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Post by parfive on Sept 1, 2014 18:59:41 GMT -5
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 1, 2014 20:52:55 GMT -5
I forgot to mention, there was ice in the puddles today... i have a feeling winter is coming early  |
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Post by phil on Sept 1, 2014 21:52:12 GMT -5
Currently Gem Center USA, The prices should still be aruound those listed i'd think... I take it you go to those shows? Nah, I live in the southwest. |
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 1, 2014 23:36:05 GMT -5
well if anyone has stuff.. i'm night expecting great stuff... unless you want to do a trade for cutting.. feel free to shoot me a pm... winter is fast aproaching and i don't have enough to last through winter when it does come!
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 1, 2014 23:36:22 GMT -5
well if anyone has stuff.. i'm night expecting great stuff... unless you want to do a trade for cutting.. feel free to shoot me a pm... winter is fast aproaching and i don't have enough to last through winter when it does come!
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Post by gingerkid on Sept 2, 2014 12:48:55 GMT -5
winter is fast aproaching and i don't have enough to last through winter when it does come! , looking for that 6 Wheeler to be posted (and a review) soon since winter is on its way. You got a slew of preforms to cab, too.   I've received the Gem Center USA mag a couple of times but haven't purchased anything from them. You may want to check out forum members' signatures for their store links. There's several members that have excellent rough to sell that may have not seen your post. Occasionally, members will post boxes of rough to sell. Hope that helps. |
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 383 
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Sept 2, 2014 16:05:03 GMT -5
I gotcha. Post some pics of your saws when you have the chance. It's always interesting to see different saws. yeah i have a few threads scattered about that show my saws.. eventually when i get everything fixed and unpacked i will create one thread someplace. I myself if i can part with my tumbled rocks, if they are regular Alaskan river rocks (mostly jasper) i sell for around $4 or $5 per pound... if that is too low please let me know  You must be smoking some of that Purple Alaskan Thunder#@$% if you think that 4-5 bucks a pound for tumbled jasper is low, I wouldn't give more than .75-1.00/ pound for jasper unless it was some super duper fantasy sci-fi looking stuff!!! |
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 2, 2014 22:22:13 GMT -5
I have seen single tumbled alaskan rocks selling for $3 each or general tumbled stuff sell for $3 for a small 1/10th pound bag full. This is what my co-worker recommended selling for.
Let me ask about flint ridge ohio flint tumbled (i see that sells online for a crazy $10/lb online)
Also supposedly cabs are worth $20-$25 each or if made into necklaces (with gold / silver) than its $25-$45... At least that is what he sells the stuff for.
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Post by phil on Sept 3, 2014 17:34:04 GMT -5
I have seen single tumbled alaskan rocks selling for $3 each or general tumbled stuff sell for $3 for a small 1/10th pound bag full. This is what my co-worker recommended selling for. Let me ask about flint ridge ohio flint tumbled (i see that sells online for a crazy $10/lb online) Also supposedly cabs are worth $20-$25 each or if made into necklaces (with gold / silver) than its $25-$45... At least that is what he sells the stuff for. Thre's a huge difference between jasper and american "flint". And there's a huge difference between a raw rock and a finished, well done cabochon. |
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1nickthegreek
spending too much on rocks
Member since February 2014
Posts: 383
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Post by 1nickthegreek on Sept 3, 2014 18:13:32 GMT -5
I have seen single tumbled alaskan rocks selling for $3 each or general tumbled stuff sell for $3 for a small 1/10th pound bag full. This is what my co-worker recommended selling for. Let me ask about flint ridge ohio flint tumbled (i see that sells online for a crazy $10/lb online) Also supposedly cabs are worth $20-$25 each or if made into necklaces (with gold / silver) than its $25-$45... At least that is what he sells the stuff for. Thre's a huge difference between jasper and american "flint". And there's a huge difference between a raw rock and a finished, well done cabochon. Phil speaks for about everyone reading this I believe!!! |
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vugs
starting to spend too much on rocks
Rockbiter
Member since February 2014
Posts: 225
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Post by vugs on Sept 3, 2014 18:24:08 GMT -5
I have seen single tumbled alaskan rocks selling for $3 each or general tumbled stuff sell for $3 for a small 1/10th pound bag full. This is what my co-worker recommended selling for. Let me ask about flint ridge ohio flint tumbled (i see that sells online for a crazy $10/lb online) Also supposedly cabs are worth $20-$25 each or if made into necklaces (with gold / silver) than its $25-$45... At least that is what he sells the stuff for. I think you are getting some misleading info from your co-worker. You can check prices on ebay and you'll see that cabs go for much less on average. And, of course, prices depend on type of material and quality. And, just a quick example, a mineral shop in my area sells tumbled Botswana agates for $1ea. |
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 3, 2014 18:39:26 GMT -5
well i'm new to pricing my own stuff... as for pricing other stuff that i have interests in i have a general idea of what the value is thanks to my co-worker.
So what is the cost for actually tumbling rock between electricity, grit, and your time roughly. Alaskan tumbled stuff i mostly sell to gift shops when i have enough quantity.
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 3, 2014 18:45:11 GMT -5
I have seen single tumbled alaskan rocks selling for $3 each or general tumbled stuff sell for $3 for a small 1/10th pound bag full. This is what my co-worker recommended selling for. Let me ask about flint ridge ohio flint tumbled (i see that sells online for a crazy $10/lb online) Also supposedly cabs are worth $20-$25 each or if made into necklaces (with gold / silver) than its $25-$45... At least that is what he sells the stuff for. So what would a cab be worth if you use say a material that costs $5 per pound wholesale ($10/lb retail) of say good tiger iron The cab would be at minimum 1 inch high and 3/4 inch wide |
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vugs
starting to spend too much on rocks
Rockbiter
Member since February 2014
Posts: 225
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Post by vugs on Sept 3, 2014 19:21:56 GMT -5
glennz01 Other members will be able to help you out better than me regarding pricing your stuff but it were me i would just base it on market value until you've established a name for yourself and then you can decide if you want to try and charge more. But trying to figure out a price based on the price of rough versus relative size of the cab seems to be over thinking it. From what i understand you are just beginning to cab so you'll have to factor that into the pricing as well as they wont be perfect. I would suggest to stick with current market value based on ebay or etsy and if you still have trouble selling your work then consider dropping the price below average just to move items and establish a customer base.
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Post by stardiamond on Sept 3, 2014 22:02:09 GMT -5
I posted this on the general rocks board:
"I did a search on Blue Mountain jasper on sold items to get any idea what it goes for. I found one cab that had sold for a good amount.
I decided to search sold cabs from highest to lowest and it was very informative.
The most expensive items sold were fire opals, carved cabs and rare material. Next was very unusual Laguna agate cabs and at the bottom were a lot of crazy lace (mainly sold from India) and Montana. There were very few porcelain jasper cabs sold. I don't know if sellers figure that they won't get the best price on ebay, buyers aren't interested or a combination of both."
I'll add that the majority of the cabs listed on ebay didn't sell. I can't get any numbers from etsy regarding what has sold and what is being asked isn't too relevant. The people making money on cabs have an established reputation and usually their own sites. If I were going to sell a cab on ebay, the price would be derived by looking at a cab of similar size, similar scene and similar material and then accepting less because of lack of reputation. I have a lot of cabs. Some would be sold at a good price and the majority would not sell at a reasonable price. It would not be a good idea to sell the lesser cabs cheap even if it generated some income. My inclination would be to stick my toe in the water and list what I expect would be highly desirable cabs at a low auction start and let the bidding set the value. Some sellers do this and many others do buy it now and if there isn't interest add a make an offer.
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 3, 2014 23:33:37 GMT -5
Well I think if i have stuff to sell I will post something on here without prices and say if they are interested pm me with what price they would be interested at.. I don't think I will be selling / offering much. Otherwise I will stick to my website (not intended for selling), possibly Facebook, and maybe around town. I am currently not doing this for profit so if something sells that's just an added bonus.
As for my tumbled rock I have sold almost all that I had available at around $4 for between 1 and 2 lbs... It usually has some other things included like flint ridge stuff. The jasper isn't really plain jasper usually, its got mixtures of colors which is harder to find.
Also i was told by my co-worker that its easy to start with high prices and lower them than start with low prices and raise them... so i'd like to find a medium.
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QuailRiver
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since May 2008
Posts: 1,640
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Post by QuailRiver on Sept 4, 2014 0:40:06 GMT -5
Glenn, I realize that you have invested a lot of money into getting started into lapidary and are anxious to recoup some of that investment. But don't be in too much of a hurry and get ahead of yourself in trying to sell your work too soon. If you put yourself (your work) out there too soon you may do yourself more harm than good in the long run. If you want to be known for quality goods first you need to master the craft and that takes some time and experience. Practice until you can cut a cab the exact size and shape as you imagined it to be before you began cutting it, scratch-free, and with a mirror polish. Learn which types of stones polish best with which polishing agents and on which polishing surfaces. With the more common materials you can not financially compete with commercially cut stones from the Asian cutting houses that many gift shops carry. So to beat them in the market place you have to do a better job than they do. After you have mastered cabbing then you will be ready to move up to primo cutting materials. Then select cabbing materials that the Asian cutting houses don't have and learn to cut designer free-forms that complement the individual stone's colors and pattern. This will give you an additional edge over the Asian cutting houses. You mentioned selling Alaskan materials to your local gift shops and this is a great way to get started in business without having to sink a fortune into primo cutting rough. Alaskan tourism is a good outlet for finished Alaskan materials. But keep in mind that if any local cutters see that you are succeeding at this then it won't be long before someone else will try to move in on your business. So it's important to make sure the quality of your craftsmanship can not be out done by them. A craftsman's reputation, good or bad, is earned and can be his/her most valuable asset, or most damaging liability. In no way is this meant to be discouraging to you so I hope you will receive it with the good will that it is intended. Best wishes with your new ventures and welcome to our obsession group!
Larry C.
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 4, 2014 0:58:20 GMT -5
Thanks for all the tips! For me i am a perfectionist... if its night right its not worth anything (well maybe tumbling). As for shaping rough, if you seen my pre forums, my newest batches are basically exactly cut in the shape of how i want the shape to be finished,
Everything I make might be a cab to start with but down the road... or when i feel like it i will put a hole in and turn it into a necklace.
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller 
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,723
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Post by Fossilman on Sept 4, 2014 8:46:06 GMT -5
I buy cabs and have friends make cabs for me.....The most I have paid for one is an average of $12.00 to $17.00 for one cab..
If it's a rare one,I have payed up to $24.00 for one...These have to be top notch or they go back...
Can't wait to purchase my own cabbing machine,than look out...
I guess I never look at the cost of my hobby,I'm in it for the pleasure...I don't smoke,I quit drinking and I'm usually a home body...So my costs are down...LOL
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Post by glennz01 on Sept 4, 2014 12:31:41 GMT -5
As for the costs i'm just thinking in materials like diamond, mineral oil and stuff, for the individual piece.
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