Where do your pieces end up?

[Robert Goodwin]

I have only been woodworking for a couple of years, but I have had so much enjoyment from making things for other people to give as gifts. My first piece of real furniture went to my wife (although very late), and I still get comments on that one. I am currently making a cradle as a baby shower gift for a friend and their first child. Sure I could have went to the local Babies R Us store and plunked down half the of the money that I have spent on the cradle so far and had a great gift. But the enjoyment that I have gotten out of the design and construction of the cradle so far, and the comments that I have gotten from the father to be have been worth ten times the money I have spent on it so far. I have also wanted to make a couple of things for sale, but never seem to have the time.

Where do you guys and gals send most of things that you make?

Just wondering,
Rob

[Jason Tuinstra]

Rob, most of my "beginner" stuff is in my house. I don't think anyone would have wanted the early stuff. So it lingers in the house. Most of the pieces that actually turn out end up with friends. It's funny, I'm living with the crummy, out of square stuff. :confused: Fortunately, the pieces that leave the house help nurture this little power tool addiction I have going. I can handle that. Jason

[Scott Coffelt]

I got into this as a hobby not as much as a business, so most of what I build is for myself or family. I do have some pieces that were sold as commission work or as part of a larger project (i.e., basement remodel, carpentry jobs, etc.). Then things like bowls, pens and boxes often as gifts.

I have had a numnber of requests for things to be built on commission, but 80% of them freak out at the price I charge. Heck that was when I charged double materials. Now when I factor things I use a more business approach. I do still get the occassional person who realizes that to get it built is more expensive. Although, many of the folks that have come to me want me to match the price of plastic coated partical board for the something out of solid wood. They don't have clue. My first question any more is: What are you looking to spend and what are you thinking you want it out of? I can usually head them off at the pass if they pull the cheapo price thing. Once people see the work, they usually realize what they are getting and why it cost more than partical board. The problem is anymore, they watch stuff like trading spaces and think, heck if they can do all of that for $1000, why not me.... Cause I don't make furniture out of MDF and one coat of paint.

[Julie Wright]

Where do your pieces end up?

The Fire Place

[Jim Becker]

The Fire Place

I do not believe that for a minute, Julie...the work you've displayed is just great!


Where do you guys and gals send most of things that you make?

To date, most of my work is in our home with the exception of some turnings that have been used as gifts and the bedroom furniture I made for my nieces in 2002. I really don't have time to do work for others, although there are some items I'm considering making several on spec to see if they would sell for a reasonable price.

[Mark Singer]

Most are for my home. Some have been gifts to friends and family. I have made a few pieces for clients...either as gifts or they have comissioned me. I did an entire bedroom set and a large coffee table for one . She sold the first home I did for her and we just completed a second home and the furniture is now in the new home. Her husband just passed away a few months ago...he was a woodworker also and a great guy. It is a good feeling to know the pieces I made are still with her.

[Ken Salisbury]

Unlike you ("I have only been woodworking for a couple of years"), I have been woodworking as a hobby for over 50 years during which time I have made one of just about anything you can make out of wood :D. As a matter of fact my first layered wooden bowl (1968) was given to my dog "Duke" to eat from.

"Where do you guys and gals send most of things that you make?"

My "stuff" has ended up in all kinds of places (re: clocks in European homes, gun cabinets in the Virgin Islands, 100's of pieces in my childrens' (3) homes, custom furniture in so many different states I would be hard pressed to name them all).

Woodworking has given me many years of enjoyment and sense of satisfaction. It has been a form of therapy over the years.

Attached is a picture of an article in an IBM Weekly news letter published Friday, November 30,1973 when I had specialized in making all different style clocks. (sorry about the pic quality - the paper has gotten kinda brownish over the years :). (I should make a note of an error in the article which I didn't get to proof read prior to it being published: My 8 yrs military service was 4 yrs Army followed by 4 years USAF.) After which I got smart and went back to school. :)

You will (if like me) go through periods of sticking with certain types of items re: furniture, toys, clocks, bowls, etc, etc. just to be making something different. I have degenerated to making pens/pencils/bowls mostly for the past couple of years. I suppose I will transform to something else in the future (who knows what).

