Work Benches

[Case IH]

Ok I'm sorry this is my second thread in a week but I have another question:

I recently welded a work bench for a friend and it was about 5ft long 2ftwide and pretty tall(he is tall)and all of the materials came to $44 and it had a shelf underneath and was pretty heavy duty (2in square stock and 2in angle iron) and what I was wondering if there was a market for these if I could sell these any ideas where if so? He said similar ones at sears go for $300+

Thanks for advice

 

[PT Doc]

For those prices you would sell quite a few.

 

[Case IH]

Well I would mark it up a bit for labor cost but not to $300 mabey $150-200

 

[Jack Olsen]

What was the top made of?

 

[Case IH]

There wasn't a top on it but he was going to put plywood on it probably 3/4 blocked up so it is flush

 

[Jack Olsen]

I think you might find a market for them. But shipping is going to either eat up a lot of your profits or it's going to limit who you can sell to. I can get a bench delivered for free to my local Sears and pick it up.

How about a picture of the bench?

 

[Case IH]

I will see what i can do for pics. But I'm not sure

 

[Gregg33]

I'm not sure what Sears USA has for benches, but the benches you get in most stores in Canada are a frame made of sheet metal angles and a top made of thin mdf, good for a basement hobby shop, but that's about it. I'd gladly pay $200, especially if it was painted and/or had a metal top (but I know that could add more to the price). I think there could be a significant local market, but with items like that shipping costs would hinder non-locals from buying imo. Also because you're doing it on your own, customization is possible ie. different height, length, 2 shelves, different colors etc and that at least for me is huge selling point, no 2 shops/ garages or users are the same.

 

[Case IH]

Thanks, do you guys think these could sell on CL?

 

[mikeatrpi]

You could always try. Invest $44 and your time in another bench, paint it and put it on CL. Test the waters, so to speak. You'll find out pretty quickly what the market is like. Good luck!!

 

[Steevo]

There is a guy in my area that advertises workbenches made from cut-down pallet racking, with no tops, for $150
I don't know if he sells any, but there's a comparison.

I am amazed that you can buy the materials for $44.
Steel is expensive around here.

 

[Lightfoot]

I am amazed that you can buy the materials for $44.
Steel is expensive around here.

That surprised me too.

 

[kc-steve]

Ok I'm sorry this is my second thread in a week but I have another question:

I recently welded a work bench for a friend and it was about 5ft long 2ftwide and pretty tall(he is tall)and all of the materials came to $44 and it had a shelf underneath and was pretty heavy duty (2in square stock and 2in angle iron) and what I was wondering if there was a market for these if I could sell these any ideas where if so? He said similar ones at sears go for $300+

Thanks for advice

He-he, yeah I think there are a couple of guys here that can make you think you are pi$$ing on them if you start a new thread, especially if it has been asked before.

I am also intrigued about the materials costing $44, and steel prices have continued to rise. The biggest cost on mine was the top, 3/8" thick 22"x48", but even as scrap it was priced around $60 two years ago. The angle iron has been at least a dollar a foot and more for the box tubing around here. Buying 20' sticks can save some money.

I would agree with others, try posting it on Craigslist and see how many want to buy one. In Kansas City I have seen several for sale that keep getting reposted, likely meaning they aren't selling here. But when the economy turns around it might sell quickly. Always worth a try.

Good luck,
Steve

 

[Jack Olsen]

Steel prices are high right now. This bench I made had 32 linear feet of 2" square tubing. If I bought that from my local supplier today, it would be two 20' lengths, which would total $90 for 11 gauge or $52 for 14 gauge. And I don't have a shelf on mine.

(Ignore the scowling idiot behind the bench.)

The big expense on mine was the top, which is 2" Maple butcher block. I got it second hand, but it still cost me $122.

 

[Case IH]

I think the reason the cost was so low was that all of the steel was from school; so the teacher buys it in bulk so that may be it..I may have been overzellous a bit on the material size i dont rember right the angle iron could have been 1 1/2 not 2in.

Thanks,
Case

 

[Jack Olsen]

If the teacher bought it a while ago, it might have been much cheaper. The price fluctuates quite a bit.

 

[kc-steve]

Steel prices are high right now. This bench I made had 32 linear feet of 2" square tubing. If I bought that from my local supplier today, it would be two 20' lengths, which would total $90 for 11 gauge or $52 for 14 gauge. And I don't have a shelf on mine. . . .

Hey Jack, nice table. Although steel prices are very high everywhere, there are price differentials in different areas of the country. I haven't checked prices here lately, but it's likely Case IH gets steel for the same price as anyone else in his locale, competitively speaking. Just an observation.

I just saw Case's new post, . . . never mind.

Steve

 

[Case IH]

Even with rising steel prices do you think there is a big enough profit margin to make decent or any money?

 

[Jack Olsen]

Honestly? Probably not.

Most people never buy benches. Of the people who do, they might buy one or two in their lifetime. It's not a wear item, generally speaking. And there are a lot of them available used for less than it would cost to make them. Guys who want a new bench are frequently guys who also would enjoy building their own. Only a subset of them are going to want to buy one, and the number checking Green Bay Craigslist ads is probably pretty small (assuming you're just thinking about making and selling them locally).

I would think the way to make money doing it would be to supply them to companies that use them in manufacturing. But that's not a very large (or growing) segment of our economy, unfortunately. (Lots of used inventory available there, too.)

But... it's easy to test the waters of your local market. Make a bench at your own cost, take a good picture of it, then advertise it on Craigslist (or wherever makes sense in your area). Drag your feet on responding, initially, and see how many inquiries you get in a one-week or two-week period. Then see if it does sell, and work out how much time it took to manufacture and market and deliver (or wait while someone comes to get it), and see if you think it would be viable as a money maker long term.

I'd think that in a shaky economy like we have now, making car trailers might be viable way to make some money. But the liability issues are huge with that -- one broken weld on an overloaded trailer and you could find yourself being sued by whomever's daughter was driving behind your trailer when it came apart. If you don't have insurance at that poing -- ouch.

 

[Case IH]

Thanks jack I will consider all of the above

 

[Theloniousmonk]

Thanks, do you guys think these could sell on CL?

local guy makes/sells benches on CL around here... he's been on CL for at least a year now - so I guess he has sold a few, or he wouldn't be advertising anymore...

 

[kc-steve]

^^ Agreed. Even as a hobby weldor, I have always attempted to calculate whether something I make could be sold profitably to others. I've found that my project was nearly always more money than the retail counter-part. The rising prices of materials, your time and labor, all adds up to prices that are often more than a commercially made product would be priced at. You really don't have a lot of choice in the matter, because people will only pay what THEY consider to be a fair price.

You can always market the higher quality of your product over the commercial ones, but that is a rough road these days with Harbor Freight often selling stuff at less-than the price of scrap metal.

Steve

 

[archirelic]

I'd be real interested in seeing some pics of the one you've already put together.

 

[Case IH]

I'm sorry but I probably can't get a pic because it is already at his house but I will try to make another one for home next week

 

[Jack Olsen]

Maybe someone here will want to buy one.