Anyone else ever consider getting a "real job"?

This is something I've been pondering over the past couple of years...

I'm an old fart, been working with glass for 19 years, almost all production (strictly production for the past 5 years).

Over the past 19 years, production glass wholesale prices have stayed the same, or decreased. During this time the cost of supplies, oxy, and propane have increased 4-5 times what it was when I started. Chinese glass is even more than what Pyrex was when I started working with glass.

I'm at a point that working a 9-5 $12/hr job would be the same as working 50+ hours a week with glass will bring.

Just wondering if I'm the only one thinking the same.

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You're the only 1 thinking this, now get your ass back on the torch and quit complaining!

You know my real deal, lol!
Getting a job a few months ago got much of my 30 yrs of no job paid off.
I have much less stress in my life than anytime I can remember, I'm feeling pretty good most of the time.
I don't want to drive 50 hrs a week but I will if hired and hopefully keep it a while longer than the 2 jobs I burnt through.
I hope you find something either cool or mindless, good luck man!
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Currently earning a degree so I can work 2-3 days a week as a dental hygienist and the rest of the time with glass. So, yes, but the "real job" is only so I can buy a house and a lathe and take out a business loan so I have an advertising budget, so basically I'm going to go work for someone else so that I can create a better glass business :lol

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Originally Posted by PyroChixRock

Currently earning a degree so I can work 2-3 days a week as a dental hygienist and the rest of the time with glass. So, yes, but the "real job" is only so I can buy a house and a lathe and take out a business loan so I have an advertising budget, so basically I'm going to go work for someone else so that I can create a better glass business :lol

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I have upgraded so much since I got a job it's like having a new shop.
Now getting on the torch is like talking to an old friend (without the troubles I got in last yr, lol!)
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Have you guys ever looked at an interest assessment? Glassblowing actually came up on one for me. Check out how a website on choosing careers explains ours.

https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolki...NITED%20STATES

$15 an hour
Below average outlook on job availability
0 open jobs listed in the US


If you look up pretty much ANY other career, these numbers are much different. Our industry has been played by its own players.


Remember when cobalt used to be less than $20 a pound and a spoon sold for $100. People would have kept paying what we wanted them to pay if we didn't cut our own throats.

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Originally Posted by PyroChixRock

Remember when cobalt used to be less than $20 a pound and a spoon sold for $100. People would have kept paying what we wanted them to pay if we didn't cut our own throats.

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Exactly, now the market dictates what price everyone pays for our work. And it's not going to get any better. We will have to continue making the same thing for the same price or lower while expenses continue to rise.

When I started, I supported a family of three, by myself. When I came back full time after Generations Glass, I was bringing in the same income but making 1/2 the profit. After my divorce, I could barely support myself with glass.

Not only have our business costs gone up, but the cost of living has as well. While we make the same money we did for the past 20 years. It's like being stuck in a minimum wage job for 20 years.

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Emmett, you and I have discussed this before. I'm glad everything is working out to your advantage.

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Originally Posted by KT-Old School Glass

Emmett, you and I have discussed this before. I'm glad everything is working out to your advantage.

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I wouldn't say everything but I have made some changes and pushed for new directions and I am much happier in my days!
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The women I am dating now is a dental assistant. She said it is ok job if they give you hours. But she doesn't get full time hours and she is struggling.
Actually I am doing better as a glassblower right now. I am paying for all the dates and everything.

I am doing this side job on my parents property every summer now. I do pick up extra hours when it is hot outside and I can't work because it is so hot.
Actually I did a double shift everyday since the 4th. I work all morning until 2:00 blowing glass then work until dinner painting the cottage.

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Originally Posted by Nomad

I am doing this side job on my parents property every summer now. I do pick up extra hours when it is hot outside and I can't work because it is so hot.
Actually I did a double shift everyday since the 4th. I work all morning until 2:00 blowing glass then work until dinner painting the cottage.

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that sounds like chores and an allowance

No I get paid per job. Last year I sealed the driveway for $400. This year I painted the cottage for $1000. plus pressure washed it for $150.
They would hire someone else to do it. I guess they like having me do it also.
Plus I need the money and they know it.

