*** SURVEY: THE IDES OF MAY ***

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Fred in NC

>Q:

If you had to do your woodworking for a living, how do you think your approach would differ?

A:

1. My pricing structure would remain the same. I have approached it as a business from the beginning with a view to my retirement.

I don't believe in underselling those who make a living or part of it from this craft. I would rather give something away than sell it too cheap.

2. Of course I would increase my marketing efforts.

Now my question: Does my answer correctly relate to the question?

Re: *** SURVEY: THE IDES OF MAY ***

David

>I'm definitely a non-pro turner. If I were a pro, I think there would be two major changes in approach. One, SPEED. I have no interest in drying with DNA for example, but might find that necessary when building inventory. Two, PATIENCE for repetition. Pro turning implies repeating projects at some level. If I have to do a project twice in the shop, say 2x of a toy for my kids, I can't stand doing the second one and can't get through it fast enough - my quality of work definitely suffers.

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Fog Tanner

>I am a non-professional turner, but in my younger years I worked in a machine shop doing production work on an engine lathe. so, I am familar with the mentality that it takes to do production work. I occasionaly do "production" line type pieces (10-100) for fun and to stay in practice.

Were I to do turning as a vocation, the first thing I would do is look at those skills I am the slowest or least proficent in and practice those until they were better. Then practice those skills which I am good at. Practice is repitition and with repitition comes speed.

The second would be to rearrange my shop/studio(depending on price of object) to better accomidate production line work. Add some more tables for holding stock in various stages of completion.

The next thing would be to look at what tools I really use the most, then buy some more of the same. I would want at least four of each to reduce the break in the flow when having to go to the grinder, something I learned from Stuart Batty.

I would quit putting off buying the Airstream and add a second battery and charger. I would also add a second dust pickup in front of the lathe, like the one in Raffan's book.

Once I had the "production shop" setup, I would look at what work was available. Check the market and see where people will spend money, what are the most salable items. Art sells for more, but it may sit on the shelf of over a year. I would also look at the "collectable" market, which is not necessarily "art" but sells for more than utilitarian items. And I would stay away from that market which is overflowing with the mass produced items from China and India.

The last thing, although the most important, would be to locate that Fountain of Youth (somewhere in Florida according to Ponce DeLone), so I could turn back the clock and get the 35 years experience that Raffan has to be successfull.

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Eduardo Sarmiento Hall-Lima Peru

>well said I think the same as you I make a living at this and is been going pretty good so far this year I always have plenty of pieces in stock for buyers to see at my place and apply the "this is it folks" I turn what I want if they like it fine otherwise no luck the only thing I may do on comision are boxes

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adrien

>I don't know if Fog Tanner is his real name, but his suggestions from the amateur to pro side are very impressive.

Since I don't have to get bread on the table by turning, I can let my imagination go, and one thought I have is of getting a specialty: Ellsworth has his spirit vessels, Michelson has great hats and Bloch has his wonderful lamps.

As for my skills, I wasn't even able to make a toilet plunger handle.

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Duane C.Leach

>I have worked at several jobs during my life , but never one that I really enjoyed like woodturning. Maybe one of the reasons I enjoy it so much is that I go out of my way to keep it enjoyable.

For me if woodturning ever got to be a job with all the pressures of production work I would sell all my tools and lock the shop doors and find a higher paying job. My life has gotten to short to work at something I hate.

Happy turning

Duane Leach

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Keith Tompkins

>Hi Ellis, I would rather teach turning and furniture making to suppliment my income than to cut corners on my work to speed production...that is what I do.

My theory is to build a name for myself, that way I develop my own market. As collectors become aware of my work, the prices rise accordingly.

At the higher levels of any craft, the competition is intense, I cannot afford to let the quality of my work slip or become complacent with my attitude towards quality.

I would rather turn out one great piece than a hundred mediocre ones.....not the best business attitude I guess....

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Ron in Drums PA

>I would rather turn out one great piece than a hundred mediocre ones.....not the best business attitude I guess....

Keith, I would consider that a great business attitude.

Once a upon a time, that was the main ingredient to a successful business

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Ron in Drums PA

>Well said Fred, I totally agree.

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Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey

>Perhaps I'm overly influenced by 25 years of commercial lawyering, but having had an operating art studio for some years (before family got tired of being hooked up with a starving artist), were I to again venture into trying to make a living at this craft, I'd be very wary about doing so. First would come formulating a detailed business plan that would encompass marketing, capital needs, product demand, and finally, and most importantly, an assessment of myself and whether I could make the commitment to do what the business needed to have done. If, for instance, my honest assessment of my area market showed that a significant amount of available income would have to come from "production turning" and utilitarian items, I'd most likely look for a different job because I know that I personally would not be able to sustain cranking out 100's of the salt shakers or candlesticks needed to put oil in the house tank. I won't kid myself into thinking that I can or that it'll just be for a little while until my name gets established.

Perhaps then, the single most important thing is to honestly assess myself, my abilities, and what I want to do in the craft and apply that to what I know my business will demand. A lack of honesty in viewing myself or the business plan will, without doubt, set me up for failure. I truly love working with wood, but that's completely different from running a woodworking business.

I remember reading a post some years ago from a woodworker who had decided to "go pro" and got a job in a custom furniture shop. He was given an assignment piece to make and worked very hard for a week or more plus overtime to complete it. When he finished, the shop owner looked it over carefully and told him, "Very nice work, but I do that in 3 days."

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Fog Tanner

>If I were to make up a name for use on the 'net, I would certainly have come up with something different. And probably only used a single name instead of first and last. You can always do a google search on the name, if you think its not for real.....

Re: Drucilla Penny

Mark Mandell - Gone Round In Jersey

>You're Not

|;-}}}

Re: *** SURVEY: THE IDES OF MAY ***

RonZ

>Well...

One main concession I've had to make as a turner is not having time to make the things I want to make.

Before I decided to turn for a living, I researched it and found that most of those who survive in this field also teach and sell turning supplies. I really enjoy the teaching aspect but I wouldn't mind doing without the turning supply sales. The good side of it is I can support my tool habit. The downside is that time is burnt on customers who need help making decisions or tutorial on using an item and many don't buy in the end.

Another concession is financial outlay. If it was a hobby, I could get buy with one lathe, one chuck, and one set of tools. I'd have time to make my own tools and jigs.