Minimum starting capital
from 1 monthPayback
thirty%Profitability
from 20 000 ₽Cost of equipment
Wood carving is not only a fascinating hobby, but also an opportunity for additional part-time work and even a good idea for your own small but profitable business. Nevertheless, if you are a beginner in this field of arts and crafts, then you should carefully study all the pitfalls that you are likely to encounter in the future.
Natural wood product business profitability
Natural wood products made by craftsmen by hand have been valued since ancient times. Elegant carved caskets, unusual picture frames and mirror frames, environmentally friendly wooden toys, decorative platbands and furniture, board games and decorations - the range of everything that you can make of wood is almost unlimited.
However, not all wooden products are suitable for manufacture for sale. The larger the product’s dimensions and the more time-consuming it is according to the technique of execution, the more expensive its cost will be and the less likely it will be to quickly find a buyer if you are not a very famous master, to whom is the turn of customers from all over the world. However, it is no less difficult to carve out quite miniature works from wood. Experts advise beginners to choose a certain type of small product and hone their skills in this area. In the future, you can take on larger orders.
Before you start organizing your business, study the demand for souvenirs in your area. Small souvenirs made of wood are perfectly sold out. The best option is if you live in a city with a large flow of tourists from other regions (for example, on the sea coast) or from abroad.
In this case, you can make souvenirs for sale, starting with magnets and ending with figures with various commemorative inscriptions. Also, kitchen utensils, jewelry, shelves and caskets, simple and designer furniture (stools, tables, chairs, armchairs) and board games (chess, checkers, backgammon, etc.) are in stable demand.
Natural wood products business organization
First of all, you will need to purchase special tools: a wooden hammer, chisels, jigsaws, files, wood knives (rivets, marigolds, jambs, cutters, etc.), an electric ejector with interchangeable circles, a circular saw, a drilling machine ... Cutters that many carvers are simply called knives; they come in various shapes and sizes. But all of them have a cutting angle located at 35 degrees.
Finding a good cutter is not an easy task, but it is with them that the cutter performs the bulk of the work, including creating subtle patterns and elegant shapes. Knives are called knives, which are used in flat-relief carvings for cutting long straight lines, for contouring the contour and for processing the side walls of the bases. The cutting angle of such a knife is 60 degrees. Chisels are flat and straight, semicircular, large and small, steep, sloping and medium. Each instrument has its own purpose. Rivets come in different sizes, but there are only three options for sharpening the shapes of these tools - a leaf, a sword, and a nail. They are used for flat-relief and three-dimensional carvings with a background stripping in hard-to-reach places.
Klukorezami called a group of tools that have two bends of 120 degrees (so that when threading does not touch the handle of the work surface). Geismus (Eismus or corners) have a bend angle of 45 degrees, and shtikheli - 15 degrees. The arms of the latter are usually made in the form of a fungus. There are also spoon knives that are used, as the name implies, to remove a large amount of material in the recesses and to process the inner walls in the manufacture of dishes.
They are also used for flat-relief carvings. The spoon holder is a sharpened ring with a bar welded to it, although there are other options for execution, but many experts consider them less convenient to use. As we can see, there are a large number of different tools, each of which has its own purpose. If you have been engaging in woodcarving for quite some time, then most likely you are well versed in all these nuances and you already have everything you need to work. Beginners are often in a hurry to get the whole set of tools, which is very expensive. Depending on the manufacturer and configuration, the cost of such a set starts from 3-5 thousand rubles. Large sets with a large number of tools will cost 10-15 thousand rubles.
Professionals advise novice wood carving enthusiasts to buy tools individually and as needed. Most likely, from the whole set, consisting of 15-20 positions, most often you will use no more than five knives, and the rest will simply take up space on your desktop.
By purchasing knives separately and as needed, you can save a lot. However, often the cost of one high-quality professional knife can be several hundred rubles. But in this case, you can reduce costs by replacing some types of special knives that are sold through online stores, thematic forums, groups on social networks, with universal ones (for example, a simple cutter can replace a boot knife that is sold in ordinary construction stores and costs less than 100 rubles). In addition, it is quite feasible to make some turning tools independently from blanks for cutters made of high-quality high-speed steel (HSS) used on metal-cutting machines.
The only drawback of such blanks is their small length (as a rule, it is no more than 10 cm), which may not be enough for wood cutters. Therefore, tools from such blanks are made composite by adding a holder of a certain design to the blade. A detailed description of the self-manufacturing process of such cutters can be found on the Internet.
How to save on wood carving
You can significantly reduce your current expenses if you learn to sharpen your tools yourself. Knives when working with wood are quickly dull, which complicates the work and leads to a decrease in the quality of the finished product. Many carvers give their tools for sharpening, however, this procedure has to be done quite often, and as a result, costs increase markedly. In fact, sharpening knives is not at all as difficult as it seems. This is quite possible to learn. So you can save not only your money, but also time (grinding a good demanded master takes at least a week).
