I'd include larger columns, but your description is pretty much what I
had in mind when writing "architectural."


Your lathe equipment, along with everything else, requirements will jump by
magnitudes once you start getting into large columns. But it's pretty cool
to watch an 18' long x 24" diameter column being turned. They were glue-ups
of course. One guy that I watched for awhile was smoothing it with a
Stanley #5 handplane as it turned. You'll be asked to a lot of large
fluting and other decorative "ornamental lathe" types of features so you'll
need to heavily invest in routers, frames, etc. for this at least. I think
I've seen someone make a small one of these and posted it on the web
somewhere? I'm thinking it was a modified Serious Lathe? Not sure.


It's not my main job by any stretch of the imagination, but it's a
steady
income and it's fun. I can't say from experience whether it's a
steadier
paycheck than the crafts or arts end of the spectrum because I'm just
now
getting into really pushing those things of mine into the public.

Hmmm. Now you have me curious. If structural turning isn't your main
work, and you are just getting into the arts-and-crafts market, what's
left? Or isn't turning your primary occupation?


I've done the crafts market for non-woodturning items for a few years now
but have slowly been adding the woodturning items to that. I'd much rather
just demo turn at these events than sell anyway. A whole lot more fun.
Turning isn't my primary occupation ... or, maybe more accurately .... not
my main income by a long shot. I own and run a software development and
technology consulting company. That keeps me busy most of the time. g If
it doesn't, and I start roaming the streets looking for trouble, I can fall
into the other businesses. They're all small businesses and some are
seasonal but it keeps me entertained when I'm not traveling or turning. I
certainly wouldn't mind woodturning full-time but that's not going to happen
yet. I have way too many other things going on. I think I would classify
myself in the woodturning field as a professional amateur. My main aim is
to explore the vast world of woodturning; trying all different types and
kinds of woodturning while selling most of what I make; but not going hungry
if I don't. g



Regrettably, that probably makes this an academic exercise for me. I
moved to Florida two years ago. Not much call for stair spindles around
here, nor much else that isn't made of cinder block. Not that this
factor comes as a surprise.


I don't know much about Florida except what I try to ignore in the news. g
I do hear that there's lots of money and building in certain areas. And
with that, might come some opportunities beyond chucking up a hunk of exotic
masonry between centers and giving it a whirl? Money likes custom made
things so maybe there's something there.


At the moment, this is just exploratory. It will be a long time before
I am good enough to go pro at turning of any sort. It just seemed that


That's a good point to bring up ... however unintentional. g From my own
experience in this type of turning and from many others in the same boat, it
starts out tentatively and suddenly you get a large order of something and
have to produce 50 of them by next week. And where not talking pens here
either. g If you aren't there already, you get real good at turning,
real fast ... or sink. It's a different level of turning, really. I can't
say I'm nearly as good or as quick as most professional full-time
structural/architectural turners but I've gotten a whole lot better because
of it. I also can't say that I share the exact same view as Ernie does
about (a very general term here) production spindle turning versus craft and
art turning but I do see where this type of turning really raises your
skills and the "feeling" at the lathe and working with the tools. You feel
just so much more confident in all other areas I think. So, the point of
all of that is that if you do get into this type of turning, you really need
to have solid skills to be ready to hit the ground running because you may
have to. It's no time to be trying to figure out the skew, for instance.
Know all of your tools so that it's like second nature.



this must be the meat-and-potatoes market for anyone who really wanted
to make a living as a turner, and I'm so burnt out on my day job that
anything even vaguely interesting gets at least a once-over for its
income potential.


I hear that! I'd say investigate it further .. ask around in your area and
keep your eyes open. If there's an opportunity, I'd go for it at least in a
small way at first. What other "profession" can be so much fun? Well
............... g


- Andrew