Starting market stall here in Broome shortly...

[Wild Dingo]

So we (being me and my youngest who moved up here with me) have decided to bite the bullet and start a market stall here at the courthouse markets this year
So far weve decided to make and sell pens that backpackers, tourists along with locals will buy... the only other thing I can think of is small bowls both turned and made from coconut casings.

Im hoping to get some ideas of small easily made wooden things to make and sell so am asking for your imput and suggestions
Cheers
Shane and Josh

[Sturdee]

Can't help you with ideas but welcome back mate.


Peter.

[Big Shed]

Good to see you posting Ding.

You may want to have a look at pendants and wine bottle stoppers (have a look in the pen forum or on IAP). Coconut shells sounds like a novel material, I'm sure you would have other local materials available to you. Tourists in particu;ar like to buy a "story".

Good luck with your new venture, got a lathe yet?

[wheelinround]

Back did he ever leave

letter openers, if you still have a scrollsaw, bookmarks, a bit of carving

[joe greiner]

Here ya go, Shane: https://www.woodworkforums.com/f8/bir...ocedure-57866/

Also, consider small vases & candle holders.

Congratulations on getting your old username back.

Cheers,
Joe

[tea lady]

I second the pendant idea. I make some Porcelain ones that are always about 50 % of my market sales. and are small enough for tourists to have it their luggage. Pens would have the "presents for blokes" covered somewhat. Always a problem. Have some big things on the stall too. People see it from far away and it draws them over to you. Then they buy the little stuff. And you will occasionally sell the big thing too.

[Lignum]

Little tiny brooms would be a hoot for the tourists

[Wild Dingo]

Great responses!! Cheers!

The coconut idea came when Josh found a coconut under the... mmm coconut trees out the front and started getting the husk of then got down to the coconut itself and instead of poking a hole in it to get the milk he WHACKED it with the tomahawk!! got the juice out and then hit it again ending up with a small bowl and we thought EUREKA!!! hippy bowls!!! easy to use simple to carry and take with you wherever you go... plenty of coconuts around here

mmm no tools left Im afraid... sister in Albany is meant to be selling the last of them the big lathe sometime soonish (I hope!) all hand tools now back to basics for this fella Actually truth be known Ive made my best woodart furniture and things when I had just basic tools so no problem

Josh retains his small pen lathe and the drill press which he claimed when I was selling everything... bright lad that one about the only things Im going to buy will be a small bandsaw, another belt and disc sander and a mid sized lathe... nothing else is needed... wanted sure but needed? no thats it... mmm well okay maybe another set of veneer press bags but THATS IT!! Im over having so many tools... and Ive got nowhere to keep them only a small 10ft x 10ft garden shed and the workbench I made is living under a tarp in the garden with the welder undercover on the porch... done and done!!

pendants?? like what sheilas wear? mmmm would be interested to see some ideas on that one, the small candle holders is another good one! I will be using offcuts to make incense burners and such

Joe!! Strewth mate theyre unreal!!! mmm but mate Im near blind and keep having to upgrade my specs every 3 months now getting thicker each time I have had to buy several types of magnifying glasses just to read anything!!!... seriously I cant do any small work anymore I just cant see it and if I can its a blur or that close to my nose Id shave my nose hairs! But I'll get Josh to have a burl and see how he goes

I had given thought to toys but there is already a bloke making them. wooden trucks planes and walking ducks etc... personally Id do something unique if I go that way

Easy quick and simple is what Im after... anything you can think of that if I cant do it I will set Josh onto it and see how he goes

Okay another thing and actually the reason this post is in this section!!! sorta kinda forgot to write it in there at the begining

So Ive had very little success keeping a finish on the pens... no matter what I use it goes dull reasonably quickly... polishes (ubeaut as well) varnishes marveer whatever I use dulls for some reason... Im presently thinking of a small thin paintbrush dipped into varnish and gently run along the pen jumping the centre seperator on the mandrel... sound about right?

Cheers
Shane

PS... Ive no idea how I managed to get the original name back!!! sorta just one of those gifts of the universe things Im finding surrounding me of late

Lig!! mate what a bobby dazzler of an idea!!! mmm make a small camel and have the broom sitting on its back somehow? god thats a ripper mate!!

[tea lady]

pendants?? like what sheilas wear? mmmm would be interested to see some ideas on that one, the small candle holders is another good one! I will be using offcuts to make incense burners and such

If you make 'em chunky enough blokes (well, hippy ones at least. ) would wear them too. I tie them on bits of leather thong with special knots that slide up. Can't remember what the knot is called right now but.... I found it in a book once.

[Lignum]

what a bobby dazzler of an idea!!!

Now theirs a blast from the past - John Farnham has a bit to answer for

[RufflyRustic]

Hiya Shane

Following on from Lignum's idea, keyrings and magnets, especially if they have 'Broome, Aus' on them. I always try to buy a magnet from whereever I travel and when I get home, it goes on the fridge door as a memory reminder of each trip I take.

cheers & Good luck
Wendy

[Bob38S]

Wine bottle stands made out of timber which balance the bottle as a cantilever. Could perhaps add a small metal badge of Broome, desert flowers etc [hat type with a pin on the back] to it as a tourist thing.

Just a quick thought,
Bob

[Ozkaban]

I walked through the Rocks Markets this morning in Sydney. Some very cool woodworking displays in amongst the other stuff. The thing that stood out the most to me were Burl clocks. Range of sizes and styles, with a hole drilled in them middle and clock in it. Some were for walls (all edges rough, or entirely round), some desk clocks with flat bases, etc. Very classy work. Prices seemed to be about $70 for a 6" tall clock (4" wide) up to lots more for the big wall clocks.

Don't know how they sell though. If I was buying something, iot would be that.

Cheers,
Dave

[rsser]

Spatulas, honey dippers, laminated rolling pins, bread boards, bud vases ... go for local timbers as much as poss.

Chk out DJ's tutorial on a CA finish for pens

[Sebastiaan56]

Following the pendants and earrings theme try polymer clays. Easy to work, cheap, etc, etc. As Broome is the lugger capital of the world nautical based things, fish themed things, crabby based things, pearl based things.