Limitools "Toy" Box Factory / Honest Opinions Seeked / NOT SELLING ON T-NET

[Limitool]

I've been building these type boxes for about 2 years now. I've mainly made them for all the family members and their friends for free and/or at cost. I can make them into Hope Chests, Toy Boxes, Blanket Boxes or ANY type upon desire. I finally got talked into making some (10) for a show Sept. 6th. upon our town square. Everybody keeps telling me that these will sell ASAP especially with all the options available. I can easily make them larger, smaller and/or in any desired dimension.

All of these boxes are made out of 2" x 4" x 8' construction lumber only (except the bottoms). This includes all framing, panels, lids, feet and even the letters seen and knots. All joints are glued & screwed together. Every single panel, board and part of these boxes are cut and assembled ONE AT A TIME with pride. So what do ya all think....?

The one's shown are 38" x 16" x 16" (not including feet). I'm NOT TRYING TO SELL HERE ON T-NET... just asking opinions. Probably the only way to make money on the internet with these is in a kit form... but the machining would have to really be tightened up to do this. I'm just wanting some opinions either good or bad. Boxes shown range from $75.00 - $125 depending upon options wanted. Most of the cost is NOT just overhead but the TIME / PRIDE INVOLVED.

 

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[Mackaydon]

I'd attempt to sell or consign them through your local toy stores.
Market them now to retailers with the Christmas Season in mind.
I'd also take them to flea market sales and stuff one with toys as a sample.
Don.......

 

[Limitool]

I'd attempt to sell or consign them through your local toy stores.
Market them now to retailers with the Christmas Season in mind.
I'd also take them to flea market sales and stuff one with toys as a sample.
Don.......

Yea Don I thought about the flea market thing but I can't get many into the truck bed (don't have an enclosed trailer). And they do take up a lot of room. Only toy store close is a franchised one so it would be hard to "break into" this loop. Cracker Barrel headquarters is very close to me. I may approach them about supplying some to the area stores. They allow this if your product is accepted and they pay in full when you deliver. I may try this approach.

I really don't have any idea on how to "market them" to retailers. I guess just email and with a pic? I'm pretty native about how to market them.... if there is a market for them.

Thanks.... Brad

 

[Mackaydon]

You might offer one sample of your product to a local college/university --marketing department--as a challenge for a class to come up with a (or various) marketing plan(s). You might also create a video and place it on YouTube. I like your idea of 'kit form'. How else would you ship your product quickly and efficiently?
Don.....

 

[Limitool]

You might offer one sample of your product to a local college/university --marketing department--as a challenge for a class to come up with a (or various) marketing plan(s). You might also create a video and place it on YouTube. I like your idea of 'kit form'. How else would you ship your product quickly and efficiently?
Don.....

The kit form would REALLY break it down into a much smaller box. I was thinking maybe instead of investing in precise jigs and tooling that I could assembly the boxes as shown and then color code the joints (tape, dots...) and then quickly disassembly and ship (8 3" screws). Then just realign the colors and hand assemble again. The bottom has no fasteners as it just slides into 1/2" slots and then back panel "locks it in". I'm sure I could standardize the feet, hinge, and the lid support holes.

I really like your college marketing idea.... I will check this out further. Thanks. There's NO END on the options of changing up the appearance of the final product. I'd much rather sell them "naked" (unfinished) as a LOT OF TIME goes into this part. And it's much cheaper also. But I think most people will want a finished product....? Thanks Don..... Brad

 

[Mackaydon]

I look at the box as an IMPULSE buy (who really needs it?); not as an obligation to then have to 'finish' the product; unless by 'finishing' the product involves nothing more than a simple and quick assembly. (maybe an assembly video to accompany each sale for us dummies).
Don.

