so you want to be a bowl turner

[hughie]

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[WOODbTURNER]

I wonder if he ever gets sick of the sight of bowls!:)

[bellyup]

What does he do with them all? How big can the market be for Beech bowls??

[wheelinround]

:2tsup:

[Ad de Crom]

mass production, very boring
Ad :no:

[Willy Nelson]

Amazing quantities, but boring to do. I did like the skip bin to catch the wet shavings
Willy
Jarrahland

[Grommett]

Think I will stick to one bowl at a time :D
But an amazing demonstration of production work.

[sjm]

I like the spigot sizing device, but you'd think after the first few dozen, he'd be able to eye-ball it.

[cookie48]

What fun does he have?

[dr4g0nfly]

This guy is the Irish turner Glen Lucas - I won't post links but look him up on You Tube - His technique is amazing.

He turns a bowl in 6 minutes and sells them (by the cwt in America).

He also does fantastic demo's

[hughie]

This guy is the Irish turner Glen Lucas - I won't post links but look him up on You Tube - His technique is amazing.



Absolutely, I spent some time to look at as many I could and felt inclined to buy the a DVD or two.







He also does fantastic demo's

Probably some of the best I have seen for sometime. How about the sharpening technique?:2tsup:

[Sawdust Maker]

shed is too tidy for my liking :rolleyes:

have looked at his photos before - some very nice work

[Paul39]

Glenn Lucas appears to be making a living at what he does. Making a living is not always exciting, satisfying, well paying.

I would rather make lots of bowls than lots of things people do to live. Any industrial production would be worse, the same exact part, day after day.

He does have the variety of cutting timber, turning, finishing, teaching, demonstrating, etc.

We have lots of potters around here. I have done photographs of exotic pieces for them. One remarked, "I can make and sell 100 $10 mugs fairly quickly. I can make a $1000 art piece and drag it from show to show for years and not sell it."

I had a 40 year run as a commercial / advertising / industrial photographer. It was mostly fun and I loved doing it. Even with that, after about 35 years I got weary, as it is hard physical work, and running a business is running a business.

has commented about doing art turning and starving, which is why he does commercial turning.

I am sure after the second big column of the series for the school, most of the thrill of the new thing was gone, but the anxiety and concern about one coming out of the lathe remained.

I have the luxury of free time, enough retirement income if I am careful, piles of timber, several lathes, and a shop that sells my output.

My current ambition is to make and sell the $100 bowl. I may have it on the lathe at the moment.

[Nanigai]

Yes that's him, I checked him out on You Tube. Damn he is so fast it's mind boggling.
Obviously I will never be that fast but then I still enjoy what I do. :D
There is a lot of special technique in his work which interests me, anything to cut down on the sanding. His finish off the tools looks really good.:2tsup::2tsup:
Ian

[Ed Reiss]

Haven't posted here for quite a while, but if I may be permitted would like to add my 1 1/2 sheckels worth.

As others have said, production turning can be boring, though I never was bored with the actual turning of the item, but other aspects of the business are - packaging, shipping, marketing yourself, bookkeeping, etc., etc.

Having done a couple of decades of production turning, the one thing that it definitely is - it's a whole lot of work! Many hours behind the lathe and lots of the afore mentioned business aspects. And let's not forget travel, set-up to wholesale/retail shows and the subsequent tear down, pack up the van, and travel back home after each show.

Now, having mentioned the "down" side, let me add that if I had to do it again, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to do it again (that is if I was 30 years younger!!!). The up side is the great amount of satisfaction that was gained from producing something with your mind and hands Not to mention all the wonderful people met and friends made on the show circuit(s), symposiums, and turning club meetings.

So, if your of a mind to do production turning, have the will and energy to do so...go for it. You won't be sorry.

[Paul39]

Having done a couple of decades of production turning, the one thing that it definitely is - it's a whole lot of work! Many hours behind the lathe and lots of the afore mentioned business aspects. And let's not forget travel, set-up to wholesale/retail shows and the subsequent tear down, pack up the van, and travel back home after each show.

Just about anything one does to make a living is a whole lot of work, robbing banks may be the exception.

It does help if what you are doing keeps you grinning most of the time.

Ed, how is the condition of your condition? Are you able to play on a lathe any?

[Ed Reiss]

Ed, how is the condition of your condition? Are you able to play on a lathe any?

~~~Apologies for the hi-jack, Hughie ~~~

Doing better, Paul...thanks for asking.
My fatigue level has dropped somewhat...felling a bit perkier.
The doc's got my vitamin d level up from fumes to almost a full tank...am taking a daily dose of 2000 u now to maintain the level.

Next am working on the testosterone thing...had the urologist do a "Testopel" injection last week. So far I haven't seen any improvement...will see what the future brings with that. Once all the "physical" stuff has been addressed, it'll be off to see a shrink about the mood swings and bouts of depression.

Never say never, but for now am not doing any turning or general woodwork at all. Have taken an interest in photography...stop over to the "Photography" section of the forum. Have just posted a couple of macro shots.

[hughie]

[
Apologies for the hi-jack, Hughie ~~~

No problem and no apology required. I think we are all interested in hearing of your progress back to a better life and some more turning. :2tsup:

[Ed Reiss]

[

No problem and no apology required. I think we are all interested in hearing of your progress back to a better life and some more turning. :2tsup:

Geezzz Hughie, you must be a glutton for punishment :o

Just yankin' your chain, my friend. Nice to know that others help out with thier support. :2tsup: