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Post by TheRock on Oct 21, 2019 13:21:37 GMT -5
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Post by miket on Oct 21, 2019 15:00:13 GMT -5
Nice setup, looks great! I like the way you offer a couple for free to get 'em hooked...
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Post by RocksInNJ on Oct 21, 2019 15:57:07 GMT -5
Looks great. I to noticed the free rocks. Great idea to keep the kids busy, while the parents look at everything else.
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Post by captbob on Oct 21, 2019 16:48:19 GMT -5
Did tumbled rocks sell? How'd ya price them? I feel better buying rocks when there are prices marked. No price and I don't know if the seller is quoting different prices to others.
Blue lace agate in pic #5? Did you post a thread on them?
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agatemaggot
Cave Dweller
Member since August 2006
Posts: 2,195
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Post by agatemaggot on Oct 21, 2019 17:18:58 GMT -5
Most craft shows are full of kids, their parents give them a couple bucks and turn them loose. The parents take them to the shows because it's cheap entertainment that only costs 3 or 4 bucks for the afternoon. Sell those lucky rocks your giving away for $.25 a pop, you will be surprised at how much more you leave the show with. I believe 95 % of the show goers are just looking and don't go to spend ! Like I said, it's cheap entertainment !
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Post by Pat on Oct 21, 2019 17:31:28 GMT -5
Nice setup! the blue bottles are eye-catching!
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Post by TheRock on Oct 21, 2019 19:22:55 GMT -5
Did tumbled rocks sell? How'd ya price them? I feel better buying rocks when there are prices marked. No price and I don't know if the seller is quoting different prices to others. Blue lace agate in pic #5? Did you post a thread on them? Our combined Sales totaled close to $500.00 MJ did $400.00 and I did $100.00. I don't think I had a post on the Blue Agates alone I think they were in the mixed batches. I need to get some alone and do them. Im sorry I did have two signs posted on the wall behind me but I guess I hadn't taken pictures showing them. I asked on how I should price these and priced them as shown. Drummond Island Rocks Chuck gave me the Idea to have a tumbler running and a box of rocks to give away so I had a bunch of river rock polished and gave them away. Here is a pic of my prices.
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Post by HankRocks on Oct 22, 2019 19:34:48 GMT -5
Interesting pricing method. I have been selling my tumbles 4 for $1. it's mostly smaller less than 1", end cuts misc agate/jasper agate mix. Bigger tumbles, 1 1/2" and larger I mark individually $1, $2 up to $5 or $6 for a 3 to 4 inch. I have set aside a couple gallons of exceptional pieces that I am still debating on how to price/sell. Of course I am selling rock that I either picked up on trips over the years(on paid vacation) or rock that I have bought for .50 to a $1 per pound. Because I have been very blessed with 2 or 3 sources of in-expensive rocks, I have set $1 a pound for any purchases. That seems restrictive, unless you were to come into my garage and see what I have managed to buy holding to that limit.
I do have about 300 pounds of Tigers Eye which I sorted out the very thin slabs to break up and tumble. Have not decided how to price those yet.
Have a Show this weekend and I am busy unloading truck after a week of Arkansas Quartz digging. It badly needs washing out after 3 very red clay muddy days before I pack all of Show flats.
( hopefully next week I can get a Arkansas Trip report together)
Henry
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Post by TheRock on Oct 22, 2019 22:49:48 GMT -5
Interesting pricing method. I have been selling my tumbles 4 for $1. it's mostly smaller less than 1", end cuts misc agate/jasper agate mix. Bigger tumbles, 1 1/2" and larger I mark individually $1, $2 up to $5 or $6 for a 3 to 4 inch. I have set aside a couple gallons of exceptional pieces that I am still debating on how to price/sell. Of course I am selling rock that I either picked up on trips over the years(on paid vacation) or rock that I have bought for .50 to a $1 per pound. Because I have been very blessed with 2 or 3 sources of in-expensive rocks, I have set $1 a pound for any purchases. That seems restrictive, unless you were to come into my garage and see what I have managed to buy holding to that limit. I do have about 300 pounds of Tigers Eye which I sorted out the very thin slabs to break up and tumble. Have not decided how to price those yet. Have a Show this weekend and I am busy unloading truck after a week of Arkansas Quartz digging. It badly needs washing out after 3 very red clay muddy days before I pack all of Show flats. ( hopefully next week I can get a Arkansas Trip report together) Henry Thanks Henry, I think I need to lower my prices a bit I asked a Couple weeks ago what I should charge. and that is what I used. what do you think I should charge? I guess maybe I Should get down and dirty weigh each rock by lb count how many pieces per lb add in electricity and grit and polishing materials and see where I come in at. I have a Ted Energy System I installed on my Service Panels and I can tell you what it costs me per day to do Laundry, Lap Shop, Security Systems, Pond Pumps, I can tell you how much average it costs to make breakfast or to watch TV. Would you expect any less from me? I monitor 36 Circuit Loads, Usage. The biggest part of tumbling is the cost of rock, then electric, then grit and materials, wear and tear on equipment. Most businesses fail because they don't know their costs. It costs me between $15.00 aand $20.00 per month to operate my LAP SHOP. I guess the way to see how much a rock takes in electricity is to measure how many lbs of rock is being tumbled per month then divide it by $20.00 then count how many rocks per lb and then that will tell you how much it costs. A Person could go Crazy figuring it but you have to start somewhere.