 

[GMD52]

Brad, do you have any consignment antique or craft shops in your area? I've had good luck here dealing with them, they do the advertising, collect and pay the sales tax, and man the store....I have both paid a commission upon the sale, or a flat monthly fee to rent a booth. You could just put one or two on display, and take order's for delivery, or simply replace items as sold. This is the way that I dispose of not only items I've made, but auction items I ve purchased for resale....I,ve had some luck with this route of merchandising.....good luck, you have a very salable, and well built item....Gary

 

[Frankn]

Nice looking chests. I have done a lot of design and building of chests and furnature in the past. Selling was always my weak point also. Good luck! Frank...-
Here's the kind of chests I really like. lol

 

[Limitool]

Brad, do you have any consignment antique or craft shops in your area? I've had good luck here dealing with them, they do the advertising, collect and pay the sales tax, and man the store....I have both paid a commission upon the sale, or a flat monthly fee to rent a booth. You could just put one or two on display, and take order's for delivery, or simply replace items as sold. This is the way that I dispose of not only items I've made, but auction items I ve purchased for resale....I,ve had some luck with this route of merchandising.....good luck, you have a very salable, and well built item....Gary

Thanks Gary.... I went to one consignment shop last year and they wanted like 20%+ of anything they sold for me. That's too much for me to handle. I'm trying to sell them at a very reasonable price I feel is fair. But marketing and selling is one area I'm not real good at. You can only saturate a small market area for so long. Sold some to area folks on Craigslist but that's about it except word of mouth. And even then with Craigslist I had folks driving from 80 miles away to get them. It would be nice to take orders from some outlet from a book of them and the options available along with prices for each. I guess we'll see how it goes Sept. 6th. at my first art and crafts show. I'm just taking these 10 boxes that day. I hope to have them done today or tomorrow.

 

[GMD52]

They are fine looking.....good luck next week....Gary

 

[BC1969]

It would take me some time, but I can make you a fairly decent looking webpage, you could use it just as a advertising space to promote your works, which I think look really nice. ever consider making cedar chests ?
I will if you want, try to make a website for the low low cost of free.
I enjoy it and will give me more practice.

Mike

 

[releventchair]

You can make them larger, smaller any dimension per your o.p.. I,m not jealous but you would run me out of your shop after seeing my wood working skills. I can make sawdust though..
Being able to make different sizes ,if in the future you are trucking them assembled smaller ones could be put inside larger. Cedar ones for blanket chests and hope chests. If there are living history groups near you they have a use for wooden boxes ranging from personal effects chests to cook gear or a foam lined one for a cooler to enclosing a cooler. Folding wood tables and chairs that are of a correct historical period. A limited market but a view of a camp or event along with handing out business cards might generate some business.Some shoots allow traders to set up for a fee and a rare on may allow it free.
I'm upping the cost but your large chests with a back added and pegs for hanging coats would work in hallways for a place to remove /don footwear.
Daycares need to clean/wipe down toys to disinfect. Plastic totes could keep what is clean out of site in a large chest/toybox till desired.

 

[Limitool]

You can make them larger, smaller any dimension per your o.p.. I,m not jealous but you would run me out of your shop after seeing my wood working skills. I can make sawdust though..
Being able to make different sizes ,if in the future you are trucking them assembled smaller ones could be put inside larger. Cedar ones for blanket chests and hope chests. If there are living history groups near you they have a use for wooden boxes ranging from personal effects chests to cook gear or a foam lined one for a cooler to enclosing a cooler. Folding wood tables and chairs that are of a correct historical period. A limited market but a view of a camp or event along with handing out business cards might generate some business.Some shoots allow traders to set up for a fee and a rare on may allow it free.
I'm upping the cost but your large chests with a back added and pegs for hanging coats would work in hallways for a place to remove /don footwear.
Daycares need to clean/wipe down toys to disinfect. Plastic totes could keep what is clean out of site in a large chest/toybox till desired.

Buddy.... Your just 1 step behind me. Last year I made a large one, medium one and then a smaller one. EACH just fit into the next and it worked out great. I was real happy with myself. But the easy part was then over for me. Engineering, manufacturing and then assembling is right up my background. But what to do with them then.... is something I struggle with. I don't have money to pour into a marketing project. I'm only good at one part of this endeavor.

Now I've made some out of cedar, oak and other expensive wood but the costs then skyrocket. Today I'm making them out of construction grade 2 x 4 x 8 studs. The reason isn't just costs but I'm trying to make an old fashion, old looking.... crude toy box, hope chest or blanket box for anybody at a reasonable price. I am NOT a master woodworker at all... not even close and don't pretend to be. But I do like old fashion looking items built very well.