I mean it's a good deal having a rich doctor and his wife hire you to do odd jobs once in a while. I have worked for other people but I don't do that kind of work full-time anymore. So I just have my paretns as clients.
I have done everything from roofing laborer to landscaping. I have had a lot of jobs from age 11-21 before glassblowing. So I have a lot of experience. Plus I have been renovating and building glass studio's on and off for 20 years. I know how.

But sorry so many posts... the strangest thing happened this morning. I was working and my mother got stung my a bee in the eye. SHe is allergic and it swelled up like crazy. So I had to shut down the studio for the day and drive her to the doctors. She got a shot and some medication and her face is all swelled up. So she is resting now. My day is shit now. But at least my mother is ok.

I am thinking about doing a barbacue food truck and doing weekend competitions as a job next? I could still blow glass and work. I am afraid it might get really busy in the summer time though. I am busy as hell with my glassblowing.
But your kind of right. I got to do something about managing supplies and shit like that. I have been buying a lot of abr asian glass but it is way less expensive than pyrex. You get more pieces per case. It's $2 a pound cheap.

Nomad. 1 post, then someone else posts, then someone else, then maybe you again. this is how forums work. not post by nomad, post by nomad, post by nomad.

Glad your mom is ok.

I would love to go back to machining full time but my body is way too warn out to be working in steel. :(

It really sucks because I loved machining and was good at it, fast too. I specialized in fucked up nightmares no other shop would let come inside the door.
I miss the challenge and the cool people. The pay was pretty nice too.

I have a lathe, mill, drill, welder here at home so I can make or fix things for myself. I still get to play and have fun doing little jobs here at home.

Retirement has been a little rough on me .For years its been me doing anything to stay busy and not lay around and die.

Right now I have the stuff to build a Raku kiln waiting for me to get off my ass, just need to fire the buttons to hold the ceramic fiber. After I get that dialed in it will be time to make a small soft glass furnace.


We have a new potters wheel.
A new drum set. A new piano coming, I have a couple guitars so I am setting up a small music studio.

My new girlfriend does arts and craft sales, she has been making some glass pendants but then makes nice hemp braided necklaces for them to make them completely hand crafted. She made necklaces from a bunch of my pendants. She wants to do more fusing and slumping of glass in the kiln.

So rather then get a job and be someones pet monkey I just add more hobbies where I can build and create.
Yesterday half my town lost power so I worked in the garden, played drums, tuned my guitars, cleaned around the house and got a whole lot done.

I may be retired but I sure as hell am not letting my meat loaf.

all that income and nomad still collects dissability. Hilarious

anyways, I work full time as an assistant. My wife has worked at this company for 5 years, ive been here for almost 3, this place makes me question my life choices hard core haha, the guy that owns the company is 30 and killin it.. I would love to blow glass full time, I think i could do it if i could expand my reach to more than just local sales.

Funny, I sit at my real job and daydream about blowing glass full time....ALL DAY LONG. Meetings SUCK. Dress codes SUCKS. Commuting SUCKS. But we also want a house some day so there is no getting out for the foreseeable future. So I just tell myself that glass will be a nice post-retirement job to make some extra cash. Any sort of early retirement from the corporate rat race will be icing on the cake.

Cheers to all of you in the full-time grind. It does inspire to know it's possible.

As much as I enjoy lampworking I would not make it a full time job. Granted, it was never a job for me, strictly hobby. As I have read this forum the last couple of years I can’t imagine making a living at it with the level of competition domestic and foreign. If one does what one loves for work what does one do when not working? Deadlines and pressure really kills the mood for me, like th classic “Oh you’re a comedian? Tell me a joke”.
I used to do a lot of machining as a home hobby but once I got into full time machine shop the last thing i wanted to do was go home and make more parts, it kinda ruined the fun once I had to do it.
If glass is your job and no longer makes you happy because the low wages, do something else that doesn’t necessarily make you happy but pays better and let yourself enjoy the art again, just sell enough to make it a self supporting hobby.
Another option is not to go down the skill ladder, only up. If you can make $50 pieces don’t waste time making $10 items, you can’t compete with imports. I haven’t made a one hitter in well over a year, much rather make one $30 bub than 30 $1 hitters.