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Production Potter Rate


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Hello,

I'm looking to hire a local production potter to make some ceramic items for me to market and sell in various stores in my area. I have ideas, but unfortunately a lack of artistic ability. :/ Unfortunately I do not know the "going rate" on a per-piece or per-pound basis. It would be for things like mugs and vases. I understand they may be different due to size. Would anyone be able to enlighten me regarding how much a production potter is typically paid?

 

Thanks,

Nate

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We need more info as mentioned above.

My feeling is this will be a hard road to plow-unless you are talking about finished wholesale forms.

Let us know more details on what you are going to provide or need.

Heres a few questions

are you providing clay and wheel?

are you wanting greenware or fired product?

are you wanting them to throw in your setup?

 

 

Mark

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Nashall;

This is sounding exploitive to me. What's in it for the potter? You buy his/her finished goods that they have custom made to your order,you mark it up and make a profit.

I wouldn't touch this and I have done some dumb things in my time.

TJR.

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Production piece work is extremely hard to find a skilled potter willing to work for peanuts.

My orginal statement rings true

(My feeling is this will be a hard road to plow-unless you are talking about finished wholesale forms.)

Mark

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actually, it sounds like nashall only wants to know how much to pay a potter.  

 

in his/her area (not specified).

 

for making something (not specified).

 

:) if  it turns out that i am in that area, i will do whatever is needed for $4,000 per hour. :D

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I ll do it for $45/ hr. And I'll produce 20 handle-less cylinders an hour. I don't do pulled handles.

Vases 10. - ish per hour.

If I'm having a bad day less output.

I only work in air conditioned studio, some else wedges and weighs, trimming and glazing is another rate, I only thow with porcelain, ........

Yes that was sarcastic response....

 

Why don't you get molds made and slip cast????

Learn his to make the pieces you want to sell?

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Hi everyone,

 

It is ok to be critical of your fellow forum users, as long as you are keeping it civil and having a meaningful discussion. Making fun of someone is really not ok. Some have asked OP for more information, the original question really does not contain enough information to assume he/she is up to no good, and does not deserve a sarcastic response. If OP comes back and provides more info, then we can continue to discuss his/her idea.

 

My initial thoughts for OP ... I know good production potters who will gladly work for another potter to help produce that potter's line, but I have never heard of a good production potter agreeing to produce the ideas of a non-ceramics person. It seems like there would be way too many gaps in communications, especially regarding the technical capabilities of ceramics.

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GEP;

you are correct. we should be taking the high road here. I have been a production potter in my life. I have taken on orders that were thankless. This request just seemed to be a bit mercenary to me.

Why not buy the stuff from China and mark it up?

TJR.

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The biggest hang up is why the OP is asking about a production potter's rate when it sounds like he's looking for general prices for purchasing product from a potter, as suggested by post #2...

Colby, what DirtRoads asked is a reasonable question, but it doesn't mean this is what OP meant. Again, we need to hear more from OP before we make assumptions, because there was not enough information provided yet.

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Sorry Forum users, but so many rip offs and stories of exploitation abound that My cynicism and wariness were alerted.

Any one taking on work of this kind, what ever  hte rate, be sure to have a contract on paper, and yes some of the money up front to ensure payment. MAny potters have been left holding ware ordered, and money/effort spent, only to be let down.

The going rate wold depend on many factors:

Experience and reputation of the potter;

Ware to be produced;

Time required to produce ware,

Time frame,

etc etc.

No one rate.

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Well as stated it does not sound like it will work but I just can't see the sinister side of the post.  

 

Nate as Mea Rhee said, production potters sometimes get paid by the piece or pound for production work but that is mostly if they are coming to your pottery studio and you are providing everything else. They simply show up and throw or hand build your forms and you take it from there as far as decorating and firing. These potters are also I think generally doing this for a brief time. They may be new and wanting experience or maybe they are transitioning in life and don't currently have a studio or job and want to do this temporarily.

 

Hand made pottery may appear to be priced high in comparison to cheap slip cast imports but it is very labor intensive and the higher price barely offsets this higher labor cost and I don't think leaves enough margin for your idea to work unless the pottery is priced really high or the potter is willing to work really cheap, neither of which will be sustainable in the long run for you or them.

 

You do have some options though beyond your post if this is something you are serious about pursuing.

 

If you are in an area that has a larger brick and mortar retail pottery take your design ideas down and talk with them. They sometimes have some equipment such as RAM presses they can use to work the price down or maybe they have a couple of really fast and productive throwers and would like to have the work to keep them busy with and can accommodate a lower price. If you are willing to buy forms a couple of hundred at a time they might be able to help.

 

You can also find a studio potter in your area that has a fully equipped studio at home and have the same meeting. I would expect this to be less likely to work because they likely will just not have the setup to be able to make the pottery cheap enough to you for you to then be able to get a markup when you sell it to retail shops.

 

Thirdly you could rent a spot and setup a pottery studio and then hire production potters either full time or in the manner you first suggested. Obviously this will require a large commitment on your part well beyond just paying piece mill but then you could make it work in the same way that potteries work in general. The biggest obstacle to you for this approach is that you would likely spend mid five figures getting the doors open and then you will have to hire all the talent. I would venture that you could hire a seasoned mid-career studio potter to run and manage things for you for 50k-60k a year and in most areas $20-$30 an hour should get you a good thrower or hand builder to come work in your studio. Lots of potters will do this ;-)

 

Whatever you decide I would recommend spending a lot of time researching this business. It is not an easy or cheap business model and for a non potter to make a go of it would be unusual I think.  

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  • 4 months later...

I do some production work for another potter who wants their work to be handmade, but can't possibly make it all.  I deliver the bisque, and she glazes at her studio.  She buys all of the clay, and I help design the work so it is throwing friendly.  We work out a cost per piece that fits into her wholesale cost, and I do the piece work.  I personally enjoy doing zero of the marketing.  I just drop off and get paid COD.  BUT...she already has a flourishing wholesale business.  Her work is marketed, and she is growing.  I also have the benefit of having her as a Mentor for getting my line together.  The work landed in my lap at a time when I wasn't working in the studio much, but wanted to get back to it.  I didn't have the money to get things going myself.  

I think there are people out there who may want this type of arrangement.  Put an ad in the back of ceramics monthly, or CAD.  You might find a good fit.  

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I really wish that I had seen this thread back when it was posted instead of this more recent bump. But the first two words that come to my mind are "design trade."

 

My husband is in the interior design business, and it frequently comes up that designers develop ideas for pieces that go with their "brand," but they can't produce them. This can be anything from specific rug patterns to a line of chairs to a style of ceramic lamp.

 

The challenge is then to find an appropriate crafts person to produce it for you, then resell it to design clients. The process usually involves either design patents or other agreements of sole resale.

 

I do personally know one very successful potter who caters to the interior design trade and has taken on a few projects like this. I know many carpenters and rug companies that do it regularly.

 

All of this said, for something along these lines, pricing almost has to be on a case by case basis, worked out between the potter and the designer. Think about what you want to resell the item for? How much time does it take the potter to produce? How much guaranteed inventory are you willing to buy up front? These all factor in.

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