Uncle Joe's Wood Shop!

[ambenz]

As some of you read, I went into semi-retirement last week and I have been planning to use some of my free time to generate some side income...just for fun.
I do not plan on getting carried away and turn this into a corporation.
The name Uncle Joe is really my fathers name as most of the tools I use are his hand me downs...a bit of a tribute, if you will.
He was a tinker like me and would have approved of this new venture.
The only tool that wasn't dependable was his antique scroll saw, so a few years ago I passed it over to my brother.
So my first stop was Sears to get a new one with a $100 gift certificate from work and a few more dollars from my slush fund ...

I want to make easy pleasy lawn ornaments and since the Chicago Cubs won the World Series last year, something for the fan to post on their lawns are "Ultra Hot" items this year...so I better get busy!!!!!
Got the saw home and starting playing around a bit.....

I find a lot of free scrap plywwod sheets on trash days....

I am using Dads Craftsman jigsaw to separate the outlines I made in the sheet...

There is a learning curve with all this....

Work in progress....

These are my templates for the new ones I am making, figuring $20 to $25 for each one.
Since I live on a busy street, selling them on the front lawn is gonna help me in advertising!

 

[ambenz]

I got one blank finished so I kept going, trying to get use to scrolling....

Tried a little freehand and looks like I'll need to adjust the face a bit....

Now it is just a matter of multiplication....

I am thinking around here, I might get $30 each, depending on the wood I use....

 

[CJ7VFR]

Nice! That is a great start!

If you want to make more types of things like that, you can always buy some larger pieces of wood/plywood and make reindeer and some Santa's for the holidays.

I have noticed around my area (New Jersey) that it seems like more and more homes are going with the older/traditional style wooden display pieces instead of the lighted up ones.

I don't know if people around here are just trying to go more "old school" or whatever, but over the last few years I easily see more and more of the wooden decorations.

Jim

 

[DHCrocks]

looks cool. I wouldn't put it in my yard but to each his own. Have you thought about wood burning and engraving in the design. looks cool in natural wood.

 

[ambenz]

I was thinking of offering it with erasable paint by numbers on the areas and a picture of the finished product.
The paint would be a bit problematic as I would have to supply enough paint in containers.
Woodburning...interesting...don't own a wood burner.

Thanks for all the comments and suggestions!

 

[HeyNow^]

Nice job. A couple of boards stuck together with double sided tape will double your production.

 

[jimreed2160]

Great ideas! Good luck in your retirement. My retirement name is Jimmy 2 Naps.

 

[SteveL]

Nice job. A couple of boards stuck together with double sided tape will double your production.

This + you can do a lot of the rough out work with a router and a pattern bit and then add the detail with the scroll saw. Could save a bunch of time as scroll saws are notoriously slow.

 

[ambenz]

This plywood is 5/8 thick, a bit problematic for doubling up.
3/8" would be ideal to double but when your looking in the trash for material, you work with what you can find!
I do like that idea...thanks!

The router is another idea but the bits are a lot more pricey than a scroll blade.
If I should burn one up there goes my profits.

It is why I am not purchasing plywood for the ornaments, but relying on trash scraps and donated wood. Bigger profits. If I run out of scraps, I will wait till I find more.
This is just a hobby that gives me a bit of a return if it works out.
It also allows me to recycle material in a artful way.

 

[TMcCay]

Check out Flying Dutchman Scroll Saw blades. Best that I have ever used.

 

[My Old Tools]

Let's hope the Cubs and the MLB don't come looking for their cut....

 

[ambenz]

Check out Flying Dutchman Scroll Saw blades. Best that I have ever used.

$3+ a piece, they better be! I am buying the generic blades at about a buck each and one just burn't out cutting 5/8" plywood when I was on my 5th blank so it is costing 25 cents per blank now.

Let's hope the Cubs and the MLB don't come looking for their cut....

I suppose it is possible...UG! Let's hope...

 

[bullnerd]

Nice job benz.

If you start making some cash find yourself a cheap used bandsaw on CL and get an 1/8" blade, makes scrolling go much faster and cleaner/straighter cuts.

14" delta bandsaws are on CL all the time.

 

[ambenz]

Nice job benz.

