Every so often, someone at a craft fair will pick up one of
my pieces and ask, “Would you take $ _____ for it?” When they say this, what they are implicitly
saying is that my work is worth less than I think it is. Now, one can quibble over the value of my
labor, and if they think something is overpriced, they are well within their
rights to set it down and move on without buying it. But occasionally I stop to calculate how much
I’m making on my wine racks and accessories on a per hour basis. And maybe I’m just a slow worker, but I’m
pretty sure that, based on labor alone, none of my pieces are particularly pricey.
Above and beyond my labor, though there is the cost of all
the woodworking machinery I keep in my wood shop. Even my smaller pieces generally use most if
not all of the following tools:
-Sliding compound miter saw
-Jointer
-Thickness planer
-Table saw
-Drill Press
-Hand drill
-Router
-Random orbital sander
-Clamps
Not to mention the dust collector and air filter to keep the
air breathable.
This doesn’t take into account expendables, either, such
things as sanding discs, saw blades, drill bits, steel wool, glue, finish,
finishing cloths.
Oh, and even though, yes, wood does grow on trees, it isn’t
exactly free
And, of course, I’d like to think that my talent and
creativity are worth something.
So taking all this into consideration, I’m pretty sure that, yes, it’s worth what I’m asking for it.
And no, I won’t take $_________ for it.
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