How do you find time to turn ?

[curtis rosche]

It's be awhile since I have posted. Sadly I haven't made anything new or even touched my lathe for about 8 months. How do you find time to turn ? Between college and a girlfriend and work I don't seem to have any time or money left for turning. I used to only have pieces sit around long enough to warp before I could get To them. Now everything I had been working on is cracked or to warped to use. I guess I need to find a new way to store my works in progress too. Hopefully I will be able to get back out to the lathe some time soon. I have almost a thousand pounds of Burl just waiting to be created into something awesome before it rots:o

[Ken Fitzgerald]

Curtis.......It's easy to understand why you don't have time to turn. IMHO....your education is more important. Maybe you can find time over the holidays to turn a few hours.....put your roughouts in a box with shavings until you get the next chance.

Keep at the education. Few make a living with turning.....a lot make it with a college degree. Good to see you posting again.

[Tim Thiebaut]

I bet you are going to get a ton of different answers to this question, for me...I am retired on disability due to an spinal injury so I am home most all the time, I can stand to work at my lathe for 1/2 to an hour on a good day at any one time, I try to go down into my shop 2-3 times a day...but I am so SLOW at it. Some folks turn things out like crazy, I spend half my time making a cut...then thinking about my next step for 10-15 minutes to make sure I will be happy with the direction I am going in...then make a few more cuts and repeat! lol....thats my routine...Tim

[Nathan Hawkes]

Curtis!! Its been a long time! It is definitely hard to find time to turn sometimes. I'm in a similar boat; nursing school, but manage to find a little time. I'm starting to be a production style turner, but with artsy, natural edge pieces. I work in "batches" to be efficient. I will turn for several hours, then let those bowls dry, then sand for several hours, varnish, etc. Obviously I turn each piece all in one sitting to prevent cracking, but I've waited sometimes months to sand and varnish natural edge pieces that I let warp. The wood does get harder and more difficult to sand, but still finishes just as nice. Hope you get some turning time!! Make sure that burl is off the ground and covered up! And, lastly, STUDY! Education is important. Hope the semester is treating you well.

[John Keeton]

Curtis, everyone has different responsibilities, and each of us is at a different phase in our life. Several creekers are retired, but that doesn't always mean more time - sometimes quite the opposite! I am still working 25-35 hours/week, but my office is 5 minutes from home. We have sold all of our rental properties, sold our business, and have really concentrated on enjoying life. One never knows how much time the good Lord has given us! Depending on the season, I have most evenings to turn, and a three day weekend most weeks. During the summer - not as much as we have a small farm and there is always mowing and such to do.

[Fred Perreault]

Curt, I'd like to echo what John K. said. Start with an education and a good partner/spouse. Be lucky enough to have full support, and return that support. Acquire tools as finances and desires permit and use the tools when time allows. Add 45 years of marriage/partnership, curiosity, knowledge and experience (SMC..?) and take it to the shop/cubby/garage corner and do what you can when you can. You sound like a youngster, so tend to the family and education and the rest will follow. It's a marathon, not a sprint, so you've got plenty of time to be old and retired. :) :)

[Alan Trout]

Curtis,

I am going to take e different angle as I have always been a rebel in the way that I do things. I started my first business when I was 19 and it was pretty successful and sold it when I was 28. What I will tell you is that school is just like any other job. If that is what you need to get where you want to go that is should be your primary priority in your life. However I also think that turning can also be your form of R&R. I don't get a lot of time at the lathe maybe 2 or 3 hours a week. Running my business having a young child takes up the majority of my days and is my life's priority, but when I have a free moment turning is my priority for my own sanity. Of course my spouse is very supportive as she understands how hard I work and understands it is a form of release for me.

A couple of hours a week is not that difficult to come by even as a full time student. I know when I started my first business I worked 60hrs a week and was a full time student and still could find an couple of hours to take my girlfriend to a movie. if it is something you want or need to do you will figure it out. It all boils down to how you manage and set priorities for your time. Of course if turning comes at the cost of your grades you know where your priorities need to be.

