Turnings - what do you do with yours?

[shedbound]

Sorry if this has been asked before,
Just wondering what all you turners do with your finished articles.
I tend to give my stuff away as little gifts (bowls pens etc), but once you run out of people to give them to what then?
Some people dont actually like timber, but don't want to offend, so they take it anyway.
Pens are quite readily taken as they are useful, but what about bowls, I find that I have reached a stage where I have fun turning it, admire it for 5 minutes or so, then file it in the back of a cupboard in the shed.

Geographically I don't have a brilliant local market, and I'm not inclined to waste a Whole Sunday in the hope that I may sell a bowl for less than I could get for the blank.

[wood hacker]

Like you I tend to give mine away as gifts. Currently working on a series of bowls where the timber came from a 140 year old Bunya Pine that blew over in the local school during a storm. All the bowls from this will be given back to the school to use for prizes / gifts.

cheers
WH

[Grommett]

Our local club, Wonthaggi Woodcrafters, runs a pop up shop in December/January and a couple of smaller events at Cowes over Easter and Cup weekend. Moves heaps. What about your local?

[shedbound]

Our local club, Wonthaggi Woodcrafters, runs a pop up shop in December/January and a couple of smaller events at Cowes over Easter and Cup weekend. Moves heaps. What about your local?



I am not a member of any clubs, its not really my scene, I like my alone time, with machinery and tools that I know are maintained. Where I can pick and choose my hours. In having said that I have a feeling that the local Moe Wood Turners may have folded, please correct me if I am wrong.

[artful bodger]

I guess it depends on "why you turn things in the first place".
As turning is a large part of my living I would not make something that someone was not going to buy. Although we all have failures.
However if you turn for purely fun and don't give a rat's about selling things then there are no rules and you have complete freedom. If you run out of people to give them to you could just leave them in the street with a FREE sign next to them if you are running out of storage room.

[KBs PensNmore]

You could donate them to your local Hospital/Fire service/Service Club/School, to use as fund raisers/raffle prizes. I'm certain that they would be appreciated immensely.
I made 65 that went to the local hospitals Volunteers as Christmas Presents.
Kryn

[shedbound]

You could donate them to your local Hospital/Fire service/Service Club/School, to use as fund raisers/raffle prizes. I'm certain that they would be appreciated immensely.
I made 65 that went to the local hospitals Volunteers as Christmas Presents.
Kryn


Great idea Kryn, Kudos to you.
regards
Joel

[Paul39]

Shedbound,

I am fortunate to live in a town that is known for art and crafts, and is a tourist destination. I take my turnings, mostly bowls, to a crafts shop where they are sold on consignment, 40% commission to the shop. I make what pleases me and do not take commissions. Everything I have taken there for years has sold.

I take the money from selling the turnings and buy more toys to make turnings.

You could take 10 or so of your larger pieces to a shop near you that might have out of country tourists to see if they would buy outright or sell on commission. Many people like to have something to take home from a place they visited.

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Welcome to the club! :D

I no longer turn "basic" bowls, except when there is a need. All of my forms now tend to be experimental... in that I'm challenging my skill set and myself.

The successful pieces have no problems finding new homes - even if only as "art" :snigger: - and the rest are either remounted as a challenge to see what improvements I can make or end up in the kindling bin.

Admittedly there are a few I'm more or less stuck with. eg. They were so labourious to create, but absolutely tit's useless - or fugly - but I keep them as reminders. Of what not to do, or to remind me of ideas that I need to implement better or...

They're basically my not-a-diary diary. ;)

(There are also the odd pieces SWMBO has rescued from the bit bucket. There's no accounting for individual taste, eh?)

[Christos]

I have gotten to a stage that i need to find an outlet to disperse what I made. I enjoy making something and not necessarily the finished product. I love to find an outlet locally that will keep a couple of pieces on the shelf to be sold. At least it's not in storage in my house.

[BamBam53]

I have given a lot of pens and bowls away to family and friends over the years and that outlet is now flooded.

The club I belong to runs a stall at the local farmers market every week. Members can put what they like on the stall and the club takes 10% commission. They also run a stall at the local shopping mall in the week leading up to Christmas. These have both been good outlets for what I make.

[hughie]

I also no longer do basic bowls etc and what I do is sold, although family and close friends get them for free. We do not have very many in the house perhaps one or two, everything goes one way or another.

[Richo12]

Hello Shedbound,
I am pleased to tell you that the Latrobe Valley WOODTURNERS & WOODWORKERS INC are going along quite well with a steady group of guys We meet both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon from approx 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. or as long as you like. I see that you stated that this is not your scene but how about calling in one day, meet the guys and maybe give us some ideas to help improve our situation. As most clubs are at the moment new members, ideas etc. are always welcome.

[KBs PensNmore]

Hi Shedbound,
Another alternative to turn some of your bowls a round, is to find an artists group and sell them to the artists to use as folk art backings. Our Club sells quite a few to a local artist, who then on sells them to tourists, the Club supplies the timber, the members turn them at home, with each piece sold, both the Club and Member gets a percentage. Pieces are finished sanding to about 600 grit, no polish or anything. Failing that, put an advert in the local paper "Wooden turned bowls for sale, suit folk artists" ???
Hope this helps,
Kryn

[Allan at Wallan]

I am kept busy making pens and my magnetised needle cases for the four exhibitions that our club holds each year. I have not made a bowl for over three years as they take too long to make and too long to sell.
Occasional giveaways are made for the grandchildren who present them to their teachers at the end of the
year. I also give away items to the organisers/shopping centre managers who allow us to hold exhibitions and sales at their centres. I also give away special items, for instance a shock absorber pen to my car mechanic who does a marvellous job. Some sales are essential to replenish stocks when necessary.

Allan

[shedbound]

Hello Shedbound,
I am pleased to tell you that the Latrobe Valley WOODTURNERS & WOODWORKERS INC are going along quite well with a steady group of guys We meet both Tuesday and Wednesday afternoon from approx 12:00 to 3:00 p.m. or as long as you like. I see that you stated that this is not your scene but how about calling in one day, meet the guys and maybe give us some ideas to help improve our situation. As most clubs are at the moment new members, ideas etc. are always welcome.

That is great news, I used to go once a year to catch up with an old friend from the Peninsula WTG, when the heritage park had their open day. Thanks for the invitation. I may pop in one day if the chance permits. thanks for letting me know.

Thanks to everyone for your input, all have been very good suggestions, I do have a couple of local outlets that may be worth pursuing. I also think I should diversify and start to make more useful items and less of the simple bowls as some of you have suggested. Any how, for the moment back to diggin' post holes.

[NeilS]

I take my turnings, mostly bowls, to a crafts shop where they are sold on consignment, 40% commission to the shop. I make what pleases me and do not take commissions. Everything I have taken there for years has sold.

I take the money from selling the turnings and buy more toys to make turnings.



Likewise, I sell everything I make. I ran out of friends and family to keep giving pieces to many years ago, and if I had kept giving to them I expect they would have run away from me by now, anyway.

Like Paul, I sell on consignment, in my case with a 44% commission. They deserve every bit of that.

Keeping up with the backfill at the gallery is my challenge. Once you have a spot in the gallery you have to keep it stocked to retain it.

In my case it is a hobby (actually more of a pre-occupation) that pays for itself and I never think twice about buying whatever I need for the workshop as that doesn't come out of household funds.

Shedbound - aim to sell or put your work to a good purpose, it adds to the enjoyment of turning.