Your "stuff" will end up in only God knows places :D

[Julie Wright]

Ahh, a Maryland Man. I grew up in MD too.
Bowie MD.

[Robert Goodwin]

Ken,

Great article, but it says nothing about being a "Bud Light" enthusiast. Has that been a more recent hobby? ;)

Rob

[Dominic Greco]

The very first time I attempted to turn a piece, like a peppermill or segmented bowl, my wife gets dibs. That is, if she likes it. :D She has the first peppermill I've ever made and we use it everyday. She also has the first "real" salad bowl, and keychain bowl (for placing your car keys in and keeping them off the fine furniture).

Now that I've been actively selling my work for the last 3 years, it's all over the place. My immediate family all got their fair share right after SWMBO (I think my Mom has the most bowls of anyone). Many of my coworker have pieces made by me in their houses. A junior VP of our company's office in Paris France has a huge spalted maple salad bowl I turned this past September. I also just found out that Amy Wynn from HGTV's "Trading Places" got one of my hollow forms as a wedding present! And she really likes it! :eek:

See ya,

[John Piwaron]

Most of my stuff, early, late, good or bad is in my house. Some, like the sliding shoji's couldn't be anywhere else. A couple of things live with my parents. Some will go with my kids when they move out one day. That'll be an excuse to fill two more rooms with whatever piece strikes my fancy.

[Tom Sweeney]

something of mine resides is a cherry bowl I sent to Colorado as a gift for my wifes Uncle. I also made a nice bowl as a gift for one of the kids that went on a mission trip with me last year (he really liked it :D )& gave several others away.

Other than that most of my projects are in the scrap bin :rolleyes:

More importantly though - who is that young dude in the picture in that article Ken posted? :p :D

[Robert Goodwin]

Seems to me that having a woodworker in the family is not a bad deal. We furnish our family, friends, and in one case, HGTV executive's houses :)

[Kelly C. Hanna]

Where do you guys and gals send most of things that you make?

Just wondering,
Rob

To other people's houses....:D:confused::(

Most of the time I find I'd rather have built it for myself!

[Jim Hill 2]

When I got married in 1999, my wife began a process of replacing all the furniture I owned as a bachelor $$$! We bought some nice stuff from GoodWood an "All Hardwood" store. That has lasted about 4 years during which time I have been developing my woodworking skills. Now she wants to start the process all over again except this time she wants me to make it all! I'm almost done with the coffee table but that is only the first piece for the living room and there are 3 more rooms to go after that!
In between working on our projects I also help friends out when they need a small project or give things I make away for gifts. I love how giving a hobby this is!

[Ken Frantz]

More importantly though - who is that young dude in the picture in that article Ken posted?
Tom Sweeney
__________________________________________________ ___________

THREE GUESSES AND THE FIRST TWO DON’T COUNT?????

KEN—---------FROM FLORIDA THAT IS

[Dennis Peacock]

My very first bowl I turned is now in the home of Al Stokka, an Ex-Ponder. Some of my makings are in family homes and my own home. LOML always gets first dibs on stuff I make and now that I am making things better, she is wanting more and has created me a list of things to make. I have made a few platters, bowls, pens, bedroom furniture, kitchen tables and such and all are in various parts of Alabama, Mississippi, Arkansas, California and Iowa.

People at work are always asking me to make things for them until they get the price quote. Then they are off to Lowes or Office Depot to buy the same thing except in paper coated particle board. Then later they come back complaining that the piece they bought last year has fallen apart or has started chipping or splitting in places due to them moving it.

Maybe they have to buy 2 or 3 of those before they decide to get me to build one for them. :)

[Mike Kelly]

My wife gets to referee who gets it usually. One I remember well was the Toys for Tots program that Wood Magazine had. Below is a letter from them and a picture similar to what I had donated to them. I didn't win any prizes but my train got the second highest bid in the auction.

Another piece that everyone of my relatives has is the marbles game below. I have made over 75 of them so far. I also sell a few to pay for the plywood.

I have made a lot of clocks that are all over the state, but most of the furniture stays in the immediate family. Wife , daughter, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, etc.