What is Your Best Seller??

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

I believe this can be put under the Bragging Rights forum very easily. Many beautiful pieces have passed through this site over the years and many of you either sell your items or give them away to family and friends and charities. So the question is what over the years has been your best seller or piece that gets asked for or you just decide to make and hand out. ?? Or both? What seller and what hand out? I will start and must preface this by saying I have been selling and making things for friends and family for over 40 years now and have made over 500 different items. Would have to pull out the records to know exact numbers and even that would not tell the whole story because I use to make things for Steebar many moons ago when the original owner was still alive and they were a good company to deal with. He would put them in his catalog. Many times John Nelson made the patterns that I would do prototype of and work out tweaks. But these watches have to be #1 for sales. and the heart has also a lot of sales but is also one that I gave out very often because it fits homes well. So lets see yours too. 

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[kmmcrafts]

Wow! beautiful work there JT!! I can see why those were good sellers..

This is a tough question to answer for me.. I've had several real good sellers.. some of which I got tired of making and just stopped offering them, LOL

That being said, I'm going to take us back to a time of before I was trying to sell things.. Unfortunately I do not have pictures because of a computer hard drive crashing but I know you'll know this item as it was very popular. Here we go back to memory lane to the day of the MSN Groups 2006 - 7 ish.. Do you remember Sylvia TheSawDustMistress ? She made patterns for a wedding theme.. it was a cross with wedding bands at the bottom of the cross and cut out of the inside portion of the wedding bands part was the names of the bride / groom and the wedding date was cut into the top of the band. I'll get a picture once I go to my inlaws as I made one that sits on their shelf. I'm sure you'll remember this one though. Sylvia's husband retired ( I believe he was a firefighter ) and they bought a RV so she stopped doing patterns and lived their lives on the road. She was a talented pattern maker and very nice person, never would take any money from someone and always offering up her patterns to many folks. Before she hit the road she gave me the template and font etc to make my own patterns from her template. Told me I could make them for whomever I wanted to but not for profit. Her one stipulation was I was to tell whomever was receiving the product that "may God bless their marriage" . I still have the pattern template etc.. Anyway, I bet I was asked to make around 50 of those before I ever started as a business. I have never offered these up for sale.. only as gifts.. 

 

 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Kevin I do remember Sylvia but remember her as JR. Ranger or something like that if we are talking about the same person. She made me some patterns over the years. I asked her to make some patterns for spinning tops that I was making and they became big over the years when I first started  turning on a lathe some time ago now. I wanted to combine my scrolling and my turning hobbies and this is what I came up with. There was and I believe there still is a huge spinning top following and I know I use to see turning clubs at woodworking shows always making tops for the kids as they watch them turn on the lathe. I believe there is a charity thing with tops for kids thing too. It is funny because I stopped making them some time ago now but just a couple days ago I had pulled an old project I started about 10 years ago which was a cabinet to display my special pens. I wanted to complete the project now that I got my den finished and want to hang it in there. Long and behold when I pulled it out from under a ton of other projects I started years ago, within it were a bunch of spinning top bases that I had cut out and spun down and just needed the stems and bottom spinning tips made That brought back memories. Here is an example of what I am talking about. The top has 3 layers and the top layer is the scrolled pattern she made for me. She made me about 20 other patterns too. It is funny because she mentioned to me also not to give or sell  the patterns to anyone. She made them for me. She use to be on other scrolling forums and was very nice person. 

 

[kmmcrafts]

Wow, those are cool!

Yes that is her.. I think her name on the sites was Jr Ranger but in her signature she was The Saw Dust Mistress.. Then she signs patterns Sylvia.. or any of the other names above. 

I sure miss those days.. and many of the nice folks on those groups.. when MSN was doing away with the groups the members all kind of split up.. even though the magazine site was accepting all that wanted to join up.. During the MSN groups a person could ask for a pattern and an hour later there was be 4-5 made and ready to chose from. Unfortunately I think there were people taking advantage of the designers and many stopped helping out.. and now days it seems there is only a handful willing to help make patterns. 

