WOODWORKING PROFITS!

WOODWORKING PROFITS!

If you are handy with table saws, wood lathes, and related equipment and woodworking tools, a lucrative business is the purchase, repair and resale of old furniture. We don't mean just davens or arm chairs. We're talking about everything from baby furniture and children's play equipment, to antique bedroom sets.

You can pick up just about anything at garage sales, moving sales, yard sales, flea markets and sometimes find a bargain at a second hand store.

Quite often you can clean out someone's attic or garage and take the "junk" as pay for your services. Strip and repaint the various furniture, tighten it up, change and modernize, do whatever is necessary to put it in good saleable condition with the least amount of time and expense.

Advertise that you purchase old and broken down furniture on one side of the newspaper and on the other side your ad can detail the large choice of all types of tables, chairs, baby furniture, children's play things and other furniture and toys you have available at bargain prices.

You can start out in your basement or garage, but eventually, as your business grows you may have to rent or buy a workshop and sales display area, or set up a retail outlet.

After you become more experienced you can specialize only in those items that have the best market and make the most money per unit. Then when you grow large enough, distribute your works to various sales outlets on a distributorship or wholesale basis

Using Scrap Foil

Using Scrap Foil

For Hobby, Pastime and Profit

A very interesting little practised craft, is creating effects

with scrap foil. It is a cheap medium to work with, supplies

being obtained freely from the wrappers of sweets, chocolates,

biscuits, cigarettes, and other articles. If one prefers to use

new foil, it may be obtained quite cheaply, and there is not

waste at all.

Pictures of your own design, calendars, trays, advertising signs

and firescreens are but a few of the articles that can be made

in a wide range of patterns and colors. Materials required are

few, and consist of a piece of glass, the size of the article

being made, cardboard, Indian ink, photographic paste, and passe

partout binding.

As an example, let us begin with a colorful picture of a basket

of flowers, selected from a glossy magazine. Most pictures are

suitable for this type of work, but those with small details

should be avoided.

Transfer the main outlines of the design on a piece of tracing

paper, then place the blank side of the paper against the piece

of glass; back it with cardboard, and secure the whole with

elastic bands or paper clips to prevent movement. The design

should now be seen reversed, as in a mirror.

Thoroughly clean the front of the glass to remove any

fingerprints of greasy patches. With Indian ink, black out all

of the background, leaving the parts that will show the foil

clear. When thoroughly dry, apply a second coat of ink. After

allowing that coat to dry, the paper and card may be removed.

Cut the foil roughly to the shapes required, and using

photographic paste, place the pieces in their respective

positions on the inked side of the glass, and smooth the foil

gently. If the foil slightly overlaps the ink, it does not

matter; it will not show.

Build the picture up from the center to the outside, and finish

one color before starting on the next. Cover the finished work

with paper, and smooth gently but thoroughly all over to ensure

that every part is firmly fixed. When dry, coat with clear

varnish, and leave to set.

Place the backing cardboard into position again, not forgetting

to fix any hangers if they are required, and then bind the edges

with passe partout.

Even the smallest piece of foil left over will have a future

use, and every bit however small, should b e saved. In the case

of buildings, remember that light windows should be shown in

silver or gold foil, an skies should of course be blue, grass

green, etc.

TURN ANY HOBBY INTO A PART-TIME BUSINESS

TURN ANY HOBBY INTO A PART-TIME BUSINESS

If you are planning on beginning a business, your best bet is to start out part-time while you are still earning a full-time income at your present job. If you are like most people who are existing from payday to payday -- you don't have a lot of money to invest in a full-time business. No need to worry! Just use your favorite hobby as your business base and grow from there! There's no telling where you'll be at 2 or 3 years down the road. Perhaps you can even tell your present boss to "take that job and shove it." Wouldn't that be great?

Using your present hobby or favorite pastime as your business base has many benefits. Why? Because ANY business you decide to become involved in should be doing something you LOVE -- something you believe in -- something that you would work at NO MATTER what income it would generate. This will give you the stamina to see your business through the beginning hard times and times when there is more work to do than you can handle. We all know the feeling of doing a job that we hate to do. There is no way we can give it 110% of our abilities because we procrastinate getting through it and just want to get it over with. That's why it is vitally important to dearly love the product or service you have chosen to build your business around.

Do you like cooking? Start a recipe newsletter for others who like the same thing and sell your recipes by publishing a simple booklet. Do you enjoy making crafts? Sell them through mail order (be sure and mark up the price for shipping and handling). Do you enjoy working on cars? Print and distribute flyers in your neighborhood listing your prices. Offer a coupon discount for the customer to use on their first auto repair job. Do you enjoy writing? Write a small booklet or how-to manual and sell it through mail order or to multi-level enthusiasts. Do you enjoy computer programming? Write a program and sell through shareware groups or even to mail order computer owners.

Yes -- just about anything you love doing can be magically transformed into a business opportunity for you. Some items may only sell well in your neighborhood, while some products and services do well in mail order. If you decide to sell through mail order, all you need to do is write a simple ad and have it typeset. Start out with a smaller 1-inch, 2-inch or 3-inch ad. Ask the customer to send a "first-class stamp" or "$1.00" for more information. When they write you, include a 8 1/2x11 sheet detailing your prices. Make sure you have a small order form to make it easy to order your product or service. And of course -- include a cover letter stating that you appreciate their inquiry and look forward to doing business with them in the near future. You'd be surprised how many sales have been lost because a business didn't take the time to write a cover letter and personalize the mailing.

Also, start educating yourself by reading and researching other home-based businesses. Before I opened up my business I read national publications like "Small Business Opportunities," "Entrepreneur," "Home Office Computing," and "Spare Time Magazine." Although there were some full page ads in there filled with hype (claiming to make me $1 million dollars with a sheet of paper) -- the articles are excellent. Don't spend more than $3 for information in the beginning of your business because if a company is legitimate you should be able to call them and discuss the opportunity over the phone with them. Businesses that claim to put you in business overnight should never demand a large amount of money from you. On the contrary -- legitimate businesses have nothing to hide and will not charge you more than a few dollars in postage to learn the "whole" story behind their claims. Instead -- use these publications, as well as books from the library on starting a business to further your knowledge of the world.

Another good move on your part is to invest a few hours by attending a meeting that is sponsored by SCORE from the Small Business Administration in your area. It's free -- and the valuable information you obtain from actual people who have been in business before is something that will be extremely valuable in the months ahead. Just call the SBA to find out more information.

Yes -- it's that easy! Of course, this is only the beginning. As with any hobby, it will take time (probably many months) to realize a profit but think of it this way: Most people that have a hobby know they have to spend money to take part in their hobby. It only makes sense to invest money in advertising your hobby to others so you can eventually make some of that money back in sales for your own business!

Smart Stamp And Coin Investment

Smart Stamp And Coin Investment

The fact that there are far more stamp and coin dealers than

stamp and coin brokers, that few wealthy people hold portfolios

of these collectibles, and that few hobbyists ever live long

enough to get rich from their knowledge, tells us something. It

tells us that this sort of investment, one of the most

accessible for the average person, one of the most potentially

lucrative and one of the safest, pales in comparison to most

other investments in return and is too complex for most people

to attempt. But there seems to be widespread curiosity about

this fascinating topic, and as one who profited from a hobby

collection and learned much about the field, I feel qualified to

give you a good introduction to collecting as an investment.

