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Showing results for tags 'hobby'.
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Interesting. When I was considering leaving my corporate job 20+ years ago, one of Chris's associates told me "the world is full of ex-professional woodworkers paying off IRS debts." I I think that is the one that was a former professional furniture maker and currently runs a donut shop. Earlywood: After the War CHRISTOPHERSCHWARZ.SUBSTACK.COM Publisher’s note: It’s that time again – your weekly, still-very-much-alive Earlywood, a free excerpt published every Saturday from one of the... Earlywood_ After the War - by Christopher Schwarz.pdf
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From the album: Reclaimed & Resawn
heartpine resawn on a c.1988 Delta 10" 34-670into hobby planks . The bottom two were to square up the post; would have been less wasteful on a jointer ;-)© The Patriot Woodworker
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I'm not a turner but, I subscribe to Ron Brown's newsletter. He often publishes content applicable to general woodworking. This one is such a case. Hope you all find it as interesting as I did. If not, well it's only a few minutes lost. Choices I heard an artist on the radio voice his disgust over his recent interaction with the owner of an art gallery. It seems that the gallery owner had put stipulations on the kind of work he would accept – imagine the audacity! The artist was insulted that he wouldn’t be able to do whatever he wanted and go wherever his artistic leading took him. He felt that the gallery owner should just accept anything the artist did and give him space in the gallery just because he worked hard and was very passionate about his art. Here is a hard truth: You can’t make people like your artwork just because you like to make it. Regardless of the amount of time and effort you put into something, people don’t have to like it and some won’t. The obvious solution here is that he open his own gallery and fill it with whatever he chooses assuming he can afford it. Or, meet the demands of the gallery owner. Years ago, I made wooden furniture and sold it to a specialty retail store which sold it to the public. I learned quickly to make items which sold well and were relatively easy to make at an affordable cost. I learned to make things that the customers of this particular store wanted to buy regardless of whether I liked them or not. I tried introducing pieces I thought were beautiful and the owner allowed me to stock a limited number of my own creations. Most of them bombed horribly. If you have followed me for some time, you have undoubtedly seen products listed on my website for a while, and then mysteriously vanish. I was certain that they would be run away best sellers and some are. Many more are not. Still, I keep trying. So here is the decision: If you are turning because it makes you happy and provides an outlet for your creativity, do anything you want to and can afford. If, however, you expect to earn money from at least some of your turning, make what people what to buy, not what you want to sell them. I realize that most of you don’t sell things you turn and that turning is simply a creative outlet for you. But for those of you who would like to earn some extra cash, a lot or a little, make what people want to buy. Make it the size they can use, in the colors or wood species they like and at a price they are willing to pay and that you are willing to accept. I met a fellow at a wood show one time that made mostly simple wooden pens. He had three large cases of pens, about 50 pens in each case. The first case was full of pens in maple, oak and walnut. Case #1 was offered at “All pens for $10ea – your choice”. Case #2 contained some more figured wood and was offered at “All pens for $15ea – your choice”. And case #3 contained more exotic woods and was offered at “All pens at $25ea – your choice”. I remarked that his prices seemed too low for the amount of work he put into these beautiful, but simple pens. Then he told me that he went to a flea market each weekend and sold out every week. He was OK with the prices where they were since pen turning was a hobby and he had a regular full time job to pay the bills. Now there was a fellow who knew his customers, what they wanted, and what he was willing to sell his work for. I wouldn’t change a thing. If you are your own customer pleasing just yourself, do exactly what you want. If the public is your customer, do what they want and are willing to pay for because wherever you go there you are.
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Early August I took my step-father to the 38th Annual Tippecanoe Antique Tractor & Power Show. First time I had ever been too and from what we heard, maybe the last. It was hotter than Hades most of the day so it was kind of rough to see everything. I was really concerned about "Pops" being 91-1/2 y/o so we sat under the big tent a lot and drank free ice water as needed. All-in-all it was an enjoyable day if for no other reason than to get him out of the house for a while and do something he would enjoy. On the way out, I happened to stop by a vendor who had several small items on a table for sale...this one caught my eye and his was OK with me taking pictures. There was no price on it so respecting the old adage, "if you have to ask the price, you probably can't afford it" I didn't ask... I did do a little research and found some info and other pictures HERE AND HERE Also a You-Tube video of one running following the pictures... ManSon -- Small Machines Inc. West Los Angeles 25 California Just a really cool, fully functional self/manual feed mini metal working lathe. Motor is under the head stock spindle. Complete with accessory kit. Just a little different angle of above picture. Even has a coolant catch basin under the bed.
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This is a little fly tying desk I made for my nephew a few years back and my first attempt at posting pics on this site. The photos look a little fuzzy (I saved them from the WOOD site. Copy of a Copy of a Copy, I guess). Thanks for looking
