Author Topic: project ideas (Read 1294 times)

dlabrie · « **on:** January 17, 2012, 12:40:18 pm »

I am looking for some projects that I could cut, build and sell to pay for a band mill. I have access to a lot of white pine on my property. I saw where someone was making and selling chicken coops, which was pretty cool. I am thinking more along the lines of picnic tables or something along that idea. Does anyone have any suggestions?
Thanks

Chuck White · « **Reply #1 on:** January 17, 2012, 05:02:42 pm »

If you make picnic tables and put them in sight of the road with a price tag that wasn't too high, I'll bet you'll sell a bunch of them.

They really catch your eye when the lumber is still fresh.

And hey, Welcome to the Forestry Forum!

4speed · « **Reply #2 on:** January 17, 2012, 07:23:58 pm »

I make these out of old pallets and used lumber to keep the cost down. I gave a picnic table to each of our local sno-cone stands with my contact information.

Welcome to the forum! I am a new comer as well. Best of luck on the sawmill fund. I have a couple more thousand picnic tables and chairs to make.

bandmiller2 · « **Reply #3 on:** January 17, 2012, 08:33:49 pm »

Delabre,something simple like dog houses,wood sheds,tool houses you have to experiment.Dave Dearborn came from your area used to go up to his shows years ago,hes gone now. Frank C.

taw6243 · « **Reply #4 on:** January 17, 2012, 08:43:51 pm »

Apparently I don't know the rules of posting fully, Sorry
Tim

dlabrie · « **Reply #5 on:** January 18, 2012, 08:19:06 am »

Wow! Great Ideas!

taw6243, I have gone through about half of your picts, very creative.

I like the idea for kid-sized Adirondack chairs and picnic tables. The benches are pretty neat too.

My wife is part owner of a consignment shop and she said the kid-sized stuff flies out the door.

David

Chris Burchfield · « **Reply #6 on:** January 18, 2012, 09:13:31 am »

I have a friend that made an outhouse for his tool shed from lumber I'd milled for him. Shovels, rakes and such are stored in there.

eastberkshirecustoms · « **Reply #7 on:** January 18, 2012, 06:37:31 pm »

You mentioned the chicken coop idea, instead of the entire coop what about nest boxes? I just finished an 8 hole egg roll away nest box today. Single hole plastic boxes sell for around $20, single hole plywood- $12-$15, single hole pine board- $30-$40, all non-roll away. I've attached a few photos. It is made out of plywood, but could be made out of solid wood also. Should be able to fetch a decent price for something this size, at least $100-$120.

dlabrie · « **Reply #8 on:** January 18, 2012, 06:44:00 pm »

Quote from: eastberkshirecustoms on January 18, 2012, 06:37:31 pm

You mentioned the chicken coop idea, instead of the entire coop what about nest boxes? I just finished an 8 hole egg roll away nest box today. Single hole plastic boxes sell for around $20, single hole plywood- $12-$15, single hole pine board- $30-$40, all non-roll away. I've attached a few photos. It is made out of plywood, but could be made out of solid wood also. Should be able to fetch a decent price for something this size, at least $100-$120.

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

Very nice! I have been raising chickens for a dozen years or so. I like how you have the eggs roll to the front.

redbeard · « **Reply #9 on:** January 18, 2012, 08:54:41 pm »

These were easy to make and sold for 40-50$ i used the butt end on the flitches for legs and used 2'' slabs for the top. just set the skill saw at desired angle and cut on the flat side then fastened the kickers with screws when its all assembled i would flip bench upside down on mill and cut the legs at around 20'' high, I called them firewood benches for camp fires and such.

Magicman · « **Reply #10 on:** January 18, 2012, 09:06:16 pm »

Your idea for cutting the legs evenly is super.

