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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)


I make a lot of small replicas of the Jupiter lighthouse to use as fan
pulls or whatever. I turn them, stain the shaft & base red and the light
room black and try to avoid bleeding. I polish them and add a screw eye.
I put them into a small plastic bag with a printed sheet detailing the
history, range and construction of the famous light. I usually give
them to the hospital and other fund raising thrifts to sell and I keep
some in the truck for incidental gifts.


The pompous big shot at one thrift which shall be nameless decided to
sell them for $1.00 so after explaining about cutting the mahogany
blanks turning them, staining them etc. etc. I suggested either giving
them away or selling them for at least $5.00 to $10.00 as do the other
thrifts.
Turning friends say $5.00 is much too little and only demeans my
contribution.
I am not trying to deduct a large charitable contribution, but truth be
told I am miffed.


And another recent put down, Guess I'll never learn. For Earth day, I
turned several large weed pots from roadkill logs, leaving the bottom
2/3 rough & natural and the top 1/3 nicely finished. I gave them to the
Church warden with explicit instructions to position them at intervals
along the walkway to the church entry. I provided some colorful ixora &
croton cuttings. They weren't placed along the walk, but at the coffee
after the service they resided on a large table with a sign saying "help
yourself, but take only one". I tell you guys, Christian or not I was
tear-ass, but could only smile and say "Thank you, you're welcome" when
sweet innocent ladies came up and said "Someone said they thought you
made these. How nice of you. My pot is lovely". Grrrr!


I think I mentioned this one before, but while turning with the garage
door facing the street open a man drove up and wanted a large bowl for
an anniversary gift. I explained that I don't turn as a business and
never a custom piece since turner and client are seldom on the same
page. He then scornfully looked at my simple abode among the mcmansions
and said "I am painting a large expensive home down the street and I can
give you an hour's time of my crew toward painting your little house in
exchange for a bowl. I couldn't resist, I said "Well ok nevermind the
painting, would cash be ok"? He said sure and I informed him that I got
between $4700.00 and $5000.00 per bowl. He paled, said he'd be back,
drove off and I've never seen him since.


Have any of you guys suffered a similar situation? How did you handle
it? Your answers may be too late for me, but your posts might revive
our anemic NG. Thanks in advance, but I won't offer to paint your shops.



Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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



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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)

Arch wrote:
I make a lot of small replicas of the Jupiter lighthouse to use as fan
pulls or whatever. I turn them, stain the shaft & base red and the light
room black and try to avoid bleeding. I polish them and add a screw eye.
I put them into a small plastic bag with a printed sheet detailing the
history, range and construction of the famous light. I usually give
them to the hospital and other fund raising thrifts to sell and I keep
some in the truck for incidental gifts.


The pompous big shot at one thrift which shall be nameless decided to
sell them for $1.00 so after explaining about cutting the mahogany
blanks turning them, staining them etc. etc. I suggested either giving
them away or selling them for at least $5.00 to $10.00 as do the other
thrifts.
Turning friends say $5.00 is much too little and only demeans my
contribution.
I am not trying to deduct a large charitable contribution, but truth be
told I am miffed.


And another recent put down, Guess I'll never learn. For Earth day, I
turned several large weed pots from roadkill logs, leaving the bottom
2/3 rough & natural and the top 1/3 nicely finished. I gave them to the
Church warden with explicit instructions to position them at intervals
along the walkway to the church entry. I provided some colorful ixora &
croton cuttings. They weren't placed along the walk, but at the coffee
after the service they resided on a large table with a sign saying "help
yourself, but take only one". I tell you guys, Christian or not I was
tear-ass, but could only smile and say "Thank you, you're welcome" when
sweet innocent ladies came up and said "Someone said they thought you
made these. How nice of you. My pot is lovely". Grrrr!


