Thread: Whats happening to wood turning Oz?

Originally Posted by Log Dog

I require some large platters and hollow vases turned

Must be of high quality and finish

Will supply the wood myself

WARNING...it will be highly figured!

Anyone interested in providing their services

Will be looking at a reasonable quantity going forward

Log Dog

Some Nth Qld turners are going to luck out on that!

And, with some very nice wood too.

Comments are not only li tied to wood turning, it’s typical of a lot aspects of hand even machine made items.
We (collectively) need to get back to being a self sufficient nation. Yes we would/could pay more the item, but if it was made here it would mean some one was employed and then paying some tax which would help strengthen the economy and self perpetuate and overall improvement for us all.
ps sorry for the rant. But we need to get away from being a nation of buying product from overseas.

Originally Posted by The Spin Doctor

In the eighties I went into a few shows do sell my wares but realised I didn't have the ability to make the sale, so I pivoted to production turning where I only dealt with furniture makers... I was really good at it, much faster than anyone else, by hand or automatic lathe. In 2004 my wife and I decided to move to Australia from Canada. When we got here one thing was evident about woodturning, relatively speaking, was dead (at least in QLD), except for a few well known names. People were trying to sell their wares for not much more than the cost of the wood it was that bad. And the production side was non-existent. I put it down to two factors: 1) Too close to china, can't compete when the guy in china is working for a bowl of rice/day. 2) People here are really cheap. In Canada and America there were plenty of clients that wanted quality over price, but here, that characteristic is scarce. Even the richest clients here complain about a few dollars and try to rip me off. I can make table legs and furniture parts that are far better than you can get from a copy lathe or some chinese company but no one will pay the extra $3 for them. And don't get me started on the cost of materials here...

Maybe one day it will swing around and be popular again - but don't hold your breath with the young-ins coming up. They're great at coding and pulling together an app that will tell you if your fridge is at the optimum temp from anywhere in the world, but have no physical skills. I think it's a skill that will die by 2050

Yup pretty well sums it up for me too. If we do a check via google it can be seen that more than 60% of collectors live in North America and my pieces sell there for twice as much in USD.

Originally Posted by dinosour

Comments are not only li tied to wood turning, it’s typical of a lot aspects of hand even machine made items.
We (collectively) need to get back to being a self sufficient nation. Yes we would/could pay more the item, but if it was made here it would mean some one was employed and then paying some tax which would help strengthen the economy and self perpetuate and overall improvement for us all.
ps sorry for the rant. But we need to get away from being a nation of buying product from overseas.

You definitely don't want to know how much raw logs goes to china and comes back as a finished product then. China is a cancer to anyone in manufacturing, except the owners and shareholders that is.

From a slightly different perspective:

For the past 30 odd years I (U-Beaut Polishes) have been manufacturing specialist friction polishes for turners.

In that 30+ years our sales have grown each and every single year. For 20 years we did all the Working With Wood Shows, exhibitions, DUTA and other woodturning weekends, etc. promoting the products for our distributors. In the past 10 years we have done little to no promotion at all and are selling more and more of our turning specific polishes each year, mostly all through word of mouth and repeat business.

Australian sale of the same products has risen dramatically since the start of COVID, and this is to be expected for us as the same thing happens during financial downturns and also during other health pandemics. USA, EU, Canadian, UK and Taiwanese sales have remained constant at around the same rate as past years.

To me this sort of sends the message that woodturning isn't diminishing in Australia but has just gone back to its roots, people working in the shed for fun or to make money to help bolster their income. We have found that during tough times turners resort to spending on their hobbies instead of new cars, etc.

COVID played merry hell with exhibitions, big and small woodworking shows and specialty weekends like Down Under Turn Around, affected by covid and worse still the passing of cofounder Bruce Talbot. Not to mention the passing of a number of prominent world class, inspirational, turners in Vic Wood patron of AWTEX and the father of artistic turning in Australia, John Atkinson and Ted Anderson both multiple award-winning turners not to mention a slew of other talented turners in Victoria alone, over the last few years.

Lathes, tools, and other turning paraphernalia are still flying off the floor and shelves of specialty shops along with woodturning blanks, etc.

There may not be the overt show of woodturning strength as there was in the past, but I would say that woodturning is alive and thriving in back rooms, garden sheds and garages across the country.

Forums:

• A lot of forums like this one have lost posters to other social media sites, like Facebook, YouTube, Pinterest, Snapchat etc.

