TnT Unleashed 1pic4twenty Blog

 

All over South Africa there are more and more people needing to expand their ever-devaluating resources to cover ever-increasing liabilities. As a result, they are looking at ways and means of adding to the family bread and milk budget.

We hope you enjoy the tips here, possibly even use them to make a little extra money. Or even a lot of extra money. We have no limits except those we impose on ourselves.

To manufacture the following items you will not need more than basic woodworking tools. We do recommend using power tools, as they are definitely faster, and easier to use.

Remember basic safety precautions.

The woodworking items are, in order of simplicity:

· Clothes stands;
· Wooden toys;
· Rocking beasts.

Overview

Clothes stands are under-estimated as essential items, and should be present in at least every boys room. It is the ideal place to hang clothes that are due to be worn, and allows more floor space for laundry.

A clothes stand is simply an upright fixed to a base, with dowels in holes near the top, on which to hang a clothes hanger with a shirt, a pair of trousers, a pair of socks, and underpants.

 

Modify the design to make the stand collapsible to transport easily, thereby providing an item you can market to campers.

It doesn’t just have to be used for clothing, as can also be used to hang your panic button on, or your keys, sunglasses, handbag, cell phone or jewellery.

Wooden toys can take any form. From cubes and blocks in bright colours, to wooden semi-trucks, to push-along ducks with flapping feet. Your local library will have patterns you can use.

Rocking beasts are more complex, and will consequently require more robust woodworking tools. Rather than subjecting yourself to the punishment of laboriously cutting out the rockers, laminate several layers of 6mm ply into a rocker shape. For smaller children, 4 layers will suffice, but for any person over 7 or 8 years don’t use less than six layers. If you take the time to make a sound jig, you will be able to use it repeatedly.

Presentation

Do not expect to sell any of your wooden products if they are not smooth and splinter free. Also ensure that all edges are slightly rounded. Just running your orbital sander along the corner will do the trick.

As the blocks are aimed at very young children, paint them, using non-toxic paint. The brighter the better. Make up different size packages, and put them into Netlon packaging.

Clothes stands and rocking beasts don’t need wrapping, and the colouring can be more subdued. Varnishing is also acceptable.
Always attach a business card to your sold products.

Costing

As with any manufactured product, a mark-up of 85% to 95% on the cost of materials is in order. In light of this, the clothes stands will probably be the most profitable in terms of labour.

Distribution

You can market your items anywhere. Explore the local flea-markets, and try to sell a few items to local shops. You will have to introduce your products to the market. Consistency and determination are extremely important.

If you’re not much of a people’s person, or are shy, consider getting a website to display your products on, and then market the website by leaving flyers in appropriate places, or use online marketing techniques.

Also see a long list of work from home ideas

You might also want to see a description of this ebook:
1000 ways to make money

© Tony Flanigan