wood turning times?

faithful chippie

I was wondering how long does it take most of ye to turn things, say for example a 12" platter, a small 6" bowl or a bottlestopper or something else small like that where you stick a bit of metal to your workpiece afterwards. im doing things like these and it feels like ages to me, all around 1 or 2 hours for the above depending on things.

is that slow or normal?

woodturner

faithful chippie wrote: »

I was wondering how long does it take most of ye to turn things, say for example a 12" platter, a small 6" bowl or a bottlestopper or something else small like that where you stick a bit of metal to your workpiece afterwards. im doing things like these and it feels like ages to me, all around 1 or 2 hours for the above depending on things.

is that slow or normal?

I could answer that in the context that you asked but for me i just turn and finish until I'M HAPPY WITH THE END PRODUCT. WOODTURNING IS FUN, There is no need to rush through a project and ruin the finish. I'm a bit particular with my work and would spend more time finishing my work than carving and turning it. It's the way I was trained in the joinery I worked in and I'd never be happy selling poor quality work.
On another note, I'm just a hobbyist, If you were running a smAll craft business time is money. It's just a matter of getting the techniques down and getting a good finish straight from the tool. The item would require only minimal sanding then. A bit more time spent sanding is never a bad thing.

Alun

Here's a little 'poem' I found once in the woodturning newsgroup on Usenet which kind of sums it up for me ...

How Long Does It Take To Turn One of Those?

Do you mean…

Not plant the tree, but find the wood,
to 'see' the piece, as if I could?
To find a highly figured burl,
a crotch, an eye, or pearly curl?

And once I spy it, perhaps buy it,
inventory, store, and then to dry it?
Then saw or cut it, possibly kiln it,
glue, imbue with fill, or drill it?

You mean, that once I'm satisfied
it's stopped the warps, checks, cracks, once dried?
And mounted on the lathe, to turn it,
which takes much practice, just to learn it.

And then employ a gouge, or two,
or use a skew, which I don't eschew,
to mould it, shape it, what's your pleasure?
by all means, I'm sure to measure.

Then sand it smooth, please wear your mitts,
from coarse to fine, 10,000 grits,
then braze, or burnish, paint, or polish,
the goal: enhance, and don't demolish?

Is that your question, start to end,
how longs that path, its way to wend?
Or do you merely want to know how long it turned?
Ten minutes, or so ...