Goblet ****

[gus3049]

AS I am a grasshopper type, the idea of knocking out more than one of anything fills me with deep joy - not.

With no insults aimed at those who do this sort of thing for a living (Richard) it just doesn't suit the way my grey cell works - when it does.

So yesterday I got an order for twelve of the big one and another three of the pierced one.

Here I am trying to get the bedroom ceilings finished and they want me to work already. Life is so unfair. I thought this retirement lark was a con and right I was

 

[Blister]

Nice work if you can get it :lol:

My dad always said , when he retired , " I don't know how I found time to go to work " :mrgreen:

 

[monkeybiter]

Nice conventional goblet, very impressed with the pierced one! It'll be a long while before I'm ready to attempt something like that. I'm particularly impressed by the smooth continuation of the curve from the original turned bowl to the area within the carving, and the way the strands appear to be pulled out of the surface.

I need to be cheeky and ask for a pointer re. the asking price for a batch of similar goblets. I've just been experimenting with captive ring goblets [after making some tools] and have been asked for half a dozen [six in French ] but I don't know what to charge. I know I'm particularly slow but I need to get faster, so I can't realistically charge an hourly rate.

Sorry to be a thread parasite, ignore if I'm being a pain.

 

[gus3049]

Nice conventional goblet, very impressed with the pierced one! It'll be a long while before I'm ready to attempt something like that. I'm particularly impressed by the smooth continuation of the curve from the original turned bowl to the area within the carving, and the way the strands appear to be pulled out of the surface.

I need to be cheeky and ask for a pointer re. the asking price for a batch of similar goblets. I've just been experimenting with captive ring goblets [after making some tools] and have been asked for half a dozen [six in French ] but I don't know what to charge. I know I'm particularly slow but I need to get faster, so I can't realistically charge an hourly rate.

Sorry to be a thread parasite, ignore if I'm being a pain.

Pricing is the oldest problem in the book of course.

Hourly rates mean nothing if no-one will pay it.

The conventional goblets are going to be fairly quick as I can make a flip pattern so will probably take under an hour each complete. As there are twelve I said I'd do them for €25 each which is pretty good out here especially as he hinted he might not pay by cheque :roll:

The other one was in the local gallery for €35 so again for four, I won't be too upset. Its actually not that hard to do, as its a randomish pattern, the piercings don't have to be identical.

As almost everywhere, wooden art is vastly undervalued. I have to be realistic here. I am in a small community in rural France so asking London prices would be daft. Having said that, the French 'artisans' vastly overvalue themselves. The prices of some of the work in the gallery has to be seen to be believed, especially the paintings and drawings. Sketches of chickens that I could knock out in a couple of minutes up for hundreds of euros - plain daft.

As the owner says though, he has sold over twenty of my bits in his first three weeks and something like a total of two of everybody else's. I am not conceited enough to think that its just the quality (although I'm sure its a contributing factor :lol: :lol: )

So its difficult to offer any real advice. I am not after all, a particularly experienced turner and still consider myself to be well down the learning curve. I do have a background in art and design which helps the vision but I still have to conquer the techniques.

Good luck with your goblets. All the ringed ones I have done have sold very quickly so its a good thing to offer.

 

[CHJ]

I guess Sunday should see the three Holy ones finished.

 

[gus3049]

I guess Sunday should see the three Holy ones finished.

Could be - ho ho.

The cherry is cut and waiting to be shown around.

 

[boysie39]

Nice pair Gordon , what is the wood , I can't imagine how you go about making the one with the birds nest under it but it certainly catches the eye .

 

[gus3049]

Nice pair Gordon , what is the wood , I can't imagine how you go about making the one with the birds nest under it but it certainly catches the eye .

Both in cherry Eugene,

Easy really, just stick the burrs in and see what happens. At least that was the first one, trying to do another three the same might be somewhat more difficult!! I'll post the results if I dare.

 

[Andrewf]

Gordon.
What sort of machine do you use your rotary burrs with. A hand held one like a Dremmel or one of the large ones with an extension on.
Have fancied one but not sure what to get.