If you start making some cash find yourself a cheap used bandsaw on CL and get an 1/8" blade, makes scrolling go much faster and cleaner/straighter cuts.

14" delta bandsaws are on CL all the time.

I have a Craftmans 12" bandsaw in the basement but the band blade is pretty wide....

..it is going in the garage soon, so we will see.
I have a HO command and control, model railroad and I was using the saw in the basement for that.

I am sure this blade is too wide to be of any use for anything more than getting close to the lines.
And buying another thinner blade is something I will have to price.

More progress....primed the wood using some very old oil based gray spray paint I had in the basement...surprised it even sprayed...it is over 12 years old!!!!

The marker lines are to reference the paint colors....

And this paint is all 10+yr old paint I been squirreling away and buying when I see a managers special or return for a $1 or 2. Wife had some old hobby paint that held up well too. Only one pint, when opened, was jello.

Spent about 2 hours just puttzin.....still have to paint the Kubs hat blue and blue stripes on the uniform, Black stripes for the Scox uniform will be done with a Sharpie and much easier!
Still have the backs to paint.

3 kubs ornaments to one Scox ...just because ....
But there are a lot of team fans around too so I'll be tweaking the formula...if a family is like mine, they may want both teams on the lawn. These are going to be $30 each, selling to family first, then local friends then, in front of the house. I am trying to avoid shipping costs....

 

[ScottsGT]

Let's hope the Cubs and the MLB don't come looking for their cut....

I came here to post this. Won't even take a person associated with the Cubs or MLB. Lawyers dealing with these suits search the web for sellers just like this. You'll get hit with a cease and desist order with a $3500 "fine" to make it go away.

 

[ambenz]

I came here to post this. Won't even take a person associated with the Cubs or MLB. Lawyers dealing with these suits search the web for sellers just like this. You'll get hit with a cease and desist order with a $3500 "fine" to make it go away.

Well...guess I better take this underground since I haven't sold any....
Guess this is the end of this thread and any more of my posting on this subject...

 

[bullnerd]

Yeah, look for a 1/8" blade for the craftsman, that will work.

 

[ScottsGT]

Yes, it's is a sad fact of this litigious society today.

 

[ambenz]

ScottGT and My Old Tools, I kind of wished you guys never made that post of yours...and I do not believe you are correct in your statement.
You failed to provide proof of a case that this actually happened to someone doing something similar.
I am not using a logo or a MLB trademark.
I am making a representation of a fan that is rooting for a local sports team!...could be for PeeWee league.
It is posts like the one both of you made, that cause people to stop sharing information.
I decided to stop providing info because your posts give people fuel to propagate your claim, in a nasty way.
So, you will excuse me if I don't thank you for posting that and if you decide to make claims like that, in the future, please provide specific "incite" into why!

 

[andy-gts]

well said....

 

[ScottsGT]

Not going to spend my time on Google proving a point. But good luck in your adventure and have fun. I do know for a fact that lawyers went after some of the aftermarket resin parts manufacturers for making scale replicas of WWII Pratt & Whitney radial engines, kit manufactures of WWII airplanes that had Boeing or companies names, etc. All now have to pay licensing fees if they use a company name on the box.
And if you don't think for half a second that MLB or the Cubs won't do the same if contacted by one of those law firms that search out cases like this, you're in for a big surprise.
Good luck, have fun and I really respect what you are doing as a paying hobby. Maybe unpainted or painted a generic uniform where the purchaser could add a team name would be a work around?

Edit: I have a friend that is an attorney that use to work for Roush Racing. I know how this stuff works. He did it for a living for many years.

 

[yost69]

I can't see your pictures, I am assuming you have taken them down.

If you make generic players with no logo you will be fine. If however you put the logo on the player uniforms you have violated copyright laws and as such may be fined or jailed. That is what the law states. You may get away with it as some of the people on pintrest and other sites do, or you may end up in jail.

That said you should look into the laws before trying to make a profit off of this project and decide for yourself as to whether it is worth the risk or not.

 

[bullnerd]

Sports promoters or whoever must be making a killing off of these situations!

See these types of crafts EVERYWHERE!

Go to a craft show with your wife, you'll get tired of seeing them.

 

[jfish]

Everyone is an expert. Lol.

 

[My Old Tools]

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