From past interaction with other turners, I have a strong feeling that most turners of present day are inventorying their bowls by a computer program. I haven't specifically used a computer program to inventory my bowls, but I have used one for another purpose.
I first began inventorying my turnings long before there was ever a computer in my household. Back in the beginning, I believe I used a journal type of book form entry method, but soon after that, started using 4x6 file cards and a file card box. Now I have three file card boxes........I suppose you could say that since I'm using a system that works very well for my purposes, I have no strong desires to change horses in mid-stream!
Nothing against computer programs, but there is one thing that seems less advantageous about them.......and, that is few of us are likely to have a computer in our shop. Because of that, there is a disconnect between the need to record/access information, and the ability to do it on the same time line.
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As mentioned earlier, when I receive a bowl blank, it gets a 4x6 file card and a number immediately. The date received, source, cost + shipping cost, size, species, and moisture content are all recorded on the card. This is normally the only time I use the moisture meter, and this one time is only done to provide initial information which is used to determine a strategy. If it is determined that seasoning by monthly weighings is indicated, my basic formula for concluding that MC stabilization has occurred, is to record three consecutive months of the same weight. Sometimes more, depending......but, the formula seems to be a good overall blueprint for success.......
Depending on MC and other factors, the bowl blank may be roughed after a short acclamation period, or it may be stored for some future time for turning. Basically, if the MC is 12 percent, or under, I'll be in no hurry to finish it off......and, it becomes part of a growing inventory of "future bowl blanks". If the MC is 12-14 percent, and depending on a number of factors, I may decide to rough it out, with or without anchorseal.....but still no hurry, since the MC is low. If the MC is 16 percent or more, I usually rough it out and completely anchorseal it within a month.
The file card is dated at the time of roughing it out.......and the seasoning process begins with monthly weighings, all of which are recorded.
When the MC has stabilized, a waste block is installed (I'm a faceplate user), the roughed bowl becomes part of an inventory of bowls ready for final turning. Of this stock of prepared roughed bowls, and among those bowl blanks with less than 12 percent MC.......I pick and choose which will be next to become a completed bowl.
During the time the bowl is in process of finishing it off, I am making notations, and little drawings indicating flaws and what was done to address them, as well as sanding progress information. If epoxy was used, that is noted. If the height, or shape was necessarily altered outside the game plan, that is noted, too. Often times, progress is interrupted during the sanding phase, and it's very helpful to have information on what grit was used, and where it was used, when I return to work.
When a bowl is completed, I date the card and enter the final size. Quite frequently, the final size, and the original size are very different. This is because we all have to deal with flaws in the wood, and my preferred method is not to repair cracks and flaws when they can be eliminated.......thus, a smaller size.
Since my sales are infrequent, I see bowls that are less than the best I have, as an opportunity to continually practice techniques and shapes, without using up all my best bowl blanks. These are a great source of give-away bowls......and I have literally given hundreds of these bowls to co-workers, and to the ladies at my church.......and, offered others for donations to the church. (killing two birds with one stone?
) Many of these bowls are never photographed.
Anyway, the file card index is a method that your Grandpappy might have used, and it's still a very excellent method of inventory. I have three file card boxes, and they are for:
A) work in progress
B) roughed bowls ready for final turning
C) completed bowls on hand, accounts/bowls sold, bowls given away.
ooc
OK, OK.....I know that very few of you ever got down to the bottom of this post......but, I thought I might spend the effort to explain a few things to the very few who did.......
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