How many of the pieces that you start do you finish all the way?

[Russell Neyman]

I in the 90% category, but some things are (as Hackler noted) experiments and I really don't intend to complete them. Sometimes I'm just spinning -- turning a random piece of wood to pass the time -- and I usually give them away to a passerby or friend unsigned and with a minimum of finish.

Having ample projects really helps. I have four chucks and half a dozen faveplates, allowing me to set things aside, mull over a decision, and come back to complete it.

[neil mackay]

I often have several designs wandering around in my head or on paper. But finish rate would be a round 98% the remaining 2% are those that have thrown up some unusual problems that require some thinking to get the best out of the remaining piece .

[Mike Peace]

I am in the 90%+ category as well. I have been turning for some time and generally know what I am going to turn and how to do it. I am careful in my wood selection and don't turn crappy wood. I check it for cracks so generally don't have surprises. I love the process of turning but generally have a goal to complete something. If I see a bad outcome coming such as unexpected cracks or punky wood, I cut my losses. I am not going to waste a lot of time trying to fix something that would look like a repair job. If I am doing a new design or concept, I generally plan it with sketches if necessary so I know where I am going. On the other hand, if I go to a workshop and don't complete something, due to time constraints, sometimes what I bring home does not get completed.

[kevin nee]

I am in the very high finish everything group. I finished one the other night right thru the bottom.
Cleaned up the rest and will glue something on. Design opportunity in Mother-in-law gift. We had
a big name turner doing a demo and he said "I don't fall in love with every piece of wood" I wish I
could adopt that attitude. Sometimes I just waste time being stubborn.

[George Overpeck]

White Birch - I turn lots of White Birch and the local variant, Kenai Birch.

[Dale Gillaspy]

I would put myself in the 90% category. The only time I don't finish a piece if when the form is so bad that I wouldn't dare put it out with my name on it. Then it becomes firewood. Otherwise, I will stop several times during the roughing process and really study the form to make sure it is what I want. I will often complete several before I reverse turn the mounting point off, just because my creative side comes in spurts, and I get on a roll. That being said, sometimes pieces will sit 1/2 finished on a shelf for several months when I know something isn't quite right and I just can't place it, but eventually it will get finished.

[Matthew Little]

Even though I have been turning for about 4 years now, I still consider myself to be in the learning stage. With that said, I try and finish every piece that I can. I think of the flawed ones as an opportunity to learn. I may not like the form, but perhaps I have never finished that type of wood before, so I will go through the finishing process just to see what will happen for a future reference. I seem to be constantly changing my finishing process until I find something that I am satisfied with. I probably finish about 95% of the pieces I start.

[terry mccammon]

I am very much in the learner stage and turn only found/tree trimer wood. I start a project and when/if it goes bad/wood is bad/etc. I throw it in the burn barrel or set it on a shelf to remind me of what not to do next time. I decline to invest in finishing materials unless I really like something and want to see the total end product. My friends and family are saturated with "gifts" so no pressure to produce. I like to turn and don't really care about production rates. Having said all that, I do get a huge kick out of contributing output to charity.

[Col Smith]

All of mine are finished.

Most finish up on my display shelves....the other finish up in the wood-burner.

But they are all finished

Col

[robert baccus]

I like Georges ideas. Do to returning and a love of variety my shop has 60+ blanks curing or ready. They sooner or later catch my eye and inspire me to do some finishing work. I seem to always get in a production line thing with 6-8 pieces in a circle. I usually mount pieces with a glueblock mounted on a steel dovetail ring or single screw. Makes it easy sand one, shoot lac, final cut another, SS on the next and by then the lac. is ready for another coat. This only works because the chuck ring and single screw can be released with one hand while I support the piece with a finger on the inside of the lip. Allows some operation on a dozen pieces per hour and drying time is not wasted. My turning time is dictated by bad knees so I try to use it effeciantly?? He who dies with the most wood wins.

[Mike Cruz]

I would say that I finish about 95% I'm saying that because I can think of only about 5 pieces that were epic failures...ones that could not make it all the way. And I'm going to guess that I've turned 100 pieces. I may be WAY off (in either direction) on how many turnings I've done. But the point is that almost all get finished to completion...

[Rex Guinn]

I do one piece at a time finish complete. So I would say 95 percent.