Off Cuts

[mark sanger]

Hi All

whenever I cut up wood with the chain saw I spend the rest of the day cutting up the off cuts/left overs into squares/lengths down to 1 inch in size.

I decided to have a sort out today and make some smaller lidded forms out of some of the scraps and offcuts left over. I do not throw much away especially anjan.

These I did today the largest is 80mm x 200mm high with the smallest being 60mm dia x 150mm high. I thought I would do some turned finials for a change so included a couple of these.

anjan carved and turned finials/lids with Argentium silver beads. Main forms are made of oak x 2 and spalted beech x 4.Finished in Yep you guessed it Renaissance wax.

the last two are without lids as I had to tidy up and get ready for dinner. But I expect I will put lids on them as without they look very bland.

I have a few more coats of wax to go.

Comments welcome.

 

[CHJ]

the last two are without lids as I had to tidy up and get ready for dinner. But I expect I will put lids on them as without they look very bland.

Shame on you, I would have thought you could have held off for a late supper and finished the job. :twisted:

In my mind it's a case of size does not matter, same well proportioned output as usual Mark, in some ways I prefer the delicacy that is inherent in the smaller scale pieces.

 

[mark sanger]

the last two are without lids as I had to tidy up and get ready for dinner. But I expect I will put lids on them as without they look very bland.

Shame on you, I would have thought you could have held off for a late supper and finished the job. :twisted:

In my mind it's a case of size does not matter, same well proportioned output as usual Mark, in some ways I prefer the delicacy that is inherent in the smaller scale pieces.

Chas

I have to say that I had a conversation with someone the other day about size. oooeerrr

And I was also looking around one of the galleries that I sell in and it struck me that most pieces are no larger that 3-4 inches in diameter. So I have been thinking and from an out put point of view and selling, there is a much bigger chance of selling smaller pieces so I am scaling down some of what I make.The forms for these take me about 20 mins. Due to the size and that they are end grain they can be made with a skew ( for the outside form. This makes finishing very easy due to the good finish from the skew.

The lids take no time but the carved finials take as long as the rest put together and some.

Also at the moment people can afford much smaller work so I will be making more of this size.

So you are right size does not matter at all. In fact smaller seems to make sense.

Also a lot less mess and material.

thank you for your comments.

 

[cornucopia]

hmmmm a bit of a mixed bag here Mark

this top one is the best of the bunch- the form of the piece is just right.

this next one's nice but i think the curveature of the form would have been improved with a smaller base or slightly wider top.

the next four base's all seem to finish too abruptly- a slight tightening (or tucking in) like allot of american forms would have been better imo

of course this is all subjective and could all be down to camera angles etc

 

[Paul.J]

They al look great to me Mark
Great use of offcuts.

 

[mark sanger]

George

What do you expect for twenty quid. Lol

No I take on board what you say and thank you for your honest critique.

Yes some of the forms in the pictures do look a bit abrupt. They look nicer in the flesh. Like the article pic. But now looking at them you bugxxx the bases should have cut in more. well spotted. I did not see it till now.

However you are right to pick up on the hook finial. I have been looking at it and think it needs twisting clockwise a few degrees so will do this tomorrow. And the base could be smaller.

These are not my best work I agree and are a new experiment with the offcuts.


However, I will get better with practice, :lol: :lol: :lol:

You keep the critique coming the finer the points the better.

Do you like the beads on the finials. they took me ages with a mini skew. :shock: :shock:

If you believe that then you'll believe any thing.

 

[mark sanger]

They al look great to me Mark
Great use of offcuts.

Paul thank you very much.

George is very hard on me. :lol: :lol:

 

[mark sanger]

George

Now you have mentioned it. I have gone back and looked at the bases. You are spot on.

the only one that is right is the one you picked out. You know that I am going to have to put the rest back on the lathe to sort them out don't you :shock: :shock:

 

[Bodrighy]

I was talking to a pro yesterday about selling and he said, "Big things attract attention, little things attract money". He had a story of one craft fair he did years ago where he learnt the lesson. He had some large expensive pieces that had taken him ages for sale and at the end of the sale still had them but had made more moey than they were worth from hedgehogs, keyrings, small bowls and platters etc. He reckoned that people were attracted by the fancy stuff but bought the smaller things.

These are Just as nice and attractive as the bigger ones but people are more likely to buy these, one because they can afford to and B because they can think of somewhere to put them.

