Has woodturning as a hobby peaked?

[MickA]

Jimmy Clewes attended our small club last night, it was great to see close at hand a master at work. Good skills, techniques and entertainment all wrapped up together.

Interestingly, he said he believed that woodturning as a pastime had peaked in the UK about 3 to 4 years ago and there were signs of some businesses having difficulties. He now see's his future in the US.

Is there a general feeling around that I have missed? I have noticed fewer attendees at club meetings than a year ago but did not think this significant.

Mick

 

[JackL]

I get a similar feeling, especially with the hobby turner. I think that one of the problems is that it's very hard to shift pieces at craft fairs. I've spoken to other woodturners at craft fairs recently and they say the same thing.
Unless you are prepared to give things away, you finish up with selves loaded with platters and bowls - and we don't have a wood burning stove.
We only charge for the cost of materials when we go to craft fairs and we get no end of people coming and handling the pieces and saying how nice they are, but they never get their purses out!
This, couples with the increasing cost of raw materials and tools is certainly putting the hobby beyond my means living as we do on a small pension. I can see the lathe and other equipment going on E-bay in the next 6 months.

 

[jpt]

HI

I think woodturning is still going strong as a hobby and there is renewed interest in buying from the public, at least at the craft fairs I have been to this year.

I think one of the problems has been that in recent years people have been more carefull with their money and not spending as much.

However I have met a lot of people at fairs who have just taken up the hobby so maybe it is picking up again. Also a couple of suppliers I deal with are saying that buisness is picking up and is better than last year. This might just be a Christmas thing but hopefully it will continue after the new year.

john

 

[TEP]

As much as I'm sorry to say it, but I can only agree with the first two statements. As examples you only have to look at some of the businesses that have gone over the last couple years, and the shows around the country that are now relying on, "Magic window clothes" and so on to fill stand spaces.

Also as to craft fairs, there are people who will buy your work in my experience. But if you are willing to give it away there are lots of people who will take it from you. What is really needed is for a few REAL craft people to get together and run their own fairs. That way you don't get put in beside other 'crafters' who in the majority import their stock from wholesalers.

Rant over! :lol:

 

[Russell]

I think there are more woodturning clubs than ever with more members and the hobby is growing. What is putting business's under pressure is the increase in cheap tools and machinery from China, the fact that more and more companies such as Aldi are selling tools (even if its cheap rubbish although some of it does the job) that were once only available in specialist shops and the rise of Ebay as a means of recycling second hand machinery easily. Couple that with rising tool cost for British tools and the increase in exotic timbers and you begin to realise the retail pressures that business is under. You also have the internet that has meant that every business in the UK is now your competitor.

My advice is if you dont want to see your local shop fall by the way then go a support them

 

[Anonymous]

I think one of the major problems with turning in this country is the stereotype woodturner. To me this is the old man stuck in his shed. Looking at the clubs in this country it's no wonder either. Swmbo tells all her friends when I'm off for evening to hang out with the oldies.

Since starting turning in January I've only heard one person mention getting young people involved in turning. It's no wonder we sit here saying that turning has had it's day in uk. The people with the most disposable income are being ignored completely.

How about clubs contacting their local college/university to see if anybody is interested in turning? How about having special evenings for students? How about getting the students on the lathe to give them the chance before they shell out their student loans? I did some pretty weird things in student digs. I'm sure I'd have jumped at the opportunity to have a lathe in my room. Nicking bits of wood from the park would have only added to the madness.

Of course I'm quite new to turning so I don't know if it's been tried before. I just don't get the feeling it has.

Dave

 

[Bodrighy]

I remember doing woodturning as part of my O level woodwork at shool. I don't think many shools even have lathes now. There are none at the college in which I work either. The professionals on here all seem to agree that as an art form it is neglected compared to America and yet this forum seems to have had a lot of new members in this forum lately. I agree that there perhaps needs to be more specialised fairs, exhibitions etc to make the public aware of the art / craft and what is being made around the country. I suppose it is up to us turners to do something about it but what I don't really know.

Pete

 

[Russell]

The youngest member at the Birstall woodturning club is 10 his Grandad comes and sits with him every week and the lad has got potential.

Its true that most people drift into woodwork and woodturning as a hobby later in life a lot of my customers come and tell me they are preparing for retirement. Most of the schools have got rid of their lathes because of health a safety police. I do have one local school that has built pen turning into their DT lessons and that is a start.

