RICHARD RAFFAN'S
DISCRIPTION
The price should be related to the current retail cost of the materials plus the time it would take for a competent professional to make the piece. The diameter x height in inches gives the time in minutes a simple turned bowl should take, so people can use that as a guide and base a dollar amount for the time component on that. So a 10" x 4" should take any professional bowl turner 40 minutes maximum to make, including preparation of the blank and assuming dry wood that is difficult to work. If you charge time at a dollar a minute that make the time worth $40 and material cost might take that up to $60. This is wholesale, so the price should be doubled for retail. This works well for bowls up to 15" x 4". However few amateur turners seem to take this costing seriously, but this is what happens in the real world. My experience has been that not everyone is that impressed by burl or other bits of 'good wood', so for thirty years I've had a set price for bowls of a given size regardless of their supposed good or bad grain, color or whatever. I think the notion of subtracting or adding to the benchmark is an excellent idea. And those who don't care how little they get for their work should donate it to their wood group who can sell at a more realistic price for club funds or the amount can be passed on for a charitable donation. People should be encouraged not to undercut professionals struggling to make a living in an increasingly difficult market. Low amateur pricing has made life difficult for professional turners the world over, and I for one never miss the opportunity to try to rectify that situation.
The price should be related to the current retail cost of the materials plus the time it would take for a competent professional to make the piece. The diameter x height in inches gives the time in minutes a simple turned bowl should take, so people can use that as a guide and base a dollar amount for the time component on that. So a 10" x 4" should take any professional bowl turner 40 minutes maximum to make, including preparation of the blank and assuming dry wood that is difficult to work. If you charge time at a dollar a minute that make the time worth $40 and material cost might take that up to $60. This is wholesale, so the price should be doubled for retail. This works well for bowls up to 15" x 4". However few amateur turners seem to take this costing seriously, but this is what happens in the real world. My experience has been that not everyone is that impressed by burl or other bits of 'good wood', so for thirty years I've had a set price for bowls of a given size regardless of their supposed good or bad grain, color or whatever. I think the notion of subtracting or adding to the benchmark is an excellent idea. And those who don't care how little they get for their work should donate it to their wood group who can sell at a more realistic price for club funds or the amount can be passed on for a charitable donation. People should be encouraged not to undercut professionals struggling to make a living in an increasingly difficult market. Low amateur pricing has made life difficult for professional turners the world over, and I for one never miss the opportunity to try to rectify that situation.
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