I think I mentioned this one before, but while turning with the garage
door facing the street open a man drove up and wanted a large bowl for
an anniversary gift. I explained that I don't turn as a business and
never a custom piece since turner and client are seldom on the same
page. He then scornfully looked at my simple abode among the mcmansions
and said "I am painting a large expensive home down the street and I can
give you an hour's time of my crew toward painting your little house in
exchange for a bowl. I couldn't resist, I said "Well ok nevermind the
painting, would cash be ok"? He said sure and I informed him that I got
between $4700.00 and $5000.00 per bowl. He paled, said he'd be back,
drove off and I've never seen him since.


Have any of you guys suffered a similar situation? How did you handle
it? Your answers may be too late for me, but your posts might revive
our anemic NG. Thanks in advance, but I won't offer to paint your shops.



Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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



Well, I give away more than I sell. Can you post a picture of one of
your $5000 bowls? :)

Sounds like you are living in the wrong state. We don't have any
pompous big shots in Georgia. There are a few pompous asses, but they
would never speak to me anyway.

--
Gerald Ross
Cochran, GA

La Quinta is Spanish for Next to Dennys




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"Arch" wrote in message
...

I make a lot of small replicas of the Jupiter lighthouse to use as fan
pulls or whatever. I turn them, stain the shaft & base red and the light
room black and try to avoid bleeding. I polish them and add a screw eye.
I put them into a small plastic bag with a printed sheet detailing the
history, range and construction of the famous light. I usually give
them to the hospital and other fund raising thrifts to sell and I keep
some in the truck for incidental gifts.


The pompous big shot at one thrift which shall be nameless decided to
sell them for $1.00 so after explaining about cutting the mahogany
blanks turning them, staining them etc. etc. I suggested either giving
them away or selling them for at least $5.00 to $10.00 as do the other
thrifts.
Turning friends say $5.00 is much too little and only demeans my
contribution.
I am not trying to deduct a large charitable contribution, but truth be
told I am miffed.


Quit giving/selling that thrift your turnings. If you are selling your
turnings to him you really have no say as to what he can charge, actually if
you give them to him you have no say.


And another recent put down, Guess I'll never learn. For Earth day, I
turned several large weed pots from roadkill logs, leaving the bottom
2/3 rough & natural and the top 1/3 nicely finished. I gave them to the
Church warden with explicit instructions to position them at intervals
along the walkway to the church entry. I provided some colorful ixora &
croton cuttings. They weren't placed along the walk, but at the coffee
after the service they resided on a large table with a sign saying "help
yourself, but take only one". I tell you guys, Christian or not I was
tear-ass, but could only smile and say "Thank you, you're welcome" when
sweet innocent ladies came up and said "Someone said they thought you
made these. How nice of you. My pot is lovely". Grrrr!



I think I would bring this up to the persons involved and discuss your
feelings and or make it be known from the very beginning what you intend for
them to do with the donations. Again, once you give something aswy or sell
it, you loose control.



I think I mentioned this one before, but while turning with the garage
door facing the street open a man drove up and wanted a large bowl for
an anniversary gift. I explained that I don't turn as a business and
never a custom piece since turner and client are seldom on the same
page. He then scornfully looked at my simple abode among the mcmansions
and said "I am painting a large expensive home down the street and I can
give you an hour's time of my crew toward painting your little house in
exchange for a bowl. I couldn't resist, I said "Well ok nevermind the
painting, would cash be ok"? He said sure and I informed him that I got
between $4700.00 and $5000.00 per bowl. He paled, said he'd be back,
drove off and I've never seen him since.


I would have told him you do no design to order work and told him to pick
from what was available NOW. If you are not in business you can treat it as
an occasional Garage Sale item to avoid having to collect or pay sales tax
on the transaction.



Have any of you guys suffered a similar situation? How did you handle
it? Your answers may be too late for me, but your posts might revive
our anemic NG. Thanks in advance, but I won't offer to paint your shops.


It happens all the time to me but then again I do this as a business. If I
don't want to sell to some one I quote a price high enough that I would be
very happy to get. Oddly I often get that job.



Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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





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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)


It happens all the time to me but then again I do this as a business. If
I
don't want to sell to some one I quote a price high enough that I would be
very happy to get. Oddly I often get that job.



Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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



It is not the value of the item/labor but the perceived value of it that
matters. I have a toy that I would be happy selling for $12, I cannot sell
them at that price but putting a $26 price on them makes them sell very well
indeed. Maybe you don't value your skill/time as much as the customer does.


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"sweet sawdust" wrote in message
.. .

It happens all the time to me but then again I do this as a business. If
I
don't want to sell to some one I quote a price high enough that I would
be very happy to get. Oddly I often get that job.



Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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



It is not the value of the item/labor but the perceived value of it that
matters. I have a toy that I would be happy selling for $12, I cannot
sell them at that price but putting a $26 price on them makes them sell
very well indeed.



Maybe you don't value your skill/time as much as the customer does.

Perhaps not but I suspect the customer that bites at the higher price has
been quoted much higher prices for the same reason.




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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)

"Arch" wrote in message
...

I make a lot of small replicas of the Jupiter lighthouse to use as fan
pulls or whatever. I turn them, stain the shaft & base red and the light
room black and try to avoid bleeding. I polish them and add a screw eye.
I put them into a small plastic bag with a printed sheet detailing the
history, range and construction of the famous light. I usually give
them to the hospital and other fund raising thrifts to sell and I keep
some in the truck for incidental gifts.


The pompous big shot at one thrift which shall be nameless decided to
sell them for $1.00 so after explaining about cutting the mahogany
blanks turning them, staining them etc. etc. I suggested either giving
them away or selling them for at least $5.00 to $10.00 as do the other
thrifts.
Turning friends say $5.00 is much too little and only demeans my
contribution.
I am not trying to deduct a large charitable contribution, but truth be
told I am miffed.


And another recent put down, Guess I'll never learn. For Earth day, I
turned several large weed pots from roadkill logs, leaving the bottom
2/3 rough & natural and the top 1/3 nicely finished. I gave them to the
Church warden with explicit instructions to position them at intervals
along the walkway to the church entry. I provided some colorful ixora &
croton cuttings. They weren't placed along the walk, but at the coffee
after the service they resided on a large table with a sign saying "help
yourself, but take only one". I tell you guys, Christian or not I was
tear-ass, but could only smile and say "Thank you, you're welcome" when
sweet innocent ladies came up and said "Someone said they thought you
made these. How nice of you. My pot is lovely". Grrrr!


I think I mentioned this one before, but while turning with the garage
door facing the street open a man drove up and wanted a large bowl for
an anniversary gift. I explained that I don't turn as a business and
never a custom piece since turner and client are seldom on the same
page. He then scornfully looked at my simple abode among the mcmansions
and said "I am painting a large expensive home down the street and I can
give you an hour's time of my crew toward painting your little house in
exchange for a bowl. I couldn't resist, I said "Well ok nevermind the
painting, would cash be ok"? He said sure and I informed him that I got
between $4700.00 and $5000.00 per bowl. He paled, said he'd be back,
drove off and I've never seen him since.


Have any of you guys suffered a similar situation? How did you handle
it? Your answers may be too late for me, but your posts might revive
our anemic NG. Thanks in advance, but I won't offer to paint your shops.



I don't do work good enough to actually sell, but I share your pain. But I
did have a teeth clencher of a discussion with a knot head today about
online access to health insurance records. Wanted to scream "WHY DON'T YOU
JUST TRY WHAT I DESCRIBE!!" When they finally did - after some near
whispered instruction from me (the quieter I get the worse it is) they
finally tried and then said OH, that doesn't work ...

I called the person a knot head just to give the post some semblance of
topicality.

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"Leon" wrote in message
...

"sweet sawdust" wrote in message
.. .

It happens all the time to me but then again I do this as a business.
If I
don't want to sell to some one I quote a price high enough that I would
be very happy to get. Oddly I often get that job.



Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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



It is not the value of the item/labor but the perceived value of it that
matters. I have a toy that I would be happy selling for $12, I cannot
sell them at that price but putting a $26 price on them makes them sell
very well indeed.



Maybe you don't value your skill/time as much as the customer does.

Perhaps not but I suspect the customer that bites at the higher price has
been quoted much higher prices for the same reason.



