Taking on an Apprentice

[ech]

Well I'm taking on a full time apprentice. They'll be renting a room in the house and working in the shop. I'm excited but still a little aprehensive. I know the guy is gonna be dedicated and I'm sure he'll make a good lampworker. Its just a huge responcibity. I've been working and learning intesively for three years I worked around some really world class people and I feel I'me ready to start teaching. Frankly I'm hoping if he is good enough and keeps his mouth closed, eyes and ears open and works hard that he'll be where I'm at now in a year. I just hope I can live up to the reponcibility. :contempla After all now I'll have to consider the fact that I'll have to make payroll everyweek. Wish me luck. I'll have him come on here and become a member asap. so you can all welcome him.

[skip]

Hasslenuts and the Bigles want to know if the guy knows your nuts?

[ech]

Oh yeah, fer sure...Everone who spends longer than a few days around me starts to realize that I'm missing a few marbles.:evilLaugh :twitch:

[wildrokproductions]

good luck ech!!!
just dont put too much responsibility on yourself, and have fun

[lsw]

I have tried to take on an apprentice a few times only to have 1 ever make me any money and that was my younger bro. Everyone else was a complete loss, tying up alot of my time and producing garbage only to bail after being able to produce something quality. If they dont pick up on it quick have them package,run errands, clean shop.

[menty666]

LOL....that "missing a few marbles" quip sounds funny here. I can see the bumper sticker now,

"I haven't lost my marbles, they're in the kiln annealing"

[mer]

snoddy used to have a sign where he sold marbles;
"gauranteed replacements for those that have lost a few"

[wildrokproductions]

ha ! ha!
my other bub has marbles on it!!!

[ech]

My exwife used to walk around on Tour with a jar of marbles that she would give to people and say, "here one back at least...try not to lose them again"

[ShttrdSpctrm]

good luck with the apprentice. i have heard stories of people takin off when they get to produce something nice. get all the $$$, none for u. thats what some think.

[ech]

Oh don't worry I'll be working him like a dog. I think he already understands that he'll do well to stay with me for as long as possible. He'll have no where else to go. I'm pretty sure he understands he get a lot farther with me that without me.

He's moving in tomorow and his torch should be here by monday so we'll see what happens. I have a good feeling about it.

[vetropod]

Man, I can't believe that your apprentice will be living in the house with you. I couldn't take that...

Good luck!

[The Glass Fish]

Good luck man! Anyone I know? Just curious. Let me know how it goes.

[seadal]

I have taken on a few appretices. The first one worked out ok and we moved to Dallas to work in a better shop. All the while I was footing the bill for everything because he was working for me. Remember you dont have to pay him an arm and a leg because he is living with you and you are feeding him. We moved to Dallas and one of the guys at the Dallas studio was an awesome lathe worker. The lathe worker wanted to teach my apprentice. He had been working for me for about a year so I was more than happy to let him go. As soon as that happened I go no respect was treated like shit, we were at each others throats. So they will pay you mad respect and once they realize they dont need you any more you are garbage to them. It sucks. My teacher Kane I think he is in Montana now tells me I am his only apprentice who has never ripped him off. And I never did, nor have I ever given him any disrespect. He got me started on my path and I am forever thankful. So it can go both ways, I hope it goes the right way for you. Are you planning on just supplying the local stores with yours and his work or are you hooking up with a distributor?

Good luck.

[Jerry Gash]

I have a friend who wanted to be an apprentice, i'm gonna be telling him he's done tonight He's not catching on at all, and the thing that pisses me off the most is he wont get a real job and pay for his own safety gear. Basically it was nice to have another body in the shop every now and again but bottom line is he's costing me time and money which i have very little of both. This dude has really been getting on my nerves, he's been going around telling people how good he's getting and this and that but in all honesty, the dude cant even do an implosion pendant that looks worth a shit and its been 6 months. I could go on and on but i'm not going to. Apprentices are cool if they are willing to learn and know they are gonna have to do BS work for awhile but if you get one like i had good f'in luck.

[seadal]

Another perk "shop bitch"

[Alfred]

Wow he's moving in with you?Sounds like an old school style apprenticeship.Just remember respect is something that is earned not owed.Be prepared to be gracious if he surpasses you in skill,that is one of the rewards of teaching,you should ALWAYS learn from your students.It's a good idea to draw up a written contract and have both of you sign it,that way if a disagreement comes up you have verification of what terms were agreed upon.Leave those terms open to renegotiation as long as he's civil about it.Sounds like your taking this as a serious responsibility,I believe that is a great attitude.I wish you both luck!

[misled youth]

i second alfred's idea. however if i remember you are not a firm believer in contracts.

[nickglassdood]

does he sleeep in yur room too'?

[misled youth]

Lmao

[ech]

Well that was short lived... Last I heard from him he was loading a uhual and was on his way...now I haven't heard from him in 3 days and he was only moving 20 miles. Oh well, some people are just beyond help. No matter what kind of opportunities you offer them they just don't want to work.