There are two ways to go about investing in collectible

portfolios

The first is to be a hobbyist yourself. You should be ready to

spend a lot of hours to learn to enjoy the hobby, get involved

in clubs, study catalogs, attend exhibitions and auctions, and

be as smart as possible about your field of interest.

The second way is to make friends with an experienced collector,

which you'll have to do anyway, who can advise you on special

items with promise or long-term security.

In the case of coin and currency collecting, the market is

fairly strong in all segments of the field and trends are

generally established and well known to collectors. So while it

may have long term growth potential than stamp collecting,

windfall profits are rare. Gold and silver coins have intrinsic

value in their metal and tend to fluctuate in price with the

metal markets, which in turn vary with value of the US dollar.

The Krugerrand and the Canadian Maple Leaf one-ounce coin are

the mint coins available offering substantial intrinsic value,

but it is generally agreed that the bullion is a better overall

investment. Neither the Maple Leaf nor the Krugerrand will be

prized for their rarity.

Silver coins at current silver prices, using $5 US per ounce as

a benchmark minimum price and $10 as a maximum, are excellent

long term bets when investing in coins for metal content. Few

bargains in vintage collectible. Coins are ever available, and a

good portfolio should only be selected with the aid of a

qualified counselor. Always opt for the best condition you can

afford, even if it means purchasing a less-scarce coin, since

the mint and proof coins are always in most in demand from

collections and can be disposed of the most quickly when

necessary. For both stamps and coins, it is wise to specialize

in items from your country of residence. They will be the least

cost-effective to purchase, but they will always be the easiest

to liquidate.

It is felt that the market for collectible paper currency will

show better growth than coin markets over the next 20 years. As

this segment of the collectible market gains more public

exposure, catalog values are bound to rise in response, in many

cases out of proportion to actual value. Paper money specialists

are hard to find and most agree that the market is so unstable

that only established issues of value are worth long-term

investments. We advise collecting issues of substantial value,

three figures and higher, which have not shown sharp increases

in book value in the last five years, and again we stress

collecting only the best condition possible. These issues should

provide the best overall long-term growth and best odds on

substantial short-term gains.

Stamp collecting is a much more varied field than most amateurs

realize, and for investment purposes, it is always, always best

to specialize from the start. There is no sense cluttering your

mind and your closet with facts and figures for low-value

foreign issues. They don't pay off and take too much time and

space

The best bet is to specialize not only in your country of

residence, but a specific aspect of that country's history of

issue. You have a lot of choice there. Even specific decades,

types of stamps (commemoratives, definitives, revenues, air

mails, types of perforations, stamped envelopes, first day

covers, plate blocks, etc.) provide wide fields.

Among the best performers are classic series of definitives,

commemorative issues before 1930, varieties and errors in

printing and lately revenue stamps, the types used for liquor,

tobacco and other commodities and excise customs documents,

are getting rosy forecasts from experienced collectors because

they comprise the lowest-priced of the extremely rare issues. They

are low-priced at the present time only because they are not

widely sought by collectors but since there are only so many

rare stamps to go around, anything scarce in a popular field,

whether in antiques or records or stamps will eventually show a

book value comparable to its scarcity. Demand on these issues is

definitely going to increase.

Varieties of certain issues are the second-best bet for

investment. The reason is the work involved in discovering many

of them. It is often possible to find a rare variety of a common

one cent stamp in collector's and dealer's penny-a-stamp boxes

worth twenty to two hundred dollars, and the more you know about

varieties of common stamps, the more frequent these finds will

be. They don't tend to grow in value at rapid rates, but they

provide the best overall chance at windfall profits.

Classic stamps of values over $100, especially in superior

condition, provide the best overall return on investment and

tend to outrun inflation as a rule. The more popular the stamp,

the better it will appreciate, and popularity can be determined

by comparing the catalog price to an actual selling price. When

auction prices regularly go over catalog price, the catalog

prices rise accordingly and if the cycle continues, the issue

will show excellent gains.

As a rule, items such as plate blocks, first day covers,

commemoratives of recent issue (50 years or less) and souvenir

items are not good investments. The visual beauty of these items

tends to artificially inflate catalog prices which in turn

inflates the selling price. They don't tend to show reasonable

advances in value over the long term.

Large lots of cheaper issues can look attractive, especially at

auction where their prices will seem especially attractive, but

when you look around and understand that dealers and serious

hobbyists bid fairly low for these lots, and dealers figure

their profit margins into the buying price, you'll realize that

they are best left to hobbyists more interested in having fun

than making money.

For the same reason, it is wise to steer clear of purchasing

entire collections from former hobbyists. You'll be paying for

the cheaper issues that you won't easily liquidate in addition

to the better issues, and that's a headache and an unnecessary

expense.

It is, however, wise to seek out hobby collectors who are

retiring and selling their collections for income. Frequently

they have already consulted dealers about values and prices and

will frequently offer the private individual a deal comparable

to what a dealer would pay for that little bit of extra profit.

A few investment syndicates dealing in rare stamps and coins

have surfaced from time to time and provide the naive investor

with ready-made portfolio These can work out in your favor in

the long run, but the cost of marketing and acquiring the items

must be figured into the syndicate's selling prices, making the

overall investment higher in proportion to real value than you

could probably make on your own.

Many more syndicates offer "collector's items" custom-made by

the factory, including special coin mountings, metal stamp sets

in gold, silver and platinum and fancy exhibition pieces that

require substantial investment for completion of the series.

Some of these have turned put to be top performers, but many

haven't kept pace with inflation. It makes no sense to put money

into these manufactured collector's items unless you have a

strong sense of trends and collector's demands. When in doubt,

steer clear.

A good rule of thumb is that the collector, not the

manufacturer, sets the true value, and predicting future values

for these items are too extremely risky.

Once you've got a good sense of market values and determining

factors, you might want to consider speculating in new issues

from time to time. Certain items come out of the post office

every few years and shoot up in value phenomenally over the

first year or two. This usually happens because of the oddities

in printing method, limited runs, varieties or errors too

insignificant to result in recalling the issue, or major errors

that result in massive recall of particular issues, making those

in circulation of substantial value almost immediately. If you

can spot these as they come onto the market and invest

substantially in large numbers of the desired item, you can

literally make a killing over a two or five year period.

Investment of this sort does require some skill, however,

because most recent issues actually drop in value since their

face value at time of purchase is higher than their face value

after five years of inflation, and resale at higher than face of

a common item will be virtually impossible on items less than 30

years old.

When investing in either stamps or coins, a safety deposit box

is almost always a must. Stamps especially are subject to all

sorts of damage from environmental changes and a stable

atmosphere especially such as that in a bank vault will provide

the highest degree of protection.

SELL HOBBY ITEMS BY MAIL

SELL HOBBY ITEMS BY MAIL

You can, if you are ambitious, start a Mail Order Business selling collectables to hobbiest by mail. To begin, you must first find a hobby that appeals to YOU. Next, you must spend several weeks researching that hobby. You must learn what collectors want and how much they are willing to pay for it. You should also know what other dealers are willing to pay for the merchandise which they sell. And you must be willing to pay the same amounts.

Perhaps you already know exactly what you want to sell. If you have been collecting old Valentines, then start a Mail Order business buying and selling old Valentines. Or Stamps. Or Comic Books. The first rule of Mail Order selling is to sell what you yourself would buy.