Clubs:

• A lot of clubs have shrunk because of their older age group... members health, passing, financing, etc and not getting interest from younger people.

Mens Sheds:

• On the other hand, Mens Sheds are getting large financial handouts to help them get started and attracting more members into their fold but are not necessarily woodturning specific.

Just my thoughts on the subject. (No I'm not wearing rose coloured on.)

Cheers - Neil

Originally Posted by ubeaut

From a slightly different perspective:

For the past 30 odd years I (U-Beaut Polishes) have been manufacturing specialist friction polishes for turners.

In that 30+ years our sales have grown each and every single year.

Good to hear, Neil, and thanks for your insights into what is happening from your end of things and why.

Very informative!

Regards

Clubs:

• A lot of clubs have shrunk because of their older age group... members health, passing, financing, etc and not getting interest from younger people.

It was this aspect that caused me to suggest the down turn among a couple of others

Yeah I understand what you and I are both saying but it's not new. It's been happening for ages.

20 odd years ago one of the biggest woodworking and craft shows was run by a woodturning club in regional NSW and had run brilliantly for many years until the main couple in the club retired and literally no one else wanted to step up and run it. Show disappeared, club continued, not only continued but grew so big that they split part of the membership off to ( as far as I know) a new club and (I believe) another again a few years later. Been out of touch for many years now so not sure how they're getting on now.

Just because things aren't seen to be happening out in the open doesn't mean they aren't happening, on the quiet and in the background.

We keep having clubs contact us saying they have a lot of new members who haven't seen our products or how they work, etc. To this end a couple of months ago we had 3 woodturning clubs come to our factory in Geelong for a couple of hours of demo in the morning, off to the Grovedale Hotel for lunch then to Carroll's Woodcraft Supplies also in Grovedale for a mini buying spree. They were from Forest Hills Woodturners, Northern Woodturners and a local Mens' Shed with only a couple of turners.

Maybe it's all just smoke and mirrors and not really happening all over the place... or is it?

Originally Posted by ubeaut

Yeah I understand what you and I are both saying but it's not new. It's been happening for ages.

20 odd years ago one of the biggest woodworking and craft shows was run by a woodturning club in regional NSW and had run brilliantly for many years until the main couple in the club retired and literally no one else wanted to step up and run it. Show disappeared, club continued, not only continued but grew so big that they split part of the membership off to ( as far as I know) a new club and (I believe) another again a few years later. Been out of touch for many years now so not sure how they're getting on now.

Just because things aren't seen to be happening out in the open doesn't mean they aren't happening, on the quiet and in the background.

We keep having clubs contact us saying they have a lot of new members who haven't seen our products or how they work, etc. To this end a couple of months ago we had 3 woodturning clubs come to our factory in Geelong for a couple of hours of demo in the morning, off to the Grovedale Hotel for lunch then to Carroll's Woodcraft Supplies also in Grovedale for a mini buying spree. They were from Forest Hills Woodturners, Northern Woodturners and a local Mens' Shed with only a couple of turners.

Maybe it's all just smoke and mirrors and not really happening all over the place... or is it?

Nice one and its good to hear, it looks like Victoria is slightly better organized than NSW

This is an interesting thread for me as someone who's only gotten into turning as a hobby over the last year and a half. I've really been enjoying it, and while I've made contact with some local turners for tips and feedback, I haven't and probably won't join a club because of time commitments with young kids. I get a lot of satisfaction, and have no desire to make money from the hobby. I've also found it very easy to come across beautiful native wood, even living in a city.

What got me into the hobby was being loaned an old Jet mini lathe and a couple of gouges from an old bloke who upgraded and thought I might be interested based on my interest in other hands on pursuits. I'm lucky enough to have also upgraded recently and considering candidates to hand the mini onto.

I think it's probably worth differentiating turning as a hobby and what you've been talking about here though, which seems more about exhibiting and commercial side of it. With cheap entry level lathes/tools and the proliferation of good online instructions, as a hobby it could be the most accessible it's ever been. Maybe there are a lot of hobbyists quietly going about it in their sheds and annoying their friends and family with too many bowls and pens? I know that probably doesn't mean much to those making a crust from turning. I love looking at turned items at markets and galleries but can't say I've dropped any serious cash on them!

Well done Silver Caps... You've hit the nail squarely on the head and driven it home in one post.


