Question from Jack Townhill

[Andy Coates]

Jack had a problem posting a message today - which I think we may now have the answer to - but in the meantime he asked me to post on his behalf...

Jack's question:

I have always wanted a better Lathe & was recently lucky enough to buy the entire contents of a Retiring Turners Workshop - Including a barely used VB36 & a huge supply of timbers.

I have really enjoyed turning quite a variety of bigger pieces & judy's table is now getting rather full!!

My quite genuine question to my active fellow Turners is - What do you do with all of your excess Turning's

I'm not the sort of guy that wants to tout his pieces around to retail stores - The immediate family & friends have more or less had their fill of my Turned Wooden items.

Judy wants her Table back & I'm not sure what to do with these pieces?? I'm not keen to sell them for simply the price of the timber & would appreciate other peoples views on the subject?? - Jack

[Andy Coates]

Aside from giving them away I can only see two options:

1) you bite the bullet and do a few craft fairs
2) you find a turner who does do craft fairs and offer the items as stock at timber + a % cost, which would enable the turner to make a profit.

I know one turner who does this for others and he seems happy enough with the situation as he always has stock and can make a small profit from what he sells of others' work.

[thebowlerhattedturner]

Hi Jack,
          at the end of each season I donate the stuff that hasn't sold and I have carted halfway round the country to a local charity to sell (at whatever price they want) in their shop. The other way is to book a stall or table for a local good cause event, you profit by selling stuff and making space (don't forget there is room under the table aswell ) and the local good cause profits by either the table charge or a % of your profits.
Regards
John

[John D Smith]

Hello Jack, I agree with both Andy and John (BHT) Try some Craft Fairs,Try a local Garden Centre to see if the would give you a space free of charge if you gave a percentage of sales donation to a Charity of yours or thier choice.There is no easy answer if there is please let me know I have loads of turnings I take to Craft Fairs. Regards John

[BrianH]

Hello Jack
No-one can know how you stand financially but I thought I'd offer the other side of the coin for you to peruse. You see I've been there, done the craft fairs and dumped the Teeshirt, thank you very much.
Setting out to only make stuff that sells rather than what my creative juices suggest became a real bore.
Setting the alarm clock on a Sunday morning, loading the car, carrying the trays of goods into the venue, setting up the stall and than standing back to listen to the ladies billing and cooing over the stuff while giving turning advice to their hubbies before repacking etc, etc, etc just wasn't for me, no matter that my stuff seemed to sell well. I suppose I just wasn't hungry enough
Now I prefer to work with freeby wood and turn what I want, when I want and keep only what I want while sending the rest off to the charity shop.
Hope that's of interest and best wishes with whatever you do.
Brian

[Jacktownhill]

Hi everyone - Thank you for your constructive responses- (Though forgive me, - A bit obvious !!) I guess I fall into the category of having retired & loving Wood. It turned into a quite serious Hobby for me.

I love Tools, Turning & my Workshop. I get great satisfaction on mastering a nicely finished  piece. There it kinda stop's !! We gave lots away to the Family & Friends - Then Friends of friends - Then Wedding presents & Xmas boxes.

Inevitably, quite a few go to the Club open days to help raise limited funds. My point here was raised after finding a lovely piece of Burr Oak (Cost £45) & sweating over a very difficult large & very satisfying Bowl (18" D x 7" High) It took about a week of leisure time to complete the drying process & polishing. - It then just stands amongst about 5 other items on the Table.

I have other great pieces of Wood that also cost a few £'s - The trouble is that I have absolutely no desire to commercialise my Hobby - Like Brian, the thought of creating a Craft Fair Display is just not for me??

Other suggestions from Andy, John (BHT) are perhaps the only way out of a stock of finished items. - I just wondered if anyone else finds themselves their own victim of their chosen Hobby?? This is the Pic that prompted the Question from Judy

[John D Smith]

Hi Jack,All I can say is "Just Enjoy your Hobby" Regards John