[OutoftheWoodwork]

Wednesday night: I'm exhausted. I'm in bed, and at approximately 10:30 I get a text from our daughter with a picture about a craft show that was scheduled for Sat. 12/7. I sent a text back saying "thank you" (with no intention of doing anything with it) and set the phone back down. I didn't get my arm back to my side, when said phone starts to ring. I answer it with "I'm in bed, going to sleep..." and on the other end is "I know it's late mom, but..." and proceeds to go into the sch-peel of how she posted the picture of my booth on the facebook page of Port Huron asking if someone knows of any craft shows, her parents do signs yadda yadda ya, and how people were tagging person who was running this craft show, and that they were really interested in my signs.

Now I'm not interested in doing a craft show. I told her I didn't have enough time to make more signs, and explained while I still had signs, I didn't feel I had enough variety. but my daughter has done all this legwork on it and all, and so I said "I'll go to it, but you have to sit with me" (thinking that would end it.) Hmph. She agreed.

So below are pictures of the booth I had at this fair. I made a modification to the two frames; I like the way it goes with the frame. This show was basically just a mom/daughter day together. I did, however, spend some money, even if I didn't make any :lol:

 

[JFPNCM]

Count it as time well spent that pays dividends well beyond cash value.

 

[jj777746]

You have a heart of gold,Barbie.

 

[honesttjohn]

It's a start. You'll learn as you go along which ones to avoid and which ones to go to. Talk to the other vendors who have done these for awhile. It's a wealth of information.
Won't be too long and I'll be selling you one of my CNC's when I upgrade. lol

 

[OutoftheWoodwork]

It's a start. You'll learn as you go along which ones to avoid and which ones to go to. Talk to the other vendors who have done these for awhile. It's a wealth of information.
Won't be too long and I'll be selling you one of my CNC's when I upgrade. lol

I only went because Amanda went looking trying to get me a show, John. I didn't want to go. She also didn't read what it was, which she learned what to look for in the future. On a positive note, I got some mom/daughter time, which I get so little of. I also got a couple items that are absolutely gorgeous. that a guy did in Intarsia.

LOL dunno 'bout that, John. CNC's are cool, but I maintain that they're cheating.

 

[Gaffboat]

LOL dunno 'bout that, John. CNC's are cool, but I maintain that they're cheating.

I understand how you feel about CNCs being cheating, Barb, but there are some popular CNC techniques you could use to simplify and speed up production. Such as, pre-finishing your boards, applying a layer of masking film, cutting through the film, spraying or hand painting the carving, and then removing the masking film to leave a clean, crisp paint job. At that point the sign is done. No final sanding or finishing needed. The most popular masking film is Oramask 813 which can be a little pricey, but many have had success with Walmart shelf paper.

Other CNCers either stain or paint their boards first and let the raw carved wood provide the contrast. A quick coat of clear finish and the sign is done. Here are a couple of examples from my sign making book.

 

[JOAT]

I only went because Amanda went looking trying to get me a show, John. I didn't want to go. She also didn't read what it was, which she learned what to look for in the future.

Would have been only fair then for her to pay the entry price.

Yeah, cheating for sure. But for me, also would suck the fun, and creativity, out of woodworking. I'll stick to my own CNC - coffee 'n creamer, coffee 'n cookies, and the list goes on.

 

[Gaffboat]

Yeah, cheating for sure. But for me, also would suck the fun, and creativity, out of woodworking. I'll stick to my own CNC - coffee 'n creamer, coffee 'n cookies, and the list goes on.

To each his own, Theo. I haven't found the CNC sucks the creativity out of my woodworking. It actually improves my creativity because it allows me to do some things i could imagine, but not accomplish without it. It's just another tool in the woodworking arsenal like a tablesaw, bandsaw, or drill press. I guess the hand tool purists think those tools suck the joy out of woodworking also. Me? I'm lazy, and happy to use whatever tool will let me make a project the way I envision it in my mind. That fact that the CNC allows me to be more precise, is icing on the cake.

 

[DesertRatTom]

Dang, The CNC thing appeals to me a lot. Probably not going to get one at this point in my life, but I see it as a creative enhancement, and high potential for paying for itself or better. Making signs by hand doesn't really sound like my thing--not patient enough. I guess it's all personal preference in the end. I also can imagine getting started properly for less than $5,000, given that I don't want to put the thing together from parts. I'm afraid that particular tool would come with a divorce, although my wife's no-longer-used Babylock sewing machine cost about that.