I like the benches too. I really should do more of that rather than trashing the slabs.

paul case · « **Reply #11 on:** January 18, 2012, 10:35:11 pm »

I don't know if this will work where you are but here goes.
My latest project is going to be 20 - 10' portable cattle panels, 5'6'' tall with 5 1x6 rails and 2 2x4 posts and a 1x4 in the middle. cost for the lumber from my mill is $21 and they sell for $45 assembled. Put together with 1 5/8'' decking screws.
Afriend of mine mills out and assembles mineral feeders for cattle. PC

ladylake · « **Reply #12 on:** January 19, 2012, 06:53:13 am »

Quote from: redbeard on January 18, 2012, 08:54:41 pm

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.)

(Image hidden from quote, click to view.) These were easy to make and sold for 40-50$ i used the butt end on the flitches for legs and used 2'' slabs for the top. just set the skill saw at desired angle and cut on the flat side then fastened the kickers with screws when its all assembled i would flip bench upside down on mill and cut the legs at around 20'' high, I called them firewood benches for camp fires and such.

Your WAY too cheap, should be at leat $75. Way to nice for $50. Steve

Mooney · « **Reply #13 on:** January 20, 2012, 07:41:27 am »

We uploaded all the projects from our recent Personal Best contest, many of which are projects that the craftsmen described as something they sold to make extra money. Tables, chicken coops, furniture, etc.

www.woodmizer.com/pb

WDH · « **Reply #14 on:** January 20, 2012, 07:57:45 am »

Redbeard, I really like those benches, but I agree with LadyLake that they are worth a good bit more than you are selling them for. Your customers are getting a great deal.

Magicman · « **Reply #15 on:** January 20, 2012, 08:19:12 am »

Jeff's (redbeard) marketing strategy may well be on the spot for his area. Selling 5 for $45 could be better than selling 3 for $75. Same money for more work, but he has two more satisfied customers showing their benches to potential customers. Sometimes volume may have it's advantages.

Woodchuck53 · « **Reply #16 on:** January 20, 2012, 09:38:39 am »

Depending on your skill set and time needed, I am always asked if I have time to build childrens toy boxes are the fathers gun cabinet. Depending on the family what I charge.

Some of the older retired men around here want a lot of my lesser boards planed for bird house material.

Another something you may check into is mats for loggers if you ever run into a load of Oak.

dlabrie · « **Reply #17 on:** January 20, 2012, 12:03:46 pm »

Quote from: Woodchuck53 on January 20, 2012, 09:38:39 am

Another something you may check into is mats for loggers if you ever run into a load of Oak.

What is a Mat for a logger

thecfarm · « **Reply #18 on:** January 20, 2012, 04:58:27 pm »

Mats are swamp mats,to help logging equipment get over a wet spot. In our neck of the woods hemlock is used,about a foot square. I don't really know the length. 8 feet X10-12?? Some are used in bridge work too. Look for them and you may see them in use on a bridge or on a logging truck.

dunmakinbabies · « **Reply #19 on:** January 20, 2012, 05:24:42 pm »

I sell picnic tables too.I started doing it two years ago, the first year i sold 25 last year was 125.Find a hardware store or greenhouse where you can put them out. Offer 10% most will take it. I make regular oct and kids. The oct you can get pretty good coin for but the first few take a bit of time. I found you can make two at the same time as quick as you can make one. Also storage sheds!!!!!!!! they sell like hot cakes. But you need to be able to deliver them. I charge $2 a mile with a min of $100 evin if its just going next door. GOOD LUCK and you will have fun doing it too.

Magicman · « **Reply #20 on:** January 20, 2012, 08:13:44 pm »

Building mats requires some support equipment. You gotta handle those cants, drill through them, insert the threaded rods through the entire mat, secure them, and then stack/load the assembled mat. We have a couple of outfits that build them locally and they are big operations.

paul case · « **Reply #21 on:** January 20, 2012, 09:05:07 pm »

Magic,
I think the mats they are talking about are just 2x4 and 2x6 nailed or bolted together to make a wider footprint for trucks in the swamp.
Not those heavy thick crane mats. Entirely different. PC

Larry · « **Reply #22 on:** January 20, 2012, 10:00:25 pm »

Quote from: dunmakinbabies on January 20, 2012, 05:24:42 pm

Also storage sheds!!!!!!!! they sell like hot cakes. But you need to be able to deliver them. I charge $2 a mile with a min of $100 evin if its just going next door. GOOD LUCK and you will have fun doing it too.

