Wood turners and carvers

[Shadow]

Do we have any wood turners or carvers out there? Me and the wife both carve and turn. Have been at it for about five or six years. We use only storm or disease damaged trees most harvested from our farm. Our motto is we have never molested a healthy tree to make a bowl.
We carve mostly Santas and christmas ornimants that my wife designs, some cowboys and fish sometimes horses, most anything that strikes our fancy. We do art and craft shows. Up untill this year about 24 a year this year decided to take more time off and do some carving and turning that we just wanted to try instead of something we thought would sell. Its a lot more fun.

[tufhelp]

I am ready to retire and want to make and sell wooden items - turnings and possibly furniture. I asked this of Cumberland in his post above about All Metals, I thought I'd pose it to you as well if you don't mind:

How did you address "what" you made? Did you research for a market then produce or produce and look for markets?

Thanks, Tufhelp

[Shadow]

Shortly after I retired I found a carving club locally and joined as I had always wanted to do woodcarving. Took a couple of classes and off I went. About six months after I started carving the wife took it up too. When we are carving we both carve anywhere from 40 to 60 hours a week, when we turn same 40 to 60 hours a week each.
We design our own style of carvings the wife does most of the desiging usually doing a front, side and a back drawing of what ever we are thinking of carving.
To sell enough to make it worth while you have to be different, as every little old man has some kind of work shop, either already built or built in his mind where he will make wood stuff for his friends and family. We never do over 6 of anything and since they are all hand carved they all have different looks. We just can not make two that look exactly alike.
As for marketing we have found that the craft shows have be come so many that they have become mostly flea markets and people who collect do not attend them. Most are just selling booth space and let in anyone with stuff they buy to resale. Lots of made in china items have ruined most of the shows for craftsmen.
We did well for a few years but lately as in the past year or two all our friends that do the shows have had the same results. Too many shows most people with little or no extra money and it has just been a slow time. This year we only did 4 shows and they were ok but not great.
Also you will find you have a lot of compition for the spaces for wood, as there are a lot of us little old men makeing wood stuff. If you are really good and do different stuff nothing from a pattern book you can have a fun hobby, if you need to make money get a job as a greeter at the local Walmart.
I know I wondered all over the place but if I can answer anyquestions please ask.
We did shows all over the southeast and as far north as PA, some good some bad all over.
Show fees from 25 dollars for a two day show to 300 for a two day show sales from nothing yes not one sale and expences of over $500 for the weekend to $3200 for one single show one day total expences of under a $100. Go figure. Our stuff sells for from $12 for a hand carved Christmas ornimant to highest sale $1600 for a hand carved bowl.
If the show is not juried we don't apply just our experence

[disleksic]

Hey Shadow I have a real cheap little lathe and I turned a bat out of solid surface on it. Have you tried any solid surface turning? You said you do snow men would you like to try some white solid surface Ill send you a piece if you would like I have tons of scrap I wouldnt charge you for it just let me know how big a piece you would like to try out

[Shadow]

What is solid surface? Something like corian that may not be spelt right. We are always interested in new stuff to play with.
Last year we came into a group of American Chestnut trees small but up to about 10 inches in diameter at the large end. Have spent hours getting it cut up and starting to dry. Problem is the amount of time it takes to get ready to turn. letting it dry naturally but not so fast as it cracks.
How about some more infro about the solid surface , color, hardness, how does it turn, like wood, ???????

[Shadow]

I typed in question marks and I don't have any idea how the stupid smiley faces got on the end of the post. Does the soldi surface carve or just turn, what is itused for.

[disleksic]

Yes its same thing as corian used for counter tops comes in many different colors and you can use any wood working tool on it I think it works great for turning I made a little bat and I want to try and do a bowl. there is no abrasive fillers in it so it doesnt dull your tools any worse than hardwood my buddy who does cabnet doors for a living says that its actually better than hardwood on blades and such because there is no pitch and other contaminents in it thats hard on blades its 100% acrylic if you would like I can glue up a chunk and send it too you and you can try it out see how you like it. If I can figure out how to post a pic Ill show my bat that I turnd. my buddy who builds cab doors made a solid surface door raised panel and all and he said it was nicer to work with because it doesnt tend to chip out on the end of routering like some wood does. theres no grain to worry about as far as carving Ive never tried carving it I have used a chisle on it and it seemed fine. I think you need to try it out and see for yourself :)

[Shadow]

Disleksic I sent you a PM

[AzLoneRider]

I know this is an old thread, however I just got a Rikon midi lathe with a 12 inch throw and 16 inch bed. I plan on turning small bowls, pens, vases, boxes, and things like this. I am finding this fun to do and hope to eventually supplement my income with it.

