If you have some free time and love to use your hands to create something special, why not put those skills to work to earn some extra cash. Here’s an idea that will put you on the fast track to making a fair amount of pay with a minimal start up cost with a product that will keep you in demand as long as you want. Let’s take a look at glass etching. Glass etching is a fun, exciting and creative way to make money doing something that isn’t going to take all day or require a lot of physical labor.
You’ve probably seen what looks like an engraving of a logo on a personalized wine glass or glass trophy somewhere in your travels. You may even have something that’s been glass etched that you won at a bowling tournament or received as a gift. Imagine being able to provide that service out of your home and adding to your retirement income.
How glass etching is done
Glass etching is done in two specific ways. The process is when a design is etched or embedding into a piece of glass following a pattern cut from a stencil or hand drawn. The glass can be etched using etching cream which is brushed over the stencil. This cream is what lightly frosts the glass leaving behind the design from the stencil. This is the least expensive way to ease your way into the glass etching business.
The other process, which is a bit more expensive to start up, involves sandblasting. Tiny particles of sand hit the glass and remove it in such a way that etches the design into the surface. It is a far more professional look and can result in a lot of intricate and profitable designs. There are so many ways to use glass etching, it’s really limited only by your imagination. You can provide glass etchings on wine glasses and trophies, as mentioned above, but you could etch restaurant logos into drinking glasses, etch designs into glass for privacy windows, customize glass mirrors and shower doors and don’t forget special occasions where a personalized glass etched product would make a great gift.
Where to sell etched glass
One local artist has created a very profitable niche business with small etched glass panes designed to be hung in a window, where the sunlight can shine on the art. Most are natural scenes, such as mountains and forests, in sizes from 5” x 7” to 16” x 20.” They bring as much as $150 each! You may even find that getting to know the local trophy shop owner may generate some leads or if you’re a bit of a self-starter, contact the little league association or high school to see if glass trophies are something they may want to purchase from you instead of ordering them from out of town. They may even decide to incorporate glass trophies into their awards program if they haven’t already, and since you gave them the idea…well, the rest is history as they say.
The possibilities are endless and may require a bit of time to determine what type of glass etched items you really want to focus on. Sports trophies could result in seasonal work, which may fit into your lifestyle better if you only want to work a few hours a week at it. As you can see, it wouldn’t take much to turn the workshop into a profitable part-time business to keep you active and connected to your community well into your golden years!
Get inspired by entering “glass etching art images” into your web browser to see what others have created, and if you’re ready to learn more, do a web search for “glass etching supplies.” You’ll find several helpful books at Amazon.com to help you get started.