Match The Hatch

If you have ever fished at all, and if you have used a fly rod, you know what that means. Fish eat what is plentiful at any given time. It could be insects like Mayflies or caterpillars. It could be grubs, minnows, or worms. In saltwater it might be shrimp, shiners, or cut bait. Your best chance for getting a bite is to present what the fish are already interested in.

There is very little difference when it comes to people. If you are trying to decide what to make for a gift, don’t make a ring box for someone who doesn’t wear jewelry. Don’t turn a large diameter pen for someone with small hands. If you are assembling an inventory for a craft festival, bring items which fit in that venue’s price range. Don’t bring high end turned art pieces to a weekend flea market.

When you have been asked to give a turning demonstration to a local club or other group, do enough homework to understand what their interests are or what they have specifically asked for. Some turning clubs turn mostly, or only bowls and hollow forms. Others are more geared toward spindle work. When you are addressing a group of mostly new turners you will need to speak in more generic terms and leave out more of the fine points for now; deal with basic concepts so your audience doesn’t get lost.

If you are making gifts to be presented at family holiday gatherings where they are not turners, don’t expect them to fully appreciate the effort (and possibly expense) it took to make their gifts. Understanding the people you are surrounded with will enable you to be much more effective and will produce a significantly better outcome.

When I am at a wood working show, for example, I get all kinds of visitors. Some are wood turners; some are just with the wood turner and may not even be a woodworker themselves. Some are flat workers with no interest in turning. Some are advanced wood turners and others are just beginning. If I am to effectively communicate with all of my guests, I need to understand them and what their interests might be. If they are trying to solve problems, I need to know what they already have on hand that might provide a solution or what I need to suggest that will solve their problem. Only when I know this information can I provide the proper counsel and make accurate suggestions. There is always a delicate balance between being too nosey and appearing not to care.

You will be much more effective in selecting the proper type of item for a particular individual or group if you know what makes them tick. Remember two eyes, two ears, one mouth. Hear them completely out if they ask a question and don’t be too quick to give an answer. You might guess wrong and that is worse than no answer at all because wherever you go, there you are.

Here is my inspiration for this week’s message:

Prov. 18:13 Common English Bible

13 Those who answer before they listen are foolish and disgraceful.

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Travel Log:

This week was our “home show” in that we live in a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia so we were able to sleep in our own beds each night. After 13 weeks (12 shows) that was a very welcomed change. This week we fly to Kansas City for the last show of this season’s Woodworking Show Circuit. We hope you will stop by and visit if you are nearby. Tons of stuff planned for the summer and new products to introduce. Stay tuned and God Bless.