To work with wood, you will need a separate workshop. This may be a utility room (for example, in a barn or garage) or even a separate room in your apartment (although this is not the best option) or a house. The main thing is that the room is heated and well ventilated. You will need a minimal set of furniture: a stable table with a wooden tabletop, a table for sharpening, dressing and finishing the tool, two stools, a cabinet for tools and materials. For work, it is necessary to have a sufficiently bright diffused lighting plus an additional directional lamp for small works - carving, painting, burning, etc.
Depending on what products are planned to be produced, various parts and types of wood can be used. Beginner wood carvers are usually advised to work with linden, aspen or alder. Such wood is quite soft, cuts well in all directions of the fibers.
Small toys, figures, objects are usually made from linden and birch. This material is soft, uniform and easy to process, but it is fragile and splintery. For products with geometric woodcarving (caskets, cutting boards) cedar wood is suitable, which, on the one hand, is malleable in work, and on the other has a uniform structure. However, in some regions of our country (for example, in the south) it will not be easy to find this material. For other types of carving (brownie, or ship, openwork, sculpture, flat-relief, etc.), various common types of wood are suitable.
Wood carving is most common in central Russia and the north of the country. And this is not surprising, because these regions are famous for their forests. It will be much easier to find wood suitable for quality and appearance, for example, in Karelia than in the Krasnodar Territory. Consider also the fact that cutting wood must be pre-processed and dried. It is possible to harvest material (and with large volumes of production it is necessary) independently. But it takes too much time (for example, linden wood is aged for five years). Therefore, it is advisable at the very beginning of its work to use ready-made carved, dried, seasoned lumber (boards 25-30 mm thick).
The moisture content in such wood should not exceed 10%. Give preference to plastic, soft, straight-layered wood of a tangential cut. The softness and ductility of the material can be determined as follows: to perform several thread elements of different configurations on a planed unused section of the board plane. And the straightness of wood is easy to determine by eye - by its texture. Finished products are painted with gouache, acrylic and tempera paints, stains, and then opened with a safe oil varnish.
Features and nuances in working with wood products
In wood carving, there are a large number of different nuances and features that you need to know and take into account. Of course, you will be able to learn everything on your own, reading special literature, watching instructional videos, thematic magazines, forums and websites, consulting with more experienced cutters on issues arising in the process of work. However, although it is certainly impossible to master carving without constant practice, you can save a lot of effort and time if you undergo special training. Ideally, it is worth working at a wood product manufacturing enterprise.
Those are still preserved in various areas of our country. They are usually located in villages and villages, as well as in small cities of central Russia. In the absence of the opportunity to go somewhere for training and the absence of any schools and woodcarving courses in your city, you can undergo distance learning. But when choosing such a school, experts advise to be sure to read reviews about it and its teachers. The qualifications and experience of your master mentor are very important.
You can “monetize” your skills in two main ways:
selling their products and accepting orders for the manufacture of wooden crafts,
as well as teaching others who wish all the wisdom of this craft.
In the first case, the fact that you can find a market for your wooden art products is of great importance. It is best to arrange their implementation through small wholesale companies, individual stores (including online stores) of souvenir and gift products, children's toys and educational games, as well as sellers who sell such products from trays. It is unprofitable to engage in trade on your own, because then you will practically have no time left for actually making wooden crafts. In the future, as your business expands and income grows, it is worth considering the possibility of hiring craftsmen who will work in your production.
You can pay more attention to the promotion and advertising of your product. In addition, it will be possible to purchase a special woodcarving machine with programmed and numerical control. Such equipment has four zones of simultaneous processing, which can significantly increase its productivity - up to 1000 square meters. dm thread per shift. Such machines are not produced in our country, so they will have to be transported from abroad. But in Russia you can easily purchase a duplicarver copy-milling machine designed for woodcarving, copying sculptures and flat-relief products. You can even do it yourself, and, as the craftsmen themselves say, such a home-made machine is in no way inferior to factory equipment.
Organization of woodcarving training
A suitable option for making money if you are masters in your field and have already earned yourself a good reputation. However, before opening your school, study the demand for such educational services in your area. In areas where woodcarving has become a common craft and hobby, competition in this segment is very high, and in regions where it is not so popular, there may be no need for such training.
Take into account the fact that, as a rule, women and children are fond of various types of handmade work. They are more willing than adult men to attend such classes. Meanwhile, woodcarving can be difficult and time consuming for women. And the minimum age of the student is 11-12 years, since such work requires a certain strength and accuracy, as well as safety precautions when handling sharp cutters and untreated splinters. All of this greatly limits your target audience. On the other hand, you can conduct short courses (master classes and introductory lessons for beginners) at home or with a home visit to the client.
