Got a "Grip" ? 1911 Pistol grips

[Digitalwoodshop]

I have a Retired Navy friend near San Diego looking for wood grips for his Pistol.

Not something I have the time or expertise to get into with my CW so I though I would ask here if someone was already doing them.

Send me a PM and I will put you in touch with my Sony Buddy.

Thanks,

AL




"Speaking of work, why don't you start engraving pistol grips and such. There are so many people that would eat that up cause they all think they're RAMBO Jr. Small and easy to do. I know I'd love to have a set for my 1911 with my E-9 anchor on one side and MMCM on the other! That would be purely awesome. Made out of walnut. Just a thought."

[2A Finishing]

That's what I do for a living. I bought the carvewright to bring production in-house and so I could offer more unique options. Unfortunately my machine is down, so I'm back to farming out the milling, but my partner is fantastic. Here are a couple sets of inlays I've done recently (hand carved - I do my finish and my inlay work by hand only) I have a few pairs of feathered Claro Walnut already cut and in the shop ready for finish, as well as a couple pair of standard straight grain American walnut.

[Deolman]

Very nice on the grips.

[DianMayfield]

I read something on here, I want to say almost 2 years ago, that gave ideas for marketing what you make. It was pretty interesting, but I cannot find it searching for "estate" - one of the ideas was working with real estate agents to make address signs for new home owners as house warming/thank you gifts. If anyone knows what document I am referring to, it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to read it again, now that I am more proficient with the darn thing

[lynnfrwd]

I read something on here, I want to say almost 2 years ago, that gave ideas for marketing what you make. It was pretty interesting, but I cannot find it searching for "estate" - one of the ideas was working with real estate agents to make address signs for new home owners as house warming/thank you gifts. If anyone knows what document I am referring to, it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to read it again, now that I am more proficient with the darn thing

Was this the presentation that Tom Watson gave at the CarveWright Conference a few years ago?

[lynnfrwd]

I read something on here, I want to say almost 2 years ago, that gave ideas for marketing what you make. It was pretty interesting, but I cannot find it searching for "estate" - one of the ideas was working with real estate agents to make address signs for new home owners as house warming/thank you gifts. If anyone knows what document I am referring to, it wouldn't be a bad idea for me to read it again, now that I am more proficient with the darn thing

Found it: http://forum.carvewright.com/showthr...hlight=realtor

[Digitalwoodshop]

I did signs for a Realtor for a few years, over $1K per year, with his logo on the sign. It was for a gated community that required the signs. It was a source of advertising for them as it showed they were the top Realtor in the area and the sign lasted for years. I raised my prices as my Fire Tag Business was taking off and I was a one man shop. He found someone else to do it cheaper. I then started pushing my other sign requests to the new guy as he did nice work and I was too busy... It was a win win...

As for a Business... I started in 2007 and by 2009 I was almost Bankrupt.... My Navy Retirement went to pay the Building and Equipment Loan. So I needed to make operating expenses.. I ended up clearing my debt by rolling it into my Building Loan and just about have it paid off. The Craft Thing was Heavy on Labor and Light on Profit.... My savings grace was my local FD asking me if I could make Fire Tags with my printer after I made some printed signs for the Township Building. The 2nd lightning strike was when a Fire Tag customer asked why a Wood Shop was making Fire Tags?... I did a quick search and saw that www.AccountabilityTag.com was available and quickly bought the name. For $119.00 a year I have a Yahoo Business Site Host and just added lots of pictures. When most Fire Departments look for Tags they just do a search and I pop up on the first 5 pages a few times. I just got a 3rd big Tag order this morning making Three orders I am working on at the moment totaling over $8K... One is a Oil Refinery in New Mexico and they want to do another Refinery when I get done with this $4K one. They have Corporate Fire School in October and want to have the tags to show off.... So it is going to get crazy with other orders... And I could not do it without the CW cutting the tag blanks and the handles for the Accountability Boards.

I looked on eBay and saw over 22 pages of 1911 grips but NONE offering custom grips... For a few bucks a month to run a auction of WHAT you can do might be worth it... OR even come up with a Web Site.... Like my Navy Buddy said... Custom GRIPS will sell if you get the word out.... The trick is being found....

So the Craft Show thing died when the Economy Died... Finding Fire Tags and putting the CW to work has saved my business...

I plan to make the grips for my friend as a gift... He pulled my hide out of the Fire many times at Sony when we were both fixing the equipment making 17 inch Computer Monitor Picture Tubes on a 12 hour shift.

So the pictures... In the first picture the Quilt Racks... I STILL have about 3/4 of them in my storage room.... Didn't sell.. Wood Signs... First load catching up in back ordered signs for the Development Office... 2011 Fire Tags in picture 6 and Sheet Stock in picture 7 and Handles in picture 8.

AL

[dltccf]

yes, beautiful work.

dave

[Digitalwoodshop]

I hooked them up via eMail... Excellent work !!!

AL

[2A Finishing]

Just wanted to let you know I never did hear from your friend.