How much turning time?

[Jim Ketron]

Here lately my turning time has been cut way down. I'm lucky to get a few hours a week in. I'm used to finishing a few pieces a week and I know you guys think I have fell by the wayside, but family comes first taking care of the Twins is a full time job!:eek: The other children are old enough to find for them selfs. My Wife works 12 hr days and night shift to boot, so when I get home from work My shift with the kids start.
I do enjoy watching them they are lots of fun.:D They will be 1 year old 3/5/06 and it don't seem that they should be that old. They grow up way too fast!

So back to the question at hand !
I say I get an average of 5 hrs a week for turning time.
what do you get?

[Gary Max]

Right now we are building for our spring shows. This works out to about 10 hours a day 6 days a week. I wish I could just turn full time but that ain't in the cards right now. Bowls sales are good but not enough to pay the bills -- so I am still building Cedar furniture---right now a bed. I do turn a couple of bowls a week but this would add up to less than 20% of the product that is being made.

[Bernie Weishapl]

Jim I am in the same boat. I own and operate a clock repair shop which is part time. I work a full time job also. So Sunday is about the only day I get to turn. Once in a while I will take a evening and do some turning. I have 3 more years and then I will retire so hopefully will have more time then.

[Dennis Peacock]

Well, let's just say that I don't get the time I would like to have on the lathe. I have found that I like a mix of round work and flat work. When making pens for the troops, I was putting 20 to 30 hours a week on a lathe just making pens. I need to do the same with finishing up bowls. But WORK keeps getting in the way.

Right now? Zero hours per week on the lathe.

[Andy Hoyt]

Sad to say, I haven't fired Janine up in about two weeks. Been too busy doing the modeling thing. No! Not that kind! This kind (http://www.sawmillcreek.org/showthread.php?t=32277). And I won't likely be able to spin anything until it's done. Every time I walk past her, I can hear that drive itching to go; notice the tailstock fluttering in and out with eager anticipation; I can hear the gouges rattling like fine sheffield steel sabres; but the vac chuck just sits there hissing and calling me vile names. I am so cruel.:(

[Jim Becker]

Less. But at least I'm actually getting in the shop for a few hours each weekend at this point. Most of that has been lathe oriented, just because it can be productive time. When we first got the girls home, I didn't see the shop at all...other than for hiding things from them. ;) So...I feel your pain!

[Michael Stafford]

It all depends on the weather. When it is warm I can get a couple of hours every night and some more time on Saturday and Sunday. But until I no longer have to work, which will be a long while from now, I just fit time in when I can and make the most of it.... ;) I owe, I owe, I owe, so it's off to work I go....:o

[Travis Stinson]

Having to work really cramps my style:rolleyes: , lol. I might get in an evening or two during the week, then the weekends. That will probably taper off a good bit soon, with kid's baseball and good fishing weather coming.:D

[John Miliunas]

Man, talk about bringing up a sore subject!!!! :mad: It's been zilcho for me lately. Two jobs and about 11-14 hours windshield time going back and forth, really cuts into the shop time. THEN, it's working on some small flat-work ( :eek: ) projects for the LOML. All that has been equal to zero spinny time! :( I am going to try and chuck up a piece of that Box Elder we harvested last weekend, though! :) :cool:

[Bill Stevener]

Hi Jim,

Well lets say if I were to measure it in chips, it would be about a bucket full every two months. Seeing that I am turning mimes during the winter months, 10 - 20 a week, I guess I get all the time I wish; as I am retired now.

Don't rush it, as it comes faster than you think.

Bill.>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>:)

[Rich Stewart]

I guess I am the lucky one here at this moment. I was working two full time jobs, 80 hours a week, which left little time for turning. Then a herniated disc and surgery put me out for a while. Right now I am spending 5 to 6 hours a day in my shop. Peediddlin' around with somethin' er other. Been great and it looks like I got another four weeks according to the Dr. I feel great but he's the boss. Who am I to argue with a MD. maybe if I ask real nice he'll give me two more weeks after that. Been eating my savings up, but getting state temp disability. Not much but it helps. Real problem is running out of wood. I buy almost all my wood so got to be careful I don't make wifey too mad. I have been working on my tool control and finishes lately. When I don't have much time it seems like i just try to crank a piece out. Get er done. So hopefully having this much spinny time will make me a better spinner.

[Glenn Hodges]

I turn 6-8 hours a day.

[John Hart]

I work an 8 hour day at the office, then come home and put in 2-3 hours more each evening. But that evening work is spent running nightly system regeneration routines that I have to wait 15-20 minutes per routine. With a computer in the shop, this allows me to multitask turning and working.

Basically, I get 2-3 hours a night and then 16 hours on the weekend in the shop.....Roughly 20 hours lathe time per week. I consider this all educational by the way...cuz I don't consider myself very good yet...but I'm driven by everyone here!!