Do you remember the wedding cross I was talking about. It was very similar to this drawing here but inside the rings was the names and at the top right side was the wedding date.   

[barb.j.enders]

11 hours ago, JTTHECLOCKMAN said:

I believe this can be put under the Bragging Rights forum very easily. Many beautiful pieces have passed through this site over the years and many of you either sell your items or give them away to family and friends and charities. So the question is what over the years has been your best seller or piece that gets asked for or you just decide to make and hand out. ?? Or both? What seller and what hand out? I will start and must preface this by saying I have been selling and making things for friends and family for over 40 years now and have made over 500 different items. Would have to pull out the records to know exact numbers and even that would not tell the whole story because I use to make things for Steebar many moons ago when the original owner was still alive and they were a good company to deal with. He would put them in his catalog. Many times John Nelson made the patterns that I would do prototype of and work out tweaks. But these watches have to be #1 for sales. and the heart has also a lot of sales but is also one that I gave out very often because it fits homes well. So lets see yours too. 

 

 

 

The watches are beautiful.  Question though, are they wearable?

[daveww1]

Christmas ornaments

[Denny Knappen]

I love compound cutting, so I would say  the Miniature Birdhouse Ornaments as I made over 350 through the years.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

2 hours ago, barb.j.enders said:

The watches are beautiful.  Question though, are they wearable?

 No I probably should have put something for size reference in photo. The watch dial is a 2-3/4" insert. Overall length of watch is about 15" I also made a joke to kids that came up to look at them and asked them if they would wear it? I tell people it is basically a desk item but you could also hang it on the wall. I  in fact made a couple over the years that were about 3 times the size and they were wall hangers. Had a customer ask for that. Around the same time I was making these I did a flexible band watch. As I said I did work for Steebar and John Nelson came up with a pattern for that type watch and I made the prototype for him and it became a big hit for Steebar. Then the owner asked me to make a stand for it and I did the pattern and construction on that. After that I took it another step further and made a gift box for the watch also. I am sure these are still available at Steebar which is under new ownership and maybe even someone else. I have no dealings with them any more.   I will include a photo of that watch here too. Now these did not sell as well because they were twice the price. Lots of time goes into making these. And that is the reason. But did sell a few over the years. Had one lady buy one at a show and she was so mesmerized by it and got it for her husband. Next year I saw her and she raved how much he liked it. He was a big watch collector.  Always makes you feel good when you get good reviews. I looked for a picture of the box but I do not have that on this computer. 

 

Edited October 7, 2023 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Kevin, I do remember it and it use to sit on a stand. I also remember the MSN groups. Back then you could form a group about anything. Something like FaceBook today. I use to belong to a few of them. Back in those days there were alot of big name pattern designers. Not so much any more. Many have passed away. Scrolling is just not what it once was. 

Here some reading material.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MSN_Groups#Closure

Edited October 7, 2023 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[Ron Johnson]

I remember seeing your watches advertised in a scroll saw magazine several years ago. Very beautiful work John. My best selling items are toys. All ages buy them. The angel cross and praying hands have also been good sellers. 

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Nice work Ron. I too make the angel wall hanging cross. I sold a couple over the years. I see you added Jesus to the cross. Nice. Thanks for showing.

Edited October 9, 2023 by JTTHECLOCKMAN

[Tbow388]

Those are a neat idea.

[Joe W.]

I'm still way short of my first million, but my overall best seller (just got an order for two more) has been the Penny Drop Game (a Steve Good pattern).
But I'm always on the lookout for anything just a little different from the stuff found at stores like Hobby Lobby.

[scrollerpete]

I agree with Joe, the Penny drop game is my best seller also, a lady ordered 4 about 2 months ago and then while a was making them she wants to increase to 6, she just ordered 6 more last week. I just cannot keep any in the inventory. I have 3 shows coming before Christmas and I have only 7 in stock

[kmmcrafts]

I never did get a photo of the wedding cross thing... 