And my wife just said tonight "You need to get some cards made up" to pass out on the Sept. 6th show. Thanks guys for the ideas and support... Brad

 

[Limitool]

It would take me some time, but I can make you a fairly decent looking webpage, you could use it just as a advertising space to promote your works, which I think look really nice. ever consider making cedar chests ?
I will if you want, try to make a website for the low low cost of free.
I enjoy it and will give me more practice.

Mike

HOLD THAT THOUGHT MIKE..... You might just get on the Christmas card list. I have absolutely NO IDEA on how to do THAT... First I'd like to know if there's a possible market for something like this.... Thank you very much Mike.... Brad

 

[CoilyGirl]

Excellent job Brad! Your wife is onto something about passing out cards at the show, I think that will help you market yourself more than anything.

 

[Army of 1]

Nice work LT , hope you can find a market for your boxes ..cheers Mick

 

[Limitool]

Nice work LT , hope you can find a market for your boxes ..cheers Mick

Thank you guy... ! I just hope maybe there is one possibly and how to do it. Thanks, Brad

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Those are awesome! You are a true craftsman!

They would make good Christmas gifts!

 

[releventchair]

Marketing and distribution then.
Seems hard, but crafting a product may seem harder to those familiar with marketing and distribution.
The internet shopping has grown beyond Christmas though Coily is right on. Mike brings that possible avenue to lite.
It would be exposure to a lot of eyes.
Maybe custom names/words to affix to box for personalization on custom orders. "Pandora's, keep out", or whatever.
A shipping point from or near your home if you do make them knock down package-able, and a method of calculating shipping costs.
Go with quality card stock for your business cards. A heavy parchment or linen or similar that is tangible in the fingers and sturdy. Simple is fine for what is printed on it or put so much on it that it becomes too busy to read it but a cheap card is well,cheap. The cost of a better card is not great enough to warrant scrimping on them.
What you provide and how to contact you for your outstanding ability as a suggestion for a minimum.
Not promoting ,nor would I detract from this linked site or its craftsman but here's some examples of the types of living history wood items. As well as it being a site advertising a flexible wood worker.

Handcrafted Rendezvous Chairs & Folding Wooden Furniture

 

[Limitool]

Marketing and distribution then.
Seems hard, but crafting a product may seem harder to those familiar with marketing and distribution.
The internet shopping has grown beyond Christmas. Mike brings that avenue to lite. It would be exposure to a lot of eyes.
Maybe custom names/words to affix to box for personalization on custom orders. "Pandora's, keep out", or whatever.
A shipping point from or near your home if you do make then knock down package-able, and a method of calculating shipping costs.
Go with quality card stock for your business cards. A heavy parchment or similar that is tangible in the fingers and sturdy. Simple is fine for what is on or put so much on it that it becomes too busy to read it but a cheap card is well,cheap. The cost of a better card is not great enough to warrant scrimping on them.
What you provide and how to contact you for your outstanding ability as a suggestion for a minimum.
Not promoting ,nor would I detract from this linked site or its craftsman but here,s some examples of the types of living history wood items. As well as it being a site advertising a flexible wood worker.

Handcrafted Rendezvous Chairs & Folding Wooden Furniture

Thanks releventchair for your thoughts and ideas (all of ya also). When I'm building these my mind just goes wild with ideas on how to change them up. And I bet your right that the marking / distribution folks think manufacturing would be the "hard part". I think otherwise... go figure! After working in manufacturing for almost 31 years I got tons of ideas on how to "speed up" process without losing quality. The property I have for sale includes my workshop. So when it sales I'll have to build a new one quickly. But what I build back depends on if I can find a market for these or if there is one. And your right Mike could with a web page really expose this product. I guess I'd need MANY different type of boxes made and a lot of quality photos.... right?

Mike stayed tuned buddy... I will be contacting you soon and we'll talk. I'd like to get an order say for 50 and have the problem of manufacturing them quickly (in my new shop). Along with my "dedicated" saws and jigs all make. I'd just like to know if there is a market....? Again thanks everybody....