Alright. I am desparate, and I need some help.

[Brandon Cornwell]

Okay. So. Here's the background. I tried to work with my father, but I realized that when I for for him, I hate him, and he fired me as I mutually quit. That was on Thursday, the 17th. I got my last check, and that has run out. I have maybe, *maybe* two or three more nights worth of gas for my generator, and then I am out of power. I have one full tak of gas, and about half of it is spoken for. I have my application in at several places, but no-one has called me back yet. So i signed up at a hiring agency, and I need to wait for THEM to call me. Until then, I have exactly $0.09 in my bank account. I need to make some quick cash, so i am whoring myh skills out.

All my chainwork is cut to %30 off. Every damn thing. Suits, necklaces, etc... A $60 necklace is dropped to $40, to round it down. A $50 necklace is dropped to $35. Get the picture? A suit that would normally be $300 is now $210. For a full chainmaille hauberk.

So. I need comissions. I will work on them on all of my off time, and complete them as fast as I can. Shipping will have to be extra, as it always has been, but all of my base prices are slashed.

Come on, people, help me out. You'll get an awsome deal, and I don't lose my house. It's a win-win situation.

[Denial]

I'd suggest showing people where to see your items for sale, Brandon. For starters.

[Ripraf]

One main thing about commissioning and businesses alike. Advertise, advertise, advertise.

Get your name out, get your specialty out, build a reputation, and you'll be in the business more than you would have though possible, making more than a simple job.

It takes time, but with quick cash, just call up some friends who have friends, or go to atinque shows, or have a large yard sale, etc.

If you really needed the money, don't take this the wrong way, but, you have to not be lazy about it. (not that I'm calling you lazy)

Having a normal job works, and it's pay, etc, but not enough in the real world. Working for yourself is the most successful thing anyone on the planet has ever, and will ever, do. I am going to try and soon start my own, but it will actually require money to start off. If you have product, you're set to go. Retail is not always fun, but selling a couple of suits, two or three, and you've got yourself set for the week, with more than what any job could have given you.

It's really simple if you really, really wanted the money. You just have to go and get it.

REMINDER: ADVERTISE!

[Acacia]

Last I heard Brandon was offline, so maybe he won't be back for a day or two to reply to this, so I'll help him out....

He has a dA here: http://brandoncornwell.deviantart.com/

And while I didn't know he had it until I read his dA, he also has a site here: http://www.geocities.com/celticchaincrafts/


He does good stuff, I've gotten things from him before. And, if you're lucky, like me -- you'll get his digits and get to listen to the slaughter of a duck (or was it a goat?) over the phone. It's a win-win!

[Brandon Cornwell]

I was able to borrow my brother's compy for a bit, and I was able to see the site proper that Psyche built for me. Muchos Kudos to her!

Check it out here.


And Acacia? Thanks so much. i was in such a hurry I completely forgot to put up the links. XD

Ripraf; This is true. I have been advertising, talking, pushing product, etc.. for a while. I have been doing well with my work-wages for a while,. but now... eh... I just need gas to get to and from work, and I am on my last tankfull. So I was hoping to try and get some cash to hold me over, and maybe jumpstart my business. Web and Psyche have helped me out by building the site, and they get great kudos and promises of shinies. SHINY shinies.

[Acacia]

And Acacia? Thanks so much. i was in such a hurry I completely forgot to put up the links. XD

No problem. You know if I was a millionaire I'd do more -- like buy you a nice car....

[Ripraf]

I was checking out some of that stuff on that "cornwell metalworks" website, and from the looks of it, those are pretty nice peices, for armor. You'd make a much better business focusing on the armor and stuff, than you would the jewelry. Why is that? Mainly because the jewelry, also to not insult you, doesn't look as "unique" as it did back in the medieval days.

But those chainmail curiass look pretty nice, even with the coppertrim. My roommate is a big SCA junkie, so he may be interested. HOWEVER, don't take that as a, "YAAAY SOMEONE IS BUYING!" But if you made enough of those chainmake items, they look pretty professionally made, and look fitting to the wearer, based on historical standards. Try going to art shows and road shows, selling them off as antiquities. You'd make more money there.

