Is there a need for a Guild of Woodturners

[edbanger]

Following on a bit from Les's thread Is It Me and reading the many comments the thread yet again seems to have gone down the road of quality of workmanship, pricing and venues.

We have the AWGB which supports woodturning and anyone can join, I joined within a month of starting woodturning. Then there's the RPT which is for professional woodturners. But there is nothing for the rest of us.

If there was a Guild of Woodturners - The craftsmen work would have to be assessed before entry could be obtained. Exhibitions and sales could have a set of guidelines which are followed by members of the guild. Venues for sales could be set up where only Guild members exhibit their work.

Guild of Woodturners members could display a logo or something at other sales that they attend so people would know that anything sold by a Guild member would be to a standard so therefore the member could justify their price's.

Just an idea

Ed   

[Les Symonds]

Hi Ed...I'm not quite sure that I follow what you're suggesting. Are you suggesting the idea of a Guild for both professional and amateur turners? If so, fair enough. My only reservation would be that there are Guilds out there that have open membership, but no vetting or quality-control processes, which de-values the whole idea. The type of Guild that you're suggesting sounds enviable, but it would need a controlling body, a constitution and vetting procedures. The question would have to be, who on nearth is going to set up such a body?
Les

[Graham]

I can certainly see the benefits of such a guild, provided there really is a vetting process for members. Displaying something that says you are a member would set you apart from the myriad of other turners selling their produce off cheap and would probably encourage those to up their game and be able to join as well. The big question is how do you educate the general public to the significance of membership ?

[edbanger]

Les it's just an idea

I think that any woodturner could belong to the Guild but would have to meet certain standards, but they need not be a professional woodturner who has to earn a living from woodturning. We have two organizations all ready and one of those could set it up. Otherwise it would I guess need a team of like-minded woodturners who wanted to improve the face of woodturning and it sole aim would be for promotion of woodturners with a code that has to be followed.

It could be like an amateur RPT

 

[bodrighywood]

If you sell your work and can show that you earn a certain percentage of your income from doing so you can apply to the RPT, you don't have to be a full time wood turner. The criteria can be seen here. The main thrust is on being able to meet standards of workmanship, working practices etc and I do wonder how many of the 'amateurs' could in fact become members. The AWGB is open to anyone really, nothing wrong with that but it doesn't oversee the quality of work that people sell which is perhaps the biggest problem. Setting up a Guild would involve a huge amount of work and ongoing admin and could still not really control those people who make and sell inferior work.

Pete

[Graham]

One possible problem with the RPT is that I suspect only turners have heard of it. ? < a question, not a derogatory statement>

[bodrighywood]

When you are a member you have a certificate which is about A4 size. I usually display it at the larger shows as do other members I know of. When I demonstrate at fairs shows etc I wear a smock with the badge. It is up to us to advertise these things. We can only blame the 'ignorant public' for so much LOL

Pete

[edbanger]

I understand from a friend who is going through the process of joining the RPT that's its a real battle and for people that just want to turn in there spare time it would be almost impossible. But something with similar guidelines could help woodturning and woodturners.

No it would not stop people selling inferior work but if something like this could be promoted the buying public would have some kind of stamp of approval.

I'm not for a second saying that it would be hard to set up and take a lot of work, and the probability is that something like this would never be set up, but the posts on here often go back to prices and quality of workmanship so it was just a passing though.

Ed

[Philip Green]

Down here in Cornwall, tourism is our biggest industry. In years gone by, tourists often unknowingly bought "locally made" presents that turned out to be made elsewhere. Trading Standards set up the "Made in Cornwall" scheme. They assess producers to ensure that the goods are made in Cornwall and they attempt to use local materials. Other local councils also run such a scheme.

Whilst they do not assess for quality, unless somebody is serious about woodturning, they are not going to bother registering with the scheme and if they are serious, they are probably producing work of at least reasonable quality.

A "Made in Cornwall" sticker on the base of a bowl or other object would be immediately recognisable as a local product. I agree with Graham, who outside woodturning would know what RPT is? The same is certain to apply to any other "guild like" scheme we can think of?

[Graham]

Change the centre wording to 'Made by a skilled craftsman' and the outside wording to 'Approved by the Association of Woodturners of Great Britain'. ( and make the sticker round

[Graham]

Actually, I like that. The AWGB currently has 'members' It could also have 'licentiate' (sp) 'Associate' and 'Fellow' awarded by submission of work assessed by committee twice a year.  Members would flood in.

[The Bowler Hatted Turner]

awarded by submission of work assessed by committee twice a year.  Members would flood in.

If it were only assessed twice a year what would stop the selling of inferior work the rest of the time? also I doubt if members would "flood in" as why pay to sell your stuff when you can sell it, albeit inferior work, for free?

[Graham]

Hi John. I meant to submit work to earn the qualification of Licentiate, associate or fellow rather than submitting stuff to be sold. Once they are 'qualified' they stick the stickers on themselves. People would join so they could display their 'qualification' and feel justified in charging more.

[Bryan Milham]

Guild as in the Guild of Irish Woodturners - no idea what that offers it's membership towards what is being discussed in this thread, but they are a Guild.

There is the Worshipful Company of Woodturners, one of the Livery Companies, but as I understand it they are the holders of and successor to the Guild of Turners. So there is such an organisation already. Having said that there membership all up is just over 200 and I think membership is by invitation only.

If it is their remit to promote the Craft of Woodturning surely it should be through them that any such certification should be issued. I'm not saying set amateurs and hobbyists against the Professional Turners (RPT), there is a huge difference between the many of us and the few turners who do truly earn their living from turning.

But to be assessed, to be accepted as a turner of a known standard, who is capable of producing work of a certain quality, to be able to display a certificate to that effect from an organisation such as Worshipful Company of Woodturners, that would mean something.

Not some self serving, made up guild.

[Rlewisrlou666]

Receiving a certification would be very interesting.

Especially for people like myself who have just started out, to be able to know when you have reached a certain level of standard would be very rewarding in itself.

Ryan