what to charge for armour?

[Mykaru]

Do you like making armour? If you do, do it for yourself and as gifts.

Virtually *anything* else requiring as much practice, training, time and investment will pay 4 times as well. In addition to all you have to learn about armouring, you need to study tax law, how to run a business, etc., etc.. You can't just focus on the creative aspects. Even if it's only a part time gig or a hobby, you are still responsible for taxes and if you are receiving money people expect it to be run as a business. Customers believe that simply because *they* love armour and *you* love armour you are best friends and thus you should give them the sweat of your brow for free. (Why this is I've never understood. I Love bacon. I expect Ted Bundy did too. It doesn't make us friends.)

If you ABSOLUTELY must take money for armour, ONLY sell completed pieces.

[bohdon]

schreiber: thanks for the input, much appreciated. I have only just recently started fluting and i only had a few chisels and some wood to boot. so i guess i could say there has been alot of effort, but probally could be with a better direction ( proper tools and techniques) i have started to do a lot more research to improve both. I must make a point also, i didn't make those knee cops. i wish i could claim that, but i can't. I first started out and got the leggings some years ago ( can't remember where) as a munitions grade set. they worked really well, i just out grew them. the knee and lames were still great and fit well, so i only re-made the cuisse and the wrap plates. I wished to lighten the armour weight so i used 18ga instead of 16ga. however doing live steel combat, i felt more secure if the 18ga was fluted to resist crushes from impact and what not. The other unfortunite thing was i had no idea what design i was gonna flute in them, so i just made something up. From a distance i suppose its ok, but upclose its so damn ugly. BUT it serves a purpose and serves it rather well. All my previous fluting projects where mostly just in the wood, this is the first that i did over a stake. also i had yet to make my raising hammer. Also i had no idea how the flutes where supposed to turn out, so thank you on the input on that also. pictures don't show things really well, and its hard to get an exact answer with in 10-15 min when your in the middle of a project.

Now the elbows. i gotta say that im rather imbarresed with the elbow cops. i didn't have any sheet steel laying around so i just had to use what i had. sadly i only had 14ga laying around and not enought on any peice for a wing. I tried to beat that thing the best i could, but i onloy got so far. not that i have a raising hammer and proper steel, i should have better results. The rest of the arms are also out of 18ga and i wanted some sort of fluting in those also. I thought maybe if i had the fltuing go from both sides it would look ok. well i botched that up and also had trouble with the hindges. But by the time i had realized my goof it was too late to fix unless i punded everything out. i had an event to go to in a few days and decided i could live with it all.

once things get better, i wanna attemp something on a full suit scale. i really like the way the german gothic looks, but i have no heat sorce for hot raising some of the peices a suit like that requires. any suggestions for a style and time period for a suit?

Mykaru: I really like to make armour, but i don't think i could ever do it on a level as full time work. I don't care much on how to run a buisness or doing it my self. So for the time being i think i'll just improve my skill and keep thing on a slow scale. as far as getting money for armour made, no paper trail technically means it wasn't bought. no sales no taxes.