Since we are going into the Christmas season my top selling ornament is this BMX bike ornament. I threw just a clipart image onto a sprocket image in inkscape and created this.. I believe I posted the pattern here but it's not a cleaned up pattern.. You just have to guess at where the bridges need to be etc, LOL.. I think I did this 3 years ago and was very late into the holiday season so I only sold a handful of them.. last season I sold around 120 of them at $16 each + shipping.. They are selling already this season too so my experience is what starts selling early is going to be the "hot seller" for this season. They are not the funnest to cut with that gear and when having to make so many.. was a fun cut for the last couple years but now it's getting annoying to make, LOL I may stop making them as there is a point and time where then it becomes a job.. or maybe just keep raising the price until the sales slow way up or stop, which is more typically what I tend to do.. 

Also this laser engraved and cut sonographer ornament that I hand paint the details on.. sold around 200 last year at $18 + shipping each.. have already sold 40 this year. The Mechanic and the Linemen are very close second place ones.. 

I'm kinda getting away from making larger items and sort of going away from scrolling and moving towards laser stuff.. The demand is way higher for laser engraved than just plain scrolled items for me currently.. much easier to personalize a ornament with the laser than on a scroll saw.. seems that's what everyone is asking for is personalized engravings so I'm just following up with what is wanted. 

 

[Dave Monk]

This is my best seller this time of year. 

 

[Roberta Moreton]

My best seller Sheila Landry Design  

[Scrappile]

I do not normally sell things.  But on request I did sell 4 of these for $125 ea.  One buyer said when he picked his up said $125 was not really enough and gave me another $10.  

 

[kmmcrafts]

1 hour ago, Scrappile said:

I do not normally sell things.  But on request I did sell 4 of these for $125 ea.  One buyer said when he picked his up said $125 was not really enough and gave me another $10.  

 

I've had a lot of interest in these.. however only ever sold 1 of them.. have two more in inventory and one was supposed to be for a friend that never followed through with actually buying it. LOL.. Probably didn't like the high price and mine wasn't even above $100... As much work that goes into these I probably have it priced too low.. Mine are probably not as nice as yours since I stack cut from BBply and then glued to a walnut backer.. I've been thinking about raising the price on them to around $140 and then put them on sale in a month or so for 25% off.. which is close to what I originally sell them for, LOL.. When people feel they are getting a deal is when they buy something, LOL I won't be making any more of them.. Not with a scroll saw anyway, LOL

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

On 11/2/2023 at 7:16 PM, Dave Monk said:

This is my best seller this time of year. 

 

Dave I always loved your inlay work. It is some of the best I ever seen because of the details that you can do. I have had a project on hold for a few years now because I need to practice this technique to even attempt  it. Love the box. Well done because there are a few different aspects of woodworking involved in that. Thanks for showing.

[Wichman]

I have no "best sellers" sales are all over the place; one week I'll sell a bunch of tea light stands and then not sell any the rest of the season, ext week sell several wolf profile plaques and then just dead. No rhyme or reason to it.

 

[BadBob]

6 hours ago, Wichman said:

No rhyme or reason to it.

Same here. The ones that get the most views don't sell at all.

 

[Gonzo]

My best seller would be birdhouse ornaments. I also sell ugly sweater ornaments, gingerbread man ornaments,  little car ornaments, and icicle ornaments   I sell all five styles for $10.00 each. The birdhouse ornaments outsell the others by a margin of 5-1, give or take. 
Two other big sellers are yard games, Kubbe and Molke

[Scrappile]

2 hours ago, Gonzo said:

My best seller would be birdhouse ornaments. I also sell ugly sweater ornaments, gingerbread man ornaments,  little car ornaments, and icicle ornaments   I sell all five styles for $10.00 each. The birdhouse ornaments outsell the others by a margin of 5-1, give or take. 
Two other big sellers are yard games, Kubbe and Molke

I would have put the bird houses also, but I have never sold one, my wife and daughter swipe them as quickly as they are made... Last time my daughter even stole the little tree I hung them on..

[BadBob]

2 hours ago, Gonzo said:

My best seller would be birdhouse ornaments.

Do you have some photos of your birdhouse ornaments you could post?