Pete

 

[mark sanger]

I was talking to a pro yesterday about selling and he said, "Big things attract attention, little things attract money". He had a story of one craft fair he did years ago where he learnt the lesson. He had some large expensive pieces that had taken him ages for sale and at the end of the sale still had them but had made more moey than they were worth from hedgehogs, keyrings, small bowls and platters etc. He reckoned that people were attracted by the fancy stuff but bought the smaller things.

These are Just as nice and attractive as the bigger ones but people are more likely to buy these, one because they can afford to and B because they can think of somewhere to put them.

Pete

I agree to an extent. But I have to say I stopped doing the craft fair circuit as I found that it just did not attract the sort of people I wanted to sell to. Where as the galleries do.

But I do agree that size is not everything. one gallery owner was telling me that the really big stuff rarely sells as no one has anywhere to put it. Anything over 14inches then you start to reduce your chances a great deal.

 

[stevebuk]

i think these are wonderful mark, i am not experienced enough to cast a critical eye over them, so i view them for what they are, excellent pieces of turned wood, and many thanks for showing them.

 

[Bodrighy]

He doesn't do the craft fair circuit now, he was just passing on wisdom. I think most of his income comes from production work for National Trust and the Anglican Church strangely enough.

Pete

 

[mark sanger]

Thank you Steve.

Pete

He does certainly have a point, lets face it there are a lot more people that are likely to spend say £10- £60 on a present than £200-£300.

I make paperweights and they only take 15 mins. Pound for pound they are more profitable than any other items. But it drives me insane making them.

For this reason I admire production turners as they are a special sort.

 

[Bodrighy]

Thank you Steve.

Pete

He does certainly have a point, lets face it there are a lot more people that are likely to spend say £10- £60 on a present than £200-£300.

I make paperweights and they only take 15 mins. Pound for pound they are more profitable than any other items. But it drives me insane making them.

For this reason I admire production turners as they are a special sort.

Tell me about it, last couple of days all I've been doing is making T Lights and Tops T lights and Tops T light and Tops. They sell

Pete

 

[mark sanger]

Thank you Steve.

Pete

He does certainly have a point, lets face it there are a lot more people that are likely to spend say £10- £60 on a present than £200-£300.

I make paperweights and they only take 15 mins. Pound for pound they are more profitable than any other items. But it drives me insane making them.

For this reason I admire production turners as they are a special sort.

Tell me about it, last couple of days all I've been doing is making T Lights and Tops T lights and Tops T light and Tops. They sell


oh you are going to make me ill. I have been asked to start making T lights again as the galleries want cheaper items for people to pick up and take away.

I reckon there could be a good market in executive tooth picks.Say made out of ebony offcuts. lol
Pete

 

[Bodrighy]

Thank you Steve.

Pete

He does certainly have a point, lets face it there are a lot more people that are likely to spend say £10- £60 on a present than £200-£300.

I make paperweights and they only take 15 mins. Pound for pound they are more profitable than any other items. But it drives me insane making them.

For this reason I admire production turners as they are a special sort.

Tell me about it, last couple of days all I've been doing is making T Lights and Tops T lights and Tops T light and Tops. They sell


oh you are going to make me ill. I have been asked to start making T lights again as the galleries want cheaper items for people to pick up and take away.

I reckon there could be a good market in executive tooth picks.Say made out of ebony offcuts. lol
Pete

Now you're getting too close..I've got a dozen hairsticks to make for a opyrorapher that i've been putting off... Dead plain, just sticks.

pete

 

[Lightweeder]

Material for larger pieces is not that easy to find.

 

[NormZ]

I liked them very much and wouldnt spend time redoing any (well, maybe one :? ). Can you shine some light on how the metalic bead is attached?
Well done indeed,
Norm

 

[mark sanger]

Material for larger pieces is not that easy to find.

Hi Lightweeder.

Thank you for your comment. You are right larger material is difficult to find unless you get it straight from the timber yard. I get all of my wood green from the timber yard and most of it under 14 inch dia is purchased from their fire wood pile as this diameter is to small for them generally to plank.

The cost of such wood is is cheap and worth getting hold of.

 

[mark sanger]

I liked them very much and wouldnt spend time redoing any (well, maybe one :? ). Can you shine some light on how the metalic bead is attached?
Well done indeed,
Norm

Norm

Thank you for your comment the finial and bead are fixed via a metal pin or a fine screw depending upon the size of the piece.

I hate to give a plug but I will be having the process filmed for a DVD which I hope will be out before Christmas.