t trade. 

[Mark J]

Bandsaw reindeer and other ornaments?

[Mr. Mc Jones]

Thats a tough question . Its been asked alot here.

Woodworking is very competitive and everyone thinks they can just build stuff and people will buy it and theyll make lots of money  working out of their garage.

First and formost know what you want to build and sell and price accordingly.

Next is to get out and network. Get some business cards made up and carry some with you to hand out when ya chat with people you run into. Have photos of your available for people to look at when ya talk to them (I have mine on my iPhone ). Set your price and stick to it. Your time and skills are worth it, dont cut yourself short, not to mention tool investment.

Im starting out myself, I retired a little over a year ago. Now Im trying to keep myself busy and make a few bucks on the side. 

I just read a book by Chip and Joanna Gains (Fixer Upper). Very inspirational called the Magnolia story.

I highly recommend it.

Bottom line is it isnt easy, it takes hard work ,faith, family and friends.

This book and their honest life story along with some other things gave me some ideas along with inspiration.

[Isaac]

If this were my goal, I'd cruise around Etsy a bit. Get a sense of the prices and what is being sold. We don't know about your skill level, but I'd pick something that you feel you can do of comparable quality and prices to what is being sold and get a few pieces up on a site. Once they are up, see how they sell.

Picking things that can be quickly produced, once you are set up, but which are not necessarily simple or easy, would be a good place to start. 

Personally, I'd generally rather sell 2 or 3, $100 items a month than 25 $10 items.