Cheers - Neil

Originally Posted by Silver Capsicum

This is an interesting thread for me as someone who's only gotten into turning as a hobby over the last year and a half. I've really been enjoying it, and while I've made contact with some local turners for tips and feedback, I haven't and probably won't join a club because of time commitments with young kids. I get a lot of satisfaction, and have no desire to make money from the hobby. I've also found it very easy to come across beautiful native wood, even living in a city.

What got me into the hobby was being loaned an old Jet mini lathe and a couple of gouges from an old bloke who upgraded and thought I might be interested based on my interest in other hands on pursuits. I'm lucky enough to have also upgraded recently and considering candidates to hand the mini onto.

I think it's probably worth differentiating turning as a hobby and what you've been talking about here though, which seems more about exhibiting and commercial side of it. With cheap entry level lathes/tools and the proliferation of good online instructions, as a hobby it could be the most accessible it's ever been. Maybe there are a lot of hobbyists quietly going about it in their sheds and annoying their friends and family with too many bowls and pens? I know that probably doesn't mean much to those making a crust from turning. I love looking at turned items at markets and galleries but can't say I've dropped any serious cash on them!

Where I live its been a challenge to find such venues to look at other turners work. I regularly look around and the last two years or so have been a disaster such venues. The NSW Craft gallery used to be in the Rocks but has since moved across the Bridge. There are/were? some issues with the local authority that looks after the Rocks precinct, in my last visit there were a lot of empty shop windows , too many vacancies I thought.
It seems the Sydney Woody show wont be going ahead although the Illawarra Festival is being planned for 2023. A apart from personal issues this year for the organiser also they didn't get the financial assistance grants for 2022. Luckily they inform me the planning is going ahead for 2023, I have enquired about getting involved with the festival and await their reply.

I think that is definitely likely. Lathes and equipment occupy a healthy chunk of showrooms.

It is definitely right that the perspective seems to be a quantum leap between those looking to make a buck, and hobbyists.

It is not dissimilar to the occasional discussion about the chasm between cost of Australian-made quality furniture and cheap stuff from Ikea, and how unrealistic customers are with prices because they have become accustomed to the price of mass-manufactured goods that can be obtained so cheaply that no-one is used to paying a cost for basic furniture that bears any resemblance to the labour cost in Australia.

Views are fairly fixed in that regard!

Originally Posted by Silver Capsicum

This is an interesting thread for me as someone who's only gotten into turning as a hobby over the last year and a half. I've really been enjoying it, and while I've made contact with some local turners for tips and feedback, I haven't and probably won't join a club because of time commitments with young kids. I get a lot of satisfaction, and have no desire to make money from the hobby. I've also found it very easy to come across beautiful native wood, even living in a city.

What got me into the hobby was being loaned an old Jet mini lathe and a couple of gouges from an old bloke who upgraded and thought I might be interested based on my interest in other hands on pursuits. I'm lucky enough to have also upgraded recently and considering candidates to hand the mini onto.

I think it's probably worth differentiating turning as a hobby and what you've been talking about here though, which seems more about exhibiting and commercial side of it. With cheap entry level lathes/tools and the proliferation of good online instructions, as a hobby it could be the most accessible it's ever been. Maybe there are a lot of hobbyists quietly going about it in their sheds and annoying their friends and family with too many bowls and pens? I know that probably doesn't mean much to those making a crust from turning. I love looking at turned items at markets and galleries but can't say I've dropped any serious cash on them!

Things are happening. Just because not everyone knows about them doesn't mean they aren't happening

For what it's worth here's one woodturning event coming up in NSW next month.
Below is a very brief rundown of event. No idea if there are any places left for participants but it's happening.

Cheers - Neil
_____________________

Roundtooit - November2022

Presented by Snowy River Woodturners Inc


On the 4th-6th of November this year the Snowy River Woodturners are again holding the Roundtooit event for woodturners from around Australia in Jindabyne.

On the past 5 occasions, this event has attracted many highly creative woodturners of all ages and walks of life and world renowned woodturners too. We are now again on the Australian woodturners calendar of annual events.

While the turners are free to create anything they wish, at the same time, the club has a in house challenge for the participants to push their skills even further. These challenge creations will then go to a local charity within our community.

Snowy River Woodturners Inc
Contact info:
Po Box 131 Berridale NSW 2628.
President - Hilton Reynolds - 0408 725 242
Secretary - Richard Nutt - 0404 020 440