Good – Fast – Cheap
Pick Any Two because you can’t get all three. Early in my business life I was introduced to this axiom and it has proven to be very accurate over the long haul in most situations.
This also applies to us who turn wood. Take the wood for example; we turn much of it shortly after it is felled. Green wood turns beautifully although it is often messy and very wet and it is usually inexpensive or free. Then we wait for it to dry out enough to turn again to the final shape. Here is an example of good and cheap but not fast. You could buy dry wood up to a certain thickness or glue it up to get fast, but then you don’t get cheap.
Our family loves to turn pens. Good pen kits are not cheap. Friction finishes are fast but not good. CA (super glue) finishes are good but not fast. It seems that this axiom is almost universally applicable so what are we to do? My recommendation is to find the best balance of the three for a particular situation. It isn’t all cut and dried. Will pretty good quality work in this situation? Do you have a lot of time before the project must be completed? Is this project very special so it must be excellent quality regardless of the effort or cost and you have a hard deadline?
I find that I almost always compromise on one of the three elements in order to make a project viable. On those occasions when I find that rare combination where all three qualities are excellent, I make sure to accept the offer whenever I can. Turning tools, supplies and equipment are the same way. As a manufacturer and inventor, I am always striving to deliver the best of all three to my customers. Only then will I be successful in our very competitive marketplace.
If you offer items for sale, the public will rarely place the same value on them that you do. If you want to make something good it won’t be fast so it can’t be cheap. If you want to offer something cheap which is fast to make it won’t be the highest quality. Visit craft fairs this spring and notice the prices versus the quality being offered. Don’t be fooled by the vendors without customers, pay attention to the booths crowded with customers eager to hand over their money. These craftspeople have found the right combination of “Good – Fast – Cheap”.
Sometimes in order to make the formula work, you have to be innovative in the way you do things. In order to make items in a reasonable time and in reasonably good quality you may have to decide when good enough is good enough or you might have to find a different way to make it altogether. This is where understanding your market is critical. As hobby turners who just like to turn for fun and relaxation, most of us want the highest quality inexpensively regardless of the amount of time it takes. See, it even works for fun. Remember, that wherever you go there you are.
Here is my inspiration for this week’s message:
Prov 8:12 KJV I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
Proverbs 20:8 MSG Leaders who know their business and care keep a sharp eye out for the shoddy and cheap,
1 Corinthians 3:13 MSG Eventually there is going to be an inspection. If you use cheap or inferior materials, you'll be found out. The inspection will be thorough and rigorous. You won't get by with a thing.
This week's show is in Saint Louis, Missouri (actual location is just accross the border in Collinsville, Il.
Show Schedule Here
Reminder:
During the show season we travel each week from January through March. I can check my email morning and evening and answer your questions in a timely manner. The phone is a different story. Please use email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. for the best results.
This Week's Sale
CBN Grinding Wheels
ProGrind Sharpening Jig
CBN Grinding Wheels 80 or 180 Grit
Reg $189.99 ea. Sale $159.99 ea
Both 80 and 180 Grit - Reg $379.98
Sale for Both 80 and 180 grit $299.99
Free Shipping USA
ProGrind Sharpening System
(Compare to Wolverine with Varigrind 1)
Includes full set of quick set angle blocks for repeatable instant set up for bowl gouges, spindle gouges, roughing gouges, skews, parting tools and bowl scrapers plus much more at no extra charge ($50+ retail value).
The easiest sharpening system for new turners on the market to day.
Reg $189.99 - Sale $159.99
OR
ProGrind Jig & 180 Grit CBN Grinding Wheel Combo
Sale Both $299.99
Free Shipping USA
Free USA shipping for all domestic orders over $50. For orders less than $50 a flat rate of $7.99. I simply cannot afford to continue shipping the smaller orders for free.
Just so you know, here is a partial list of the items we make right in our own shop in Atlanta, Georgia, USA:
Amazing Doughnut Chucks, Amazing Bucket Caddy, Universal Setting Jig, Quad Setting Jig, Golden Mean Calipers, Indexing Wheels, Laser Cut Kits and Inlays, Gluing Guides for Laser Cut Kits, Made By Medallions for your work, Gouge SetUp Blocks, Angle Gauge SetUp Blocks, How-To DVD's 100% produced and published in-house
Special prices for Club Buys
If your club is interested in putting a Group Buy together, CBN Wheels for example 10 or more, Laser Cut Kits 50 or more, Turners Laser Guides 10 or more, Amazing Doughnut Chucks or Longworth Chucks, I can provide very special pricing. Drop me a note at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Made By Medallions Identify your work
This year, mark your treasures with a professionally created wooden "Made By Medallion" available in 1" and 1-1/4" disks with your name and information. Cut from 1/8" Baltic Birch, you simply drill a shallow recess with a Forstner bit and glue it permanently in place. Those who receive your treasure know exactly who made it and if you wish, how to contact you.
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Including Bottle Stopper Designs - 50 Plus classic designs. Free PDF.
Amazing Doughnut Chuck™ Instructions
ProGrind Instructions
We have bundled several of the most popular documents into one down-loadable zip file for your convenience. Still no charge.
