Giving woodturning a bad name

[dickm]

It's open studios week up round Aberdeen, so went to one or two today. Included one multiple artist venue with what they said was a folk duo providing "entertainment". By singing as loudly and harshly as they could, in a relatively small space and with total disregard for the nature of the songs they were "singing".
But what really got me hot under the collar was the display by a woodturner. About a dozen natural edged shapes, badly finished, with the odd toolmark, plus one 18" conventional bowl. Again, badly finished, toolmarks and cracks (to add character??). But the real killer was the label; £70 and "oak". Oak which was clearly some sort of pine.
Fortunately the turner was not present, as it would have been difficult to be polite.

 

[CHJ]

It is frustrating, I once passed comments with my better half about items for sale in a shop/gallery near me (won't name it but lots of trees) and the turner who happened to be there at the time blasted me about trying to make a living and there was no time for the niceties of finishing the bases etc. to the same level and anyway no one ever looks at the bases.

 

[NazNomad]

I saw this title and thought, ''here we go, another thread about me''. :-D

Chas, the base would be the first thing I look at, mostly because I'd expect my lack of wood identification skills to be compensated for with a label on the base, or at the very least some Sharpie signature and date.

The reason I never (or rarely) sell my turnings is that I'm never 100% satisfied with the finished article, so it does beggar belief when you see some of the shoddy stuff for sale at ridiculous prices in 'hipster' shops and craft fairs.

Don't even get me started on those damn laser-cutting-junkies trying to force proper scrollers out of the market .... GRRRRR!!!!

 

[Dalboy]

It can be frustrating when you see bad workmanship and in my eyes no excuse for it. Everything I make i try my best to finish correctly as well as make the base look tidy. I am however guilty of not marking the bottom with the wood type.
And not wishing to sound big headed but I have just got back from The Woodfest at Belmont House here in Kent. I had a stall with my wife who had hand knitted items. As we where packing up a Gent came in the stall and was looking at my wares, making a passing comment that he was free to pick up and look at the items I had still got on the table and stands. After 5 minutes of browsing he turn to me and passed the comment that my work was the best he had seen at the show. I must confess that this did make me feel as though all the work I put into my work is appreciated

 

[TFrench]

I went to the wood fair near loughborough the other week. I was chatting to an old fella who was selling some blanks as well as his finished items and when I commented that I'd never heard of one of the tropical hardwoods he had, I was asked "well how many have you heard of, 14 or 40? there's 72,000 species of tree so you've probably not heard of many" Customer relations obviously escaped that one.

 

[Dave Brookes]

Chas,
I know exactly what/who you mean! On one ocassion he had left his chuck in the chuck whilst talking to a potential customer of his poorly finished work, and took great exception when I commented about it. I now steer clear of his place!

Dave