# Wizard staff project...ongoing



## Peterp (Mar 2, 2019)

So naturally, like in knife making you get the odd question &#8230;.can you make me a sword? or trench knife...or &#8230;.something in that line...I found out that in walking stick world its, can you make me a wizard staff? Wellllll sure my little Merlin!







what kind of power would you like it to have?







&#8230;.so once this guy got the ok from me, 30 mins later he was at my door with a blue crystal ball the size of a baseball...







can you put this on top as a power crystal? YUP! So it began, no clue how to make this and this guy had no idea of what he wants his staff to look like. but he wants it 6 feet tall







. After researching some design on line at witches R Us, I decided to go with earth elements....cool....but what about the look of the staff? the top half is easy, roots and crystal ball....but what about the staff? couple of days ago a buddy talked to me about Diamond willow wood used for walking sticks &#8230;.I looked in to that and funny thing its also the preferred wood for witches and wizard stuff. but since I dint have any on hand I decided to make a fake Diamond willow staff shhhhhh!







so off to lowes to get some wood, 4 feet 2 inch dowel and 1 1/2 inch dowel, 
cut to size, glued and reinforced. give it some shape and trace out the diamonds &#8230;. Next it Dremel time! 
Once done repeat process...
Now add wood texture to the wood...







and burn it to see it pop...also so that I can see the spots I missed...









Next step is sculpting the top piece....so stay tune more to come!


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## dww2 (Feb 4, 2017)

Looking pretty cool so far.


Had a coworker ask me about making him a staff like Gandalf's from Hobbit and LOTR. I gave him a price estimate and he seemed interested but hasn't mentioned it again. Oh well...


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## Peterp (Mar 2, 2019)

dww2 said:


> Looking pretty cool so far. Had a coworker ask me about making him a staff like Gandalf's from Hobbit and LOTR. I gave him a price estimate and he seemed interested but hasn't mentioned it again. Oh well...


Thank you Dana, That's my other question...how much to charge? How do you guys go about on to pricing a stick?


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## dww2 (Feb 4, 2017)

I get pretty much all my materials for free (just find them up in the woods) so I basically charge by how long it took to make. A sanding sponge and a lick of poly or oil doesn't really add much to it in the end.


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## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Most of my materials are free too. I generally figure $10 for materials unless I'm buying wood then I add the cost of the wood to it too. The rest is time.

I spent a bunch of time on Etsy looking at prices of work that I considered to be similar in quality to mine and got a rough idea of prices that way too.

In your case I'd look at what other carvers are charging. I would consider your work to be more carving (art) than hiking stick (practical item). Art is worth more.

If you start selling on a regular basis don't forget to figure in the fees for whatever venue you use and shipping if there is any.


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## Peterp (Mar 2, 2019)

Well from what i can see on the web regarding wizard staff, not many are actually made the way i am making it. They are mostly resin and latex molded, and the ones that are all wood are mostly a stick with a glued gem on top...not much of creative juices where flowing when they where made. but price range any where between 170.00 to 480.00 more expesive are the FX one. ( resin and latex) I contacted the client and he agreeded to pay 280.00 for the one im making. so guess its in the ball park.


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## Peterp (Mar 2, 2019)

In the paint process...I think my color scheme is to dark for Diamond willow...







But lets say it was chard on the way out of ANOR!








Still have to figure out the crystal ball holder, planning on creating a hand shape root that will hold the crystal.


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## Xutos (May 25, 2018)

It's getting great

It takes a lot of patience and a great imagination.


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## Peterp (Mar 2, 2019)

Xutos said:


> It's getting great
> 
> It takes a lot of patience and a great imagination.


Thank you Xutos


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## Rodney (Jun 12, 2015)

Don't worry about it being dark. Willow starts out light but will darken some as it ages. Also, who knows what the wizard treated it with when it was being made?

It's looking great!


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## Peterp (Mar 2, 2019)

Rodney said:


> Don't worry about it being dark. Willow starts out light but will darken some as it ages. Also, who knows what the wizard treated it with when it was being made?
> 
> It's looking great!


Thank you Rodney


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## Peterp (Mar 2, 2019)

And so! behold the Wizard Staff! Now the client need to find a alchemist to get its power. :devil:

Let just say it was a fun project.


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## DesertLoon (Mar 2, 2019)

NICE! That guy's lucky to have this!


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## Peterp (Mar 2, 2019)

DesertLoon said:


> NICE! That guy's lucky to have this!


Thank you, cant wait to see his face once he picks it up


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