Finally Sold It

[William Young]

Does anyone else have as much trouble selling segmented bowls as I do in my area. ??? I find there is WAY too much time involved in making them for the amount they can be sold for. I had this twelve inch bowl priced at $89.00 for too long so I finally jumped at an offer of $59.00 and now it has a new home.
It was a practice piece with lots of mistakes so I didn't mind selling it at a loss as far as time and material were concerned.
But to make more and being carefull to overcome the mistakes I made makes me wonder if I should try this type of thing again.
Of course for a special gift to give away as a present to a special person, I can see me making something like this again but for the purpose of making it for sale and to make anything at all for my time , I would be hesitant.
I really did enjoy making this one as one of my first segmenterd turning attempts so at least I have the satisfaction of knowing that I can do it and also that I learned a lot about segmentation from making this one.

W.Y.

http://pic20.picturetrail.com/VOL1620/1718813/5704891/212026285.jpg

[wisconsinwoodch]

only you know where the mistakes are and who gets the right to say there is a mistake. may be that was how you desgined it ,I dont think your prise was out of line , I do very little turning and I know how hard it is. plus the time it takes ,just to glue up the blank. I had a old time crafter tell me if it dont sell rase the price, i did that on a few things and I sold them all. It just dont figure. :) :) :) :)
thewisconsinwoodchuck

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www.wisconsinwoodchuck.com

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

That is a problem alot of us face with many of our items. I have some collapisible baskets that I have been carrying to shows for years. There at one time was a market for them now they are an item people just like to play with. I use to sell them for $45 now have a price of $15 and I still carry them. Sold 2 at a show this year and only have about 5 more. I can say this for alot of pieces and I want to clear them out so I can bring new stuff. I already carry to much. I find if someone is remotely interested I right away mention I can do better on the price hoping they will bite and take it away. I just want material cost. I would never mention a flaw unles they spot it. If they ask why I lowered the price I just tell them I want to bring in new stock. We as craftspeople are probably harder on ourselves than anyone. Our eyes always go right to the mistakes but ask a person to find them and they can look for weeks and not find them.

Whats funny about that bowl is I was just reading the article about how to make that which is a begginers project because I want to try something and it involves segmenting. My problem was I was not the best math guy in my class. I wish I paid more attention. It is amazing how somethings come back at you in life such as learning to type in my typing class. Here I sit doing the one finger dance around the keyboard. Go figure.

[William Young]

The amazing part is that I can make 20 easy to make things like spurtles and tealight lamps and bud vases (the list goes on and on) in the same time as making that one segmented bowl and the average quick selling price is $10.00 to $15.00 each which relates to $200.00 to $300.00 instead of waiting a long time to just get $59.00 for one piece.
W.Y.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

That wasn't the point of your post though from what I gathered. It was something you were trying and if it sold well you would have been glad to make more. There are so many items over the years I thought were going to big sellers and for one reason or another they flop and then there are things that take such little time to make and you throw a few together and the next thing you know it you do not have enough. It just the nature of this beast. But the main point is you had fun making it and learned a few things on the way. This is the way I look at it.

[Gunny]

I got into craft shows a bit differently than most. I started turning because it was something I always wanted to try and once I did, I stopped doing anything else. Every day or so I was handing my Betsy a new "gift" (pens, bowls, keychain, vase, tea light etc) and one day she just said "PLEASE! Stop! There's no more room in the house." Then it was she who decided to do the craft show thing.
I guess I would keep spinning segmented turnings because I would want to see what's inside the glued-up block. I haven't completed a segmented turning yet... but I have a random glue-up that I'm working on. I've been gluing pieces together for several months now. If it turns out well I'll put a price tag on it (maybe) and lay it out with my other items. If it sells that will be great.
Considering the amount of time involved in a segmented turning, I don't think I would try to turn them out like a production turner. I'd do them one at a time and put them out as 'one of a kind' pieces.
Take photos throughout the process. Make a photo board for your show display. You put a lot of time into it... Don't allow your potential customers to think that it's something you polished off on your coffee break.

One of the problems with the DIY TV Craft shows is that the show is on for half an hour. They start with the raw materials and 30 minutes later they have a masterpiece completed. Non-crafters who watch these shows think it really takes only half an hour. Like the rest of you, I usually spend more time than that deciding how to orient the wood on the lathe.

[JTTHECLOCKMAN]

Good points Gunny. I have been talking to a few turners that do segmented work and they have pieces that have price tags on for $600 to $1000 and they do not care if they sell them or not. But every once in awhile they do get them to sell. It was the challege to make it is what drives them to do it. I think just like scroll work it gets boring making the same things over and over even though they may sell well. I know it is for me doing scrolling. Trying to get your price for something that has that much time and thought is tough.

You are right people do not have a clue what is involved in scrolling a piece or even turning a piece. Those birdhouses that I made and are pictured in the photo gallery are an example. There is so much hiden work in such a small object I could not get the money for the time spent. So you settle on a price you think is fair. I have to smile when I watch Norm Abrams build furniture on TV in a half hour show but he presents it as if it takes a weekend. I have built cabinets and there is no way you can do what he does in two days but shows like that are entertaining and that is what has driven tool sales where they are. So you can't knock it I guess. :)