To give you an idea of what collectors buy and sell by mail, here is a partial list of today's collectables:

Phonograph Records Cigar Labels License Plates

Beer Labels Circus Posters Music Boxes

Salt/Pepper Shakers Greeting Cards Old Pencils

Atlases Military Medals Sheet Music

Doll Clothes Menus Cigar Boxes

Train Photos Old Calendars Maps

Street Car Tokens Buttons Postcards

Fruit Car Tokens Fruit Jar Labels Old Magazines

Gun Catalogs Paper Currency Cartoon Books

Theatre Programs Political Buttons Baseball Cards

Children's Books Stock Certificates Old Toys

Gems, Minerals Belt Buckles Airplane Photos

FBI Posters Newspapers Coins

Arrowheads Old Jewelry Boat Photographs

Advertising Cards Dog Pictures Movie Magazines

Autographs Dolls Hunting Licenses

Valentines Cookbooks Beatle Items

Stamps Indian Relics Railroad Books

Fishing Licenses Comic Books Thimbles

Automobile Manuals Diaries Railroad Passes

Antique Barbed Wire

I would like to suggest that you send for sample copies of two magazines. They are read avidly by hobby dealers and hobby collectors alike.

THE COLLECTORS NEWS, Box 156, Grundy Center, IA 50638

THE ANTIQUE TRADER WEEKLY, Box 1050, Dubuque, IA 52001

Each of these publications contain around 70 or 80 pages of ads from dealers and collectors. Almost every hobby publication, large or small, is listed somewhere within its pages.

Once you have selected your field, start a file. Keep copies of all the ads selling your kind of merchandise. Also keep ads showing the dealer's buying prices. If price lists ar offered in ads, send for them and STUDY them. MAKE YOURSELF AN EXPERT IN YOUR FIELD.

Try to locate any publications that deal with your field. Often, you can locate small mimeographed publications and newsletters which will give you all kinds of useful information.

Your next step is to look for merchandise in your own community. Here are some suggestions:

Start by attending flea markets and antique shoes. Don't be afraid to make inquiries of dealers. They often have what they consider "junk" stashed away, assuming that it isn't of much value to anyone. I once discovered a fabulous stamp collection that way!

Browse around through Thrift Shops.

Study the garage sale ads in your local newspaper. Visit any that sound promising. (Sometimes, it pays to telephone first. Also, by telling people what kind of merchandise you are looking for, they may be able to direct you to others who have exactly what you need!)

Place "Wanted to Buy" ads in your local Swapper's News, or your local newspaper. Be sure to list your phone number.

It is amazing what you can find in your local community if you work at it. However, if you can't find enough merchandise locally, run ads in the Collector's Magazines listed above. Their rates are very, very low. And you will soon discover that they are widely read!

Once you have accumulated a decent stock of merchandise, you are ready to begin selling it. If there are publications specializing in your field, by all means advertise there. You have a ready-made audience! Also run ads in the big hobby magazines.

Type up a list of what you have and have an Instant Printer make a hundred or so copies for you. Hobbyists don't mind typewritten, mimeographed, or xerox copies . . . it's half the fund of collecting. Then run your ad. Your ad can merely offer your list to interested collectors free (or for a stamp, toweed out coupon clippers). Or you can offer to make a sale straight from the ad. If you do the latter, stick in your price list with the merchandise. It will be read . . . eagerly!

Here are a few sample ads run by hobby dealers for your consideration:

"Railroad Timetables, 1940's

Four different - $4.00 postpaid..

"Old Children's Books and Texts. Stamp for List."

"85,000 Comic Books, Movie Magazines, Funnies, etc. 1900-1957. Catalog $1.00 (Refundable)."

"Original Movie Poster, Pressbooks, Stills, 1919-1975. Catalog - 50 cents"

"Sleigh Bells! Stamp for list."

"Sheet Music. SASE for list."

Just in case you are not familiar with the phrase, "SASE" means "Self-addressed, stamped envelope".

As you progress, you will learn continually. Most hobby dealers will tell you that they learn more from the collectors who buy from them than they could ever learn from any other source.

Below are some other hobby publications that may interest you. It would be a good idea to include postage when requesting copies from the publisher.

Antiques and Collecting Hobbies,

1006 S. Michigan Ave., Chicago,

IL 60605

Linn's Stamp News,

Box 29, Sidney,

OH 45365

Doll Castle News,

Box 247, Washington,

NJ 07882

Raising And Marketing Exotic Animals For Profit

Raising And Marketing Exotic Animals For Profit

This business of raising and selling rare or unusual animals,

where both expenses and profits are much bigger than normal.

Llamas, angora rabbits, mink, pheasant, snakes, bullfrogs,

spiders and miniature horses are but a few of the possibilities

in this large category.

Which animals you raise will of course be influenced by your own

preferences, the facilities you can provide, where you live, and

of course the market in your area. You can go into this business

from a hobby or just go out and buy a pair of whatever animals

you would like to raise.

The primary advantage to "exotic" rather than regular animals is

income potential. Raising ordinary rabbits requires far less

investment in breeding stock, facilities, care and time than

expensive, pedigreed angoras.

However, when its time to market ordinary rabbits, they are worth

perhaps two to five dollars each. Pedigreed angoras would be

worth many times that, especially if they had a blue ribbon

winner in their ancestry.

With a $100 animal, you have an incentive to provide the best

care and living conditions and call that $25 per hour

veterinarian at the first hint of trouble.

A litter of ordinary rabbits would represent about $50; angoras,

say $500. Needless to say, you have an incentive to invest more

in care of the more valuable investment.

The first step after deciding upon an animal that would fit your

situation is to learn all you can about that animal. Study its

habits, feed and shelter requirements and learn something about

diseases or genetic problems that might affect your ability to

properly care for them.

Although there is a good profit potential expensive animals

require more care and closer attention than ordinary farm stock

or pets... It would be very good idea to discuss your plans with

a veterinarian before going too far. Find out about normal health

problems, which ones you can treat, the cost of preventive care

(and the cost of veterinary treatment).

If you are not already equipped (facilities and experience), it

would be a good idea to begin with "ordinary" animals of the type

you plan to raise. Raise these until you are ready to progress to

more expensive, exotic breeds.

In other words, learn and make any mistakes with $5 animals, not

$50-$100! But be very careful when you change over. It imperative

to keep pedigreed and ordinary animals apart to prevent

inter-breeding. It is just as important to prevent the spread of

diseases borne by ordinary species, which are unusually much

more disease resistant.

Before placing your expensive, exotic breeds in quarters formerly

occupied by ordinary animals, take special precautions. Clean and

treat the areas thoroughly so your prized exotics can get started

in clean, disease and pest free living conditions.

Study potential diseases of the animals you select. Learn how to

prevent and even treat as many problems as you can. You don't

want to pay expensive veterinarian fees for things you can take

care of (or prevent) yourself.

Consider the weather in your area -- will you need heaters or

cooling for the animals you plan to raise?

How about feed or bedding materials? Check will feed stores on

the various types of feed (some have added vitamins and/are

medically treated.

Can you raise any of these things yourself or make a deal with a

nearby farmer to at least augment feeding costs?

When you have decided upon the animals you plan to raise, and

have learned of their care and habits, its is time to start

building pens, sheds and feeding areas.

Pay particular attention to safety of your charges (as well as

neighbors, if applicable) Birds, for example, not only need wire

cages to keep them in; they need strong wire to keep any

predators out.