EDIT: Oh, and about your website. Try to only add things in that make it more professional, if you really want people to take it seriously. I just saw the "He is a user on a roleplaying site, the Keep (link)"... I wouldn't wanna buy when I saw that.  :schmollen

[Brandon Cornwell]

I was checking out some of that stuff on that "cornwell metalworks" website, and from the looks of it, those are pretty nice peices, for armor. You'd make a much better business focusing on the armor and stuff, than you would the jewelry. Why is that? Mainly because the jewelry, also to not insult you, doesn't look as "unique" as it did back in the medieval days.

The funny thing about that statement is this... I have sold a granbd total of three (3) hauberks (which is the technical term for a chainmaille suit... A cuirass is made of more rigid materials.) And that has amopunted to a grand total of about $700. Over 4 years.

Now, my necklaces have sold much better, about three times better. My records indicate that I have made about $3500 off of my necklaces and bracelets and earrings and pendants. HUGE difference. Also, the turnaround time is much faster for a necklace or a bracelet than a hauberk.

But my most popular item is the chainmaille bikini. Exotic dancers love them...

[Targan]

I thought when I read the thread title that the help you needed was from a dictionary.

[Ripraf]

Thats the thing, Brandon. If you can mass-sell your suits, and sell even close to 3 a week, that'll be a huge start, and then imagine how much you can sell with your other stuff. There's your job, right there!

Go to an SCA event and whore you stuff.

[Web~Janitor]

I don't exactly see how a person could make three chainmaille suits a week without dying. If the starvation didn't do them in, the lack of sleep eventually would.

[Kitsune Fury]

Holy crap. There's an ad banner for Brandy's chainmaille at the top of my Keep window.

Awesome.

[Cattie]

Does anyone know if Bran has stuff made and ready to go?  Selling that outright will probably be easier than taking orders now.

[Ripraf]

I don't exactly see how a person could make three chainmaille suits a week without dying. If the starvation didn't do them in, the lack of sleep eventually would.

Not making three a week, taking the orders of three a week, and give them a month of wait time. It's cheap, they can wait.

[Achréiøs]

To be fair, a great many SCA events/groups already have a number of competent maillers and armorers who are part of that community. More importantly (for Brandon) a lot of these people are hobbyists, and therefore have no problems selling their work at cost or for a paltry profit - BC, meanwhile, is actually trying to make something on this.

Renaissance Festivals and that sort of thing are probably a better choice, partly because they tend to draw a larger number of people from a wider range and partly because they tend to be more oriented toward professional sellers. The jewelry at least probably has appeal to a number of niche markets and lifestyles.

Honestly maille in general is a pretty rough market, I know three or four people in it and the ones trying to make a living always have rough periods. =\

[Brandon Cornwell]

I thought when I read the thread title that the help you needed was from a dictionary.

... It's a typo. By the time I caught it, I had already submitted the thread, and you can't change it after that. No need to be caustic.

RipRaf; See, the thing is, I've only ever gotten three comissions. And one of them was just, "Hey, I saw you have a suit for sale. Wanna take $50 less than you want for it?" and I decided to sell it just to get rid of it. I was tired of sitting on that inventory, and it cleared a large space in my workshop. Whereas necklaces and bracelets take up very little space, take very little time to make, and have a larger profit/hour margin. I may spend 100+ hours on a suit, and turn $200 profit, a meager $2/hour. With a necklace, for example, one I sold last winter, I spent 8 hours on it, and made $120 profit. That breaks down to $15/hour. MUCH better turnaround. Also, it's less ruinous to my body, ad I have arthritis, and symptoms of Carpel Tunnel (sp?). I have also developed RSS (Repetitive Stress Syndrome) from hand cutting hardened steel with my hand cutters. So, if I were to destroy my hands making nothing but armor, then I'd soon find myself without a hobby, and without hands.


Webby; Exactly I can barely turn out a hauberk in 2 months, let alone 3 ina week. I DO have a life beyond full time mailling, unfortunantly.... Job hunting takes up a great deal of time.

Kitsune~Fury; I know. Bitchin', huh?

