VERY strange week!
I don't know how to make this short, so try to bear with me..

I posted a group of pictures a few weeks ago, that I'd sent to a client that was
interested in some ironwood pieces...

SHE emailed back that they were interested in a few and would be visiting here
(Mexico) in a few weeks..

I was supposed to bring my higher-end pieces to a local gallery this weekend for
the big tourist rush, but was waiting until they got here, as I'd rather give my
clients/collectors the 20% that the gallery charges, so I told the gallery I'd
bring the stuff in on Friday..

HE calls the day before they get here (Wednesday) and says that his wife's
birthday is coming up and if I have any ironwood pieces that I've done since the
pictures were taken, please hide them from HER when they're here...
Pretty simple, so far.. then it got sort of crazy..

I've got 2 hidden and she's in love with 3 or 4 of the one's on the shelf..
REALLY like's a tall vase but doesn't want to spend $275 this trip, and can't
make up her mind between a bowl for $175 or 2 smaller pieces that total about
$150..
All this time, HE is quietly observing..

She decides on the 2 smaller pieces, after spending about an hour fondling
anything I had in ironwood.. He whips out his wallet, buys them for her, and
sends her out to the car to get something, so we're alone..

He looks at the "hidden" pieces and likes a small bowl but doesn't think it's
enough for her present, and decides to also get her the one for $175 that SHE
likes.. Asks me to hold those 2 for him until he can arrange things without her
knowing..

Very cool so far, right? I'm thinking that I'll have less to display at the
gallery, but I've got 4 sales and the clients are happy...

Then, SHE calls about 15 minutes after they left and says the HE really likes
the $175 one, and wants me to hold it until she can buy it for HIS birthday..
I'm sort of stuck, because I can't tell her that I sold it to HIM, and she knows
that no other clients have been there since she left, so I can't tell her that
someone else bought it.. Oh, ****..

After a few discussions with my wife, we figure that the only thing we can do is
tell HIM... But if we do, it spoils HER surprise..
Fortunately, he has a great sense of humor, and thinks this is all funny as
hell..

Then, he comes up and buys the other piece that he'd reserved, for $90, AND the
$275 vase that she liked, both for HER birthday...

I ended up telling the gallery that I had to pass on the Memorial day display
because most of the pieces that were going to be displayed were sold, so I have
a free weekend AND a bunch of sales.. Much more than I could possibly expect
from the gallery display..

If I wasn't in the middle of all this, I wouldn't of believed it... Sometimes
life just works out, ya know?




mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On May 24, 10:37 am, mac davis wrote:
VERY strange week!
I don't know how to make this short, so try to bear with me..

SNIP of great story

If I wasn't in the middle of all this, I wouldn't of believed it... Sometimes
life just works out, ya know?

All I can say is congrats! on selling out. I don't know if I would
have saved anything for the gallery or not.... probably not.

But I do think you protest a bit much....

How nice is it to turn out a product that is so well received and
liked that people will buy every piece you made?

Enjoy the moment! Good work.

Robert

On Sat, 24 May 2008 11:12:18 -0700 (PDT), "
wrote:

On May 24, 10:37 am, mac davis wrote:
VERY strange week!
I don't know how to make this short, so try to bear with me..

SNIP of great story

If I wasn't in the middle of all this, I wouldn't of believed it... Sometimes
life just works out, ya know?

All I can say is congrats! on selling out. I don't know if I would
have saved anything for the gallery or not.... probably not.

But I do think you protest a bit much....

How nice is it to turn out a product that is so well received and
liked that people will buy every piece you made?

Enjoy the moment! Good work.

Robert

Thanks, Robert...

No protest involved, I just thought that the way it played out was interesting,
to say the least. ;-]

I do have mixed feelings about the gallery, though..
It's a new one that a local sculptor just built and I do need the exposure...
OTOH, I only have a few collectors/supporters so far and I try to make them my
first priority... Sort of on the fence there..

Since my stuff is being displayed with his sculptures, a successful local
painter and a guy that does high-end pottery, he only "invited" me to display my
more expensive stuff.. Which my clients bought or reserved most of..