This may include snakes that only 1/4 inch wire mesh about three

feet can repel. Also, take special care to arrange your pens or

cages so the animals will not be frightened or excited by their

surroundings, which could interfere with their development or

well-being. In some cases, it will be necessary to fence off a

buffer zone, build a solid fence or plant a hedge to make sure

your animals feel secure.

The exotic animal business will probably take time to build, but

can be especially rewarding for someone who is fond of animals.

Subscribe to a good trade journal and look into joining an

association of people interested in the same or similar animals.

Attend shows and fairs and enter your prize animals --not only

for the prize money, but for the recognition and prestige it will

afford your business. A blue ribbon will change a $20 rabbit into

a $200 rabbit instantly! Even the descendants of the the prize

rabbit will be worth more; especially if they are registered.

Exotic animals are raised for many different reasons -- as pets,

for their fur, wool, or feathers or food, as oddities for special

purposes or many combinations thereof.

Some of the businesses are quite unique: a man in California

raises tarantulae and "rents" them to jewelry stores. He delivers

them at closing time, places a large warning sign in the window

and picks them up each weekday morning. It seems break-ins have

dropped drastically in stores with "guard-tarantuals"!

Spiders are also raised for their webs (science labs use them);

snakes for their venom (used to make snake bite serum). The

business of raising laboratory mice is also very lucrative --

thousands are purchased by science centers every year.

For more ideas on exotic animals you might want to raise, check

out some books in the library and do some research; check with

discount book stores; exotic animal magazines, and spend some

time with a good encyclopedia. If you decide to get into the

exotic animal business, pick an animal you like and respect --

then treat it as something special. Not only is this right, it a

sound business principle.

If you want to get exotic prices for you exotic animals (or

products), "showcase" them as something special! Keep them and

their area in top condition. Let everyone see that your animals

are special (and valuable).

BUSINESS SOURCES

ALLEN PUBLISHING CO.,

1338 Allen Park Dr.,Salt Lake City,

UT.81405.

Publishes PHEASANT FANCIERS AGRICULTURAL GAZETTE for

bird raisers.

KREMMERS PRESS,

Box 22, Fair Lawn,

NJ 07140.

Publishes AMERICAN SMALL STOCK FARMER for breeders of

rabbits and other small animals.

JOLLY-G RABBITRY,

13202 Cozzens, Chino,

CA 91790.

Wholesale rabbits, supplies.

R/C MODLEERS CORP.

144 W. Sierra Madre Blvd.,Sierra Madre,

CA 91024.

Publishes FRESHWATER MARINE AQUARIUM for the fish raising

trade.

STROMBERG'S

Pine River 59,

MN 56474.

Poultry, chicks, swans, peacocks, etc.

AMERICAN PIGEON JOURNAL,

220 E. Main St.,Warranton,

MO 63383, 314/456/2122.

Publication for pigeon raisers and dealers.

H.H. BACKER ASSOCIATES,

207 Wabash Ave.,Chicago,

IL 60606, 312/663-4040.

Publishes GROOM & BOARD and PET AGE, trade magazines for

pet groomers and dealers.

DADANT & SONS, INC.,

Hamilton,

IL 62341.

Publishes AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL for bee keepers.

JACK SHERCK & ASSOCIATES,

210 NW 10th St.,Abilene,

KS 67410,

800/645-0028.

Information on raising racing greyhounds in 14 states, investors and

partners.

HARCOURT BRACE JOBANOVICH PUBLICATIONS,

1 E 1st St.,Duluth, MN

55802,

218/723-9303.

Publishes monthly PETS/SUPPLIES/MARKETING for livestock and

pet suppliers, pet retailers and pet food manufacturers. World's

largest textbook company. Publishes many other trade journals.

SHOW RING MAGAZINE,

Box 1399, Albany,

TX 76430, 915/762-2242.

Monthly magazine about animal shows,farm livestock sales and the

purebred industry.

LLAMAS,

Box 325, Herald,

CA 95638.

Bimonthly magazine on raising and breeding of llamas. Has

classified ad section. Sample $4.

QUILL CORPORATION,

100 Schelter Rd.,Lincolnshire,

IL 60917-4700,

312/634-4800.

IVEY PRINTING,

Box 761, Meridan,

TX 76665.

Low priced letterhead and envelopes.

ZPS,

Box 581, Libertyville,

IL 60048-2556.

Raised print business cards and letterhead. Will print your copy

ready logo or design, even whole card.

WALTER DRAKE,

4119 Drake Bldg.,Colorado Springs,

CO 80940.

Short run business cards, stationery. Good quality, but no choice of

ink.

Profits From Toys And Wooden Novelties In Your Shop

Profits From Toys And Wooden Novelties In Your Shop

Make and sell toy cars, wagons, wooden puzzle and hobby

horses. retail them at flea markets, fairs, through

national ads, direct from your shop or yard and/or

wholesale them to stores or catalog sales companies.

Wooden toys have a special appeal that most other types

of toys do not-- nostalgia and parent confidence. Parents

remember the wooden toys they had as children lasted a

long time and that they were safe. Wooden toys like hobby

horses or stick horses are so old, they are "new"!

For the past few years, wooden items have become more and

more scarce as they have been replaced by plastic and wood

filled plastics that can be molded. Many items are

advertised these days as "genuine wood" to inform the buyer

they are nor plastic or laminated sawdust, and infer that

they are therefore worth more.

The overall result is that an item made of "genuine wood"

is now considered more valuable than the substitutes that

just a few years ago were considered an "improvement" over

wood.

In the wooden toy business, you have the option of making

variety of things or specializing in one item or series of

items.

You also have the luxury of being able to use what other

industries would call scraps -- because not many of your

toys will require 8, 6 or even four foot pieces of wood.

This means that you can use materials that others can't --

and that if you can locate a good source, your materials

should be half or less of the going rate. As a result, you

will be able to offer finished toys of good quality wood

at excellent prices and still make a very nice profit.

This type of business will appeal to the wood enthusiast,

or anyone who enjoys shop work; the variety of possible

toy products is endless -- limited only by the toy maker's

imagination and facilities.

If you specialize in larger items such as hobby horses,

one well-placed ad for genuine, old-fashioned hardwood

horses could keep you busy!

The only "secret" to this business is to have a plan for

getting your materials at a good price, a procedure to

fabricate and finish the toys efficiently and professionally,

and effective means of letting the right prospective

customers know where they can be found and how much they

cost.

Most wooden toy makers limit their output to models they

can build with tools and equipment on hand. They set up a

procedure, as close to assembly line as possible to allow

high quality items to be produced efficiently: jigs for

cutting, clamps for gluing, patterns for drilling, stencils

for painting -- with designated areas for operations like

sanding or painting that require them to be separated.

Although the finished items are all made by hand, there is

no need to completely finish one item before starting on

the next -- it is much "smarter" to cut out two dozen horse

heads at once; to sand them all while the area is set up

for that operation, and to give them all their first coat

of paint at the same time.. The items are still hand made,

only a lot more efficiently.

The bottom line is that quality is just as high (perhaps

even higher as you perfect each step), but the price is

lower because you can produce them cheaper.

One inexpensive way to advertise is to rent a display window

in a store (even a vacant store -- see the real estate agent

about renting just the window until the store is leased).

Set up a nice looking display of your products --several

models, a variety of items (or your "pride and joy") in

an attractive display - one that is calculated to interest

children as a toy, as well as the parents as a good investment.

