"Prometheus" wrote in message
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On Wed, 16 May 2007 16:46:10 -0400, (Arch) wrote:

Yesterday I went to the local Target store to buy some two cycle motor
oil. They don't sell it so I took a look at their imported wooden bowls.
The built up layered ring bowls with their straight sides and wide flat
bottoms were tacky and no competition at any price, but the large acacia
bowls got my attention. Some were over 12 X 7 with 1/4 in. walls that
sported smooth fair curves nicely fading into rounded bottoms. The
finish wasn't much to write home about, but at less than $20,00 for a
not bad, large acacia salad bowl do I hear footsteps?

That's the #1 reason I don't even *try* to sell turnings. I've had a
few offers on various peices, and people always want me to compete
with Walmart and Target.

Sizzle versus steak. Some like 'em pretty, hand-crafted of local woods or
are willing to pay for more that name on the bottom. Your stuff hold any
less Romaine than "famous name" turnings which cost a bunch more lettuce?

Though we can sell based on pure utility as well. As I remind people, you
can put popcorn in a steel bowl and it tastes the same, just don't set that
sucker in your lap. Wants a half inch of insulating wood to save the family
jewels. You can put the chips in Corel, but they don't have that little
recurve on the inside of the rim to keep your greasy thumb from slipping and
spreading the contents into Aunt Martha's lap as you pass it.

As to the business of dust-gathering "hollow forms" versus their ceramic
clones, I think the potters have a real leg up. They've got the ease of
forming, the hand craftspersonship, the name on the bottom, and any number
of glazes and firing methods working for them. Some turners paint, stain or
dye their stuff in hopes of imitating them, but it's more for
self-gratification than added value. I sell the shelves to put those things
on.