Good luck

Alan

[Baxter Smith]

Retired, no young kids at home, a wife that doesn't mind me spending time in the shop, etc. etc. I am glad I didn't become this addicted earlier. There were too many other far more important things that I might have been tempted to slight. It sounds like your priorities are in the right place for now. Good luck fitting in an hour or two when you can. With planning you may be able to make it happen!

[Dan Cannon]

I'm with you Curtis...as much as I love getting out in the shop, it doesn't happen nearly often enough. I've got 2 young kids, work and evening classes that all seem to compete for my time, and rightfully so! But I will say this, now that I've got a LITTLE experience under my belt, I'm having almost as much fun just planning projects and tool acquisitions/builds in my head. One day, I'll actually get to them, but until then, I'll take whatever turning time I can get...

[Jon Prouty]

It does not get any easier as we get older... finding turning time is hard. Good luck with school.

JP

[David E Keller]

Mine turning time comes in spurts. I've got two little ones, and my work schedule can be unpredictable at best. My secret... Over marry! My wife is a total stud, and she makes sure that I get a little turning time now and then... I get cranky if I go too long without a little 'me' time. I doubt anyone here has as much time to devote to the things they love as they'd like to have, but such is life!

[Scott Lux]

Between college and a girlfriend and work

See, there's your problem. A girlfriend and a hobby are nearly impossible to manage. Now if you had two girlfriends, you could tell each one you are going to see the other. Then you could go out to the shop and get something done.

[curtis rosche]

See, there's your problem. A girlfriend and a hobby are nearly impossible to manage. Now if you had two girlfriends, you could tell each one you are going to see the other. Then you could go out to the shop and get something done.
TWO ? Lmao.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Hey Curtis good to hear from you. You've got your priorities straight and on the way to getting your education. That is what is important. I am retired and still don't have much time to turn.

[Fred Perreault]

By the way Curtis.... I don't want to kick you while you are down, but why don't you let me have those burls, and I will give you 2 future draft choices for when you finally get time to turn..?? :) :)

[David DeCristoforo]

Here's something to keep in mind about time. You cannot find time. Nor can you make time. The only way to get time is to take time.

[Lee Koepke]

I come home from work ... 5:30 ish, put on my work clothes and head to the basement. Its pretty routine now, I tinker till about 7 (when I smell dinner about ready) clean up a little, then head upstairs. No young children, and wife doesnt mind most of the time. Its relaxing for me, and I enjoy it.

When I was just out of college, I worked on a jobsite with a Superintendent that build scale models of houses for his grand-kids. I marveled at the precision it took, he told me the only way to get that precision is patience, and the best way to get patience is by having children !!!

As you move forward, the time WILL present itself! Keep at it.

[Fred Perreault]

Curtis, I don't want to kick you while you are down.... but, how about you give me some of those burls you mentioned, and I will give you 3 future draft choices for when you have time to turn....?? :) :)

[Reed Gray]

Curtis,
I was almost to the point of posting a 'whatever happened to Curtis' thread. As to finding time, I think every one needs a mental health break once in a while. If you got your girl friend into it, that may help, but then you would need 2 lathes.

robo hippy

[Rob Cunningham]

Curtis,
Glad to see you're still checking in on the forums. It sounds like you have a pretty full plate. As others said, concentrate on your education first. I feel your pain, I haven't touched my lathe since December because of flat-work commitments. :( Hang in there, maybe you'll have some time once classes end.

On a side note- my son finally made a decision and will be starting at Millersville in the fall. Maybe I'll run into you on move-in day.

[Steve Schlumpf]

Curtis - great to hear from you! Sounds like things are going well! Neat thing about your age - there is always Spring break coming up! Have fun!

[curtis rosche]

By the way Curtis.... I don't want to kick you while you are down, but why don't you let me have those burls, and I will give you 2 future draft choices for when you finally get time to turn..?? :) :)

depends,,, how much do you want and how do you plan to get it? and what do i get in return?