Tip: "Eye level" for a child is 3 to 4 feet, so place items

you want to see at their level!

Put price tags on the items. or a placard (about 8 x 10) in

or near the items, along with a couple of lines about their

quality and,of course, where they can be purchased.

If you are willing to make alterations, indicate that custom

items are available (but leave the price open until you find

out what they have in mind).

Plan your production schedule to peak about 30 days before

the holidays -- seasonal sales you lose because you ran out

of items sell are GONE!

In the beginning, you will probably want to try several

different products -- and procedures. You need to learn

which things you can make best and which ones will sell

best.

Once you have settled on a line of products (if you do), it

would be wise to gear your "assembly line" to those products.

Use a piece of tin or masonite for a cutout pattern; holes

in it to mark places to drill. Work out a production schedule

for steps that take time, such as glue setting and paint

drying -- where you take an item from the clamps, sand it

lightly, lay it out for the painting phase and immediately

place another item (or sets of items) the available glue

clamps.

If you glue, setting time is one hour (temperature regulation

may speed this step) and you have 5 sets of glue clamps, you

can set aside 5 or 10 minutes per hour for this phase to produce

5 items per hour or 40 per day (the last set is left overnight

to be changed first thing in the morning).

As you progress in your wooden toy business you will discover

more and more "shortcuts"-- that produce the same quality (or

even better) at a lower cost. You will also learn of other

items that are in demand and will make more decisions on

whether to expand or add new products.

Wooden toys can be sold retail through ads, displays, and by

using a little extra imagination.

For example, show a child playing with your toy in your ad

(to help "plant" the idea that your toys are fun to play with).

Plan different ways to "push" your line -- give prizes at

community affairs (raffle, children's competitions), try cable

TV ads and the local newspaper.

Use a good camera to take black & white photos and have the

newspaper make "cuts" of some of your best efforts to put in

ads and brochures. When the market warrants, add color

brochures with illustrations and little write-ups of your

toys.

Perhaps some of them are authentic copies of antiques, or can

be associated with interesting stories or history. Don't

hesitate to experiment with different wood combinations and

patterns.

For example, two plywood with opposing grains for strength

and effect; tongue & groove glued larger pieces; checkerboard

patterns (like parquet floor pieces) or anything else you can

think of.

Wholesaling brings in less revenue per item but eliminates

much of the cost of advertising and time needed for dealing

with potential buyers of one or two items at a time (you may

be able to make much more turning out toys than selling them).

Here are three proven methods for wholesaling are:

1. Store sales, Take samples and price lists to retail stores

in your area and ask them to order. A variation is to mail out

price lists and brochures to stores that carry similar

merchandise. In this case, write a "cover" letter of 1 - 2

pages on good quality letterhead paper. Describe your products

briefly (stress their quality) and their availability. Include

a price list and an ORDER FORM. For stores in your area, follow

up this first contact with a personal visit, phone call or

another letter 2 weeks later!

2. Catalog sales. List your products with an existing catalog

sales firm (printing your own is expensive and should be tried

only when you are experienced). the procedure is similar to

mail sales to stores (above), but you also need to include your

charges for packaging and shipping of a single item because the

mail catalog store can either buy your products outright or have

you drop-ship them as orders come in.

3. Fair sales. arrange for a booth at trade shows, large flea

markets and community fairs. Take a good selection of your

merchandise, business cards, brochures, and order forms and

set up an attractive display.. Although the objective will

vary with the type of activity. the general idea is to retail,

make contacts, gain recognition, and to take wholesale orders.

Be especially watchful for ways to profitably use every scrap

of material and reduce the amount you spend for supplies.

Make little toys from pieces left over from big ones, even if

it means modifying a pattern or designing a special toy so it

can be fabricated mostly from materials that would otherwise

be wasted. Using these materials efficiently is the purest

form of profit!

The, calculate your best prices on paint, sandpaper, wood and

even tools and supplies. It may be that buying glue in 5 gallon

cans will save you a good deal -- unless there is a spoilage

problem. In this department, the most expensive thing you can

do is to keep buying from the same source without constantly

checking -- and figuring how to get more for your money.

One source for fresh ideas would be subscribing to a couple of

good trade magazines.

One of the more obvious potential problem area to watch out

for is overstocking items that don't sell.

The cause of this problem is invariably personal taste --

although poor sales techniques and/or shoddy work can also

be contributors. Just remember that before you invest too

heavily in any one product, do as the professionals do --

test market it (see how it sells).

Just because you like something is NOT a good reason to

make up 10,000 of them (remember the Edsel? -- but if your

customers like them -- that's different! If your problem is

shoddy work, the CHEAPEST thing to do is get rid of the

problem -- wholesale them to an outlet (burn them if

necessary), but don't allow them to spoil your reputation

and confidence.

Finally, if they aren't selling, alter your method of

advertising. If that helps, work on that aspect until you

find the winning combination!

BUSINESS SOURCES

HARBOR FREIGHT SALVAGE,

Box 6010, Carmarillo,

CA 93011,

800/388-3000.

Discount tools and shop equipment. Call for free catalog.

NORTH AMERICAN MACHINERY,

Box 20409, Tallahassee,

FL 32316,

800/874-8160.

Sells a router that copies relief designs onto chairs, plaques, etc.

HARCOURT, BRACE JOVANOVICH,

545 5th Ave.,New York,

NY 10017.

Publishes TOYS, HOBBIES & CRAFTS Directory - &8. (Large,

professional trade publisher).

GOODFELLOW,

Box 4250, Berkeley,

CA 94704.

Magazine that specializes in wholesale toys and crafts -- good

place to advertise.

POPULAR WOODWORKER,

1300 Galaxy Way, Concord,

CA 94520,

415/671-9852.

Publication for all types of wood workers: carving, cabinet making,

crafts for advanced hobbyists, etc. Sample $2.

CREEKSIDE CREATIONS,

3505 Bean Creek Road, Scotts Valley,

CA 95066.

Marionette kits and patterns -- also buys.

ASSOCIATION OF FAIRS & EXPOS INTERNATIONAL,

MPO 985, Springfield,

MO 65811.

Monthly list of fairs, etc.

JOHN MUIR PUBLICATIONS,

Box 613, Santa Fe,

NM 87504.

Prints lists of flea markets that sell for about $10.

EDGEL PUBLISHING CO.,

545 5th Ave.,New York,

NY 10017,

212/503-2900.

Publishes TOYS, HOBBIES & CRAFTS, magazine for hobby and

crafts dealers.

I.C.I.

Box 158, Intercession,

FL 33848.

Cypress slabs for craft work; clocks tables and marketing kits.

CRAFTS REPORT,

1529 E 19th St.,Brooklyn,

NY 11230.

Information on major professional craft shows.

DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.,

31 East 2nd St.,Mineola,

NY 11051.

Discount books, clip art, stencils, etc.

QUILL CORPORATION,

100 Schelter Rd.,Lincolnshire,

IL 60917-4700,

312/634-4800.

Office supplies.

NEBS,

500 Main St.,Groton,

MA 04171,

800/225-6380.

Office supplies.

IVEY PRINTING,

Box 761, Meridan,

TX 7665.

Letterhead: 400 sheets plus 200 envelopes - $18.

SWEDCO,

Box 29, Mooresville,

NC 28115.

3 line rubber stamps - $3; business cards - $13 per thousand.

ZPS,

Box 581, Libertyville,

IL 60048-2556.

