Question for people who make toys?

[greeneyedbaby190]

So I have been searching around the internet lately, because I would eventaully like to make toys for my honey's on my own. Now, however, I have a question. Where do people who sell chin toys/treats in bulk find their supplies to make such things? For the most part I have found that buying the supplies would cost more than a lot of people end up selling the finished project for. So how do you keep costs down on production? Do you have lots and lots of trees that you harvest from, or do you have places that you purchase from in bulk? Loofah at least makes sense since you can grow it...but pumice, woods, rosehips, and the like seem to be cost prohibitive.

 

[igotfatchins]

I bought a lot of wood from Ronda once. The only toy I know how to make are chew sticks stringed up with sisal rope.
What kind of toys are you planning to make?

 

[greeneyedbaby190]

Everything ever.

Ok that might be a bit of an exageration, but I do love the hanging toys, and my girls like theirs. So definatly those. I actually keep meaning to put in a wood order somwhere and forget...need to get that taken care of.

 

[ChinnyMom]

buying in bulk is the most cost effective way to get toy parts. whenever i go to place an order, i buy a fair amount of each type of wood/vine/pumice, etc. it does mean shelling out a bit more money in one shot, but worth it in my opinion.

if you have a favourite supplier and they don't advertise bulk pricing, just ask them. i'm sure any seller with enough stock in supply would be more than willing to work with you on a bulk order.

 

[Tagna]

A lot of people have wholesale accounts and don't share where their suppliers are. I know it took me ages to find my own suppliers.

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

A lot of people have wholesale accounts and don't share where their suppliers are. I know it took me ages to find my own suppliers.

Same experience here. Most of what I buy and have found were from google searches online. I buy some of my wood from other vendors on here, as well as finding wood from friends, etc. You can also check some of the bird sites that sell toys, and toy making material.

 

[Ronda]

My dad's trees tremble when they see me coming. I even bought apple trees last year so I could harvest from them.

Toys are next on my list but still haven't invested in the hardware for them. I since I do harvest and process my own wood that expense is down, however, I put in a lot of SLAVE HOURS working on the wood too.

A lot of wholesalers won't sell to the general public - usually they require a storefront.

Ronda

 

[Twilight Chinchillas]

My dad's trees tremble when they see me coming.


Ronda

I can picture it now! You know your really gone, when you cruise the neighborhood looking at trees, and wondering hmm what kind of tree is that?? lol
I blame it all on Ronda!

 

[Ronda]

Oh, I'm bad alright - I was taking my cousin home last year and I saw a guy emptying his trailer onto a pile of limbs and almost got whiplash from how fast I did a double take to see what type of wood he was tossing. My cousin just laughed at me...

Ronda

 

[greeneyedbaby190]

I can picture it now! You know your really gone, when you cruise the neighborhood looking at trees, and wondering hmm what kind of tree is that?? lol
I blame it all on Ronda!

Gah sadly i have already caught myself doing that, even started jumping up and down when I realized the tree in my backyard had fruit growing on it that looked suspiciously like apples. Of course then it actually turned out to be apricots so of course not much use other than as human food. :cry3:

 

[greeneyedbaby190]

Yay! I am super excited. I went to my grandparents and "discovered" that they have an apple tree. If course I have always known this, just had forgotten! So I have been cleaning and baking wood all day. The girls love the pieces I have already given them. Plus they have roses and grapevines. So we shall see what else they might have hidden in the depths of their canaverous garden.

 

[Sesame]

Just make sure there hasn't been any pesticide use (including past years) and you've prepared it correctly. If you use the forum search function, there's quite a few threads on how to prepare woods, safe wood list, etc.

Happy toy making!

 

[greeneyedbaby190]

Yea, I checked with them and from what they said the tree has never been sprayed...my great grandparents are the ones who planted it and they never sprayed it. So that is wonderful.

 

[ChinnyMom]

i've got a couple apple seeds sprouting in a water cup right now. i figure when Rhino is 10 years old (he's 19 months now), he can have home grown apple wood! lol!