[jethro]

Well that was short lived... Last I heard from him he was loading a uhual and was on his way...now I haven't heard from him in 3 days and he was only moving 20 miles. Oh well, some people are just beyond help. No matter what kind of opportunities you offer them they just don't want to work.

I do not get that at all I would give anything for an apprenticeship under anyone and someone who gets the complete hookup doesnt even try? WTF Thats just life I guess.:tantrum:

[mer]

it's probably for the best, ech. better to find out where his heart is now than after you guys became joined at the hip. if he's a bud than i hope he's okay.

[Glacier_Arts_Studio]

i have been holding off on posting in this thread, partly because i've had so much other stuff going on... and partly because i've got rooms to rent and a need for an apprentice that have gone unanswered for a year now... i have faced many of the things that have been mentioned by others and i didn't think that my adding to it would help...
i really feel for you ech... even more so if you are like me in the fact that, i need to rent the room in my house and i'm kinda holding out for someone that has an interest in blowing glass...
i used to take that kinda thing personally (people's bs) but, now i just take a safety break, by myself and laugh at the fact that i could have been burned even worse if things had of went farther than they did...

:chilling: :chilling:

i'm just doing what the doctor ordered... you should try my doctor,
every thing's always the same, take two of these, three times a day,
for two weeks and if theres any problems, come back for more...

[ech]

i really feel for you ech... even more so if you are like me in the fact that, i need to rent the room in my house and i'm kinda holding out for someone that has an interest in blowing glass...
i used to take that kinda thing personally (people's bs) but, now i just take a safety break, by myself and laugh at the fact that i could have been burned even worse if things had of went farther than they did...

:chilling: :chilling:

..

You hit the nail on the head. I'm wanting to rent the room but I'd rather rent to an apprentice or another glass blower. And yeah for about minute I started to take it personally since I was gonna be helping the dude out alot and I know his family etc... But then I just took a safety break:chilling: and figured that I really don't need someone who is that unstable anyway.

Oh well. So thats it I got a room to rent to a glass blower, bench space included As far as Oxy is concerned I got a liquid tank. So if anyone wants a good deal on an all inclusive PM me.

[Headchange]

From Experience I will tell you how to pre-empt the negatives that most ppl associate with apprentices.. This is ONLY MY interpretation.. everyone has a different style or air about them..

Respect them!
first and foremost if you "work them like a shop bitch" you might as well hand them a lil money now and tell them to leave cuz it will only cost you money and lead to a lasting resentment.. They are all ppl.. give them every ounce of knowledge you can.. propel them to a level you would have preffered to be propelled to .. teach them cost effective ways to increase their ability to attempt more vessels.. focus on the fumes til its perfect and then add the prep into the mix. (i.e. inside out with 3 mil then move to lattichino and stringer work) when the piece they are going for is achieved.. but each piece should include the pattern meltdown and finish work so a valid attempt at each process can be made on each attempt.. the end result in scrap is almost identical on every scale from a brand new perspective...

Dont sell them short.. dont make them think ANY of this is unobtainable.. They are your equal they just need to be shown the path.. the goal is to create a like minded individual with a solid technique you ulitimatelly would feel great about pulling a collab with cuz you showed them the tricks..

Living with you.. umm.. ouch.. your on your own their.. ZOMG..

above all.. make them keep their drama to themselves.. and as their teacher you must keep yours silent as well.. peaceful zen atmosphere where hard work is led by example not conversation.. I will not let a single one outwork me.. EVER.. or they will surpass me .. because I dont leave it out..

Let them make money..
Dont tax them for every thing they make or the happiness factor will be almost entirely negated.. endentured servitude sucks balls.. they will leave as soon as they can if you treat them like a slave.. above all.. be their teacher.. explain thats not all the time.. but the scope of learning this is.. from the sales to the critique to the ability to absorb awkward situations but mosat of all to the ability to speak up.. up front about YOU needing to be an ARTIST as well.. dont overdo it .. their is no amount of money that can compensate for the loss of YOUR time.. set an amount.. for a period of time.. keep it simple.. get a lil commission of it.. and make sure as their teacher their glass and gas never runs out.. but charge them for it.. and make sure you show them what it takes to pay for it.. Play when they have a foundation.. and A BIG PHAT CONTRACT DOESNT HURT which if you PM me... I have a very kickass one Legall in Texas and Im sure can easily be altered for every state.. Protect yourself.. and prepare for the worst.. the ego level at month 6 is ridiculous.. if you hold back what they seek.. they will go searching for the answers elsewhere.. dont shelter them.. embrace new ideas being thrown in the pool from ppl with experience and be sure to know the quality of your glass. If you act like it dont stink and your both looking at a Eush or a Slinger.. THEY WILL KNOW even if you dont say it.. respect the phattay stuff and show YOU TOO are and always will be a student.. their place is to get your foundation for their artistic vision.. but they will need a foundation before they can aspire for more.. Hope this helps and its only my opinion.. Ive had 85 so take it for what its worth.. most of them were on a year long apprenticeship and at one point was 33 at the same time.. so I speak from experience but Im sure everyone has good and bad stories.. good and bad students.. even to have given it to 5 that were truly good people its all been worth it.

