Well, I'm somewhere between Prometheus and Tom, age-wise, though I began
getting white hairs at 26 (no gray). I started turning at 12, basically
when I first got access to a lathe. Have always loved turning a rough
piece of wood most people would burn into a finely finished object. No
support group anywhere near home then, nothing too close to where I live
now, either.

I did a small amount of work for pay though high school, but I've never
really gone into moneymaking whole-hog - I also rarely go to meetings -
none are close enough to bother, generally speaking. Last
turning-specific thing I went to was 6-7 years ago and a 3 hour drive
one-way for a 3-4 hour symposium. If I can't get whatever support I want
here, I don't get it, generally speaking, but I manage pretty well,
since I've been on my own with turning since the beginning. I know a guy
a decade or so my junior in the area who also turns a bit, but he's got
no time at all...

As for the moneymaking end of things, I've watched too many people ruin
something they enjoy by going into business in a way that ruins their
enjoyment to jump in un-prepared. That said, I'm working on my new shop
building, and one of the roles of the new shop is to provide enough room
for my 5 lathes and other stuff, and perhaps make some money at things I
like doing - but if it comes to a choice between having fun with it and
making money at it, I'd rather have a hobby I enjoy and don't make money
at than a job doing something I used to enjoy but no longer do...

The short form: Woodturning is a lot cheaper (and more fun) than
phsychiatry.

As for that molding idea of Prometheus', there are a few missed details
aside from the main one, which is that marketing [finding people to buy
your product] is at least 50% of the work in doing "woodwork" as a
business, and is completely missing from his analysis. One of the many
routes to not-fun, unless you happen to like that sort of thing.

There's also sharpening cutters, the fact that boards and boards which
will machine into acceptable moulding are not the same thing, and even
some boards which you think will machine into acceptable moulding will
not (especially if your cutters are dull), and will be waste, which the
customer will not buy, but you will have to pay for. That's just barely
scratching the surface, but illustrates a small amount of what you need
to consider when you look at opening up a new business. Try making some
hickory, ash or purpleheart moulding - you might discover why it's not
that common...

--
Cats, coffee, chocolate...vices to live by