[Anon001]

Some threads are worth reviving. I bet you could sell a lot of dough bowls to bread bakers..... I use one and it sure does make bread making a lot cleaner... keeps the flour off the counter and thus the floor as well.

[Teg]

My wife is into carving and woodworking, we bought a second-hand lathe a while back for her, but I haven't gotten around to setting it up yet.

[AzLoneRider]

Some threads are worth reviving. I bet you could sell a lot of dough bowls to bread bakers..... I use one and it sure does make bread making a lot cleaner... keeps the flour off the counter and thus the floor as well.

That is a good idea. I think I will make one for my wife and see how it works for her. I planned on turning something for her for Christmas and I think that will fit the bill. Thanks Paul!

[AzLoneRider]

Teg,
If you set it up you might find you like using it as well as your wife does. What kind of things does your wife make?

[Teg]

She does a lot of carvings general stuff like wood spirits, hummules and she just finished a little village carved into cottonwood and she got a wood-burner recently but she hasn't made anything with it as of yet. She also built our night stands from scratch, I'll try to post the pics of some of the stuff.

[Teg]

Uploaded the picture to my BWH album if anyone wants to have a look:

Nightstands the Wife built with fairly concealed gun drawer.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/vb/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=38

Bookshelf the Wife built for some of our paperbacks and smaller books.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/vb/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=37

Wifes carved village.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/vb/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=39

One of the Wifes Wood Spirits she made when starting out.
http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/vb/picture.php?albumid=15&pictureid=40

http://www.backwoodshome.com/forum/vb/album.php?albumid=15

[AzLoneRider]

That is beautiful work.

[Anon001]

I'm impressed. The only thing I do are wood spoons for the kitchen. I carve my own from basswood or anything that is deadfall that I think will hold up. Most store bought wooden spoons are too shallow... I got frustrated and started carving my own.

I wish I could carve as well as your wife does.

I also like the night stands.

[Teg]

I will pass on the compliments, hopefully her head doesn't swell too badly. ;):)

[bookwormom]

My family has been woodworkers for generations. when i was young I tried grandfather's carving knife and cut myself good, have not touched anything of the sort since and got into pottery instead. It is a kind of different turning. we had to cut down several good cherry trees after the icestorm and I have the best of it stacked and hate to cut it for firewood. I wish there was a turner around here, I hate to see good wood go to waste.

[Kyhome]

Teg: Your wife seems to have some pretty good talent in her work all look very nice.

Azlonerider good luck with turning your pens, wishing you lots of fun and success.

Paul you get Basswood on your land, thats cool I like doing wood burning drawing on basswood.

Bookwormom, so glad to hear you saved the Cherry. My favorite wood to play with in the shop is Walnut, which is hard to find that a guy can afford to buy.

This thread is kind of funny that I ran into it.. I spent most of the morning going thru all the wood chisels and carving knifes thinking I should use them a little more often. My poor ole lathe!! well it can hardly be seen under all the boxes stacked on top of her. Kinda sad

Thanks everyone for these post. Rick

[AzLoneRider]

Hi Rick,
Based on your last paragraph it sounds like you need to get out the chisels, carving knives, skews and the lathe and make some wood shavings!! :)

I love wood working but tend to let the have-to stuff get in the way of making things just for the love of making things.

[Anon001]

Paul you get Basswood on your land, thats cool I like doing wood burning drawing on basswood.

I don't have any on this place. But the farm I rented before moving here, had some. One big one came down and I used the wood out of it.

[Shadow]

I just happen to log on to the forum and there was a old thread by me. Almost ten years old. Very nice work on the end tables and carvings. We still do our carving and turning but only do 5 or 6 shows a year. Some one mentioned doughbowls I made 6 some five years ago took a lot of time and they never sold for 45 each. Finally gave them away. The shows really got hit hard in the financial mess and sales dropped by half or more. Best of everything and keep on woodworking. Shadow/David

[Pokeberry Mary]

I've been making toys and things out of wood lately. I added making crosses and wedding cake toppers. I'm selling them online.
I cut the wood with a scroll saw and wood burn and paint.
I'd love to carve but my hands/fingers are not so good, I do have a some dremel tools though and I may figure out a way to do it.

I love working with wood. Its so clean and simple, also faster than some arts and crafts I used to do.
My grampa was a carpenter and was missing a finger. I get that now. I applied the dremel to finger last week, didn't do that much damage but it bled pretty good.

I'd like to carve, if I can get my arthritis to improve a little more I will find a way. :)