And that is where you get stuck, Your good at what you do, you quote a high
but fair price, the customer see's fair value, and there you go. I have
overpriced jobs to the point I feel guilty and still gotten them.




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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)

On May 1, 6:08*am, (Arch) wrote:
I make a lot of small replicas of the Jupiter lighthouse to use as fan
pulls or whatever. I turn them, stain the shaft & base red and the light
room black and try to avoid bleeding. I polish them and add a screw eye.
I put them into a small plastic bag with a printed sheet detailing the
history, range and construction of the famous light. *I usually give
them to the hospital and other fund raising thrifts to sell and I keep
some in the truck for incidental gifts. *

The pompous big shot at one thrift which shall be nameless decided to
sell them for $1.00 so after explaining about cutting the mahogany
blanks turning them, staining them etc. etc. I suggested either giving
them away or selling them for at least $5.00 to $10.00 as do the other
thrifts.
Turning friends say $5.00 is much too little and only demeans my
contribution.
I am not trying to deduct a large charitable contribution, but truth be
told I am miffed.

And another recent put down, Guess I'll never learn. For Earth day, I
turned several large weed pots from roadkill logs, leaving the bottom
2/3 rough & natural and the top 1/3 nicely finished. I gave them to the
Church warden with explicit instructions to position them at intervals
along the walkway to the church entry. I provided some colorful ixora &
croton cuttings. They weren't placed along the walk, but at the coffee
after the service they resided on a large table with a sign saying "help
yourself, but take only one". I tell you guys, Christian or not I was
tear-ass, but could only smile and say "Thank you, you're welcome" when
sweet innocent ladies came up and said "Someone said they thought you
made these. How nice of you. My pot is lovely". Grrrr!

I think I mentioned this one before, but while turning with the garage
door facing the street open a man drove up and wanted a large bowl for
an anniversary *gift. I explained that I don't turn as a business and
never a custom piece since turner and client are seldom on the same
page. He then scornfully looked at my simple abode among the mcmansions
and said "I am painting a large expensive home down the street and I can
give you an hour's time of my crew toward painting your little house in
exchange for a bowl. *I couldn't resist, I said "Well ok nevermind the
painting, would cash be ok"? *He said sure and I informed him that I got
between $4700.00 and $5000.00 per bowl. He paled, said he'd be back,
drove off and I've never seen him since.

Have any of you guys suffered a similar situation? How did you handle
it? *Your answers may be too late for me, but your posts might revive
our anemic NG. Thanks in advance, but I won't offer to paint your shops.


Turn to Safety, *Arch * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Fortiter

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


Hello Arch,

Like you I give most of my turnings away anymore. After keeping track
of expenses and income from selling at Craft Fairs for three years in
the 1990's I found that I was averaging about 25 cents per hour for my
efforts. At that point, I started to give most of my work away. I sell
a few pieces. Last year I sold a Chinese Ball made from alternative
ivory for $500.00. I donated a second one to the local Senior Center
for their fund raising auction. I valued the ball at $500.00. They ask
if I could furnish some of my books to help increase the value of the
display. Well the books sell for over $100.00 normally, but they sold
the ball and the books for only $70.00 at the auction. But as someone
said, the minute you sell or give a piece away, you have no control
over what they sell it for or do with it. At lease the Senior Center
got a little bit of money for the stuff, but they told me they thought
it would have brought more had it been made of wood.

Fred Holder
http://www.morewoodturning.net
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In article ,
"Scratch Ankle" wrote:

Like you, I don't do anything as a business (yet). I did have someone try
pushing me to do something for her where she was willing to pay me $10 if I
would modify the one she saw I gave as a gift to someone else. Since I had
more than that into it I wasn't inclined to do it anyway, certainly since
her modification added to costs. Mostly it was the attitude that she
thought she was offering a good price and that I was somehow obligated to
make her one just because she wanted one.


You might think of using some variation on "I don't sell anything,
because then it seems too much like work." This works pretty well
to avoid commissions, too. I suspect most people have no idea what
anything handmade costs, since they're used to seeing stuff at
Pier One that's on the wrong end of the exchange rate. When they
offer ten bucks for something that costs more than that for the
materials and tool maintenance, they probably don't mean any
offense.