[curtis rosche]

Curtis,
Glad to see you're still checking in on the forums. It sounds like you have a pretty full plate. As others said, concentrate on your education first. I feel your pain, I haven't touched my lathe since December because of flat-work commitments. :( Hang in there, maybe you'll have some time once classes end.

On a side note- my son finally made a decision and will be starting at Millersville in the fall. Maybe I'll run into you on move-in day.

hopefully i will meet you some day,, let me know if you come up for a visit of the campus, i can show you around.

[Richard Coers]

To me the beauty of turning is the quick project turn around. I have turned enough now that I can do a small hollow form in about an hour. Green to completed turning. Let is sit around for a week, spend another hour sanding, then wipe on the poly. If all you work is cracking, slow down the drying, or turn it thinner. Maybe sell that burl if you are worried about it, there's always more. As is stated often, "this stuff grows on trees!"

[Curt Fuller]

I'm not sure about everyone else, but the reason I have time to turn is because I don't have a young girlfriend. If I could choose, I think I'd go for the girlfriend. I seem to remember that being a heck of a lot of fun. ;)

[Richard Madden]

Hang in there, Curtis. Sounds like you have your priorities in order. Maybe you can squeeze an hour in here and there as "your time". I have always had some kind of hobby, woodworking being the longest running by far. For me, spending some time down the basement turning helps to "recharge the batteries" so to speak. Having an understanding wife for almost 42 years helps too.

[Duff Bement]

Nothing will get you in shop faster than realizing your girlfriend (or wife's) birthday is only a week away and want to make her something special. Not that anything like that has ever happened to me but you get the idea.

[Steve Vaughan]

Well, for me, sometimes, it's getting out there for 10 mins. here and there, maybe 30 or 45 mins. sometimes. Every once in a while and can get a few several hour blocks of time in there, but it's mostly a mixed bag and I get out there when I can. My biggest problem sometimes is I get rushed cause I want to get something done, a part of the turning, or go get something sanded out one more grit or two. This evening I rushed out there and said to self, "It won't take long, I'll just finish turning the inside of this plate." Nice piece of wood I brought back from Costa Rica some time back. In the rush to get the inside finished and not much time to get it done, I created a really pretty 3/4" tall funnel about 10" in diameter...blew right into the bottom of it cause I was rushing my time. Whatever you do, be safe, be careful, be sure you're not rushing.

[GLENN THOMAS]

If your girlfriend is taking up too much of your time all you have to do is marry her. Once you do that she won't want anything to do with you. Of course you realize I'm just joking.

[Rick Markham]

Curtis, I am very much in a similar boat as you. I'm probably a bit older than you though (I'm 34). I am currently a full time student earning a BA in mechanical engineering (as fast as I possibly can) I have a young girlfriend (she's 23, and hard to keep up with sometimes) and she has a 3 year old daughter (one of my favorite people). Between school and family obligations, my time is limited, and what little time I get for myself I spend doing something I enjoy... drawing portraits (charcoal, graphite, or pastels), painting in watercolors (portraits, landscapes, or still lifes) or woodworking (flat work...phooey! Turning is my focus right now).

Like David C said, it's all about taking time... We are limited to what we are given. 2 years ago I made a choice to stop wasting my time on efforts of less "self satisfying" endeavors, and focus on things that truly satisfy my inner being. I don't spend time out with my buddies (drinking) like I used to. Since then, I have money for the girlfriend/addiction of turning and all the time I used to spend "having a good time" is now really spent having a good time, and I have a 4.0! For me I had to give up some of my social life, to get to do what I enjoy, and I have been rewarded 10 fold in all of the arts I practice!

My girlfriend, is a good one too. She's my biggest fan, and wants EVERYTHING I make, and understands my need to express myself in the various arts, I get to practice. So she understands that some of my time is dedicated to that, she's a very understanding woman and I am lucky to have her. In return she gets lovely things made for her, and a lot of love from me.

I might be an exception around here... I'm somewhat of an insomniac... so there is always the option of "just not sleeping":D There is plenty of time to sleep when we're dead!:rolleyes: