A new entry from Italy

[italiantools]

Hi, I am a new member and I live in Italy. I am 60 years old and woodworks is my first passion , second passion is to make woodworking tools (I build very very few pieces per month…). Now I did put them on sale on Amazon UK. My question is: do you buy your tools on Amazon UK? If not, where?
Thanks and sorry for my English….
Alex
(hammer)

 

[marcros]

welcome to the forum.

I personally dont buy tools from Amazon. I would buy from specialist tool retailers in the most part, both large and small.

There is no need to apologise for your English, it is very good so far!

 

[banjerbill]

+1 above

 

[Dee J]

Hi, Welcome
I think that most crafts people buy their tools based on one or more of three basic approaches:
1) Personal assessment of the item in their own hands.
2) Recommendation of another craftworker.
3) The reputation of a known manufacturer.

I think that buying blind from Amazon would not feature highly for a handmade item from an unknown maker unless the item was simple and cheap enough to 'take a punt' - meaning take a low value risk or gamble.

Sometimes the more experienced members of this forum provide reviews of new tools - perhaps a good starting point to establish a reputation is to provide some items to review?

Dee

 

[italiantools]

Hi, Welcome
I think that most crafts people buy their tools based on one or more of three basic approaches:
1) Personal assessment of the item in their own hands.
2) Recommendation of another craftworker.
3) The reputation of a known manufacturer.

I think that buying blind from Amazon would not feature highly for a handmade item from an unknown maker unless the item was simple and cheap enough to 'take a punt' - meaning take a low value risk or gamble.

Sometimes the more experienced members of this forum provide reviews of new tools - perhaps a good starting point to establish a reputation is to provide some items to review?

Dee

ok I thanks for your experience.
I was thinking to send (free)some of my tools, they are simple tools : insert plate for router table (stainless steel), jig dovetail , miter gauge and other things I hope soon... It may be the best way to promote products...

 

[Bm101]

Hi, you could try https://www.etsy.com/ You might need to enter relevant search terms.
A friend of mine sells his blacksmithing stuff on there I think and I seem to remember him saying fees were cheaper than Ebay.
Not really looked at it too much before. Seems to be very 'crafty' site. Every other word is 'vintage' and 'artisan' it seems. But it might be useful for selling handmade tools for that reason? I've just seen an old wooden toolbox on there for sale as a 'coffee table' for a shade under £290. :shock: I'm in the wrong job!
https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/2487503 ... gallery_32

Good luck!

 

[BearTricks]

There are a lot of people on there seemingly making good money. I have a set of drawers, somewhere between a filing cabinet and a map chest, maybe from the 50s or 60s that I bought for 50 quid from a local antiques store. It's a nice set of drawers with a bit of style to it. The same set, repainted, is currently on etsy for 200 quid. Ours could do with a paint job too.

 

[italiantools]

a few minutes ago I posted two items on Etsy . it is cheaper than Ebay and Amazon (this one is very expensive). Thanks!! (hammer)

 

[Steve Maskery]

Alex
Whilst you will get your knuckles rapped if you use this forum only to try to sell your tools, there is nothing at all to stop you putting a link to your website in your signature, like you can see in mine below. There are a number of us on this site who service the woodworking community, Peter Sefton, David C, Jetman, as well as me, and as long as we play by the rules then no-one minds. Indeed, everyone who buys a nice bit of kit, or a good book, or a good DVD, is glad that someone put that product in front of them so that they could benefit from it.

So why not go to your profile and edit your signature to provide a link? I'm sure we would all like to see what you make.

 

[Mike.S]

I've just seen an old wooden toolbox on there for sale as a 'coffee table' for a shade under £290. :shock: I'm in the wrong job!

I have a set of drawers, somewhere between a filing cabinet and a map chest, maybe from the 50s or 60s that I bought for 50 quid from a local antiques store. It's a nice set of drawers with a bit of style to it. The same set, repainted, is currently on etsy for 200 quid. Ours could do with a paint job too.

Sorry for being a bit o/t but I was looking at sold items on ebay and saw that carpenter's chests, stripped and varnished and then sold as linen chests/coffee tables etc actually sell for upto £250 :shock:

Back on topic: Alex, welcome!

 

[italiantools]

Steve, I took your advice and I posted my website on my profile.
Mike: thank you!

 

[Steve Maskery]

Er, no you haven't...

 

[Bm101]

On the subject of the fools + money = easily parted.... My Mrs showed me this a while back.
https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/swin ... GwodehUKsQ
on the subject of fools who work too hard for their money. Still seem to be working on that one.

Glad I could help a little with Etsy. Time will tell if that customer base values router jigs and so on. I'm not so sure. I do hope it works out though. I have a friend in Italy who makes some lovely knives and does some nice metal work/ tool making stuff. Young lad, good boy, maybe I could put you in touch? Where are you based?

Also, your website is not showing to me at least. You might have to make a certain number of posts before it allows you to do so, i'm don't know the details.

regards

 

[monkeybiter]

Steve, I took your advice and I posted my website on my profile.

Alex, You have added your website to your profile [Oh yes you have!] but you can also add it into your 'signature' and it will automatically appear at the foot of all your posts.
Access your user control panel, profile, edit signature.

 

[italiantools]

Steve, I took your advice and I posted my website on my profile.

Alex, You have added your website to your profile [Oh yes you have!] but you can also add it into your 'signature' and it will automatically appear at the foot of all your posts.
Access your user control panel, profile, edit signature.

Thank you Mike, now I try.
Bye bye

 

[italiantools]

On the subject of the fools + money = easily parted.... My Mrs showed me this a while back.
https://www.notonthehighstreet.com/swin ... GwodehUKsQ
on the subject of fools who work too hard for their money. Still seem to be working on that one.

Glad I could help a little with Etsy. Time will tell if that customer base values router jigs and so on. I'm not so sure. I do hope it works out though. I have a friend in Italy who makes some lovely knives and does some nice metal work/ tool making stuff. Young lad, good boy, maybe I could put you in touch? Where are you based?

Also, your website is not showing to me at least. You might have to make a certain number of posts before it allows you to do so, i'm don't know the details.

regards

Hi Bm101, I live in Treviso, a nice town about 20 km by Venice. If your italian friend live near me I wold like to know him!.
Bye bye

 

[beganasatree]

Hi Mike,
Thanks for the info you gave to Alex,I will try it and see if I can make it work for me.

Peter.

ps Welcome Alex.

 

[beganasatree]

Well mike,as you can see by the last post it almost worked.I will have another try later.

Peter

 

[Steve Maskery]

Alex
Is Treviso the place famed for its gigantic lemons? The ones the size of a football? I think I've been there. Very nice.

Also do you get LegnoLab? I used to write for them in my previous life, and I have couple of new articles for them in the pipeline soon. I wish I could write in Italian. I do have Italian OCN Level 2, but I've not used it for a long time, and it's a case of use it or lose it. I can still remember more of the French I learned at school than the Italian I learned 15 years ago. So I write in English and Legnolab translate.
One day I shall be fluent. Yeah, right.

 

[Mike.S]

Alex

My kitchen clock comes from Pordenone, not far from Treviso .

In a past job I used to travel to that area regularly: to Treviso (to see the colourful wooly jumper family), Pordenone (washing machine family) and then head for the Dolomites (spectacle frame manufacturer). Beautiful. Not at all envious (that's British irony).

Mike (one of the other Mikes)