Perhaps it's happened to you at one time or another: moved by a beautiful handcraft, you ask its creator how she got into that kind of work, thinking you might like to take it up yourself. She responds by telling you of her initial inspiration, her subsequent learning of the art, and her gratification throughout the process. Modestly deflecting your praise, she avers that you could do it too. It's a nice thing to say, especially if she really means it. But if she really means it-if she's doing more than making polite conversations-she will tell you something else as well. She will tell you what kind of investment you must be prepared to make if you are to succeed in this new undertaking. She will tell you, in other words, to count the cost before diving in.

Would-be woodturners should certainly take this advice to heart. At first blush it might seem that all one needs to begin turning out bowls is a lathe, a few cutting tools, and some wood. Truth is, that's only the beginning of one's investment. The lathe itself requires numerous attachments, e.g, chucks , faceplates , centers , jaws , tool rests , etc, in order to be functional. Cutting tools-the assorted gouges , scrapers , skews , and parting tools that accomplish the actual shaping of the wood-come in all sizes, shapes, material compositions, and price ranges. Of course, these tools have to be kept sharp in order to maximize efficiency and safety, so some kind of grinding/sharpening implement is a must. Handling wood chips and dust has to be taken into account, calling for a chip/dust collection system of some sort. Various kinds of power sanders come in handy for rough finishing work. Oh, and don't forget the protective facial shield and the first-aid kit.

What about the wood? It is possible to buy chunks of wood (turning blocks) already prepared for mounting on the lathe, but with this approach it's not always easy to find the kind of wood one wants, and what is available is often costly. Taking that route also deprives one of the satisfaction of personally harvesting the raw material, the sources of which are usually close at hand and available for free. Becoming a wood harvester, though, requires equipment, at minimum a chainsaw and a relatively powerful bandsaw . Then there's the drill press for boring the mounting hole in the turning block. If one already possesses these tools, well and good, but if not, they require a significant financial outlay. While securing one's own wood supply unquestionably enhances the total woodturning experience, gearing up to do so is not cheap.

Then there's the matter of expendable supplies. Wood wants to twist and crack as it dries out, a serious problem that can be minimized by coating it with a sealer . Inevitably, some cracking will still occur in spite of sealing, calling for the application of a special kind of glue to stabilize the cracks. When the wood is finally mounted on the lathe and turned to its final shape, it must be sanded. I never dreamed I'd have several hunded dollars worth of sandpaper on hand in my shop, but I do because of the amount of sanding necessary to prepare a bowl for finishing. Speaking of finishing, a turner will have a number of options to choose from , everything from penetrating oil to stain to wax to buffing compounds. Dust masks , tack cloths , rubber gloves, and brushes round out the list of supplies that have to be replenished periodically in order to produce the desired end product. Individually these products don't cost much, but collectively the expenditure on them can mount up over time.

Educational experiences and materials need to be factored in as well. I was fortunate that my first teacher, Morris Turpin, didn't charge me anything for his lessons. One thing he taught me, though, was that one can always learn more about woodturning. Accordingly. I have continued to avail myself of various woodturning classes , books , and DVDs along the way. There are numerous resources of this type that generally aren't too costly, but they're seldom free.

I lay all this out not to discourage, but to prepare those who might be entertaining the possibility of becoming a woodturner for what they're getting into. I've learned most of these things from hindsight, as I was not fully aware of them at the outset of my turning career. Nevertheless, I was fortunate on two counts. First, I was bitten so hard by the woodturning bug that I wasn't about to let anything stop me from pursuing it, and second, I was financially able to equip myself adequately for the quest. Unfortunately, I have known some people who plunged into woodturning (or similar activities) headfirst, only to find the initial flame of enthusiasm quenched when the unforeseen costs began to mount. Maybe they were never as interested as they thought in the first place. Maybe, though, they would have persevered to become talented, fulfilled woodturners or musicians or gardeners or artists had they acquired early on a realistic sense of the requisite costs.

This obtains to any of life's significant endeavors, even more to those that are not avocational in nature. Discerning and fulfilling a calling, raising a family, building lasting friendships, developing a mature faith-these are the things that matter most. Undoubtedly we want to do them well. The desire to succeed at them is essential, but so too is a measure of wisdom. Wisdom teaches many lessons, one of which surely is to count the costs. The better we learn that lesson, the fitter we will be to work through the peaks and valleys, especially the valleys, we must traverse on our journey toward the fulfilled life.

Rev. Dr. John Freeman is a retired United Methodist minister in the South Carolina Annual Conference. For thirteen years he served appointments in South Carolina and then for seventeen years he served as Assistant Professor of Practical Theology at Emory University's Candler School of Theology. He holds degrees from Wofford College, Yale Divinity School, and the Lutheran Theological Seminary. In addition to woodturning, his interests include golf and fishing. He resides in Decatur, Georgia, with his family and can be reached at jfree02@emory.edu