Opinions please.

[1acrefarm]

I am thinking about welding up some clothesline poles. I think with the prices of everything going up and people looking for more ways to be self sufficient the market may be opening up for them. If I made these they would be quality made from heavy steel and painted with rustoleum. They would outlast whoever bought them. This is not a sales pitch as I will not be marketing them on the site. They would be much too heavy and bulky to ship. I would have to sell them to locals.

Does anyone believe the market would be there? What does everyone think is a fair price to charge?

 

[debakadeb]

I would probably make up some and see what it brings. I know that when my children were young and the budget was very tight, I chose to hang out my clothes so I could afford to run the air conditioner -- if the temps were 100+.

I would have to admit it would not be my choice today other than for blankets and sheets. Would love to have a set for that!

Price -- no idea. I would figure your cost and multiply that by 3 or 4.

 

[Chirpy]

I love my clothesline! My hubby made mine but it's made out of 4x4 posts. I would have loved a good metal one but couldn't afford the materials or to buy one.

I think you should make up one or two and see if you can sell them.

 

[Southern28Chick]

My husband made mine with treated 4x4s. The cost of the wood, rope and concrete totaled only about $10, if that much. I don't much like the look of steel ones but that's my opinion.

 

[patandchickens]

You asked about price -- what kind of clothesline poles are you talking about? (I'm somewhat scratching my head, since to me that would be just a, you know, steel pole with a cap at the top to keep rain out, planted in a hole with some concrete -- but I assume you're talking aobut something fancier since you mention welding. Do you mean the folding umbrella-sorta style ones? Or what?)

Otherwise, I agree that the easiest thing would be to make a few up on spec and see if you can sell 'em easily and how much for

GOod luck,

Pat, who hates her clothesline (just b/c of where it is and what it's attached to) but LOVES drying clothes on the line

 

[willheveland]

In my opinon,if you enjoy making them just make a few and see how it goes.I like to tinker too,but the trouble I find that the cost of materials are extremely high.Steel is very high and limited to where you can buy it.Sometimes it's cheaper to buy things already built.If I want something for myself bad enough I just build it,but trying to make a profit might be tough.I just rebuilt a small trailer and wanted to lengthen the tongue a bit to use with canoes and kayaks.I needed a few peices to do this but was surprised how much it was for the few pieces.If I completely built the trailer myself it would have been cheaper to replace with a manufactured one. I know when you do something for yourself it is rewarding and many times built better than you can buy,but the bottom line is that we live in a disposable society and most people really don't bother with anything other than price(some do but most don't).Most would look at it as if it's cheap enough when it breaks or rots away I'll get a new one.
I love working with wood.One example to share with you are picnic tables.I have built some really nice ones for people.Lowes sells a bare bones table right now for $87. Go price the wood and you can barely buy the lumber for that.I like to rout the edges,sand them down and plug the screw holes so mine are much more attractive but try selling to some people and they'll tell you "gee,i can buy a picnic table at lowes for $87."
Not trying to burst your bubble,just my opinon.Make a few an see what happens.If your making it for a hobby-go for it.If your making it for profit -be careful. Will

 

[1acrefarm]

Will your post is all too true. I hear you about the cost of steel. I know I could never make a huge profit off of these but I would not want to make a loss either. It would be more of a hobby. I mainly want to make some and sell them locally to curb some electrical use in my town this summer. Our substation is overloaded and power is just not consistent in summer. I just priced a retailed clothesline pole locally and it was 45 for just one pole. I could easily bend this thing by hand. What would the weight of a couple loads of clothes and a 10 mph wind do? Why do we keep purchasing this junk? I plan to weld a few up for myself and it would be nothing to do a few more. I think I will do a couple extra pair and see what happens just like has been suggested..

 

[Cheep Mama]

I love hanging my clothes out!! I have some out there right now!!! I try using as little electricity as I can. I say go for it. Make a few and see how it goes. Figure how much materials will cost for each one, then add a little for profit. Good luck!!!!

 

[1acrefarm]

Quote:
Maybe I need to move to North Carolina. An 8 foot treated 4x4 is almost 6 bucks here. Quickrete runs from around 5 bucks to 7.50 depending on what you get. No way I would use less than a bag per hole. I could not set up a clothesline with 4x4s for under 35 bucks here. By the time I factored screws rope and steel L brackets to make it sturdy your looking at atleast 50.

 

[PennyinOK]

I don't know what aperson would charge for them but I do know a lot of people who ENJOY hanging clothes. I have a clothesline and a dryer and I use both. Good luck



Penny