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Gee Mac, guess you will have to get some more toys. I just got my
Robust, and a Monster articulated hollowing system. The articulates
systems are great for smaller hollow forms up to about 8 inches deep.
They make hollowing easy. I have 2 shows to get ready for in July,
along with the Olympic track and field trials here in town. Maybe I
can have my Robust paid off by the end of that.
robo hippy

On May 24, 4:29*pm, mac davis wrote:
On Sat, 24 May 2008 11:12:18 -0700 (PDT), "



wrote:
On May 24, 10:37 am, mac davis wrote:
VERY strange week!
I don't know how to make this short, so try to bear with me..

SNIP of great story

If I wasn't in the middle of all this, I wouldn't of believed it... Sometimes
life just works out, ya know?

All I can say is congrats! on selling out. *I don't know if I would
have saved anything for the gallery or not.... probably not.

But I do think you protest a bit much....

How nice is it to turn out a product that is so well received and
liked that people will buy every piece you made?

Enjoy the moment! *Good work.

Robert

Thanks, Robert...

No protest involved, I just thought that the way it played out was interesting,
to say the least. *;-]

I do have mixed feelings about the gallery, though..
It's a new one that a local sculptor just built and I do need the exposure....
OTOH, I only have a few collectors/supporters so far and I try to make them my
first priority... Sort of on the fence there..

Since my stuff is being displayed with his sculptures, a successful local
painter and a guy that does high-end pottery, he only "invited" me to display my
more expensive stuff.. Which my clients bought or reserved most of..

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Very nice. Sounds to me that you need to make one for the lady to buy!
Maybe a match or one to compare - like on a mantle or sideboard...

Might get a his and hers!

Martin

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


mac davis wrote:
VERY strange week!


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mac davis wrote:
VERY strange week!
I don't know how to make this short, so try to bear with me..

I posted a group of pictures a few weeks ago, that I'd sent to a client that was
interested in some ironwood pieces...

SHE emailed back that they were interested in a few and would be visiting here
(Mexico) in a few weeks..

I was supposed to bring my higher-end pieces to a local gallery this weekend for
the big tourist rush, but was waiting until they got here, as I'd rather give my
clients/collectors the 20% that the gallery charges, so I told the gallery I'd
bring the stuff in on Friday..

HE calls the day before they get here (Wednesday) and says that his wife's
birthday is coming up and if I have any ironwood pieces that I've done since the
pictures were taken, please hide them from HER when they're here...
Pretty simple, so far.. then it got sort of crazy..

I've got 2 hidden and she's in love with 3 or 4 of the one's on the shelf..
REALLY like's a tall vase but doesn't want to spend $275 this trip, and can't
make up her mind between a bowl for $175 or 2 smaller pieces that total about
$150..
All this time, HE is quietly observing..

She decides on the 2 smaller pieces, after spending about an hour fondling
anything I had in ironwood.. He whips out his wallet, buys them for her, and
sends her out to the car to get something, so we're alone..

He looks at the "hidden" pieces and likes a small bowl but doesn't think it's
enough for her present, and decides to also get her the one for $175 that SHE
likes.. Asks me to hold those 2 for him until he can arrange things without her
knowing..

Very cool so far, right? I'm thinking that I'll have less to display at the
gallery, but I've got 4 sales and the clients are happy...

Then, SHE calls about 15 minutes after they left and says the HE really likes
the $175 one, and wants me to hold it until she can buy it for HIS birthday..
I'm sort of stuck, because I can't tell her that I sold it to HIM, and she knows
that no other clients have been there since she left, so I can't tell her that
someone else bought it.. Oh, ****..

After a few discussions with my wife, we figure that the only thing we can do is
tell HIM... But if we do, it spoils HER surprise..
Fortunately, he has a great sense of humor, and thinks this is all funny as
hell..

Then, he comes up and buys the other piece that he'd reserved, for $90, AND the
$275 vase that she liked, both for HER birthday...

I ended up telling the gallery that I had to pass on the Memorial day display
because most of the pieces that were going to be displayed were sold, so I have
a free weekend AND a bunch of sales.. Much more than I could possibly expect
from the gallery display..

If I wasn't in the middle of all this, I wouldn't of believed it... Sometimes
life just works out, ya know?




mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Nice drive-by, Mac!

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

Recovery program for excessive
talkers: On-and-on-Anon.

On Sat, 24 May 2008 17:13:18 -0700 (PDT), robo hippy
wrote:

Gee Mac, guess you will have to get some more toys.