In the latter case, you bring with you everything you need for work, including tools and materials. All training takes about a week (in this case, classes can be held in free time from the main work, for example, in the evenings). The cost of such individual training will be slightly higher (from 5 thousand rubles per course, depending on its duration, working conditions, etc.). You can also hold paid workshops on each individual threading technique.
How to open a business for the manufacture of souvenirs made of wood
In order to open your own business for the manufacture of souvenirs made of natural wood, it will take from 20 thousand rubles. This amount includes the purchase of the necessary tools, raw materials and supplies. The payback period of such a business under favorable conditions is from one month.
In addition to the manufacture of carved products, it is also possible to make crafts from plywood using a conventional manual jigsaw, electric jigsaw or even a laser machine. At first glance, sawing from plywood, unlike wood carving, seems to be nothing more than a hobby that many of us were fond of in childhood. In fact, with the help of a jigsaw, the master can create amazing masterpieces. However, in order to earn money by cutting out plywood, you do not need to be a professional at all. Thin plywood blanks are in great demand among lovers of needlework, which are used for scrapbooking (compilation of photo albums), for decorating using decoupage technique and simply as decorative ornaments (for example, for photo shoots).
Sawing a simple figure does not require much effort, nor time, nor any special skills. Enough to get a set of simple tools. You will need a jigsaw, hand or electric drill (or even an ordinary awl), sandpaper, a boot knife, a clamp, jigsaw files, a cutting stand (you can make it yourself from a wooden plank), a trihedral file.
Of particular note is the choice of a jigsaw. You can use the simplest manual jigsaw, which is called "school". Such a tool can be purchased at any specialized store. Moreover, its cost is unlikely to exceed 100-150 rubles (already together with spare nail files). However, if you plan to make plywood blanks in large quantities, it is better to fork out and purchase a table saw.
Domestic jigsaws cost about 2.5-4 thousand rubles. But they have a number of disadvantages: large weight (about 20 kg), large dimensions (you need a place to store and position such equipment), instability, strong vibrations, inaccurate stroke, uneven saw cut, etc. A Western-made electric jigsaw will cost 5-10 thousand rubles. The high price is offset by compactness and light weight (the weight of some models does not exceed 2.5-4 kg), as well as accuracy and ease of use. Работа с электролобзиком требует определенного опыта и сноровки, но зато изготовление заготовок с таким оборудованием намного менее трудоемко, нежели с использованием ручного инструмента.
Если же вы рассматриваете выпиливание из фанеры не как увлечение и подработку, а как полноценный бизнес, стоит приобрести специальный лазерный станок с числовым программным управлением (ЧПУ). В этом случае фанера и другие древесные материалы раскраиваются при помощи очень тонкого (0, 01 мм) лазерного луча, поэтому количество отходов при такой резке практически сводится к нулю. Для лазерной резки фанеры используются, как правило, газовые СО2 лазеры. Дерево относится к легковоспламеняющимся материалам, поэтому при раскрое область реза охлаждается путем постоянной подачи воздуха. Кроме того, используется поддув, который минимизирует появление нагаров по краям резов, поэтому такой метод раскроя фанеры считается более эффективным, нежели, к примеру, раскрой на фрезерном оборудовании.
Основное назначение лазерных станков
Это лазерная резка, гравировка и раскрой различных неметаллических материалов: акрила (до 30 мм), полистирола, ПЭТа и фанеры (до 14 мм), ткани и меха, кожи и стекла, камня и поролона, картона, дерева, бумаги и т. д. Такие станки, как правило, имеют рабочие поля от 900 на 600 мм и до 1200 на 900 мм.
Мощность их лазерной трубки составляет 80 Вт. Обратите внимание: лазерная резка фанеры значительно отличается от других видов лазерного раскроя дерева, так как этот материал имеет свою особую структуру. При работе по резке лазером древесных материалов необходимо учитывать особенности той или иной породы дерева. Для каждого вида древесины подбирается определенная температура лазерного луча и соответственно интенсивность подачи воздуха. Фанера считается самым сложным видом древесных материалов для лазерной резки, и работа с нею требует высокого профессионализма оператора. Стоимость самого недорогого лазерного станка китайского производства составляет около 100 тысяч рублей. Многие поставщики такого оборудования также предлагают своим клиентам обучение работе с ними.
При помощи лазерного станка можно выпиливать самые сложные формы на фанере различной плотности в течение нескольких секунд. Розничная стоимость небольшой заготовки (примерно 10 на 10 см) составляет около 60-100 рублей. Лист трехслойной фанеры толщиной 4 мм и площадью 1525х1525 мм обойдется в 250-280 рублей. The payback period of such a business is from one year.
Sysoeva Lilia(c) www.clogicsecure.com - a portal to business plans and guidelines for starting a small business 08/18/2019