Quality of work rant,

[Rolf]

I just read Jim's post on how well he did at his last Fair.  I am not at all surprised at how well his work is received mainly because his attention to detail and obvious pride in  what he makes . 

My rant.

Nothing bugs me more than wood crafters selling stuff that never saw a piece of sandpaper. Where I have to worry about splinters just picking stuff up.  I always want to say something but but never do. There are a couple of local vendors that I run into periodically (not members of our woodworking club) that sell some really rough stuff. 

The stuff looks like it just came off of the saw fuzzies rough edges and all.  Yet they sell like crazy? 

My wife does all of the packaging and sales, every now and the she will hand me back an ornament that I obviously missed. It takes seconds with a MAC mop or sand paper to at lest soften the edges .

Flame me if you want but that is my opinion.

[JimErn]

No flames here, I have to agree

But then, one man's finished may be anothers work in progress. 

could be that other guy is selling them as DIY projects/kits

[kmmcrafts]

I totally agree with what you say.. I do miss one every now and then.. and I purposely do not put ribbons on my ornaments until they are sold.. and while handling the piece putting the ribbon / hanger on..  I inspect it once again before boxing it and mailing it out.. 

I always pre-sand all my work.. then sand again after I've cut it ... Even on those pieces that are the DIY projects/kits etc.. actually sell quite a few ornaments and clocks where the customer wants it painted.. I do not do painting but I will offer them a unfinished piece that is pre-sanded and ready for them to paint.. 

I sometimes wonder how the eyesight is of those sellers that don't sand.. In the last couple years I've had to get prescription glasses.. while eyesight isn't so bad I "have to" wear them all the time.. and I drive fine without them.. I really never noticed  how bad I couldn't see until my eye exam showed me I couldn't.. and I used to notice that sometimes I'd have a few spots of those fuzzies  that I never seen with the naked eye.. but in taking the photos and seeing them close up on my computer screen would reveal those darn things.. Now I wear my glasses when I'm packing orders.. so I might catch anything I may have missed while sanding etc.. 

[Rolf]

No these were not kits.  The one vendor in particular it looked like he used a huge blade with a strong set to the teeth, kind of like the short pinned blades I used on a very old Dremel saw.

It really left a ragged edge. You didn't need see you could feel it.

Kevin, I take pictures of my intarsia so that I can take a close look on the computer. It is amazing what you can see.

[Jim Finn]

I have net seen anyone doing inlay like I have been doing for over 10 years, until last year.  One guy at a sale was offering lots of fretwork that looked fine and one inlay that was terrible. His  inlay was kinda' OK but he did not sand it flat!  No competition to me for sure.  My weakness is in finishing though.  Still  a little frustrated with that. 

 

Did not see that guy at any sales this year.

[Jim McDonald]

On the table next to my saw is at least one or two Emery boards. As much as I try to catch stuff, fuzzies seem to appear later.  (I know I touched every inch of that stupid cut--where did this come from?) 

[Denny Knappen]

I use Dianne's eyes and fingers to check for areas I missed.

[thatknobtony]

OH yes.  As much as I hate sanding it has to be done

[hotshot]

For a little while, we had a woodworker in our local Craft store  that called his pieces "primitive", but regardless how he categorized his work, his attention to detail was crap.  Things that get me, glue that wasn't scraped off, finish that doesn't cover the whole piece, non-sanded surfaces, and other shoddy work.  For the stuff I make, it is going to be something I'm proud to have made, or else I'm not selling it.

I have a shelf of shame . . . . . those pieces stay in the shop.

-----Randy

Edited November 3, 2019 by hotshot

[hotshot]

13 hours ago, Jim Finn said:

.....His  inlay was kinda' OK but he did not sand it flat! ....

Jim, do you have a SuperMax or something similar?  I've used mine to bring surfaces flush, while keeping the overall piece perfectly level.  For me, I love that sander.

Here is a video from a few years back of my son making an box with scrollsaw and table saw with many inlay pieces for the lid, and then the supermax taking everything down to a perfect surface:  

 

Edited November 3, 2019 by hotshot

[Jim Finn]

10 hours ago, hotshot said:

Jim, do you have a SuperMax or something similar?  I've used mine to bring surfaces flush, while keeping the overall piece perfectly level.  For me, I love that sander.

Here is a video from a few years back of my son making an box with scrollsaw and table saw with many inlay pieces for the lid, and then the supermax taking everything down to a perfect surface:  

 

I sand my inlays flat on both sides using my Harbor Freight 8"x48" stationary belt sander.  I have two of them.  One with 80 grit and one with 60 grit.  Then I sand it with hand held random orbital sander (Makita) to 100 grit and then to 180 grit before finishing.  I am currently working on twelve inlays.  About to assemble them to form the boxes.

Edited November 3, 2019 by Jim Finn

[John B]

Rolf, this is a bug bear of mine too mate.
A heck of a lot of people like the cutting, but do not follow through.
Once the cut is done, it's short cuts all the way.
Every part of a job makes the whole. The prep, the cutting, finishing and the polishing. If any of these are skimped on you have an inferior job.
If a job is worth doing it's worth doing well.
I also realise I have a bit an advantage (Over the hobby woodworker) having completed an apprenticeship and I try to keep that in mind.
I won't criticise because I know people are proud of their work,

[Rolf]

John B., Many years ago in one of the ornament exchanges I received a Kangaroo from you, I still have it! I don't know what finish you used but that is one of the smoothest pieces of wood in my collection.

I would only say something if asked for my opinion when looking at someones work. And then be as gentle as possible. 

Our clubs 23d annual Woodworking  show is next weekend.  We have all aspects of woodworking represented. Over the years there are some pieces that would have won best in show but didn't because of the final finish. Critical on large pieces of furniture. 

[Rolf]

Randy, the box your son made is amazing. He obviously has a great teacher.

[Phantom Scroller]

Umm where there's blame there's a claim one thinks. splinters .