1-16-2012, and all is well . today i am going to talk some about selling your chainsaw carvings . i will be talking directly to the buyer and the seller as to what should be expected when buying or selling carvings.now there is those that do and those that don't. if you cant do it then let someone who can do and support him.
chainsaw carving is a specialized art form combining mechanical skills and artistic skills i an effort to produce an art statement. and at the same time you are immortalizing a piece of wood  that could have easily passed for firewood. years are taken to produce the logs that make up some these carvings and we are just preserving a piece and making its life as a tree and hereafter multipurpose.

      understanding your chainsaw and using it to its full advantage will extend the use of the saw and make it more economical to you as an artist. as i have said before it would take nothing to spend easily 500 dollars to buy all the equipment you need to properly learn how to chainsaw carve. and this is to only let you stand in your backyard and play with the chainsaw. i wouldn't head out to the fairs or invite your neighbor have a couple of beers and carve something. some may differ but alcohol never has a place with chainsaw carving, anytime it is better to wait till you are done carving and there is plenty of time to sit in awe of your newly created work. i will not go on about the use of alcohol or anything that effects your ability to carve safely. it is just common sense. something we all need but seldom use. the saw needs to be sharp and maintained to keep chain tight and the bar in good shape. sawdust and oil needs cleaned and blew off chainsaw with small portable air compressor. blowing air across the fins of the engine blowing all chips off daily. gas and oil kept clean and shake your gas jug to keep your oil and gas mixed. having all the safety equipment and ear protection is important. also a computer and access to internet and being able to down load prints for reference. if you are going to be in busieness , then cards and internet .com site may be helpful . all this takes money and time. at the minimum log time average i feel you have at least 10 dollars per foot in just the basic back yard set up. dont get in to deep till you test the water. but 10/foot  should cover your basic expense.

    now on top of this is your time and what is that worth? you have a fair idea of how good you are artistically.if you are working another part time job besides your regular job then you would have to have at least 15/ hour. and personally if you have ever had to have a tree trimmer come out and trim trees , i really dont think 30 an hour would be to much out of line as that is the least i would charge for cutting up firewood if i was to do that. i can cut a cord per hour of firewood if in a pile. that is going for 130per cord now for the same time. i feel 30 is a fair price based just on actual time spent carving. and how this relates to the 10per foot mechanical fee is that it takes about an hour to fine  carve a foot of log bringing your costs to 40per foot. and because no one ever sells their lowest price first would ask 50 per foot to carve. so a 3 foot carving would be approximately 150 dollars. this is based on wood and finishing and other factors. aand if you really think you are exceptional as a carver then no one will know unless they are able to buy a carving. i have gave away several carvings and have had some stolen , and this is what helps  acarver gain recognition in his or her area.try to give a carving to a friend yearly as a  way of thanking them for supporting you in your endeavor. these efforts always reward themselves in long run. cutting your price to move a bear to an elderly person stuck in an apartment . good deeds are always good advertising. donate to charities to establish yourself . or donate for a raffle is another way of selling and advertising. in the pic above i was donating my time to a local township historical society. it wasn't so much for the business at this time as i have quit carving with a chainsaw for most part, and now i am considering other artistic pursuits agreeable with a bad back. i have a lot more time in each individual carving and would have to ask to much for one that i have suspended selling of wood sculptures at this time. i will have on display all stock i have and can viewed anytime by arranging ahead. you can contact me through the comments section or email me at kdavis3051a@gmail.com.
     as buyers you now have an idea after going through the calculations of where you might want to start your negotiations. questions you might need to ask or think about.
       1. is that an inside or outside carving? inside carving may or may not be sealed . if a carving is dry and then taken into a dry environment it is not to bad in term's of cracking. but if you have a high moisture carving and you take it into a dry environment it can virtually blow apart.
       2. how dry and flawless is the wood it is made of? pine, oak, wild cherry, apple would be good but seldom used , are some of the common trees carved in this area. avoid water maple, or elm as these trees are high in water content and problems with the wood will likely occur more often.
       3. inquire as to the carvers experience and watch him carve if he will?
       4. is he a known carver?
       5. is the carving sealed ?
       6. inspect the carving and assure there are no insects or structural flaws. ( knots and small cracks are common . large cracks indicate rapid drying from cutting of green wood and this is not good)
       7. think about how the carving will fit into your home environment and if it fits.
       8. although most carvings sold are impulse buys , try to avoid this behavior.
 n  hopefully if both you and the carver are armed with the same information , then you will understand why he has to charge what he does. he wants to sell you a carving and should be forthright in his attempts. if you are unsure dont buy. i never pressured anyone into buying and it is usually buyer beware when purchasing carvings from most carvers. its yours when you take it home. good carvers will try to make right misrepresented items on their behalf but there is no return for something you took home and suddenly don't like the next day. support your local carver and hopefully he will transform your urban and rural neighborhood.