Anyone else ever consider getting a "real job"?

[Nomad]

You are using a lathe?
Yeah most I have done in a day is 38 spoons with color on the end and a milli marble for good stash years ago. Crappiest production job ever but I pushed myself to make a lot of product for a little money.

[Nomad]

I was the fastest guy in the studio in California too. They had an awesome lathe team too. It was a job I took because I thought I needed a real job. It was an experience for sure. Not sure I would do it again. I’m much better off without that company.

[snoopdog6502]

Im done working for anyone else. If I wanted to start a new job id go buy a taco truck.
I may never be rich but I would eat well.

[Nomad]

I agree just I do bbq trailer better.

[Nomad]

We don’t have any taco trucks around here. That would be cool if we did though. Mostly just bbq or hot dogs. Halal trucks in the city though. They have middle eastern food. Actually in the city we have Mexican but that is far.

[harpentuan]

You name a cuisine, it's here. Even one offs like Ethiopian and Vietnamese.

[Nomad]

We have a lot of sit down places just not a lot of roadside food trucks other than bbq and hot dogs.
I went to happy hour last night at a New Mexican place. It had a nice bar and cheap drinks. It’s 5 minutes down the street too.

[Swim]

yeah, I am like a year and a half into being on a lathe, and I can work without it but not nearly the same. I suppose some people may think its a travesty to make fumed spoons by the hundred on the lathe but its way better than off hand. I made 10 hammer bubs today already, I have made the largest parts of a big order and now I am squeezing in side items. Gonna make stash jars and one piece sherlocks and of course, this guy loves grommet bongs, and I am gonna make some. fuuuuuuuuu

[Swim]

yeah nomad, I handle up to everything on he lathe, like when I make inside out spoons, I make 30 flares on big ass tube and get busy, makes my numbers stay high, build big cane on the lathe then pull it down by hand. every single thing I do when I am in this mode is mass production minded. I just need three of me, like the old school glassbrother said way earlier in the thread, my ceiling is my productivity level. far as the lathe is concerned, if I am making anything, from a marble to a wrap and rake nomad style pipe, I handle up to all my blanks on the lathe. It pays for itself.

[lost nebula]

Is scientific typically an hourly wage, or piecemeal? I've always wondered how those guys do (financially) overall.

In general scientific jobs do not pay super high wages. Most are hourly wages, and all the ones I've seen were approx 50-70K a year at most. I'm sure there are exceptions to that for master glassblowers and experienced positions but I've seen a lot in that 50-70K range that wanted 5-10 years experience. They tend to pay you less, but also usually supply lathes, kilns, gasses, glass and a space to work.

I also know of scientific workers who do piece work, mostly repairs in a personal studio. They tend to earn more (100-400/hour depending on project) but also have limited workloads and don't always work full time.

[Swim]

I have heard they make like 15$ an hour unless they are masters with their own shop and an established customer base. All the sci guys I have met at classes said I had plenty enough skills and knowledge to get hired but that the work was way more mindless that bowl making in the factories up there in new england

[BORO]

If swim is not going to post a spoon pic..

Think , " bong made out of vertical spoons, break off one at a time to finish."

[lost nebula]

I have heard they make like 15$ an hour unless they are masters with their own shop and an established customer base. All the sci guys I have met at classes said I had plenty enough skills and knowledge to get hired but that the work was way more mindless that bowl making in the factories up there in new england

Yeah, from what I've heard that pretty accurate. Your basically considered a semi skilled factory worker. The numbers I gave were the highest I have seen here in Australia where wages are a little higher than the US, $15-20 a hour here is not uncommon for someone with less than 5 years experience.

[Nomad]

yeah nomad, I handle up to everything on he lathe, like when I make inside out spoons, I make 30 flares on big ass tube and get busy, makes my numbers stay high, build big cane on the lathe then pull it down by hand. every single thing I do when I am in this mode is mass production minded. I just need three of me, like the old school glassbrother said way earlier in the thread, my ceiling is my productivity level. far as the lathe is concerned, if I am making anything, from a marble to a wrap and rake nomad style pipe, I handle up to all my blanks on the lathe. It pays for itself.

Cool. I would still like to see what your glass looks like. But that is interesting.

[Nomad]

At goodstash they had a team of awesome mexican and south american glass lathe team. They hardly spoke english but I got to hang and see them work for a while. It was cool.
They would turn out 2 bongs at once on the lathe. It was really cool to watch. But hot as hell in that area for sure.
I don't know but I might rather just get a furnace myself.

I used to have one of these but my brother broke it in college. It was like $150 retail. It was a great bong. Originally they were designed by Tommy Chong.
Yeah I used to be a slave. Swear I was the Slaver on that ship too. It was like 50 cents extra per piece to be the lead guy.

[OceanMelt]

In general scientific jobs do not pay super high wages. Most are hourly wages, and all the ones I've seen were approx 50-70K a year at most. I'm sure there are exceptions to that for master glassblowers and experienced positions but I've seen a lot in that 50-70K range that wanted 5-10 years experience. They tend to pay you less, but also usually supply lathes, kilns, gasses, glass and a space to work.

I also know of scientific workers who do piece work, mostly repairs in a personal studio. They tend to earn more (100-400/hour depending on project) but also have limited workloads and don't always work full time.

About what I expected. Still seems great for a young person who wants to learn glass and develop solid fundamental skills. If only one could go back.......

[Swim]

I have a buddy named josh cohen that makes big bongs out of furnace and yeah. after seeing that shit, fuck making a big bong on a lathe, I also have a smallish lathe though. my bongs are made on thirty eight mm and about 13 inches tall, nothing special, but I get to sell a few every order to a particular shop. I would make the dude a new jar to hold his girlfriends severed head in daily if he needed the head space. making prodo has become a job fer sher

[Swim]

I will take a video and post it on my instagram of the 115 spoons, posting here is difficult

[christopherobin]

I see the tree you are barking up. The skills you have are probably convertible to other trades (like welding.) It's a sad thing if artists have to go there, though. But I get it.
When I started LampWork in 2000 I thought it was too late to make a living. After a stay at home Dad thing.....I'm more concerned.

I think it's a "Get famous like Mickelsen, etc. Or be your Mom's friend's best customer."

Pipes are like selling American crap against china crap...And stoners want the cheapest thing available.

Pendants and jars might get you by.....But selling is the problem. Prodo doesn't equal pay. Etsey is no solution either....

[KT-Old School Glass]

I see the tree you are barking up. The skills you have are probably convertible to other trades (like welding.) It's a sad thing if artists have to go there, though. But I get it.
When I started LampWork in 2000 I thought it was too late to make a living. After a stay at home Dad thing.....I'm more concerned.

I think it's a "Get famous like Mickelsen, etc. Or be your Mom's friend's best customer."

Pipes are like selling American crap against china crap...And stoners want the cheapest thing available.

Pendants and jars might get you by.....But selling is the problem. Prodo doesn't equal pay. Etsey is no solution either....

I even know of some known high end glassblowers that are struggling.

In my area, pendants, marbles, beads, etc. don't sell, period. Even at craft fairs and the like.

I'm at a point in my life that I need stability and think of my future. I need to think about retirement. I need to think about my family.

Prodo pipes have no future. The wholesale prices will continue to stay stagnant while EVERYTHING else will continue to rise in price.

I've been a business person longer than I have been a glasblower. I keep my eyes open for economic trends. Not just glass, but world economics. Our economy is looking to be going into another slump. I don't want to be caught with my pants down with another economic downward spiral, again.

And, no, this is not about politics, I won't even entertain the thought of having a political conversation.