Cattie; I do have a little bit of stuff pre made, and I am moving as much of that product as I possibly can, but most of what people are wanting takes modification or redesigning. And it's not really anything to throw another necklace together, taking 8-10 hours, depending ont he peice. I am working on a peice tonight that will be done quite shortly. I'm just waiting on verification of funds, so I can order the centerpeice. I will photograph and display all peices that I make new in this promotion. Purchaser anonymity will be maintained, unless otherwise given express permission.

Ball o' Cheese; You hit the nail on the head, there... Most SCA enthusiasts either make their own maille, or end up exschanging favors for one from someone they know... Mostly I sell to collectors, movie makers, or the SCA people *I* know that want maille. Or tattoo artists... I did a swap for some tats. I think I made out all right.

[Ripraf]

Sounds like you need to recruit some off-side help making the suits. Jewelry is nice, but suits are better. it's like a car salesman... It takes a long, hard effort to sell something that gives them a lot of money, and when it pays off its not satisfying... But then they do it a lot, and they get better and better, then make more money. I have had hands-on experience with sales like that (computers, not cars), and it really does work.

Find someone to loan you money to get better tools, automatic cutting tools, etc; and I can bet your "2 month period" will be cut down to 2 weeks, or even less. If you simply "Take the order", you have all the time you properly need to make it! You just gotta want to make it.

If it makes you feel better, continue to upsell the suits, but make the jewelry your priority. That way, you always have income to keep you set, but you can still make big cash on the side. And, once you're out of huge money needs, up the price on the suits, and sell them with a little extra, that way they're more appealing, and they give you more than the "$2/hour" limit. (This is all assuming you can find a way to get automatic tools so your hands don't turn into the ganglean that comes off jellyfish.)

The harder you work, and the more you put into it, the more it pays off. It's common sense, and physics.

[Rosery]

I personally say stay to jewelry. I've been looking and I would personally buying the jewelry before the suits of armor and I am someone very interested in such things. Im also directing a few of my friends towards it, I can't afford any of it sadly, even with the state of the Canadian and US dollar. Sorry, or I would buy some of that jewelry, its gorgeous.

[Targan]

... It's a typo. By the time I caught it, I had already submitted the thread, and you can't change it after that. No need to be caustic.

You are right. I apologise. I was having a bad day. I'd love some chainmail but I'm afraid there would be some mighty big postage associated with sending an order to Australia.

[O'Borg]

You are right. I apologise. I was having a bad day. I'd love some chainmail but I'm afraid there would be some mighty big postage associated with sending an order to Australia.

He could send it as a Self-Assembly kit :p

[Furr]

I guess the postage from the US to Australia is the same as US to Denmark.. But I'm not sure. We're talking maybe 50 bucks, or something. Again, not sure...
It seems a bit much, but it isn't, for a 30lbs hauberk.

(also, Brandon makes durable stuff, it's awsum. I can only approve of his skills. And yes, it's tried and tested.)

[Web~Janitor]

Well, if you can put it in a standard envelope (the jewelry for instance) it's not so expensive. Just be sure to insulate.

[Acacia]

How's this going, anyhow, B? Any closer to not being homeless?

[Brandon Cornwell]

Actually, I was going to post an update now. Impatient, impatient.... As always. :p

I got hired on at Cargill, at a turkey farm. I gather eggs for a living, about 3-5 thousand of them every day, spaced over 1 hour runs. I, apparntly, am skiulled enough with enough endurance to do double the workload of what a normal 'new guy' can do, so I have been told, after only a few hours on the job, and once my Penmac Hiring Agency stint runs out (60 days from last wednesday) I am a permenant Cargill employeed, with benifits (awsome retirement, medical, etc..) and schedualed raises. By the time I have been there for a year, I'll be making roughly $2,000 a month, net. Enought o build my house all the way and do anything I need to do. Which is awsomeness incarnate. However, I am going to leave the sale in place until memorial day, and I'm going to talk to Web and Psyche about designing a more permenant website. With order buttons, and all the bells and whistles that I can pay for.

Life is looking up, and, to say thank you to everyone who helped me out, and for all the support I have been getting, I will leave the sale in place until Memorial day. If you need some time to get the caqsh together, then the sale applies to any oirder taken by Memorial day, no matter how long it takes to plan/design/produce the item.

Things are looking up immensely!

[Ripraf]

Just keep pluckin those eggs.