Mike Beede
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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)

On May 1, 10:08*am, (Arch) wrote:
I make a lot of small replicas of the Jupiter lighthouse to use as fan
pulls or whatever. I turn them, stain the shaft & base red and the light
room black and try to avoid bleeding. I polish them and add a screw eye.
I put them into a small plastic bag with a printed sheet detailing the
history, range and construction of the famous light. *I usually give
them to the hospital and other fund raising thrifts to sell and I keep
some in the truck for incidental gifts. *

The pompous big shot at one thrift which shall be nameless decided to
sell them for $1.00 so after explaining about cutting the mahogany
blanks turning them, staining them etc. etc. I suggested either giving
them away or selling them for at least $5.00 to $10.00 as do the other
thrifts.
Turning friends say $5.00 is much too little and only demeans my
contribution.
I am not trying to deduct a large charitable contribution, but truth be
told I am miffed.

And another recent put down, Guess I'll never learn. For Earth day, I
turned several large weed pots from roadkill logs, leaving the bottom
2/3 rough & natural and the top 1/3 nicely finished. I gave them to the
Church warden with explicit instructions to position them at intervals
along the walkway to the church entry. I provided some colorful ixora &
croton cuttings. They weren't placed along the walk, but at the coffee
after the service they resided on a large table with a sign saying "help
yourself, but take only one". I tell you guys, Christian or not I was
tear-ass, but could only smile and say "Thank you, you're welcome" when
sweet innocent ladies came up and said "Someone said they thought you
made these. How nice of you. My pot is lovely". Grrrr!

I think I mentioned this one before, but while turning with the garage
door facing the street open a man drove up and wanted a large bowl for
an anniversary *gift. I explained that I don't turn as a business and
never a custom piece since turner and client are seldom on the same
page. He then scornfully looked at my simple abode among the mcmansions
and said "I am painting a large expensive home down the street and I can
give you an hour's time of my crew toward painting your little house in
exchange for a bowl. *I couldn't resist, I said "Well ok nevermind the
painting, would cash be ok"? *He said sure and I informed him that I got
between $4700.00 and $5000.00 per bowl. He paled, said he'd be back,
drove off and I've never seen him since.

Have any of you guys suffered a similar situation? How did you handle
it? *Your answers may be too late for me, but your posts might revive
our anemic NG. Thanks in advance, but I won't offer to paint your shops.


Turn to Safety, *Arch * * * * * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Fortiter

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


Well Arch I'm afraid it's a fact of life. Seems to get worse and worse
as the years march on. I spent 3 weeks building a cedar strip canoe
under the watchful eye of my neighbours. They both were in and out of
the shop checking on progress and bringing liquid refreshments
frequent every day of the build. We discussed how much I'd paid for
various materials and how long it took to loft the plans so they were
not ignorant of my time or expenses.
After 3 years I decided the canoe was to be sold so put it out on the
front yard with a for sale sign on it. Within minutes neighbour's wife
offered me $250. I took the canoe back in the shop without saying a
word.
6 months pass and I had a bad leak in the roof and decided to get
quotes on a roofing job. They all were very high and then I decided to
approach the neighbour as he was a roofer. The price he quoted was
about 50% higher than the others. When i asked him why his retort was
"why do you expect me to work for nothing" I reminded him of the canoe
and walked away. We haven't spoke since.
I worked most of my life as a self employed carpenter and it was very
evident that there are some of us who seem to be vulnerable to this
kind of abuse and there are the others who get more than they ask or
want for doing the same work. I haven't figured out why that is, but
when I do I won't be selling or giving the formula to anyone:-)


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On Fri, 01 May 2009 17:01:00 -0700, woodturner wrote:

Last year I sold a Chinese Ball made from alternative ivory
for $500.00. I donated a second one to the local Senior Center for their
fund raising auction. I valued the ball at $500.00. They ask if I could
furnish some of my books to help increase the value of the display. Well
the books sell for over $100.00 normally, but they sold the ball and the
books for only $70.00 at the auction.


