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.

This subject came up offline recently but slightly different. What lampworking skills would translate to a different industry for better pay? I thought of welding and fabrication; torches, heat treatments, assembly, planning, SAFETY mindset. What else (that would offer better pay) can glass blowers smoothly transition to, assuming no other significant knowledge or training? Manufacturing in general for sure but specific ideas or areas?

Living the fucking dream man.

I make mid-range spoons ($12-$25) and sell them to a distributor. Yes, I take a 30% loss, but that is justifiable by me not having to spend a couple of days a week to go sell and not having the expenses of traveling to sell. My local market sucks. I would have to drive up to 4-5 hours away to sell my glass consistently.

My thing is the selling price to working expenses (and cost of living) is so narrow now. We can only, physically, make so much.

I'm 43... Realistically, I've only got 20-25 or so more working years left in me. I'm trying to consider my future and retirement. This type of planning is something that I won't achieve with glass.

I'm considering taking classes to be a machinist. Possibly CNC. I like working with my hands.

One issue is that, being self employed for so long, I'd have to go into ANY job at an entry level position. Companies don't consider our line of work as experience. School is really the only option for finding a job.

My degree in business administration is outdated and wouldn't count towards anything anymore (with a job or school).

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I have been very busy ever since I went to college. Things I learned in art school really helped.
I’m stressed though. I have a lot of work to do.

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Originally Posted by KT-Old School Glass

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I'm considering taking classes to be a machinist. Possibly CNC. I like working with my hands.

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Definitely CNC. Thats my shop, the present and the future of manufacturing. There is nearly zero demand for manual machinists, cnc requires the knowledge but nobody gets hired to turn handles full time any more.

Trades seem to be in high demand, electrician, plumber, welder, etc. I would love to give up corporate America and do glass. Hard to make my salary in glass though.

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Originally Posted by Cerberus

Definitely CNC. Thats my shop, the present and the future of manufacturing. There is nearly zero demand for manual machinists, cnc requires the knowledge but nobody gets hired to turn handles full time any more.

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Yea, damn few new machinist can run manual machines, take away their computer and they are worthless. There is plenty of need for manual machinist but if you neet to have the prerequisite skills of related things like welding ,heat treatment ,hydraulics, bearing and seal tolerances and preload , plumbing, wiring and all the skills associated with a millwright.

CNC tends to get you a mindless production job where you make the same parts all day every day,a button pushing monkey.
If you are real sharp you end up doing set up and programming.

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Originally Posted by snoopdog6502

Yea, damn few new machinist can run manual machines, take away their computer and they are worthless. There is plenty of need for manual machinist but if you neet to have the prerequisite skills of related things like welding ,heat treatment ,hydraulics, bearing and seal tolerances and preload , plumbing, wiring and all the skills associated with a millwright.

CNC tends to get you a mindless production job where you make the same parts all day every day,a button pushing monkey.
If you are real sharp you end up doing set up and programming.

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The classes I'm looking at are for a degree that covers manual and CNC with a basic welding class.

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$12-$25 each sounds pretty good to me.

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Originally Posted by KT-Old School Glass

The classes I'm looking at are for a degree that covers manual and CNC with a basic welding class.

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I took CAD , welding and machine shop intro in 1991 and more advanced class in the same areas for 5 quarters and it helped a lot. I never had a problem getting a lob.

I bet you would love it, go for it. Vocational class are mostly Lab classes where you learn hands on. The book work is nominal, its out in the shop where you get the fun stuff.

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Originally Posted by KT-Old School Glass

I make mid-range spoons ($12-$25) and sell them to a distributor. Yes, I take a 30% loss, but that is justifiable by me not having to spend a couple of days a week to go sell and not having the expenses of traveling to sell. My local market sucks. I would have to drive up to 4-5 hours away to sell my glass consistently.

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This seems to be the way artists are trending from what I've seen. Trade shows have been on the downward the past few years and roads trips suck up time.

I would suggest maybe taking a look at that 30% blanket cut. There are distributors out there that charge less and maybe some items can be negotiated down/up to get more money in your pocket

Really, news to me. I have been so busy with the trade shows. I have not noticed any difference. But I don't charge as much as you do. It would be interesting to see pictures of your work as well?

I was fortunate enough to find a daytime job as a Glassblower, and it was health insurance that got me looking.
When I was married, and contemplating kids; I believed that I needed to procure some health coverage.
Shit cums in handy as you get older, so I’ve kept the job; also work with someone who has become a very good friend of mine.
I think one of the reasons why the industry has shot itself in the cock, as far as pricing goes, is because so many people try to make it a living before they’re equipped to, and have to slash prices in order to pay their rent, damn millennials.
I’ve had people bad mouth my work, then blatantly copy it, and undercut me.

I used to give handjobs for money at the bus station, but my hands are getting old.

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Originally Posted by MUPH

I would suggest maybe taking a look at that 30% blanket cut. There are distributors out there that charge less and maybe some items can be negotiated down/up to get more money in your pocket

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This distributor pays outright instead of consignment, that's the reason for the 30%. I've negotiated my prices as much as I can.

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Originally Posted by Jimi The Don

I think one of the reasons why the industry has shot itself in the cock, as far as pricing goes, is because so many people try to make it a living before they’re equipped to, and have to slash prices in order to pay their rent, damn millennials.

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That's one main contributing factor. Because of the price slashing, stores have determined the max they are going to pay.

There are several times I've sold to stores that reach in their case, pull out a similar piece, and say "I paid $X for this".

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true though. I got this huge chain store telling me $5 max for a spoon and they have people making them locally too other than me. I was like fuck. I will sell them all my leftover milli and some wrap and rakes because I need the 100 piece minimum order this month is right. I sometimes give 20% price brakes if they buy everything also. Hate to say it but the Indian and the Chinease merchants are doing well with sales and buying into the american scean with cheap prices.

I started this convo ofer the phone with cerebus I believe. I am working on a 1500 glass order rn, and mainly the problem is, where I am making 5-45$ products and I have a distributor who takes 25% and lets me make whatever he fuck I want, I tend to suffer burnout alot. getting a lathe helped alot. I need like 100k a year though, I need thouse kind of numbers with weekends off and I need to be able to smoke weed and cuss. other wise I am flexible. I can smoke weed off the job of course. sounds crazy but why not have a world that works that way??

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Originally Posted by Cerberus

This subject came up offline recently but slightly different. What lampworking skills would translate to a different industry for better pay? I thought of welding and fabrication; torches, heat treatments, assembly, planning, SAFETY mindset. What else (that would offer better pay) can glass blowers smoothly transition to, assuming no other significant knowledge or training? Manufacturing in general for sure but specific ideas or areas?

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Scientific glassblowing. It might be hard to find anything local but there are jobs out there. The ASGS is always looking for new members and could be a good place to start.

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Originally Posted by Nomad

Really, news to me. I have been so busy with the trade shows. I have not noticed any difference.

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You don't do trade shows anymore, your distributor does. So, you use a distributor like a growing amount of artists as I said.

Optimistically, maybe more newbies will get frustrated not being able to make whatever they want, whenever they want and drop it. As the competition thins out, it could pay off for those who stuck it out. I've been getting some great deals on used gear recently as people drop out for other jobs. The purge is starting

I saw this photo on Facebook today and it ruffled some feathers with the "all china glass is made by 11 year olds" and "china glass is jank" crowd. China glass is getting good.

Attachment 92913

They make a lot of glass in china. They actually have a huge neon sign industry. They have always known how to blow glass and well.