"Darrell Feltmate" wrote in message
news:aveyf.82154$AP5.10406@edtnps84...
Now there is a question I get a lot at wood shows. "How long does it take
to
turn a bowl like that?" So what kind of an answer do you give? A couple of
hours? Three or four? I turn rough and let dry so some may take a couple
of
months and some a couple of years until I get around to finish turning.
Have
they taken months, years, or 2-3 hours?
I roughed out three salad bowls from spalted birch today. Each blank was
brought inside and roughed to shape with a chain saw. All the extra pieces
were picked up and tossed in a kindling box. A screw chuck was mounted.
The
piece was mounted on the lathe. After turning each piece was coated with
anchorseal. Shavings were cleaned up and bagged for the compost pile.Tools
were sharpened frequently and at one point I remade the stop blocks for
the
sharpening jig because the wheel was worn and the angles were off.
So how did it take to rough the bowls? 45 minute each? An hour each?

I'd say just tell them what your gut feeling is and don't bother analyzing
the whole thing. They're either looking for a measure of how much to be
impressed, or wondering if they can compete with you. Then let them go back
and try it themselves if they're a woodturner. Next time they'll be back
knowing how long it took THEM to try. Whenever I ask that question I
already know I'd starve if I had to make a living at it.

- Owen -