Cost

[NCFencer]

How much would you say it would cost to make a new club with enough space for 50 or so fencers and 3 or more metal strips and 2 or so coaches?

[Got_Fenced_In]

I'm no expert at all.


But I can tell you it'll depend (a lot) on location.

[lefty_monster]

The question cannot be answered with the available information. Try again.

[NCFencer]

lets say we have a space. how much would the 3 metal strips cost and gear for 20-30 fencers.

[noodle]

meal strips: anywhere between $1000 to $3000 each store bought. maybe $300 to $1000 hand made, depending on the situation.

gear: about $100 per fencer for the bottom of the barrel, just scraping by requirements.

[Got_Fenced_In]

Psh, that's if you WANT to 'just scrape by'. My favorite foils cost 112 dollars. My mask was 90, I think. Which, okay, that would be excessive for club weapons. But you don't want really cheap ones you'll have to replace all the time.

[jjefferies]

The question as posted is basically unanswerable. As one poster noted costs are extremely location dependent. And the things you ask about, metal strips and equipment are the trivial side. Much depends on how many hands you have in the club and how many will turn out to build. If for whatever reason you don't have existing club members then your club is extremely tenuous. Most clubs get founded in a tentative manner while the founders look to see if it can survive in a most basic form.

I've seen people get very side tracked in setting up a club. The coach focuses on having a shower so he won't have to go home sweaty and that's before you have a decent floor. You have to prioritize as to what is important. Metal Strips and new equipment come after locating a space and getting it set up (IMHO).

Think it through and ask again. Are the 50 fencers all going to be using it at the same time? Are they all the same weapon? Are the coaches going to be working at the same time. How do they feel about sharing??

[jfarmer]

As the others have said, it depends on so many factors that based on what information you've provided, I doubt anyone here could produce numbers with any degree of assurance that they actually mean something. For example, coaches salaries can be all over the place. Other incidental costs will be radically different between a public club and one associated with a school (school clubs rarely have to hire someone to clean the place or take out the trash...)

So if you're looking for ballpark numbers, we're going to need more guidance.

[lefty_monster]

For equipment, you don't have to buy brand-spanking new stuff. It'll confuse people when they rent club equipment and it's actually clean. So to minimize confusion and cost, buy second-hand stuff from an old club or a school that nixed their team.

[Got_Fenced_In]

Originally Posted by lefty_monster

For equipment, you don't have to buy brand-spanking new stuff. It'll confuse people when they rent club equipment and it's actually clean. So to minimize confusion and cost, buy second-hand stuff from an old club or a school that nixed their team.

Ahaha, true, LM, hadn't thought of that

[lefty_monster]

Find a private school or small college (that doesn't have a fencing team anymore) and ask them to dig through their supply cabinets. They definitely have some "vintage" gear laying around that they will either donate or sell for dirt cheap.

[edew]

You're asking for a lawsuit if you're using ancient stuff that's been rusting away in some closet.

It's ok to use used equipment, and getting new equipment is certainly all right. But don't go using 80s style fencing masks that can be pushed through with your thumb.

[swordsen]

Heh, I have several masks left over from the 80's that still pass the punch test easily. Look for used stuff but do be selective in what you issue out.
Grounded strips should be fairly low on the needs list too.

[App13]

I go to one of biggest clubs in New Hampshire and we only have 1 grounded strip...

Save yourself a few bucks.