When I was in north Missouri I had a guy ask me to saw out a storage shed for him out of his logs. He wanted the same design that the local Amish were building. We worked out a cut list and he compiled his list of additional material. With my saw charge, the cost savings over buying one from the Amish was just a few dollars.

I couldn’t figure out how they were building them so cheap so I went to see. Any scrap from the storage shed was used to build big dog houses. Any scrap from the big dog houses was used to build little dog houses. The whole family worked together building these things...little tikes were gophers for the operation. I made friends with them and got paid to deliver and set up a few.

What may be a money making project for one could be a looser for the next in a different area. Creative thinking and finding the right niche is the secret I think. If your building the same as others, with good quality the only thing left to compete on is price. Not good.

Magicman · « **Reply #23 on:** January 20, 2012, 10:06:29 pm »

Paul, Maybe those are Oklahoma mats. We got to have heavy duty ones here and in Louisiana. We have real mud and swamps.

dlabrie · « **Reply #24 on:** January 21, 2012, 07:15:09 am »

Does anyone have links to good plans for smaller items like full and kid-sized picnic tables , benches or Adirondack chairs?

Also, do boards have to be planed after they come off of a bandsaw mill for these types of projects or does a good sanding suffice?

paul case · « **Reply #25 on:** January 21, 2012, 09:32:22 am »

Quote from: Magicman on January 20, 2012, 10:06:29 pm

Paul, Maybe those are Oklahoma mats. We got to have heavy duty ones here and in Louisiana. We have real mud and swamps.

Oh yeah I forget you guys have dirt, we have rocks.

I saw a truck load of those heavy crane mats going down the interstate the other day. It looked like they were all 8x8 bolted together. I was thinking of the ones they use on swamp loggers. They look to me to be built out of 2x4 and 2x6. Hey, what do I know?
I cut out some crane matting for a bridge company in Joplin the other day. They wanted full2x12, 4' long. PC

Magicman · « **Reply #26 on:** January 21, 2012, 09:42:12 am »

I really had never thought about it, but different areas do require different matting materials.

4speed · « **Reply #27 on:** January 21, 2012, 11:12:54 am »

dlabrie,

I located the plans I base my picnic table off of: http://www.buildeazy.com/kiddies_bbq_table_imp.html

Since i started making them, I just use all 1x4, using 2 for the seats. I also made a jig for assembling the end frames. That speeds up the process a great deal. I can't locate the link to the plans for the chairs. Just google "kid's adirondack chair plans". You should be able to find a good set of plans.

ChuckinVa · « **Reply #28 on:** January 21, 2012, 11:54:01 am »

Quote from: taw6243 on January 17, 2012, 08:43:51 pm

If you take a look at this current craigslist ad of mine the first picture is a table that goes for $250.00.

http://grandrapids.craigslist.org/for/2789607279.html

What are the items in the picture number 9 from the top ? They look interesting.

dlabrie · « **Reply #29 on:** January 21, 2012, 06:09:15 pm »

Quote from: 4speed on January 21, 2012, 11:12:54 am

dlabrie,

I located the plans I base my picnic table off of: http://www.buildeazy.com/kiddies_bbq_table_imp.html

Since i started making them, I just use all 1x4, using 2 for the seats. I also made a jig for assembling the end frames. That speeds up the process a great deal. I can't locate the link to the plans for the chairs. Just google "kid's adirondack chair plans". You should be able to find a good set of plans.

Thanks! There are a lot of plans at that site. I think that kid's table will be the first I'll try when I get my mill.

Can a table like that be built with green pine or would I have to let it dry a bit before using it?

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Author Topic: project ideas (Read 1294 times)