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Post by parfive on Oct 23, 2019 0:20:50 GMT -5
You need the money like you need another hole in the head. It’s a retirement hobby! Now feel free to go ahead and go crazy.
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Post by TheRock on Oct 23, 2019 0:30:37 GMT -5
You need the money like you need another hole in the head. It’s a retirement hobby! Now feel free to go ahead and go crazy. You make about as much sense as John McPhee! You talk just to hear your mouth Rattle.
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Post by parfive on Oct 23, 2019 0:33:00 GMT -5
Howzyer tumblin' efficiency these days, like in grams/kWh ?
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Post by rockjunquie on Oct 23, 2019 3:48:59 GMT -5
Really great set up! I love the necklace displays. You guys seemed to do ok, too. Y'all sure had a lot of stuff. Something for everyone!
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Post by fernwood on Oct 23, 2019 4:08:10 GMT -5
Like the bottles.
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Post by HankRocks on Oct 23, 2019 7:08:52 GMT -5
Thanks Henry, I think I need to lower my prices a bit I asked a Couple weeks ago what I should charge. and that is what I used. what do you think I should charge? I guess maybe I Should get down and dirty weigh each rock by lb count how many pieces per lb add in electricity and grit and polishing materials and see where I come in at. I have a Ted Energy System I installed on my Service Panels and I can tell you what it costs me per day to do Laundry, Lap Shop, Security Systems, Pond Pumps, I can tell you how much average it costs to make breakfast or to watch TV. Would you expect any less from me? I monitor 36 Circuit Loads, Usage. The biggest part of tumbling is the cost of rock, then electric, then grit and materials, wear and tear on equipment. Most businesses fail because they don't know their costs. It costs me between $15.00 aand $20.00 per month to operate my LAP SHOP. I guess the way to see how much a rock takes in electricity is to measure how many lbs of rock is being tumbled per month then divide it by $20.00 then count how many rocks per lb and then that will tell you how much it costs. A Person could go Crazy figuring it but you have to start somewhere. Let me preface my response with this comment, I don't sell rocks as part of my income, it's "beer and gas money". If it were a business, I would need to track all costs much tighter than I do. My Arkansas trip; between gas, lodging, and digging fees, I have expended a bit money. On the other hand I love digging crystals with a couple of good friends, a couple of beers in the evening with a bowl of home made soup or stew, does not get any better for me. It's like fishing, There's a lot cheaper and easier way to bring home fish, but it's the experience and thrill of the catch that fisherman go for. On pricing tumbles, I would say your prices are a bit high. On the other hand you are selling very nice tumbles, well rounded nd high polish. My 4 for $1 tumbles are all thrown into on one big plastic bin. They are probably B grade tumbles as far as being well-rounded but most have a very good polish. As captbob said, the kids love them. That includes the old kids. At one Show I had an older lady spent about 45 minutes picking through the bin. She had so much fun and would ohh and ahh at a lot the pieces. It was fun watching her. She has come back a couple of times. I also had one little boy come up to me with a hand full of change, well short of a dollar, I told him to take 5 , he was happy and I was happy. And with the kids, especially if they are with grand-parents, they will get $5 to $10 to spend. The tumbles draws them in, but they spend another $4 to $8 on other rocks I am selling. It's a good draw. Am I making any money on the tumbles? I am not sure but as they never exceed 10% of my sells for the day I don't worry too much about it. I don't count my tumbled pendant stones or higher end tumbled slabs in that 10%. I do consider them as higher end material and they are making money for me. My pricing philosophy revolves around the idea, "would I consider it to be a bargain price?". If it were a business, then my question changes. I know toiv0 saw part of my Show setup in Deming, and would probably agree that my prices were pretty good. I do have some better tumbles, the Tiger's Eye that I will price a bit differently and will probably segregate them out into their own trays with their own price, like you or Drummond Island Rocks have done. Your method of pricing by size is interesting but would be more work than I care to do. Maybe you could consider a price by weight just keep a scale and then be a generous with the weighting. That and make the price be a bit cheaper the more they bought. Just a thought, I am sure you will refine your selling method as you move forward. You are obviously a very detail oriented person(understatement of the year!) and you enjoy that so keep on trucking!!. Heck the oil cleaning rig you put together was more complicated and detailed than most out here would do or could do, but it was fun for you and you do great work. I always say, play to you strengths. Good luck(apologies for being so long winded!) Henry
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<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Oct 24, 2019 19:58:23 GMT -5
I have sold tumbled rocks before, this works for me. I have small and med bags, they pick the rocks they want until the bag is full. you charge by the bag.
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Post by TheRock on Oct 25, 2019 16:30:13 GMT -5
</div></div> What size bag and how much do you charge per bag ?
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<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Oct 25, 2019 18:45:16 GMT -5
2 and 3 inch draw string bags, I sold the for 5.00 and 10.00
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Post by TheRock on Oct 26, 2019 13:18:40 GMT -5
</div> I googled them and couldn't find the bags where do you get them from? Can you provide a link Please? Thanks Duke
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<'))))>< Fish
Cave Dweller
Gone Fishing
Member since April 2005
Posts: 1,841
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Post by <'))))>< Fish on Oct 26, 2019 18:46:55 GMT -5
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