Custom work – our specialty! That’s what we advertise, and that’s what we prefer. Working with customers to create their vision is a very enjoyable process. So, you might ask, why are we blogging about mass production vs one of a kind?
Mass Production vs One Of A Kind
Early on in our company’s career, we tackled several mass production jobs. One company asked us if we did wholesale. We never even thought about wholesale. With a small company, it’s hard to pencil out doing wholesale. Our price point is fairly low to begin with. The company wanted to negotiate with us for the wholesale price. We really didn’t make any money on that job.
Torn between getting our name out there and keeping quality high, we took some jobs that were more trouble than they were worth. People want you to keep their price down. That’s great if you are set up to be a mass production shop. We are not.
So, we started being more selective about the jobs we accepted.
Fund Raisers
A few non profit organizations have contacted us about creating auction pieces for them. The Deschutes River Conservancy commissioned us to create table decorations to be auctioned off at their fund raiser. In this case, they wanted us to set a price so we more than covered our cost. They understood that each piece is hand finished and a piece of unique art. It was so successful, they asked us to work with them again at the next year’s fund raiser. This type of project is great. Even though we were producing many of one item, they asked for different patinas to make them one of a kind.
Donation Plaques
The High Desert Museum commissioned us to create donation plaques for their new otter exhibit last year. The numbers were smaller, so it was more doable. We also worked with a local company to engrave names on the steel. This presented us with a new technique and learning experiences.
More recently, we’ve been contacted by a zoo to create donor wall plaques. The sheer numbers of plaques made us think twice about looking at this venture. If we take on something this large, then our one of a kind pieces will play second fiddle to this project. It’s still in the planning stages.
Our Heart is With One Of A Kind
The process of creating unique pieces and working with customers is very satisfying to us. It keeps our creativity and interest at a higher level. Hopefully, that means a higher quality product in the end. We understand that people may have needs to create something unique in mass quantity. We’re just not sure it’s our cup of tea.
At some point, we may just say “no” when it comes to mass production. Each job is different. At this point, we’ll still just play it by ear.