Oh....Happy Birthday One Day Early to the Twins!!!!! :)

[Pat Salter]

It varies per week but rounds out to anywhere from 10 to 20 hours a week.

[John Shuk]

Let's see...Work+4 1/2 yr. old+almost 3 yr.old+1 month old+ little sleep at night+No appreciable shop time. I have been trying to spend a little time each week making the shop more efficient so I can go start something and finish it later. It is tough. I understand why most members of my turning club are either single or retired. Usually not 30 something like me.

[Bruce Shiverdecker]

Before the accident yesterday, I have only been working on a cradle. I was only getting about four hours a week to work on it. This project was a shelf unit for the baby's room. Nothing spactacular. Just made from Melamine panels (They wanted white and to have adjustable shelves). It seemed the fastest and easiest way to give them what they wanted. I'm continuing with it, a little at a time, being VERY careful, considering what I did to my thumb.

Bruce

[Keith Burns]

I will typically spend 20 to 25 hours a week in the shop. Not all the time is turning, some time is spent just thinking about my next piece or just setting in the peace and quiet and thinking about nuttin.

[Dick Parr]

Not as much as I would like to. I get around 2-3 hours a few days a week and sometimes I over do it and will spend 5-6 hours and pay for it later.

[Corey Hallagan]

Hard for me to find time to practice. Besides work and travelling, I am still remodelling the home and about ready to tackle the kitchen. I split time between the flatwork and turning.

Corey

[Glenn Clabo]

Andy...
Are you sure they didn't use you for medical research during your navy time? Nuclear test dummy? :eek: Something seems to have affected your thinking process. We all know vac chucks can't speak...english.;)

[Andy Hoyt]

Dummy - yes! Nukeyoular - nope.

Yeah, I translated it for you because I didn't thiink that too many of you guys spoke Pronese. What it really said was, "Zchlatsvua, cogvipotchioveua sis praesus commodeum."

[doug webb]

Have all the time I want, some "Hartwood", my wife's blessings and a broke lathe. But... the broke part won't last and the rest will. I feel REALLY guilty. Really....

[Dave Wimmer]

I've been kept away from the lathe a lot lately. I drive (on call) for a new car dealer and this past week drove from Mississippi, Pennsylvainia, South Carolina picking up vehicles and driving back to Georgia. I do enjoy doing it, tho. I really don't know how I found time to work 40 hours or more a week before I retired.

[Ernie Nyvall]

The past couple of months my work has kept me away from te house 14-16 hrs, so I'll come home, go in the shop, and just look around for a minute. I have a little time on the weekends... maybe 8 hrs. However, the truck I drive just broke down and will be out for a week. Hmmm... wonder what I'll do with my time.:rolleyes:

Ernie

[John Hart]

....Hmmm... wonder what I'll do with my time.:rolleyes:

Yep....I wonder.....Perhaps fate has lent a hand? :)

[Chris Barton]

Good question Jim. Most weeks at this time of year I manage about 12 hours in my workshop with only a 1/3 or less usually devoted to the lathe. In medical research the beginning and end of the year is always the most hectic. In the late spring and summer I may double or triple that amount. I also make all the gifts I give to extended family and friends for xmas, BDs, etc so, I usually put on a full push starting in July and can sometimes hit 30 hours a week.

[George Conklin]

You guys are making me fell so much better:) . I think this thread was written just for me.

The new job has me away most of the time. Zero time on the lathe in the past two weeks. I feel like I'm going through withdrawls or something. I used to get on the lathe everyday and now, nothing. I rarely find time to get onto the internet to come here! When I do have a spare minute, it's spent with LOML.

Eventually, my free time will get better, I hope.

George

[Earl Eyre]

I spend about 4 hours a day in the shop--approx. 25 hours a week, or more. Been in sort of lathe doldrums lately so have only been doing a few hours a week on the lathe. Can't seem to find the inspiration to new and different things and get bored doing the same thing. Been doing a lot of fret work and making shop jigs.
Earl

[Dennis Daudelin]

Over the last 2 months, we've been snowbirding in Florida so that would count as no shop time. But now that I'm back, it'll be about 4 to 6 hours per day. Since much of that time is making segmented glue-ups, the actual lathe time is much less.

In addition, our local club is starting up some "Sawdust Sessions" so I hope to do some weekend demos which should be fun and less solitary.

The best part though is that we found a place in Florida where we can take our RV and it has a woodshop with 8 lathes. I've signed up for three months next winter and plan to turn and demo from January to March! I hope to spend some time in their stained glass studio too!

Dennis

[Pat Salter]

Well, this past weekend I didn't even touch MY lathe. Our club had a booth at Home and Garden show and I worked all three days about 4-5 hours each. Made BIG bunch of tops that we were taking donations for the Toys for Tots program. And I didn'tmiss my lathe one bit. :D