Business cards (raised print - $11.50 per K) and letterhead

stationery. Will print your copy ready logo or design,

even whole card.

MAKE YOUR HOBBY PAY

MAKE YOUR HOBBY PAY

It's great to delve into an interesting hobby such as artwork, photography, or crafting paper jewelry. It's even more exciting (and financially rewarding) to turn your special talents into a successful home-based business. That's exactly what Mary Maturi of Cleveland Ohio, Leslie Croyle of Bay Village, Ohio, and Marlene Stephenson of Virginia, Minnesota, did. Each turned her hobby into a cash-generating business complete with paying customers and a bank account.

These aren't isolated stories. Men and women across the country are joining the ranks of entrepreneurs converting hobbies into money-paying propositions. It's important to note that none of these women originally planned to start a business. On the contrary, interest by others in their hobbies convinced them to sell their work.

MARY MATURI'S KILLER WHALES

Mary Maturi markets a line of "Killer Whale" petroglyph tee-shirts, sweat shirts, and note cards both in Alaskan gift shops and in natural history museums in the lower forty-eight states.

It all started when Mary and her family spent a year living in Wrangell, a small town located on Wrangell Island in southeast Alaska. One day Mary ventured down to Petroglyph Beach on the island.

Petroglyphs are ancient rock carvings left by an unknown people. Using rice paper and different colored ferns, Mary "rubbed" the petroglyphs to capture their images on paper. When other saw her rubbings, they offered to buy them.

"People interest really surprised me, so I thought of other ways to share the uniqueness of the petroglyphs with out having to deal with their awkward size (some were several feet in length). That's how the "Killer Whale" notecards were born," Mary says. Using her rubbings as a guide, she created smaller scale pen and ink drawings which she took to a printer to get price quotes for paper, printing and envelopes."

The major cost of printing is making the plates. Therefore, it's wise to get price quotes for different runs of 1,000," says Mary. For example, a run of 3,000 cards might cost around 10 cents per card while a run of 6,000 note cards could drop that per unit cost below 8 cents per card. That decreases your card cost by more than 20 percent - quite a savings. Mary also recommends getting bids from several suppliers or even splitting up the order.

While printers know how to price their printing competitively, they don't make their own envelopes. Mary uses the least costly printer that can deliver the quality of paper stock she desires, but buys her envelopes from a warehouse specialist at a savings of nearly 35 percent from prices quoted by printers and other envelope suppliers. It pays to let your fingers do the walking and get competitive quotes.

Once Mary obtained the cost estimates, she visited several gift stores and museums to gather pricing information on competing notecards. She also talked to store owners and museum managers to determine their interest in ordering. After all, it would make no sense to have the notecards printed unless buyers would purchase at prices that can generate a profit.

LESLIE CROYLE'S PHOTO-FINISH

Leslie Croyle converted her love of photography and knack for framing into a full-fledged photo decorating business.

Leslie and two friends offered for sale enlarged photos of popular Cleveland events such as the start of the Revco-Cleveland Marathon & 10K, and a spectacular shot of the United Way Kickoff's release of thousands of colored balloons in Public Square.

"We hired several photographers to cover the events and used the best photographs of the bunch," say Leslie. Advertisements for photo promotion proved popular. The trio sold 600 photos at prices ranging from $8 to $10 a piece, gathering a bit less than $5,400 in revenues. Not bad for the first venture.

Unfortunately, the combined costs of ads, fees for the photographers ate up the $5,400 and more.

"Although we ended up with a loss, it gave us a lot of market exposure and a proven track record,"

says Leslie.

Next, Leslie and her friends put together a portfolio of photographs and contacted local businesses.

This marketing move landed them a job of photo decorating PJ McIntyre's Restaurant in a Cleveland shopping center. "We tied into nostalgia theme of the restaurant by contacting area historical societies and arranging to have their vintage photographs copied. It's important to make sure you have the right to reuse the prints. Ask for proper releases and permission to use whatever photos you have copied," advises Leslie.

She stresses the importance of networking industry contacts. A decorating firm they worked with on one project led to additional work when that firm recommended Leslie and her partners to some of their other clients.

Since 1987, the photo decorating business has progressed well since its initial unprofitable photo event ventures. Major projects include photo decorating the guest rooms and suites for the historic Glidden House, which has been made into a unique bed and breakfast, and an all-sports photo motif for the Grand Slam Bar & Restaurant in the refurbished Cleveland Flats night spot area.

"From our humble beginnings, we're now getting into some pretty good sized jobs," says Leslie. "Just keep bumbling along - don't give up."

MARLENE STEPHENSON'S PAPER PROFITS

Marlene Stephenson makes her money tearing paper. Actually, her unique sculptured jewelry draws rave reviews wherever she wears it. In fact, people routinely ask to buy her unique designs right off her dress when she appears at public functions.

Marlene is a medical technician by trade, and her paper profits grew out of a coffee get-together group of friends that met once a week to try their hands at new craft ideas. One day one of the ladies brought a book on making paper jewelry. "I just fell in love with it and made a pin and some earrings to wear to a business meeting. Lots of the women at the meeting asked me to make some for them also," says Marlene.

As with any fashion item, Marlene pays attention to color schemes and design. Even though she makes several copies of different design, each is unique in color, shading, size, and even texture. Marlene crafts her one-a-kind jewelry to match her customers special outfits.

"With any small business, it's important to link up with other small businesses," stresses Marlene. For example, her local hairdresser lets Marlene display her paper jewelry at her shop. Local gift stores either buy the pins and earrings outright or take them on consignment, which means they pay for they after they sell. Marlene also teamed up with several other artists to display their work at trade shows.

"Try to tailor your product to the particular market. With the loon as the state bird of Minnesota, my loon pins always do well at local craft shows," she says. Likewise, when Marlene sent samples of her pins to trade show in Anchorage, Alaska, she made some new designs to capture the wilds of Alaska, These pins included a polar bear, Alaska wild flowers, whales, and fish.

What ever your own hobby pursuits, you may be over looking an opportunity to turn personal interests into money-making enterprises. Investigate the possibilities, calculate the costs, analyze the market, and move forward with your plan of action. Take your lead from these three women who have turned hobbies into profits.

HOT PROFITS FROM YOUR OWN HOT STAMPING BUSINESS

HOT PROFITS FROM YOUR OWN HOT STAMPING BUSINESS

1993 by Home Business Publications

Custom imprint (hot stamp) match covers, business cards, napkins, pens, key chains, wedding announcements or a thousand other things in your garage print shop. Print virtually any color or design up to about 3" by 5" in size.

Hot stamped impressions are especially nice looking. They can be bold colors or very expensive looking "metallic ink" because they are actually printed with melted plastic!

Hot stamping machines have electrically heated type (blocks of metal with raised letters) holders, type-high foundry type and/or commercially prepared dies. The operator loads the type holder with the appropriate reverse type, logo, illustration or die, and positions it in the machine with set screws.

When the type reaches the desired temperature, pulling a lever causes the hot type to be pressed against a strip from a roll of plastic (mounted on the machine), and a reverse image is "melted" onto the paper or other receiving item held in position by the machine's jaws.

The basic principle is similar to iron-on transfers. You can tell hot stamped materials by the especially vivid colors and slight indentation where the design is applied as opposed top printing (smooth) or embossing (raised).

The rolls of plastic come in a wide variety of colors including many "metallic." The more expensive hot stamping machines are automatic and can turn out thousands of printed items per hour.