That's sickening. I'm not good enough (yet) to sell/donate turnings, but
if/when I am I think my giveaways will be restricted to friends :-).

--
Intelligence is an experiment that failed - G. B. Shaw
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wrote in message
...
On May 1, 10:08 am, (Arch) wrote:
Have any of you guys suffered a similar situation? How did you handle

it? Your answers may be too late for me, but your posts might revive
our anemic NG. Thanks in advance, but I won't offer to paint your shops.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter

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


Well Arch I'm afraid it's a fact of life.


-------------------------

my approach

tell the church/thrift shop or whatever - " I see the value you place on my
offerings. Hereafter I will take them elsewhere where they are valued" and
then do so.

Live by the "fool me once..." philosophy - walk away. And, offer some
stuff for sale to establish value - from what you say, you are not only
being treated like dirt, but you are seriously undervalueing your work.
triple your prices, insist to thrift shops that any sale below your price
point will mean a complete, immediate end to all donations of any kind.

oh, and thrift shops are a really horrible place for any craft - a gift
store near the light house would be much more effective at getting the items
to those who might actually care about them - thrift stores are for getting
rid of junk cheaply - they pay nothing and that's what they think the stuff
is worth - bring a bunch to a gift store and place them on consignment - a
typical consignment agreement is 50/50 or 60/40


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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)

Arch - as you know I have been living from the proceeds of my own
personal hands on efforts for many years. I set all my own prices for
all my own work.

For the most part, no one seems to think that anyone that works with
their hands (unless they reach "artistic" status) should be paid much
for their efforts.

"Their" work is difficult, time consuming and requires a lot of
effort. "Their" effort is valuable, their time is valuable and they
want you to know hat because they are self important or ignorant.

Here is my work around. I TELL people what I will take for my work,
in my business and in my hobbies.

In my hobby stuff, I am more likely to give it away than I am to sell
it short.

I have been involved in a couple of church fund raisers that needed
money for their organization, and have been involved in other
different fund raisers with our turning club.

In one instance, the idiots at the church fund raiser took the club
stuff and sold it for less than the sandpaper cost to finish it. A
lot of guys in the club had hurt feelings. Not me... I reacted as
normal, I got ****ed off. I was ****ed at the club organizer and the
church guys as well.

I took the church guys to task. How could you guys let this
opportunity slide through your fingers? You BEG for money, but sell
items for less than .10 on the dollar without batting an eye? How you
could you be so careless and stupid? I opined that if we were good
enough to donate our time, material and effort, they could at least
get an auctioneer that knew that the wood we worked with wasn't
spelled "would".

As far as our end went, I asked the club president how he helped them
establish pricing. An easy question, I said. How did you help them
establish a baseline? Did you take the various bowls, oil lamps,
rolling pins, etc. to them and tell them what kinds of wood they were,
how long they took to make and about how much the going market rate
was for the items?

It was "no" all the way around. It was nitwits helping pinheads.

The next year they didn't want any club help with their fundraiser
because 1) we didn't raise enough money for them the previous year and
2) they thought the wood craft items should be cheap enough to sell
outright (like an birdhouse made out of rotted fence boards) without
an auction, and 3) they didn't want to take any time to learn about
"turned wood" projects. They were simply too busy with other things.

Sooo.....

When I donate something, I either kiss it good bye and hope for the
best, or I tell them what the base price should be (say .50 on the
dollar) and get a promise from the charity to start there if it is an
auction. Otherwise, no soap.

Hang tough there, Arch. Just because they are trying to sell you
short, don't let 'em.

Robert

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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)


Thanks to everyone for responding and keeping rcw breathing. Some good
info.

Robert, I wondered if you had set up a tent in the wilderness, bent over
a sapling to spin a pole lathe and had become a rustic bodger. What do
you get for your chair rungs? Don't under price em.


Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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



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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)


"Arch" wrote in message
...

