Main Page

I have been considering the price that I ask for a carving of an angel. I recently tried selling them at a local crafters shop and had a lot of response, but that they were too expensive. I had to add a 20 percent commision to the price to be able to sell them there. But it caused me to evaluate my costs.

Consider the following cost for you to carve a six inch angel:

• Knife. Richard Butz knife at Woodcraft (see links) is about $12.95.
• Piece of basswood is about $2.00
• Perhaps a good book on beginning wood carving, $19.95
• Practice for 3 to 5 years.
• Spend what ever time you need. (See the note on the value of time below.)

   

  So with out the factor of time, it would cost you about $35.00 for your first angel.

Let's consider the value of time. Specifically spare time. The micro-economic method I use to measure the value of spare time is the MVST model, (Marginal Value of Spare Time), or the 'Automotive Repair' model. (If you haven't heard of it, it is because I made it up myself. Remember, wood carvers are philosophers.)

Here is the model. You work a normal job, between 40 and 50 hours a week. You have children and a spouse that also demand your occasional attention. You are active in the community and volunteer your time a few hours a week. Finally, your occupation in not automotive repair, but you are familiar with doing your own work. At what point is it worth your time to do your own oil change. Let's say that the total cost of materials is $10 for oil and filter. It takes you one hour to drain the oil, replace the filter, refill with oil and clean up.

Would you change your oil if the rate at a trustworthy facility was $15? Would you at $20? How about $25?

For you math fans, it would be Oil change price minus material cost = MVSP.

Personally, I would pay up to $35 for an oil change. Besides, they also lube the chassis and I don't have a grease gun.

So now consider my costs:

• Cost of wood. About $2.00
• Wear and tear on the knife. About $0.50
• Three to four hours of work. $60.00 to $80.oo.
• Ten years of experience. (Difficult to calculate.)
• Imagination. (Priceless.)
• Some of the cost, which may compensate for the expense of experience and imagination, is that I feel joy when carving. I feel happy as my imaginatio begins to appear in what was once a plain peice of wood.

So what we end up with is a minimum cost of $62.50.

There is another factor to consider when commisioning a carving. The expediency factor. How quick do you want it, and how much time to carve do I really have by that deadline. This decreases the amount of Joy and increases the MVSP.

Main Page

Free counters provided by Andale.