However, the hand operated ones can also produce excellent results and some of them are quite efficient. Before making ANY hot stamping machine purchase, check with several different suppliers for equipment AND supplies.

Some companies appear to cater to amateurs who are more likely to buy inferior equipment and supplies at inflated prices. There are some rather significant pricing differences among the suppliers. Manually operated systems start about $2500 and are not difficult learn to use. In less populated areas, hot stamped products may be difficult to sell in sufficient quantity to support a business on their own.

In many cases, this service is added to a business with similar products (printer, engraver, sign or rubber stamp maker), where the additional income from essentially the same customers represents extra profit with very little extra investment.

Marketing hot stamped products can be wholesale, retail, or both. Once you are set up and have practiced the art, you can decide how you will start.

To wholesale, prepare samples (these can be over-runs from previous jobs or especially nice resultsobtained from your learning process) and price lists. Then call on stationery stores, office suppliers, and printers (who don't offer hot stamping) and inform them of your service.

The fact that you offer "short run" orders (less than 10,000 or so) and fast, local service should interest them. Answer all of their questions and leave your prices and samples.

Note that you should make it easy for your wholesale accounts to sell -- have your price lists show retail prices only. This way, you simply tell your wholesale accounts what their markup is and it is "easy" for their clerks to tell (or show) customers the prices. A mark-up of 40% is suggested, which is about right to encourage your accounts to sell your products. After all, they will help advertise your products and often, sell them on credit -- but you will get paid every month.

Note that is very important to have the same wholesale prices for each of your wholesale accounts. If you want to give better prices to those who buy more, put in price breaks at various volume levels. This way, the one who buys 100 will pay a good deal more than one who buys 1,000 but both were offered the same price -- meaning there was no favoritism.

For retail sales, advertise your service to the public as a customizing service that is fast and specializes in short runs. Most will recognize what a hot stamping service is, but it would not hurt to include a brief description or illustration. Contact businesses in your area (banks, insurance, real estate companies especially).

Hot stamp your own business cards for an example of your work, along with a short rate card (perhaps on the back of your business card), showing some sample prices (a complete list can be typed and copied).

Be sure to inform these businesses how fast you can deliver -- then do it!

Contact several ad specialty suppliers to locate sources for blank match covers, pens, etc. These will have by far, the best prices for volume order items to imprint. Your customers will not have access to these suppliers (or prices), and you can make a profit on the items as well as the hot stamping job.

Also, it is often wise to invest in a few dies --such as the town mascot or state emblem. When you pay for a die, and customer can use it for a stated extra fee -- which would be much less than if they ordered one for their exclusive use.

Remember that you can either produce hot stamped novelties (North High School Key Chains) OR do custom stamping -- like window scrapers with the bank emblem or an individual customer's name in gold on his briefcase.

Your fees for custom work will be considerably higher per imprint due to the amount of work required per item, but it will still be well under what it would cost to send the item off. Check with stores in your area that sell items (or give them away) that could be personalized.

Dies are expensive (about $20 each) and take a few days to order and receive, so having a few on hand can speed things up considerably. A useful tip is to find a printer that still makes "cuts" as a source for your dies --they are much faster and cheaper than sending off a hot stamp supplier. Your newspaper editor may tell you who still does cuts if he can't.

When your customers pay for a die, they are buying the impression or means for imprinting -- not the die itself. If the customer asks about the die (most won't), you can tell him that if he wants the die, it is $25 or so more!

Note that only reason he might want the die is to have another hot stamper use it. The standard procedure is for you to keep the die but not charge that customer for any additional stamping with it.

Most stampers are also very careful not to use the same die for a different customer in the same area, and of course, registered logos can only be used for authorized dealers.

Perhaps the least expensive hot stamping equipment is available from MAGIC (see Sources), however, their equipment may not be more suitable for a commercial operation.

A major consideration is the size of the chase (type holder). The smaller the chase, the fewer jobs you can do. For example, if you chase is only 1" square, you will not be able to do most of the jobs you could do with a larger capacity machine.

Check with as many sources and suppliers as you can. You will probably find that one has the best quality and prices on ribbons; another on equipment. Just because one source has the right equipment does not mean they have the best deals on suppliers!

Before purchasing any machine or supplies, compare prices, warranties, quality and especially the capacity (maximum printing size, number of items per hour) of the hot stamping machine... This business, like all others, has a few "potential problem areas." Here are three to look out for.

1.Get the copy right. A misspelled word can be extremely expensive: it will cost you money and/or an irate customer. Check and double check wording, spelling and layout. If necessary, have the customer initial the desired copy on the invoice. Keep a copy of the text in front of you (clothes pinned at eye level) while you set up the type; call back if there are any questions.

2.Undercutting. When you give a wholesale account a price list, your listed or suggested retail price list, your listed or suggested retail price are your professional word that if you do retail, it will be at or above that price. If an account finds out you undercut them, they will drop you like a hot potato.

3.Customer stealing. Perhaps the height of unethical business conduct is when you steal a customer from your own wholesale account. Hot stamping is one of those services where you can see who the retail customer is and usually where he is located. Some unethical stampers (sign-makers, engravers, etc.) have taken the opportunity to contact these customers direct, telling them they can get a better deal next time by coming direct. Most of them end up paying DEARLY for this unethical error judgement!

The hot stamping business is interesting and rewarding and it goes nicely with several other types of business.

For example, if you are an ad specialty sales person, a small hot stamping set-up in your spare room or garage might bring in considerably more revenue without any additional advertising and very little more sales effort.

A person starting with a this business can also branch out into related products and services -- again, with comparatively little additional investment or effort.

Examples are: magnetic signs, rubber stamps, ad specialties, giftware, button making and sign sales. These are all business that serve essentially the same customers -- and there are many more possibilities that you will undoubtedly discover, or that your customers will suggest!

BUSINESS SOURCES

A TO Z ENGRAVING,

1150 Brown St.,Wauconda,

IL 60650.

Custom hot stamping for the trade (orders too big or too

complicated for you).

THE ENGRAVERS JOURNAL,

Box 318, Brighton,

MI 48116.

Trade journal for engraving, hot stamping, etc.,An Excellent

publication!

SIGNIT,

50 High St.,Buffalo,

NY 14203.

Hot stamping equipment and supplies.

SUPERIOR MARKETING EQUIPMENT CO.,

1800 Larchmont Ave.,Chicago,

IL 60613,

800/621-1205.

Rubber stamp embosser, hot stamping (etc.) equipment and

supplies. A major industry supplier.

DIVERSIFIED SIGN SUPPLIES,

1700 Dodds Ave.,Chattanooga,

TN 37404,

800/251-7666.

Hot stamping (etc.) supplies and equipment.

SIGN OF THE TIMES,

407 Gilbert Ave.,Cincinnati,

OH 45202.

Trade journal for the sign industry.

PERMA PRODUCTS,

275 NE 166th St.,N. Miami Beach,

FL 33162.

sells a machine to stamp metal identification, social security cards

or pet ID tags (not hot stamp).

BADGE PARTS, INC.,

2320 W. Greenfield Ave.,Milwaukee,

WI 53204.

Sells button making machines and supplies.

BASCO (Business Advertising Specialties Co),

9531 De Soto Ave.,Chatsworth,

CA 91311-4948.

Sells a hot stamper they call a "pad printing" machine, along with

novelties to stamp.. This company is affiliated with SPECIALTY

MERCHANDISE CORP.,which specializes in imported novelties

and merchandise.