 

[richburrow]

I teach in a derbyshire school and we have just got the lathe up and running again. The students love it and most are quite good, also I run a well attended lunch time club. It is true that alot of schools have got rid of their union grads, some just use them as sanding machines. Schools that have got rid of them will regret it because D&T is starting to go full circle and get back to proper hand skills, it is nowhere near yet but it will turn.
As long as we all still champion turning I am sure things will be ok.
Rich

 

[Paul.J]

I wouldn't say that it's peaked as a hobby,perhaps as a buisness it might have.
Just looking on this forum and others with the amount of new members joining daily i would say that it's thriving,as a hobby.
I know i've tried to sell items with no success at all but there is lots of interest,so perhaps people are watching the pennys a little more these days,or my turning is c--p :lol:
There also seemed to be a fair bit selling at Westonbirt this year,with one platter i saw going for £65 if i remember right.
Paul.J.

 

[Blister]

We have a Junior section at our Club

see the link

http://www.kshsonline.com/fairlopwoodturners/

 

[Scrums]

Interesting thread, I've only recently started selling at craft fairs etc, mostly because I'm not getting the amount of 'walk-in' trade at the workshop that I used to.

I'm not too disappointed with the sales of bowls and pots I've been getting, but have noticed that It's hard to shift anything over about £35 no matter how big/well turned it might be.

Talking to another couple of turners at a show 2 weeks back, they were moaning about this as well.

My answer is simple: if the public won't part with £30 or £40 + for a gorgeous Spalted Beech bowl, that's 12" dia x 4" deep, then don't do them.....if they will pay £12/£15 for 30 minutes worth of 8" dia x 2" Ash that's easily obtainable and reasonably cheap - then make those instead!

.....and don't forget the little bits from off cuts.....they're almost free and a couple of quid here and a couple of quid there will usually go some way towards the cost of the stall.

Chris.

 

[Russell]

I don't do craft fairs and most of my work is commission based and sells at a premium price but my customers are consulted at the design stage to what they want.

 

[gasmansteve]

I am very much a beginner to turning and still make more firewood than anything ornamental but what frustrates me more than anything is the lack of tuition available from local colleges. I have enquired at all the local colleges but no one seems remotely interested in running a course. Yes I can swan off to remote parts of the country for a 2-5 day one on one training spell with one of the pro`s but I seem to take to stuff better when its done over a longish period of time. Our local colleges run the most obscure courses which presumably must meet a need somewhere?. Talking to people at our club it seems quite a few would welcome local courses but it seems the supply and demand can`t be there to sustain them?. Obtaining Jimmy`s (and others) dvd`s has helped a bit but its not the same as regular learning.
Just my two pennuth
Steve

 

[jpt]

The club I belong to works quite closely with our Adult Ed college and at one time one of our members ran a woodturning course for them. This didn't work as they needed to have at least 10 students to make it economically viable. Unfortunatlly with only two lathes the students stopped coming and the course closed.

The problem is the availability of lathes and tools.

Unless they are a specialist college such as West Dean they are unlikely to have any lathes and if they do it will only be one or two. Our adult ed uses mainly school premises in the evening to hold there classes and these days very few schools have lathes.

The answer is for the college to buy there own lathes etc but the cost for a decent lathe, tools, chuck, etc is many hundreds of pounds and to run a class they would need at least 10. Although they would get their money back in time they dent have the capital to buy the equipment in the first place.

john

 

[Bodrighy]

There is also the problem of government policy. The emphasis is on 16 - 18 year olds and the college that I teach in cannot get financing for adult eduation. This means that the full cost of a ourse (£200+ for a ten week course) has to be met by the student. May not sound a lot but added to the cost of equipment and materials it is more than many colleges are willing to take a risk on. I have had a couple of graphic manipulation courses close down on me because of this.

Pete

 

[gasmansteve]

Point taken about the lathes/tooling but you`d think nowadays with bulk buying a grand would buy maybe 8 or 9 small mini lathes which would be fine to learn the basics and even more advanced stuff, maybe another £500 for tooling or bring your own??. I don`t think it would really break the bank even given the meagre budgets schools/colleges are allocated. Probably pay for themselves over two sessions. Might satisfy more demand than `Victorian brass rubbing` :lol: . With apologies to rubbers of Victorian brass
Steve

 

[Paul.J]

How much of it though is down to H&S.
When i was at school we had one lad turn a torch on another lads face,and some of the stories my kids come home with now,i can see why schools especially,don't bother with dangerous tools/machines.
Paul.J.

 

[Scrums]

On the subject of teaching Woodturning, anybody up to date on what the rules and reg's are, as regarding insurance, blah blah blah......?

 

[Bodrighy]

On the subject of teaching Woodturning, anybody up to date on what the rules and reg's are, as regarding insurance, blah blah blah......?

There's a couple of pros on here that teach if they have time to let us know

Pete