I made a guy a cane this past week. His only spec was that it be unique in
all the world. He ended up with segmented tamarind / leopardwood with a
piece of birdseye maple at the handle end. I had him
over for a fitting today to check the length and to select which of two
sizes of brass horse hanes he wanted for his handle.

Although we hadn't discussed price, I figured it would come up eventually
so I had gone shopping at Meijers for their top of the line cane. I was
also prepared to simply give it to him ... we are both Jehovah's Witnesses
.... so, when he asked the price I told him that he could choose
whether to accept it as a gift from me or to pay the Meijers price.

He chose to pay the Meijers price ... plus $20.

I figure anytime someone is willing to give me more than I ask for a
piece, it counts as a gloat. ;-)

Okay ... now that that is off my chest, I'm off to the basem -- err,
'shop' to stain the tamarind and maple black per his request.

Bill

Black stain on tamarind & maple? Wow, I didn't even know Norm needed a
cane! grin

You gave him a choice to accept it as a gift or to pay the Meijers price.
What a miserable SOB.

Why couldn't you just say to the guy, I'd like to make it a gift to you,
instead of putting him on the spot.

You then have the gall to gloat that he gave you more than the retail price.
Sounds as though your motive was monetary all the while & that you were
hoping against hope that he would choose to pay.

jamesy.

"W Canaday" wrote in message
news
I made a guy a cane this past week. His only spec was that it be unique in
all the world. He ended up with segmented tamarind / leopardwood with a
piece of birdseye maple at the handle end. I had him
over for a fitting today to check the length and to select which of two
sizes of brass horse hanes he wanted for his handle.

Although we hadn't discussed price, I figured it would come up eventually
so I had gone shopping at Meijers for their top of the line cane. I was
also prepared to simply give it to him ... we are both Jehovah's Witnesses
... so, when he asked the price I told him that he could choose
whether to accept it as a gift from me or to pay the Meijers price.

He chose to pay the Meijers price ... plus $20.

I figure anytime someone is willing to give me more than I ask for a
piece, it counts as a gloat. ;-)

Okay ... now that that is off my chest, I'm off to the basem -- err,
'shop' to stain the tamarind and maple black per his request.

Bill


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jamesy wrote:

You gave him a choice to accept it as a gift or to pay the Meijers price.
What a miserable SOB.

Why couldn't you just say to the guy, I'd like to make it a gift to you,
instead of putting him on the spot.

You then have the gall to gloat that he gave you more than the retail price.
Sounds as though your motive was monetary all the while & that you were
hoping against hope that he would choose to pay.

jamesy.


That's one way of looking at it.

Another is that he valued his friend highly - enough to make
him a very fine cane comparable to the best he knew of. Unless
his friend had priced fine canes elsewhere he might not realize
the value his friend had for him. Most people have no idea
how much knowledge, skill and time is required to make something,
anything, that is One Off - and fine - just for them.

And the reverse may be true. Most amateur woodworkers are
somewhat over critical of their pieces, being aware of anything
that could've been done better, every shortcoming. Having
someone, especially a friend, let you know that a piece is
better than the best they knew of is nice to hear.

Sounds like both parties benefitted from the exchange - and
the friendship probably strengthened. The recipient has a
beautiful, unique, made just for him, cane he can enjoy
and brag about. "A good friend made it specfically for me -
three different and beautiful woods put together nicely
don't you think? Feels nice too!" The maker of the cane
can gloat that his work is as good if not better than the
best he's aware of - and has a good friend.

You look at it your way. Me, I'll look at it as a win-win
for two friends.

charlie b

On Tue, 14 Mar 2006 19:27:58 -0000, "jamesy" wrote:

You gave him a choice to accept it as a gift or to pay the Meijers price.
What a miserable SOB.

Why couldn't you just say to the guy, I'd like to make it a gift to you,
instead of putting him on the spot.

You then have the gall to gloat that he gave you more than the retail price.
Sounds as though your motive was monetary all the while & that you were
hoping against hope that he would choose to pay.

jamesy.

Geez, Jamesy- You get up on the wrong side of the bed? As far as I
can tell, it's just an alternate version of the standard Midwest money
game. (That's where you help someone out not expecting any
recompense, they give you money, you give it back, this happens a
couple of times until one of you gives up- weird, but it's the way
things are done here; your area may differ.) It's not a motive issue,
just local custom and it's always nice to get something in return for
your time and materials- offering it for free is a nice gesture, and
that Meijer's joint looks like a Wal-Mart from what I could tell on
their website, so it looks like he offered a low price anyhow.

Just my 2 cents

charlie b wrote in
:

jamesy wrote:

You gave him a choice to accept it as a gift or to pay the Meijers
price. What a miserable SOB.

Why couldn't you just say to the guy, I'd like to make it a gift to
you, instead of putting him on the spot.

You then have the gall to gloat that he gave you more than the retail
price. Sounds as though your motive was monetary all the while & that
you were hoping against hope that he would choose to pay.

jamesy.


That's one way of looking at it.

Another is that he valued his friend highly - enough to make
him a very fine cane comparable to the best he knew of. Unless
his friend had priced fine canes elsewhere he might not realize
the value his friend had for him. Most people have no idea
how much knowledge, skill and time is required to make something,
anything, that is One Off - and fine - just for them.

And the reverse may be true. Most amateur woodworkers are
somewhat over critical of their pieces, being aware of anything
that could've been done better, every shortcoming. Having
someone, especially a friend, let you know that a piece is
better than the best they knew of is nice to hear.