LINCOLN SPECIALTY JOBBERS,

117 Virginia Ave.,Reading,

PA 19606.

Wholesale specialty advertising products.

THE KELSEY COMPANY,

Box 941, Meridan,

CT 06450-,

203/235-1695.

Printing supplies: paper, type, hot stamping machines, etc. Old,

reliable company.

KENTUCKY WOOD,

Box 220, Mckee,

KY 40447,

800/354-0196.

High quality, finished walnut (etc.) desk accessories that could be

customized by hot stamp method.

DOVER PUBLICATIONS, INC.,

31 East 2nd St.,Mineola,

NY 11051.

Discount BOOKS, clip art, stencils, etc.

QUILL CORPORATION,

100 Schelter Rd.,Lincolnshire,

IL 60917-4700,

312/634-4800.

Office supplies.

IVEY PRINTING,

Box 761, Meridan,

TX 76665.

Letterhead: 400 sheet plus 200 envelopes - $18.

SWEDCO

Box 29, Moresville,

NC 28115.

3 line rubber stamps - $3; business cards - $13 per thousand.

ZPS,

Box 581, Libertyville,

IL 60048-2556.

Business cards (raised print _ $11.50 per K) and letterhead

stationery. Will print your copy ready logo or design, even whole

card.

WALTER DRAKE & Sons, Inc.

4119 Drake Bldg. Colorado Springs,

CO 80940.

Short run business cards, stationery, etc.. Good quality but little

choice of style or color.

BUILDING SCIENTIFIC BIRD HOUSES FOR FUN AND PROFIT

BUILDING SCIENTIFIC BIRD HOUSES FOR FUN AND PROFIT

Build and sell attractive standard model and custom birdhouses and bird feeders that are scientifically designed for specific species.

This business requires a wood shop and basic woodworking tools, paint, some basic knowledge of carpentry and birds, but not much else. It can be a very pleasant and uncomplicated but highly rewarding business.

To be effective, you need to know something about the birds in your area -- when they nest, what size houses, entry holes, whether one or more nest in the same area, and of course, how high off the ground they must be mounted.

If you aren't qualified bird-watchers don't worry - you can only build one type of birdhouse at a time anyway and you can find out all you need to know about the bird's nesting needs at your local library.

As you learn new bird house patterns, you can study up on the birds -- one species at a time. When your houses are ready to sell, you will be able to tell your customers all about that particular bird, what it eats, needs, where to place and how to take care of the birds and their birdhouse.

You can start with a single pattern or blueprint. These are available from many sources (some are listed below), which will be for one bird species. You are free to alter the patterns and colors so long as you maintain the basics -- keep the entries large enough for the target bird, but too small for predators.

Provide cleverly disguised trap doors for cleaning, different styles of perches and roofs and of course, a variety of color combinations and/or designs.

There are enough variables to allow you to make your own style of birdhouse for any species and still retain the required features.

Check with the local lumbar yards to find the best quality and prices on materials. You cannot used some types of treated lumbar due to its odor or even toxicity of the birds at close quarters, but you can use a silicone sealer like Thompson's (to prevent rapid weathering).

Let the lumbar yard know you can use odd-sized pieces (which should be considerably cheaper) and many kinds of scraps. A variety of woods will serve you nicely -- then you can offer a variety of birdhouse models.

Arrange your working area to have separate places for sawing/sanding and painting operations.

Experiment with building, assembling, painting and decorating techniques.

Make jigs and patterns for cutting out and fitting the pieces as close to assembly line fashion as possible. Cut out or buy stencils for decorative patterns (Dover has some nice, inexpensive ones - see Business Sources).

Build your birdhouses with hinged roofs or panels so they can be opened and cleaned each season - birdhouses that are not cleaned are seldom used again.

Commercially available, assembly line (most are put together with unfinished wood and staples) birdhouses and feeders start at about $5 each, but they are very poor quality at that price.

They are made with obvious scraps, some of which will not hold up outside (e.g. inside grade plywood and paneling) - and unpainted or treated.

You can get a much better price with attractive scientifically designed and well colorfully decorated.

Commercial birdhouses seldom specify the type bird they are designed for -- or how high it should be mounted. The reason is simple: they don't want to limit their sales!

You should start with the understanding that you cannot build and sell birdhouses as cheap as the discount stores. You can, however, offer better ones at nearly their price -- and make good money.

Since your bird houses are scientifically built for a particular species of bird, you should provide a little info sheet with each house. tell a little about the bird, its habits and history, and how to get results with the bird house.

This info sheet should be no more than one standard sheet -- perhaps an 8 x 11 sheet folded to make two inside pages, each 8 x 5 1/2. The cover could have a title and silhouette of the bird, the back, plain.

You can have a little booklets printed inexpensively (see Business Sources section).

Since you need to find out a little about the bird anyway to build the correct birdhouse, you already have most of the information. This little gimmick alone can help you get a dollar or two more for each birdhouse!

You can market your birdhouses and feeders through ads, bulletin boards and posters that feed stores or pet shops allow you to post. You can sell them at flea markets, at a stand along the road, or advertise them in the paper.

Check with real estate agent for a vacant store and arrange to rent a show window until the store is leased.

Set up a display there for your birdhouses and have a sign that tel s people where they can get them.

Take pictures, make up a scrapbook of your different models, add prices and offer to wholesale them to pet shops and stores, or arrange to place them on consignment.

You can even advertise in bird watcher.

If you want to be different or expand your business, offer do-ityourself kits with assembly, directions and all the parts, nails, hinges, glue, stencils and possibly even paint.

These could be sold for about half the cost of a completed bird house. Your instructions would be included in a plastic bag, along with the same little info booklet mentioned above.

Other possible variations are to paint the birdhouses in patterns to match each other, or the customer's home; selling mounting and/or squirrel guards and other intruder accessories; mounting them, and custom designs (if you are artistically inclined, otherwise fancy stencils).

About the only problem area in this business would be to build too many birdhouses for unpopular birds (like sparrows).

If this is a consideration,it might be a good idea to build several models and see which ones sell best before going into mass production of any one model.

BUSINESS SOURCES

DOVER PUBLICATIONS, 31 E. 2nd St.,Mineola, NY 11501, 516/294-7000. Discount books, including reference books (birdhouse patterns), stencil decorations and many types of bird books.

PUBLISHERS CENTRAL BUREAU, Box 1197, Newark, NJ 07102. Discount books, including reference.

MARSH FARMS, Box 7, Garden Grove, CA 92642. Birds, equipment and instructions books.

ZPS, Box 581, Libertyville, IL 60048-2556. Business card, letterhead stationery, etc. Will print your camera-ready logo or design, even whole card.

QUILL CORPORATION, 100 Schelter Rd., Lincolnshire, IL 60917-4700. Office supplies.

IVEY PRINTING, Box 761, Meridan, TX 76665. Write for price list.

SWEDCO, Box 29, Mooresville, NC 28115. Three line rubber stamps. Write for free catalog.

NEBS, 500 Main St.,Groton, MA 04171, 800/225-6380. Office supplies.

WALTER DRAKE, 4119 Drake Bldg.,Colorado Springs, CO 80940. Short run business cards and other stationery products. No choice of color or style, but good quality.

OLYMPIA PRINTING, 1282 Monomoy, Aurora, IL 60506. Business cards and letterhead. Write for price list.

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