Ash salad bowl

[Curt Fuller]

Ash salad bowl, 12" x 5.5", finished with Tourangelle roasted walnut oil off the grocery store shelf. I'm trying to get enough things turned to do a booth in a local art show this summer. An experienced turner friend told me that if I have several nice sized salad bowls they will usually cover the booth costs and overhead. So this is the third one I've done, but I'm wondering if it's worth it. Man, there's a lot of work in a salad bowl with twice turning and all the sanding. Just curious what some of you with experience doing the art shows actually (and honestly) can sell a 12-14" bowl for.
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This last pic is 27 little spin tops I turned today. My daughter and SIL are adopting a new grandson for me (and I guess he'll be their new son too) from Ethiopia. They've actually already officially adopted him but are waiting for the US State Dept to approve everything and issue him a visa. These tops and some other turned toys I'm working on are for them to take with them as gifts for the other children in the orphanage when they go back there to bring him home.
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[Steve Schlumpf]

Curt - that sure is a pretty bowl! Love the color and grain! Best of luck with the show this summer! I know your work and you should do well!

The tops are going to be a huge success at the orphanage! What a great idea! Hope you can make enough of them!! Any idea when they get to go pick up your grandson??

[Doug W Swanson]

Curt, that's a great looking bowl. I've always liked that edge treatment.

Great idea for the toys/tops for the orphanage, too!

[Eric Gourieux]

Curt,
That's a nice looking bowl. I've turned a few salad bowls and bowl sets but haven't sold any. Here is my two cents worth regarding salad bowls:

When I turn a salad bowl, I try to think about ease of washing and how easy it will be to keep clean. Although I often like defects and bark inclusions in my regular turnings, I worry about having such a defect in a salad bowl. I figure that food and other nasty stuff will get stuck in there, and, more importantly, that a potential user (or, in your case a potential customer) may shy away for that reason. I turn soft edges and avoid 90 degree angles, etc.

I also consider how it would feel, since it will be handled a great deal more than other kinds of turnings. With that in mind, the top rim seems a bit "sharp". Again, I'm looking at this as a salad bowl, rather than a more visual piece.

Finally, I'd be interested in feedback about using off-the-shelf walnut oil rather than a more refined walnut oil (such as Mahoney's or Doctor's) for this use. I really don't know, but I wonder if there is an advantage or disadvantage to either.

I hope you have a successful show this summer. And CONGRATS on the new grandson. He'll love the tops!

[Curt Fuller]

Curt,
That's a nice looking bowl. I've turned a few salad bowls and bowl sets but haven't sold any. Here is my two cents worth regarding salad bowls:

When I turn a salad bowl, I try to think about ease of washing and how easy it will be to keep clean. Although I often like defects and bark inclusions in my regular turnings, I worry about having such a defect in a salad bowl. I figure that food and other nasty stuff will get stuck in there, and, more importantly, that a potential user (or, in your case a potential customer) may shy away for that reason. I turn soft edges and avoid 90 degree angles, etc.

I also consider how it would feel, since it will be handled a great deal more than other kinds of turnings. With that in mind, the top rim seems a bit "sharp". Again, I'm looking at this as a salad bowl, rather than a more visual piece.

Finally, I'd be interested in feedback about using off-the-shelf walnut oil rather than a more refined walnut oil (such as Mahoney's or Doctor's) for this use. I really don't know, but I wonder if there is an advantage or disadvantage to either.

I hope you have a successful show this summer. And CONGRATS on the new grandson. He'll love the tops!

Thanks Eric, you've brought up some very good points. The edge on this bowl is a little sharp, I might just sand it off a little by hand. As for the supermarket walnut oil, I've used it for several years on bowls, spoons, and cutting boards. It seems to be just fine. It has a nice smell to it when it's fresh and I've never noticed any rancid smell over time. It does darken the wood substantially though. But it's pretty convenient being able to get it close to home and it makes great salad dressing too.

[Eric Gourieux]

Your experience with the walnut oil is helpful to know. I'll have to try it next time.

[Kathy Marshall]

Nice looking bowl Curt! The tops should go over very well and congrats on the new grandson!

[John Keeton]

Curt, the news of the grandson overshadows your bowl!! Congrats!

I love ash, and this piece has some real depth to the color. Nice work, as always, but I share your thoughts on the amount of effort in a salad bowl. I have sold a few bowls recently, but most have not been of this size. They were also a part of an art exhibit, so I suspect they sold for more than they would have at a craft fair. From what I have heard, a 12" bowl will sell between $125 - 175, depending on the market area. That may be out of line one way or the other for your area.

[Richard Jones]

Curt,

I've used that same walnut oil for a couple of years with no issues. To keep it from darkening the piece so much, I usually put a coat of shellac on first, to preserve the original color. I tend to use it on almost all of my utility pieces. The oil gets transferred from the original container to a plastic squeeze bottle for ease of dispensing. As you said, nice smell, and easy to remove from your hands. I do like the piece to dry in diffused sunlight for a couple of days prior to any buffing.

Thanks for sharing.

Rich

[Michelle Rich]

One never knows what a person will do with what they buy from us. They may use it as a salad bowl, or they may use it as a dog bowl!! Heck for years I told folks, don't put these in a dishwasher...how many bowls over the years did I get asked to fix??? Salad bowls do not garner as much money as an art bowl, but they do sell. It totally depends on your area. Good luck

[Nate Davey]

Great bowl Curt, nice and substantial. My question about off the shelf walnut oil would be for those who have nut allergies. I know Mahoney's and Doctor's process that particular protein out so it not an issue. Do you put a small note on the bowl when you sell it about allergies?

[Bernie Weishapl]

Curt that is a nice looking bowl. I just finished turning 3 ash bowls and like that wood a lot. I generally don't sell bowls with inclusions or knots as salad bowls but mostly for chips, popcorn, dinner rolls, cookies or fruit display bowls. I get around here about $65 for a salad bowl that size and around $75 for a 14" bowl finished with either Mahoney's or Doctors walnut oil. I find that larger bowls say 15" up don't sell well around here anyway. For bowls 12" to 14" with knots or inclusions I get from $45 to $60 in my area.

[Curt Fuller]

Thanks everyone!

I get around here about $65 for a salad bowl that size and around $75 for a 14" bowl finished with either Mahoney's or Doctors walnut oil. I find that larger bowls say 15" up don't sell well around here anyway. For bowls 12" to 14" with knots or inclusions I get from $45 to $60 in my area.

Bernie, I'm thinking the market will be similar here. Hopefully selling 3 or 4 of them will at least keep the booth from being a bust.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Curt I think you should do well at a art fair. I do better at those than at craft fairs which I don't do anymore. The last 2 craft fairs I went to didn't even make enough to pay for the booth. At the 2 art fairs I did, I made some decent money even after paying the booth. Hope you do well.

[Baxter Smith]

Good luck at the show Curt. Its a pretty bowl in a usable size. I have no clue about pricing though I do enjoy making them. There may be a better return on your time with a once turned bowl salad bowl.

[Mark Hubl]

Congrats on the upcoming addition to the family Gramps! The toys are a really nice touch. I like the bowl, but would agree with what has been said about shape and inclusions for a salad/user. One of the fellows in our clubs does several shows a year and he asks $100 - $175 for users in this size range.