 

[gus3049]

Gordon.
What sort of machine do you use your rotary burrs with. A hand held one like a Dremmel or one of the large ones with an extension on.
Have fancied one but not sure what to get.

I wasn't sure which way to go either, so I plumped for a reasonably cheap tool to see how it went. I have had no problems and it out performs the Dremel easily. Takes the same size cutters. Not sure about the expensive ones like Foredom. I like the high speed as it gives real control.

You will need a compressor for this one of course but as I have one for spraying kitchens, it made sense for me.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/370408075.../sch/i.html?_sacat=0&_nkw=370408075497&_rdc=1

 

[gus3049]

I'm not sure if Chas is right about having them done by Sunday but I have made a start. I have an hour on the lathe then its back upstairs to the joys of sanding joints in ceilings.

Don't much like the transition between the cup and cut area in this shot so will probably clean it up when I'm finishing the other three. My excuse is that I was about to go into rehab (not THAT kind) when I made this and my mind was elsewhere.

 

[gus3049]

Chas certainly wasn't right about getting these goblets done in a couple of days. A friend turned up with his plasterboard lifter so I've been doing ceilings!!

However, the gallery is now nagging me as the customer wants to lay out some dosh!! What a nice man

So here we go. Stage one is to turn the basic shapes. Three ready to go and I've roughed out the first with the rotary tool. This weather, its slow progress as the compressor has to be going continuously for hours so I give it a chance to cool down.

I tend to join it with a cool beer - its a tough life but...........

Its now fourteen of the left hand one!!! Two have to be ready next week as they are off to Canada as an anniversary present from a couple who run a local restaurant that shows my stuff. They also want two of the pierced ones WITHOUT the piercings thank god.

I feel another beer coming on.

 

[boysie39]

Gordon ,you are a glutton for punishment methinks :roll: :roll: .But as you have said the bills have to be paid ,if the compressor is overheating I suppose an electric tool would overheat just as much .
At least you have found a way to keep yourself lubricated and in good running order .Great that you are getting plenty of orders which is a pointer to the excellence of your work . =D> =D>
Long may your compressor continue to overheat ,and your shopping basket continue to rattle with the sound of bottles. :lol: :lol:

Hope everything in the garden is rosy for Ronnie. :lol:

Good health and God Bless.

 

[woodyturner]

They are so nice it's no wonder your getting orders good luck but dont get to lubricated when you are using those burrs LOL

 

[gus3049]

They are so nice it's no wonder your getting orders good luck but dont get to lubricated when you are using those burrs LOL

Thanks Woody. Yup, those burrs do tend to smart a bit if you miss

Hope everything in the garden is rosy for Ronnie. :lol:

Good health and God Bless.

Hi Eugene,
Punishment for past misdeeds no doubt. Ronnie is fine ta very much, the Roseriae is going well but she is grafting roses today. She must be slacking as she has only managed about 60. Another 940 to go poor dear :shock:

One down, two to go

 

[monkeybiter]

Will you be hollowing the unpierced pierced ones a bit deeper or the same as the pierced pierced ones ? :?

 

[gus3049]

Will you be hollowing the unpierced pierced ones a bit deeper or the same as the pierced pierced ones ? :?

The unpierced ones will be hollowed out to an even wall thickness all the way down. That is the plan. So I expect it might not be like that

 

[gus3049]

One more goblet, two more beers ccasion5:

 

[woodyturner]

Only two beers Gordon what about getting rid of the dust, have some more just to make sure you must have dust control health and safety an all that they are looking good well done

 

[gus3049]

Only two bears Gordon what about getting rid of the dust, have some more just to make sure you must have dust control health and safety an all that they are looking good well done

The sawdust is from the router table. I've been doing the mouldings for skirting in the bedroom. In spite of two mouths to the extraction, it still throws a bit out the front. I wear a Trend mask all the time in the workshop.

I am rather pleased that there is only one to go. The original was just a play to see what it looked like, I didn't expect to get an order for more. Frankly, they are a pain in the posterior. Still, dosh is dosh and it pays for the beers 8)