Like that swirling design!
-
January 2026 Turning Challenge: Turned and Bent! (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Phil Hamel, People's Choice in the December 2025 Turning Challenge (click here for details) -
Congratulations to Ric Taylor for "Black Ash Burl" being selected as Turning of the Week for January 26, 2026 (click here for details) -
Welcome new registering member. Your username must be your real First and Last name (for example: John Doe). "Screen names" and "handles" are not allowed and your registration will be deleted if you don't use your real name. Also, do not use all caps nor all lower case.
Numbering your turned pieces
- Thread starter Paul Lajoie
- Start date
Why not the best of two worlds? A spreadsheet is printable for notes etc, till you update the spreadsheet.
I stole Ron’s idea from him after seeing it at a club meeting. I adjusted it a little. I too don’t like seeing a date on the piece. I will date for something like a swap. My version is my age, month of the year and number piece finished that month. I.E. this month would be 55-1-1. Age, Jan , first piece finished in Jan. Then written in a note pad with a brief description.
Lennart, I can carry the notebook to the venue and verify inventory. Easier than carrying the laptop.
Donna Banfield
TOTW Team
Like J Paul, I have been using a ledger since 2010. I am on my second notebook. I have not moved to a digital method on a computer because I don't keep one in the studio and know that I would not keep the digital method updated. Each piece I finish has their own individual serial number, that coincides with the information kept in the ledger. The information recorded also includes the dimensions, wood species, identity of the form (bowl, hollow form, etc.), any surface embellishments and color, and whether it is one that falls into a named body of work, (Soul Series, Illusions in Wood, etc). The ledger is divided by month/year.
Some months have very few (or sometimes nothing) completed. In that space, I note the reason; joint replacement/surgery, spent the month roughing work out, heavy travel month with shows and workshops. I typically only include the date/year on my work that is part of a series.
Like Paul, it has become important to people who collect my work, to know when the piece was made. When I began doing that, I did not know where my journey would take me. But I recalled David Ellsworth offering suggestions for makers who were in the early stages of that journey, especially those who were exploring their artistic side. He said, you don't know where your journey will take you but prepare for where you might end up. Keep records and hang on to some of your earlier pieces. You never know who might be interested in the earliest works of a collection. For example, I have a couple of collectors who own several of my Soul Series pieces, and they like to see the difference in progression in that body of work.
Some months have very few (or sometimes nothing) completed. In that space, I note the reason; joint replacement/surgery, spent the month roughing work out, heavy travel month with shows and workshops. I typically only include the date/year on my work that is part of a series.
Like Paul, it has become important to people who collect my work, to know when the piece was made. When I began doing that, I did not know where my journey would take me. But I recalled David Ellsworth offering suggestions for makers who were in the early stages of that journey, especially those who were exploring their artistic side. He said, you don't know where your journey will take you but prepare for where you might end up. Keep records and hang on to some of your earlier pieces. You never know who might be interested in the earliest works of a collection. For example, I have a couple of collectors who own several of my Soul Series pieces, and they like to see the difference in progression in that body of work.
A 10 letter phrase with no repeating letter is sometimes used by businesses for price stickers to identify what the product cost without the customer knowing the cost. Mine was MYTWOGIRLS where M was 1, Y was 2, T was 3, etc…. No reason it couldn’t be used to date an item.
So 01/26/26 would be SMYWYG.
So 01/26/26 would be SMYWYG.
Odie
Panning for Montana gold, with Betsy, the mule!
I do it like your Great Great Grandpa might have done it......
Each bowl gets an inventory number and a 4x6 index card.
There are file boxes in the shop for bowls waiting to be finished, and those in progress.
There is a file box for bowls for sale.
There is a file box for bowls sold.
=o=
Each bowl gets an inventory number and a 4x6 index card.
There are file boxes in the shop for bowls waiting to be finished, and those in progress.
There is a file box for bowls for sale.
There is a file box for bowls sold.
=o=