I make a lot of small replicas of the Jupiter lighthouse to use as fan
pulls or whatever. I turn them, stain the shaft & base red and the light
room black and try to avoid bleeding. I polish them and add a screw eye.
I put them into a small plastic bag with a printed sheet detailing the
history, range and construction of the famous light. I usually give
them to the hospital and other fund raising thrifts to sell and I keep
some in the truck for incidental gifts.


The pompous big shot at one thrift which shall be nameless decided to
sell them for $1.00 so after explaining about cutting the mahogany
blanks turning them, staining them etc. etc. I suggested either giving
them away or selling them for at least $5.00 to $10.00 as do the other
thrifts.
Turning friends say $5.00 is much too little and only demeans my
contribution.
I am not trying to deduct a large charitable contribution, but truth be
told I am miffed.


And another recent put down, Guess I'll never learn. For Earth day, I
turned several large weed pots from roadkill logs, leaving the bottom
2/3 rough & natural and the top 1/3 nicely finished. I gave them to the
Church warden with explicit instructions to position them at intervals
along the walkway to the church entry. I provided some colorful ixora &
croton cuttings. They weren't placed along the walk, but at the coffee
after the service they resided on a large table with a sign saying "help
yourself, but take only one". I tell you guys, Christian or not I was
tear-ass, but could only smile and say "Thank you, you're welcome" when
sweet innocent ladies came up and said "Someone said they thought you
made these. How nice of you. My pot is lovely". Grrrr!


I think I mentioned this one before, but while turning with the garage
door facing the street open a man drove up and wanted a large bowl for
an anniversary gift. I explained that I don't turn as a business and
never a custom piece since turner and client are seldom on the same
page. He then scornfully looked at my simple abode among the mcmansions
and said "I am painting a large expensive home down the street and I can
give you an hour's time of my crew toward painting your little house in
exchange for a bowl. I couldn't resist, I said "Well ok nevermind the
painting, would cash be ok"? He said sure and I informed him that I got
between $4700.00 and $5000.00 per bowl. He paled, said he'd be back,
drove off and I've never seen him since.


Have any of you guys suffered a similar situation? How did you handle
it? Your answers may be too late for me, but your posts might revive
our anemic NG. Thanks in advance, but I won't offer to paint your shops.



Turn to Safety, Arch
Fortiter


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



Same here, while I dont sell much $10- 15 pens and weed pots for $5, small
bowls 15 to 30 depending on material, I always have some clown that thinks
They can offer me half my asking price and I just tell them to buy the
material for that amount and I will make the item for free for them, usally
shuts them up. My Brother-in-law does beauftiful scrool work, We tried
selling some CROSS es for him at $3ea. One lady asked the wife if we were
giving them away and when she said no the lady walked off mifffed. Some
people have no clue and others are just stupid.

I did make some klidescopes eggs for some neibhors at thier request for
presents and The ask me what they owed me. I told them what my cost was and
to pay me what they thought the were worth. both of them paid me what I
though was a very fair price, but then one is a paint artist and the other
work with stone sculpture as a hobby.




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Default Some wadding for rcw's life support. (deliberately long)

In message
,
robo hippy writes
Best payment I ever got.... I got 2 walnut trees about 2 years ago.
The Woman really loved her trees, but they died and had to come down.
A friend of a friend is a friend of mine, and his chainsaw wasn't big
enough. "Is yours big enough?" Darn tootin! Well, I gave her a bunch
of bowls for Chistmas for her, her kids and grandkids. When she saw
them, she did little girl squeels of delight, was bouncing up and
down, tears started rolling down her cheeks, and she had to give me
several big hugs. Best payment I ever got.
robo hippy

Last year I helped neighbours cut up a Wild Cherry stump. It was over
2ft wide, and wrapped various pockets of soil/chalk/flint, the grain was
going everywhere. Chainsaw had no chance so it was Axe Wedges etc. to
split it to manageable pieces

I was able to salvage a few pieces for turning and made them a basic
bowl. The wood was very wet when turned, and the smell of Morello filled
the shop. Over the last 6 months they have enjoyed watching it as it
dries, distort twist. They had never realised how much life their was in
a dead piece of wood
--
John
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