What is the definition of a professional woodturner?

[Steve Tarach]

As far as I know there are no 'apprentice/trade' type programs in North America for woodturning so what makes someone a professional instead of a serious hobbyist or production turner?
I am interested to hear how others in the woodturning community define the designation of professional woodturner.
Steve

 

[fgvanatta]

If you make your living at it - woodturning, tap dancing, kite flying, whatever - then you're a "Professional."

 

[john lucas]

It's probably like what I hear about the definition of an expert. Anyone more than 10 miles from home, or anyone on the internet.
The IRS has a definition, don't remember what it is because I don't call my self a professional.

 

[Chuck Mack]

In any non-professional field, I believe anyone can himself or herself 'professional' since there's not a regulatory body that governs the use of the term or the qualifications for its use. It's like there is no clear definition of who can call himself or herself a Master Woodworker. In the case of woodturning, I deem someone 'professional' loosely when he or she is very skilled, knowledgeable and experienced in woodturning. If one makes one's living from woodturning, one is a production woodturner, but not necessarily a 'professional' by my reasoning. There're no real professionals in woodworking if the term is used as that used by the medical, accounting, etc. professions.

When I studied accounting and finance in the 70s, the program fell under the Faculty of Business. Nowadays, business students in my alma mater are considered students of a professional program, like those enrolled in medical, legal, engineering, etc. That sounds good, but with a price: when the university announced tuition fee hikes recently, the general programs received about 2 - 5% fee increase ... professional programs 40% and up (in order to catch up with the fees charged by similar professional programs elsewhere)!

 

[waltben]

I believe 'professional wood turner' is usually defined as someone who sells what they make (on a regular basis), teaches how to make things, or somehow gains income from being considered an expert. There are very few turners that can actually live on it, so I don't know as having your sole income being from wood turning is fair.

 

[James E Gaydos]

Professional Woodturner

profession: an occupation, one requiring training and specialized study, The body of qualified persons engaged in an occupation or field.

professional: pertaining to ,characteristic of or engaged in a profession,
Engaged in a specific activity as a source of livelihood.

I worked for 13 years as a woodturner in a cabinet shop, prior to this time, and for 7 plus years I was a learning hobby turner. This was my primary position in the company. I made turnings for two different brand names, but never the same style sold under different names. Each brand had their own unique styling.
Prior to that I worked as a carpenter for 25 plus years.

Ones profession is being engaged in a specific activity as a source of livelihood.

Livelihood: Means of support.

In March of 2009 I was laid off from this company, and the feller I spent two years training got my job.
And now I'm an unemployed hobbyist woodturner again, semi retired and a hell of a lot happier.:cool2:

For me and the IRS, my occupation for 13 years has been listed as a Woodturner. I belive that I was a professional woodturner.

Going back to being a hobby turner has had it's blessings.
I had all but stopped turning for the fun of it. I didn't touch the lathe for over 6 months.
In October a guy asked me to teach him how to turn bowls. I've done more turning for myself in the past few months, then I have in about four years. I'm having a good time again. And I don't care one damned bit if it's professional or not.
Now let's talk about being a master turner,
Jim

 

[Bill Boehme]

... or anyone on the internet. ...

That's great! The Internet has more experts than I ever imagined existed in the world. And, best of all, they are always gracious enough to take the time to tell everybody else how good they are.

.... Going back to being a hobby turner has had it's blessings.
I had all but stopped turning for the fun of it. I didn't touch the lathe for over 6 months.
In October a guy asked me to teach him how to turn bowls. I've done more turning for myself in the past few months, then I have in about four years. I'm having a good time again.

I have heard many people say that the way to ruin a hobby that we do for relaxation is to turn it into a profession.

 

[robo hippy]

I figure I am a semi-pro. This means that I cover my expenses and toys, and pay some bills, but I don't work at it hard enough to live off of it. That would take a lot of the fun out of it.

robo hippy

 

[David Wilkins]

I don't call myself a professional or master turner or an expert. I correct anyone who says I am. I have a great deal of fun turning, I have written half a dozen articles for woodturning design and I teach woodturning at two different facilities in the city. It is very rare that I sell any work though, I am not interested in putting out effort there as I don't view it as beneficial. To me a pro turns what they have to in order to market it, wether they enjoy it or not.

 

[waltben]

I have heard many people say that the way to ruin a hobby that we do for relaxation is to turn it into a profession.

There's also a way to ruin what could be an enjoyable profession - I started turning to make my wife hat blocks for her millinery hobby, then began making bowls, etc. For some odd reason, a couple of years ago after getting a Vicmarc VOD, I advertised the hat blocks on our website. Things were going fine until a few months ago (one or two piece orders every couple of months). Now, I'm still trying to finish an almost 80 piece order, have a potential for sales in Italy and someone who wants to be my agent in the UK.

This is not what I wanted to do with my hobby/profession, although it does pay for things!

 

[Bill Grumbine]

If you make your living at it - woodturning, tap dancing, kite flying, whatever - then you're a "Professional."

Actually, I would say that if you attempt to make your living at it...

Some people aren't professionals for very long, regardless of their chosen profession. I claim to be a professional turner in that I sell turnings for my living. It is not a claim of any level of skill as much as a level of shill. There is no promise of success either, only that the person is engaged in an activity for their livelihood.

 

[Jim Silva]

I turn daily as part of my business but the majority of my turning is production, not decorative so I hesitate to call myself a "Professional Woodturner" as that would imply my wood turnINGS are my livelihood.

I usually go with "Woodworker" which seems to cover a multitude of sins.