[Headchange]

werent you at bob marley austin Ech?

[ech]

werent you at bob marley austin Ech?

yep

[Headchange]

:p I thought we met.. we were the ones on the other side blowin :) come hit us up when ya come to austin ;)

[skip]

I lived in a quad style place when I went to UCF. I was on felony probation for growing weed and my "roommate" was dealing QPs out of his room. The management wouldn't move me or let me out of the lease and I was not about to snitch so I was begging him to take his business outside the apartment which he refused to do. Needless to say his activities put me in danger of spending many years in prison. Being on probation I figured actually kicking his punk ass might cuase me more trouble than it would be worth.

So what was a good molecular biology student to do? Well it just so happens that Eschericia coli, more commonly known as E. coli bacteria, is readily accessible to a molecular biology or micro biology student... It turns out that few drops of E. coli turned up in the dudes food the fridge. From what I heard he almost lost a kidney. Needless to say was out of school and not in my apartment anymore...
What is the moral to this story? I dunno think about it...

ech

[Racer X]

Harsh

[Racer X]

I ususaly don't bother myself with too much on this forum these days... but damn.

First of all to take an apprentice you have to be a journeyman or a proven professional with more work than you can handle and usualy an apprenticeship requires a union with standards and practices in place for the apprenticeship. All this talk of apprentices makes me think back to the days of candlestick makers, butchers and blacksmiths. Very few exceptions to the rule would apply in flameworking today.

What you are describing is a live in bitch. Or at best, a worker/room mate.

I took an "apprenticeship" back in the mid 90's. It was a responsibility for the guy who was supposedly the "master". I hardly found it an apprenticeship by any stretch of the imagination and that guy tried his best with what limited facilities he had to run his shop in the manor he portrayed it to be.

Basicaly, with the nomenclature aside... I would say good luck. And I hope you don't decide to poison anyone soon if they don't work hard enough for you.

[ech]

You people are ridiculous with the way you try to stir shit up on this board.
I'm not going to get into an arguement with any of you about "apprentices" and what they are and what they would do.
What that incident 10 years ago has to do with me teaching someone some shit about glass and then paying them to do it I don't know.

The offer of a place to live and learn how to blow glass no longer stands. The current generation is too hooked on drugs and too irresponcible to have them living in my house.

I used the term apprentice for lack of a better word. I have some stuff that I can teach a person and them pay them to do it.

I don't know why I feel the need to explain this any way. Whatever.

[Udai Hussien]

I'm not going to argue with you either, nor am i ever going to eat a sandwich you offer me

[ech]

I'm not going to argue with you either, nor am i ever going to eat a sandwich you offer me

For you dwaine, that would probably be a very good idea...

[steven p selchow]

I'm not going to argue with you either, nor am i ever going to eat a sandwich you offer me


I knew a girl once who got rid of her roomate by starting with replacing her shampoo with hair remover, less painful than a culinary solution.

[yinzer]

i'll take a sandwich. tomatoes and extra e. coli sauce on the side please, im a dipper.

[ech]

Ah yes, but don't we all take a bite of the huge shit sandwich of life on a daily basis anyway?

[mer]

nope.

[Greymatter Glass]

I avoid doing so when/where I can.

[phab]

I avoid doing so when/where I can.

...is that ech on his way to another show?

[skip]

Holy shit Doug whats in that chicas ass.

[The Lorax]

blahahhahah best sig ever!!!!!!!!!!!^
it reminds me a lot of this south park too lol:

http://www.planearium2.de/pics/pics-511-5.jpg

[Greymatter Glass]

the video I made it from is here:

http://www.youporn.com/watch/24643

It is...erm...slightly pornographic... so no kids, ok?

[skip]

I think we should start a list of sketchy washed up dead heads looking for shop bitches on this forum that have admitted to attempting to murder former roommates.

It would be a public service after all.

[UmaJulz]

Nah, eating a shit sandwich isn't my style. Why serve up shit when there is so much more to offer?

I prefer my life to be smooth, like ice cream, with whipped cream and a cherry on top, tyvm.

[Mr. Whale dick]

yeah this dude sucks....(please don't poison me)

[nickglassdood]

my grandfather always said "ya eat a pund of shit before ya die"

[Racer X]

I'm laughing so hard because Uma Julz is a cup girl. Now I have to puke.

[UmaJulz]

Cup girl... ? Def not 2 girls and a cup material though... nuh uh. Not me, babe.

Man Rex, you trying to ruin my next bowl of ice cream? Turd :D

[HaulAss]

Yo ech I live with you and rage some headdies.. but if you try to poison me with e coli I'll stab you with a jagged peice of 12.7.. hehehe j/k... not really tho.

[ech]

[QUOTE=HaulAss;258875]Yo ech I live with you and rage some headdies.. but if you try to poison me with e coli I'll stab you with a jagged peice of 12.7.. hehehe j/k... not really tho.[/QUOTE

:shifty:

[HaulAss]

Hhahaha.. bwa hahahaha.