Yeah, right, Reed....

It was a great week and I grossed about $600... 3 or 4 more like that and I'll
have the Nova paid off.. lol

I just got my Robust, and a Monster articulated hollowing system. The articulates systems are great for smaller hollow forms up to about 8 inches deep.
They make hollowing easy. I have 2 shows to get ready for in July, along with the Olympic track and field trials here in town. Maybe I can have my Robust paid off by the end of that.

I'm hoping that the Nova will be the last lathe that I buy, but never say never,
right? Sounds like you're having fun with the Robust, what are the specs on it?

I'm trying to avoid the hollow forms thing... It and segmented work seem like
stuff that costs a lot of money and would really sidetrack me from the market
that I already have..

Besides, I'd have to get the one that looks like a metal lathe 'cause I'm way
too old to have a boring bar strapped to my arm when I get a catch!


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Sat, 24 May 2008 19:33:06 -0500, "Martin H. Eastburn"
wrote:


Very nice. Sounds to me that you need to make one for the lady to buy!
Maybe a match or one to compare - like on a mantle or sideboard...

Might get a his and hers!

Martin

Thanks, Martin...

Hopefully, there will never be a matching one... I was just something that
happened because of the shape of the chunk of ironwood and the bark pattern...
After a few "commissions from hell" I don't ever want to try to make 2 or more
of anything the same..;-[

Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/


mac davis wrote:
VERY strange week!


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mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

Mac,
The Robust is a step up from the PM. It has 3 hp, sliding headstock,
25 inch throw, bed estention so between centers is close to 5 feet,
tilt away tailstock gizmo, 750 pounds, adjustable legs, and is made in
the USA. Bigger, heavier, more power. Insert Tim the 'Tool Man' Taylor
proto simian grunts. This will be the last lathe that I own, but I may
want a smaller one for the little things. Seems kind of rediculous to
turn small tops on it.

The articulated hollowing tools are great, no big bar to lift, finger
light pressure to cut. It works great for boxes also, a carbide disc
cutter leaves a 220 grit surface with little or no effort. I have been
doing a lot of small cup and other end grain shapes, not just hollow
forms. More Toys!!!!!

robo hippy

On May 25, 7:26*am, mac davis wrote:
On Sat, 24 May 2008 19:33:06 -0500, "Martin H. Eastburn"

wrote:

Very nice. *Sounds to me that you need to make one for the lady to buy!
Maybe a match or one to compare - like on a mantle or sideboard...

Might get a his and hers!

Martin

Thanks, Martin...

Hopefully, there will never be a matching one... I was just something that
happened because of the shape of the chunk of ironwood and the bark pattern...
After a few "commissions from hell" I don't ever want to try to make 2 or more
of anything the same..;-[





Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Endowed; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/

mac davis wrote:
VERY strange week!

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---= - Total Privacy via Encryption =---

mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

On Sun, 25 May 2008 08:11:58 -0700 (PDT), robo hippy
wrote:

Mac,
The Robust is a step up from the PM. It has 3 hp, sliding headstock,
25 inch throw, bed estention so between centers is close to 5 feet,
tilt away tailstock gizmo, 750 pounds, adjustable legs, and is made in
the USA. Bigger, heavier, more power. Insert Tim the 'Tool Man' Taylor
proto simian grunts. This will be the last lathe that I own, but I may
want a smaller one for the little things. Seems kind of rediculous to
turn small tops on it.

Wow.. sounds like a LOT of lathe...

Are you turning stuff that big now?
Mega coring!

I didn't really need the Nova, just wanted a toy, kind of..
The 16" swing is overkill with the wood supply here..
The jet 1442 was doing the job and I probably could have just used the mini..



mac

Please remove splinters before emailing

In article
,
robo hippy wrote:

Mac,
The Robust is a step up from the PM. It has 3 hp, sliding headstock,
25 inch throw, bed estention so between centers is close to 5 feet,
tilt away tailstock gizmo, 750 pounds, adjustable legs, and is made in
the USA. Bigger, heavier, more power. Insert Tim the 'Tool Man' Taylor
proto simian grunts. This will be the last lathe that I own, but I may
want a smaller one for the little things. Seems kind of rediculous to
turn small tops on it.

