Research hub
Craft Business
Pricing, profit, startup costs and what actually sells.
Every page here is research-stage: specs come from manufacturer documentation and are cited. Lab results appear as we test each machine. How we research & test
Guides
Business
- Etsy Fees Explained for Makers (2026): Worked Examples and CalculatorEvery Etsy seller fee for US makers in 2026, with worked examples for tumblers, coasters, shirts and signs, a copy-paste fee formula and Amazon/Shopify comparison.
- How to Start a Heat Press Business: HTV vs Sublimation vs DTF (2026)Choose between HTV, sublimation, DTF printing and bought transfers, source blanks, price shirts with real fee math and pick where to sell. Sourced numbers.
- How to Price Laser Engraving: Formula, Fee Math and a Price Sheet TemplateA step-by-step pricing formula for laser engraved products: materials, time, machine cost, marketplace fees, bulk and corporate tiers, plus a price sheet.
- Is DTF Printing Profitable? In-House Printer vs Buying Gang SheetsDTF cost per square foot (film, ink, powder, energy), supplier gang-sheet prices, break-even for a desktop DTF printer and the maintenance nobody budgets for.
- Is Laser Engraving Profitable? Unit Economics With Real Fees (2026)Worked profit examples for an engraved tumbler and a slate coaster set, using current Etsy fees, real blank prices and a price sensitivity table.
- 34 Laser Engraving Ideas That Sell (With Blank Costs and Machine Class)Laser engraving product ideas grouped by drinkware, home, weddings, pets, corporate and outdoor, with material, laser class, sourced blank prices and demand timing.
- How to Start a Laser Engraving Business: A Step-by-Step Plan (2026)Pick the right laser class, set up safe ventilation, handle the legal basics, choose first products and prices, and follow a 30-day launch plan.
Open data & free tools
- Open spec databaseEvery machine's published specs, downloadable as CSV/JSON (CC BY 4.0).
- Laser ROI SimulatorWill a laser pay for itself? Model payback with your own prices, hours and material costs.
- Pricing CalculatorPrice a custom item from material, machine time, labor and fees.
- Startup Cost CalculatorAdd up what a personalization side business really costs to start.
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New research, price changes and test results as they land. Written for people who make things to sell.