Sounds like both parties benefitted from the exchange - and
the friendship probably strengthened. The recipient has a
beautiful, unique, made just for him, cane he can enjoy
and brag about. "A good friend made it specfically for me -
three different and beautiful woods put together nicely
don't you think? Feels nice too!" The maker of the cane
can gloat that his work is as good if not better than the
best he's aware of - and has a good friend.

You look at it your way. Me, I'll look at it as a win-win
for two friends.

charlie b

Mr. B,
Jamesy was way out of line because he doesn't understand Witnesses; you
were less out of line for the same reason.To put it in a nutshell, it was
a normal transaction. Both parties were Jehovah's Witnesses; Witnesses
will offer each other aid, comfort, shelter, any need without recompense.
The friend was not in need, so paid 'his friend' for the cane. I think
the gloat was because of the 'tip' and the great cane.
I'm not one of Jehovah's Witness, but my mother and sister are. Others
could take a lesson or two from them.
Hank
,

On Tue, 14 Mar 2006 05:30:23 -0800, Devon Miller wrote:

Black stain on tamarind & maple? Wow, I didn't even know Norm needed a
cane! grin

Yeah ... it kinda rubbed my fur all wrong. But it's his cane and that
makes it his call. See my other posting for how it all turned out. Guess
I'm not Norm after all.

Bill

On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 21:19:55 -0600, Henry St.Pierre wrote:

Mr. B,
Jamesy was way out of line because he doesn't understand Witnesses; you
were less out of line for the same reason.To put it in a nutshell, it
was a normal transaction. Both parties were Jehovah's Witnesses;
Witnesses will offer each other aid, comfort, shelter, any need without
recompense.
The friend was not in need, so paid 'his friend' for the cane. I think
the gloat was because of the 'tip' and the great cane.
I'm not one of Jehovah's Witness, but my mother and sister are. Others
could take a lesson or two from them. Hank ,


I don't think James meant any harm ... but you are right, he doesn't
understand.

All it took to 'buy' that cane was a smile, a handshake and a sincere
"Thank you". That really IS the full asking price. If I had wanted more, I
would have said so --before-- making the cane.

Here's the rest of the story.

Last summer somebody sicced a rotweiler on this elderly couple for trying
to preach from the Bible. In our territory, it will eventually happen
again. "Not preaching" is not an option. (Mt 24:14; 28:18,19) So another
answer needed to be found.

I made him a strong cane with a heavy metal handle to at least hold off
the dog until his wife can escape.

Perhaps that will buy him enough time for more help to arrive.

Bill

On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 17:25:43 -0600, Prometheus
wrote:


Geez, Jamesy- You get up on the wrong side of the bed?

No, he's a troll.


--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

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W Canaday wrote in
news
On Wed, 15 Mar 2006 21:19:55 -0600, Henry St.Pierre wrote:

Mr. B,
Jamesy was way out of line because he doesn't understand Witnesses;
you
were less out of line for the same reason.To put it in a nutshell, it
was a normal transaction. Both parties were Jehovah's Witnesses;
Witnesses will offer each other aid, comfort, shelter, any need
without recompense.
The friend was not in need, so paid 'his friend' for the cane. I
think
the gloat was because of the 'tip' and the great cane.
I'm not one of Jehovah's Witness, but my mother and sister are.
Others
could take a lesson or two from them. Hank ,


I don't think James meant any harm ... but you are right, he doesn't
understand.

All it took to 'buy' that cane was a smile, a handshake and a sincere
"Thank you". That really IS the full asking price. If I had wanted
more, I would have said so --before-- making the cane.

Here's the rest of the story.

Last summer somebody sicced a rotweiler on this elderly couple for
trying to preach from the Bible. In our territory, it will eventually
happen again. "Not preaching" is not an option. (Mt 24:14; 28:18,19)
So another answer needed to be found.

I made him a strong cane with a heavy metal handle to at least hold
off the dog until his wife can escape.

Perhaps that will buy him enough time for more help to arrive.

Bill

Bill,
Like I said, "I'm not a Witness". If anyone was to sic a dog on my
mother (age 88), or my sister (age 61), or any other person not doing
them harm and I became aware of it; a cane would be the least of their
worries.
Hank

What has this to do with woodturning?

I really will never understand Americans!

Tony the Turner wrote in
:




What has this to do with woodturning?

I really will never understand Americans!



No Tony, you never really will.
Keep turning or spinning with my fondest regards,
Hank

On Fri, 17 Mar 2006 09:21:27 +0000, Tony the Turner
wrote:




What has this to do with woodturning?

I really will never understand Americans!

Well Tony, what do your comments on what this has to do with turning,
or your inability to understand Americans have to do with turning,
either?

Better check your eyes for beams.

--
Chuck *#:^)
chaz3913(AT)yahoo(DOT)com
Anti-spam sig: please remove "NO SPAM" from e-mail address to reply.


September 11, 2001 - Never Forget

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On Thu, 16 Mar 2006 22:04:31 -0600, Henry St.Pierre wrote:


Bill,
Like I said, "I'm not a Witness". If anyone was to sic a dog on my
mother (age 88), or my sister (age 61), or any other person not doing them
harm and I became aware of it; a cane would be the least of their worries.
Hank

AT this point in time, all that is left is revenge and, for us, revenge
isn't an option. Self-defense, however, is another matter entirely.

And just to keep Tony happy, the stick is made up of laminated wood and
was the object of a finishing question in a separate thread. "Defense"
and 'show' are the reasons for the cane .. but wood is its material and
turning is (the bulk of) its method. I think that is sufficient to
establish the relevancy of this thread to this newsgroup. I am certain
I've seen less relevant threads go unquestioned.

Bill