Portland made the Robust my dream lathe..... It is simply impressive

--
--------------------------------------------------------
Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org
This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read
RV and Camping FAQ can be found at
http://www.ralphandellen.us/rv

Mac,
I just picked up a good sized Big Leaf Maple with a lot of figure in
it today. I will do a few bowls that size, just because I can, but in
the past, those are a pretty limited market.

Ralph,
I went to Portland (all the way from Eugene)last summer just to check
out the lathes because I wanted to up grade. I didn't even consider
the Oneway, no sliding headstock, and my lathe sits in a corner. I
have seen the Serious in the past, and the same thing. The Stubby
didn't impress me, and the coring systems won't fit on it. I did take
a long look at the VB 36, but even with the bar extentions, it still
said 'Bowl Lathe' to me, and I do some spindles. Thus far, I have only
turned about 40 or so bowls on the Robust, but it is worth the money.

Kids and their toys!!!

Robust robo hippy



On May 25, 5:57*pm, Ralph E Lindberg wrote:
In article
,
*robo hippy wrote:

Mac,
The Robust is a step up from the PM. It has 3 hp, sliding headstock,
25 inch throw, bed estention so between centers is close to 5 feet,
tilt away tailstock gizmo, 750 pounds, adjustable legs, and is made in
the USA. Bigger, heavier, more power. Insert Tim the 'Tool Man' Taylor
proto simian grunts. This will be the last lathe that I own, but I may
want a smaller one for the little things. Seems kind of rediculous to
turn small tops on it.

* Portland made the Robust my dream lathe..... It is simply impressive

--
--------------------------------------------------------
Personal e-mail is the n7bsn but at amsat.org
This posting address is a spam-trap and seldom read
RV and Camping FAQ can be found athttp://www.ralphandellen.us/rv

"robo hippy" wrote in message
...
Mac,
I just picked up a good sized Big Leaf Maple with a lot of figure in
it today. I will do a few bowls that size, just because I can, but in
the past, those are a pretty limited market.

Ralph,
I went to Portland (all the way from Eugene)last summer just to check
out the lathes because I wanted to up grade. I didn't even consider
the Oneway, no sliding headstock, and my lathe sits in a corner. I
have seen the Serious in the past, and the same thing. The Stubby
didn't impress me, and the coring systems won't fit on it. I did take
a long look at the VB 36, but even with the bar extentions, it still
said 'Bowl Lathe' to me, and I do some spindles. Thus far, I have only
turned about 40 or so bowls on the Robust, but it is worth the money.

Kids and their toys!!!

Robust robo hippy



Sounds like the Robust is about the same throw as the Stubby, but with
longer ways - I haven't seen it in person - A key consideration for some of
us is space - some folks have a lot of it, some have very little - so the
sliding ways are helpful to minimize the space needed for a lathe that can
turn large objects - but it's a compromise, and if you have the space, you
are probably better off with a physically larger lathe - and then the
sliding headstock eliminates the need to lean over the ways when working on
a bowl - But then, if you had all that much space, you could get a bowl
lathe and a spindle lathe, right?

I actually turned a small spindle today - first time in a long time - I
wanted to make a handle for a winch that had none - so I got to use a bunch
of expensive tools (large milling machine, metal lathe, wood lathe) and some
cheap ones (grinder, oxyacetylene torch, files, hack saw) to make a $2 part,
but now it's done. The spindle part was to make a handle that would turn
on the pin I affixed to the crank for that purpose)


** Posted from http://www.teranews.com **

On Sun, 25 May 2008 19:02:59 -0700 (PDT), robo hippy
wrote:

Mac,
I just picked up a good sized Big Leaf Maple with a lot of figure in
it today. I will do a few bowls that size, just because I can, but in
the past, those are a pretty limited market.

I feel your pain.. lol
The few big (over 14") bowls that I've sold went for less than the smaller
ones.. Either a salad bowl or no sale, and definitely not art..

There is NO big wood down here, so a "large" piece might be a 6" or 7" ironwood
bowl..
A friend just brought me 4 green oak rounds from Lake Tahoe.. About 18" diameter
logs and cracked to hell by the time he got them here..
I'm turning then anyway, just for the almost forgotten pleasure of sending those
long, wet shavings flying.. gotta love it..


mac

Please remove splinters before emailing