 

[MEBCWD]

Barb this is the time of the year to be set up and selling. Everyone is looking for Christmas presents. When I was doing craft shows, November and December sales were about 80% to 85% of my yearly sales so my inventory was built up before then so I would not have to rush to add items for stock. During November and December, I used shop time to make special order items only and cut orders off a week before Christmas. I used any dead time to get much-needed rest.

 

[OutoftheWoodwork]

@MEBCWD Next year, Mike. This year I just didn't have the shop time. I have a few ideas in my head and plan to put them to use throughout the coming year. Also plan on having A/C in the shop, so we'll see. This year is a wash. I've gotten a couple orders, and filled them. It's all good.

 

[OutoftheWoodwork]

Would have been only fair then for her to pay the entry price.

I'm not that petty, Theo. She did it to try and push my signs; to help. You don't tell your daughter she has to pay for trying to help.

You'd tell your kids they have to pay for trying to help? I feel sorry for your kids.

 

[JOAT]

To each his own, Theo. I haven't found the CNC sucks the creativity out of my woodworking. It actually improves my creativity because it allows me to do some things i could imagine, but not accomplish without it. It's just another tool in the woodworking arsenal like a tablesaw, bandsaw, or drill press. I guess the hand tool purists think those tools suck the joy out of woodworking also. Me? I'm lazy, and happy to use whatever tool will let me make a project the way I envision it in my mind. That fact that the CNC allows me to be more precise, is icing on the cake.

To each his own. And my own doesn't foresee me ever wanting a CNC machine. Seldom make signs anyway. That and the fact that I worked too many years with computers to want to have much to do with them now. Learning how to use one does not appeal to me either. Nah, a good part of the fun is going out to the shop, knowing I have to make something for the shop, wonder how I am going to do it, grab some wood, start cutting, then apparently go into a trance, and when I gain awareness again realize I have made what I needed, and usually have no clue how I did it. My router table is years old and I'm still wondering how I made it. I did finally figure out how I must have made my saw stand, but no clue where I got the idea to do it the way I did it, reminds me of an art deco piece. Couldn't have fun like that with a CNC machine.

 

[JOAT]

You'd tell your kids they have to pay for trying to help? I feel sorry for your kids.

Helping with them usually means a loan from me. And they both seem to believe that "loan" is Latin for, I never need to pay this back.

 

[Pro4824]

, My router table is years old and I'm still wondering how I made it. I did finally figure out how I must have made my saw stand, Couldn't have fun like that with a CNC machine.

Router Table???? Saw stand????
That's not woodworking!!!
You need to throw those high tech "machines" away and get out the chisels and mallet and quit Cheating and be a REAL woodworker!! 🙂

 

[thomas1389]

To each his own. And my own doesn't foresee me ever wanting a CNC machine. Seldom make signs anyway. That and the fact that I worked too many years with computers to want to have much to do with them now. Learning how to use one does not appeal to me either. Nah, a good part of the fun is going out to the shop, knowing I have to make something for the shop, wonder how I am going to do it, grab some wood, start cutting, then apparently go into a trance, and when I gain awareness again realize I have made what I needed, and usually have no clue how I did it. My router table is years old and I'm still wondering how I made it. I did finally figure out how I must have made my saw stand, but no clue where I got the idea to do it the way I did it, reminds me of an art deco piece. Couldn't have fun like that with a CNC machine.

Could it have been your alter-ego?

 

[thomas1389]

Router Table???? Saw stand????
That's not woodworking!!!
You need to throw those high tech "machines" away and get out the chisels and mallet and quit Cheating and be a REAL woodworker!! 🙂

You're right, Joe, and I think you did a superb job creating that walnut end table with just your chisels and mallets. lol.

 

[DesertRatTom]

I got curious, here's a video on using oramask 813. Interesting product. We used to use an orange mask when putting together negatives to make printing plates.

There are other videos on the topic as well.

 

[JOAT]

Router Table???? Saw stand????
That's not woodworking!!!
You need to throw those high tech "machines" away and get out the chisels and mallet and quit Cheating and be a REAL woodworker!! 🙂

I have I think over a dozen carving mallets I made, and a set of chisels. Last major use was on my Tiki. But this time around I need two short saw horses, to set my wood on, and to be able to sit while doing it. But all that will need is a saw, hand saw would work but I will use my sabre saw or circular saw - with nothing low enough to sit and work, a hand saw is not going to make my back happy. And if all I used was mallets and chisels, I wouldn't be a woodworker, I'd be a wood carver.

 

[JOAT]

Could it have been your alter-ego?

Nah, I think I'm channeling Leonard of Quirm, or Bergholdt Stuffley 'Bloody Stupid" Johnson, or maybe both.