On Nov 3, 6:12 pm, (Arch) wrote:
(Well Dearly Beloved I'm back after a trip thru hell, aka the American
healthcare system with a MI and quadruple bypass with every complication
and screw-up known to man. The system ain't just broke, it's compound
fractured and predatory. Abandon all hope, Yee who enter it, but that's
not pertinent here.)

Lying in bed,I had a chance to compare professional woodturners with
professionals in other disciplines and I think I see a difference and
one reason for it.

Most professional turners were and still relate strongly to being
amateurs or hobbyists. They remain enthusiastic and openly share their
expertise. For them, turning remains a hobby to be enjoyed. They don't
just drive a trade. Yes they turn for profit, but the majority of we
hobbyists also sell a few turnings from time to time. (I hope not for
peanuts and way below our costs. That undercuts our brothers.)

In hospital the pros; docs, lab & Xray techs, nurses etc. were polite,
and no doubt competent, but enthusiasm and willingness to share their
fund of knowledge were lacking. I suspect this holds for most other
professionals.

Just musing along to help ensure rcw's needed survival or maybe seven
hours of anesthesia has finally destroyed my few remaining neurons.

Anyway, what's your take about our profs? Any advice re turning while
using a walker wouldn't be amiss either.

Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter

http://community.webtv.net/almcc/MacsMusings

Arch it's so good to hear from you again. Sorry to hear about your
health problems and I hope all is now well.
Your comments about not undercutting with low prices has hit a sore
spot for me. I'll explain.
I live in an area that is notorious for being cheep. I won't bore you
all with the gory details why, that's just the way it is.
I do not want to deal with the public so choose to sell through a
local retail store. They price and take their cut. What's left is not
a lot and certainly sometimes is almost at insult level. Stuff moves
very slowly and mostly during wedding season and holiday season. The
store does put a lot of effort into displays and promotion but the
price is always the deciding factor. So other members of my Guild
accuse me of selling too cheap but they are not in competition
directly in my area. I could get more if I chose to sell elsewhere but
then the expenses pile up and the added value goes in to someone
else's pocket leaving me at the same income.
All my working life I've been a contractor and had to deal with being
undercut by weekend warriors and retiree's supplementing pensions so
now it's my turn.
So any one who doesn't like my prices should take a long hard look at
why an item is priced the way it is and not assume that the maker is
deliberately trying to undercut a professional.
The only reason I sell is to get rid of stuff that would otherwise
just pile up in the workshop or my home. Sure I could run around all
over hell's half acre donating to charity or other "worthy" causes but
that just results in a drain on my limited income. I have seen prices
fetched by others at charity auctions and they are below what is sold
by me. So if a "professional" feels I am in some way restricting his/
her ability to make money then all I can suggest is come and put your
item next to mine and price equally and if you are a "professional"
and your work is of professional quality then you will out sell me.
That success will allow you to ask more next time and isn't that how
you arrived at the price level you now enjoy?
We live in a "free market" society and that market is driven by what
people will pay not by fixing prices.
That's it.
Just something for you to get your teeth into ;-)