When turning multiple of the same items (I'll call it a small production run), I have tried 2 different processes. In this incident I wanted to stock up on small bowls/plates and tea light holders for a couple of upcoming markets. My aim was to use up all my end cuts and small scrap pieces laying around the shop and offer customers a shelf full of $20.00 items as impulse buys, quick gifts and stocking stuffers. I had approximately 50 of these pieces to process and turn.
After I processed them all on the band saw to make them roundish enough to get onto the lathe I basically jumped in and put up the first piece, turned the outside, sanded and flipped it over turned the inside, sanded, removed from the lathe and applied my hand rubbed finish. Alright first one done...... Put up the second one and did the same....... third, fourth and fifth. I then stopped ...... wait a minute, I had completed 5 out of around 50 in approximately 3 1/2 hours, it could have been more I wasn't really counting the time. Hmmmmm as I scratched my chin this will take me a month of Sundays as they say to get these done, I was envisioning 2 or 3 days tops which is all I wanted to spend on this project.
I sat down at my bench and worked out a small production run routine and tested it out on the next 5 pieces:
Mounted between centers, turned a tenon (all 5).
Installed the tenon in the chuck turned a shallow mortis, turned a bottom, outside shape and went through the sanding grits 120 to 400 (all 5).
Installed the mortis in the chuck turned the inside, went through the sanding grits 120 to 400 (all 5).
Used the hand rubbed finish Tried and True Product, (all 5).
Finished all 5 in 2 hours
I proceeded to repeat this process 5 at a time and finished 55 pieces over 2 days. They were all basically the same small pieces about the same sizes give or take a 1/2" or so. I was initially very pleased at the results using this process/routine.
Later on I got to thinking about the whole enjoyment I get out of turning and was of the mindset that it was less enjoyable doing the "production run process" than completing a piece one at a time. Though I have never done any kind of production of this amount either for myself or a client, I get the importance of time and money management and reproducing each item to be the same. I personally enjoy the one at a time turning over the process routine but...... if an opportunity arose to do a process run I would not shy away at all.
On the plus side of doing the production run I found my turning skills, measuring skills and concentration was improved as I got well into the run and did pride myself on reproducing each piece as I went along.
So the One-At-A-Time option is definitely my choice but I would not pass up an opportunity to do a production run.
Gerry
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