here's my 2bob's worth and maybe at a bit of a tangent.....
I am very new to the world of turnning(a few months). so am still more of a outsider than most of you. I stopped going to craft fairs etc. because I was sick to death of going to stall after stall selling rubbish!!!!( and most of the people I spoke too feel the same). if I am going to buy something hand made I expect it to be better than a chimpanze with a pen knife could manage!!!
And there lays the issue, decent stuff costs decent money. why because it takes years to become good enough to make stuff to sell, and be proud of. however most "sellers" want quick cash and any old tat will do. and as "customers" we all now want a bargain, and if that means an inferior product but we save a couple of quid we go for it!!! in a way it is self perpetuating. not right but thats how it seems. and to be honest until i became involved with turning a "ok "piece for a £1 was a better bargain than a "good" piece for £3. because of my ignorance of what is involved in the process etc. i have made stuff, wands pens etc. which whilsh I am happy with at this stage in my turning I would not deem good enough to sell. How do I know this ? Well when finished I think about how much it should sell for , TIME,MATERIALS,ETC. and would I pay that for it.....at the moment NO!!!
luckly I am a member of northbucks turners and go everey saturday I can, there are some wonderful turners there ,that also keeps me grounded
