Wood Veneer stickers

We have a well known local bookstore that sells printed and die cut wood stickers for $6, which is exactly what these people charge

So I’d find $6 or a bit more, since laser engraved, appropriate, especially if you also added color.

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Any idea how they apply the color to the wood stickers? Can’t be hand done for 6 a piece. Curious…

I say more than 3.5. My experience with magnets starts at 5 and in some places I have seen magnets can go up to 8 or 9. Stickers and magnets aren’t exactly the same, but they are both in the instant deco family. How big are they. THere could also be a price size perception, too.

I’d guess direct UV printing. Expensive equipment to start but once you have it, it’s the fastest and most durable finish.

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Never, ever price on time and materials. You should price to what the customer will pay. It is nearly always higher than you think

If that’s a lot - then great, you’ve got something special.
If that’s a little - then find something else to make.

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… or someone else to buy it! :grin:

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I’d guess UV printing too, or maybe sublimation? I found this from the company, but it looks like it was before they offered colored versions.

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What a great shop! Really great concept. Who would’ve thought you could make a living on stickers. Good on them. A UV printer…another machine for the wish list, but not sure how I would get that approved.

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Where do you buy wooden sticker paper

According to the Dust City Wood Sticker page, it is hardwood veneer with 3m backing, so you can get it lots of places. There is a small company that sells veneers with printed designs, https://smokeyhilldesigns.com/ and of course there is always Proofgrade veneer.

True, but if you are doing it anyway you can unload what you don’t personally want

I was more thinking about making them on purpose. Using my cost formula (and Glowforge’s OLD veneer price of 11/sheet) a 2x3 inch sticker would be 28 cents for material (this does not include tax and shipping to get the old-priced veneer).

If an engrave takes 15 minutes for one sticker (which I doubt it would for my 2x3 example), depending on your rate per minute, it could be more. My rate of 30 an hour would mean a 15 minute engrave costs my customer 7.50 (their own artwork-not my design-I double or triple rates for my own work to create wholesale and retail prices), plus 28 cents materials (without taxes and fees). If someone owns a Pro and charges a fair rate of 60/hour, that 7.50 time for 15 minutes becomes $15.00. And still haven’t figured actual retail price.

Now if you are using proofgrade, the price of maple is now 31.50 plus tax and shipping (25 dollars for shipping). I always use my formula for the price, and then I ask myself if anyone would be willing to pay that. If the answer is no, then I have a nice file for a gift, but not really for sale.

Let’s say the engrave takes 5 minutes per sticker though (going with my same small size), my time cost is 2.50, my materials cost will be like a dollar going by proofgrade price). So 3.50 is my cost, I would have to sell it at above that price to make it worth it to me. Like 7 dollars, which I think someone would still pay (I think for a wood sticker, depending on the artwork and size, people will pay up to 10 without grumbling)…

I just recently bought a bunch of vinyl stickers, one for each state I stopped in on my trip, and I spent 5-7 dollars for those. Each are about 4 inches high. One really cool metal sticker I paid like 7.50 for I think.

FYI, it’s just what I do and consider. I honestly forgot about this thread since it’s from October of last year. But I hope it clarifies what I meant.

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Glowforge sells veneer with 3m backing. You can also buy veneer sample packs with lots of options online. Those would be semi-flexible. Cards of Wood sells veneer that can go through a printer. You can then apply adhesive either via a roll (3M) or with something like a Xyron.

Here’s what I did with the Cards of Wood paper-backed veneer and my laser printer (also my laser cutter!):

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You can find adhesive-backed wood veneer at almost any Michaels store in the US! It’s the Silhouette brand wood sheets they sell for their vinyl cutting machines. They’re usually hanging from a rack on the end cap of whatever aisle has the vinyl supplies, alongside the Silhouette brand sticker paper and printable vinyl.

https://www.michaels.com/silhouette-wood-adhesive-sheets/10649474.html

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Have you used those? I haven’t heard great things about them.

Cue fact-finding mission!

I accompanied the wife on a Hobby Lobby excursion and picked up a pack of the Silhouette wood sheets.

Here’s a sticker made with the maple, one of the 3 finishes in each pack:

The wood looks and cuts great, but I couldn’t find any setting that engraves it well.

Too thin compared to e.g. Proofgrade veneer, darn. Should work fine for cut and scored designs though.

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You’re on the ball! One of the biggest complaints was the adhesive, so let me know when it’s stuck. :wink:

I scored the design this time, and then stuck it to this hide-away drawer I keep my sanding blocks in. It’s not coming back off unless I want to break it.

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I buy rolls of veneer from the lumber store. It’s unfinished and paper-backed (they do sell 3M backed in the roll for about double the price). I apply my own 3M backing to it. It cuts, engraves, and scores well with proofgrade settings.

At 25 dollars a roll (30 after taxes), I can get 5 sheets, so it’s not too bad. Lately I’ve been buying the 24x96 inch rolls and getting double the sheets for less than double the price (like 46)… I’m not sure how many others have a giant roll of 3M tape lying around, but this is what works for me.

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Really good idea!!