J W Bennett Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I find the business end of my forge addiction to be a Necessary Evil. The business end pays the expenses involved in having and equipping a shop, providing the fuel to fuel the forges and buy metal to forge. I put everything I make back into the business, Profit goes for tools, shop upgrades or blacksmith events/books etc. The downside is "having" to forge, a lot of time is spent forging things you wouldn't forge unless paid to. This leaves very little time to forge what you want to forge. It isn't a good thing if you have to force yourself to go into the shop and forge. Also let's not forget the Day job that pays the Mortgage,Food and such. I am learning to balance things out and I am also lucky enough to be building a customer base that allows me to do more of what I want to do. But that takes time and patience. Does anyone else feel this way and struggle with this. I enjoy forging and work to improve my skills constantly. However I fight "burnout" from time to time if I take to much on. Some times you just have to tell people "NO". Guess I'm rambling but I just wanted to throw this out there and see what others feel or think and how they have come to deal with it. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan W Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I reckon I'm lucky, I dont have to work to pay the bills so I forge strictly for myself and my wife. I will offer to make something for a friend or family member if they can catch me in the right mood Most of the stuff I forge I just throw in a pile and take to our 1814 Living History events and put on a trade blanket. I've been known to trade tent stakes for a string of beads for my wife, a forged knife for a set of buckskin leggings, etc.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Senft Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I think I know what you mean. I've done various kinds of metalwork for around 20 yrs, day job of also doing all kinds of metal/mechanical work always remains necessary to keep going, and time's limited to do creative stuff that I can't figger how to make enough money on. However am getting enough interest in my products that I've decided to form an LLC. Turning my side work into a separate business entity is new to me and although I'm reading some about it, I'm interested in trying to learn something from others here who have done it successfully. Where and what kind of insurance do most people get in this business, what sort of stuff do most people put in contracts, etc., etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dablacksmith Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 i guess ime lucky ... i make what i want to make and i turn down the fab jobs . its sometimes hard but ime not setup for um or any good at it . i do tend to make small stuff that i dont have a lot of time into tho . the 2 and 3 day project i rarely do. but ime happy with how it is working out ! i dont consider it a evil as the alternative to selling all the stuff ime makeing is give it away! ide have tons of ironwork lying around rusting otherwse !! i suppose if i was to suddenly get rich ide still be selling ironwork ide just up the price a bit (i wouldnt care if it sold ) and hire a roadie to setup and teardown the portable shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monstermetal Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I am with you.... I basically have to be working on someones stuff 40-50 hours a week to keep the shop afloat. I do lots and lots of things that are not what I would choose to do If I didnt have to pay the bills. I get frustrated that I cant afford my own time anymore, That my projects are always the ones that get set aside and that creative and fun stuff is almost always the least profitable. I do like ironwork enough that I dont see any project as terrible. I usually find something I like about even the worst projects. I do envy those who have a income outside of there metal work and the freedom to do what ever it is they like. Metal is my life... my hobby and my only income source.. What you have to remember is that any job is a job... If you didnt have a forge and have to be forging those things you dont want to forge... You could be building cars you dont want to build and be thinking about forging... Or cooking for people you dont want to cook for and thinking about forging... Or maybe even running some fancy company and dealing with a bunch of people you cant stand while thinking about forging... At least forging things you dont want to forge makes you a better smith :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bryce Masuk Posted December 30, 2009 Share Posted December 30, 2009 I am with you.... I basically have to be working on someones stuff 40-50 hours a week to keep the shop afloat. I do lots and lots of things that are not what I would choose to do If I didnt have to pay the bills. I get frustrated that I cant afford my own time anymore, That my projects are always the ones that get set aside and that creative and fun stuff is almost always the least profitable. I do like ironwork enough that I dont see any project as terrible. I usually find something I like about even the worst projects. I do envy those who have a income outside of there metal work and the freedom to do what ever it is they like. Metal is my life... my hobby and my only income source.. What you have to remember is that any job is a job... If you didnt have a forge and have to be forging those things you dont want to forge... You could be building cars you dont want to build and be thinking about forging... Or cooking for people you dont want to cook for and thinking about forging... Or maybe even running some fancy company and dealing with a bunch of people you cant stand while thinking about forging... At least forging things you dont want to forge makes you a better smith Pretty much I cant stand having a job that is so boring and you hate it so much 8 hours seems to take a century doing metalwork is they only thing for me, Most people on here think they want to be full time blacksmiths, but the reality is it might take all the fun out of it, your not going to get to do whatever you want, your pleasing the customer you make what THEY want for YOUR price maybe if your good enough people will want everything to your taste and your arm will be sore either way It takes Time, Planning and Serious effort continually to make any business run the effort it takes to become a blacksmith that makes a good stable living with your own show, you could probley become a lawyer or doctor or engineer. Right now isnt really a very good time to be a metalworker of most trades up here it has been hit the hardest and usually it is why? because most metalwork is production, building new things and when people arent buying new you have no work granted there are repair jobs everywhere but they usually arent as substantial and the jobs that are are usually Ironwork type jobs Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortdog Posted January 1, 2010 Share Posted January 1, 2010 I forge as a hobby and sell some of what I make. Mostly, I've been selling knives. I may not belong in this converstaion, but I can see how a hobby could turn into a job. Forging is far more physical than many of today's jobs. Standing for long periods of time swinging hammers of varying weights in a hot environment where injury is a constant companion isn't for everyone. Coupling that with people coming up and saying "OK, Make art....Now!" also can be trying. When you combine all of these with the need for income and an overhead to cover, it makes you wonder why anyone would want to do it. Who needs all that? When you get that hammer in your hand and create something from a piece of steel that was nothing, or when someone really gets what you're doing, I think that's the real payoff. Best of luck to all of you who are living the dream. It is my wish that from time to time, you'll have one of those moments that reminds you why you came this way. Happy New Year, all! Wesley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dief Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 Sounds like you need to raise your prices and/or be more selective in the jobs you take. If done properly part time smithing can be quite lucrative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HWHII Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I personally have been working as metal fabricator for over 32 years. I eat sleep and spend all my awake time thinking and doing metal work the good jobs and the bad ones. All I want is more. After writing this it has dawned on me I could need profesional help. I guess I should start by saying. Hi my name is Harold and I am a metalaholic. :huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 I thought this was going a different direction. "Business end" to me is all the others stuff like paying bills, taxes, book keeping, OSHA, EPA, DL&I etc. The "business" of forging I enjoyed all the time. I only made things (tools) for myself that I needed to do the work. Every job was a challenge. It was the problem-solving that I enjoyed. Coming up with the most suitable tooling within the constraints of quantity and price. Finding simple ways to do small quantities and productive ways to do large quantities. In the shop, I loved ALL of it, good, bad or ugly, it was all a challenge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nakedanvil - Grant Sarver Posted January 31, 2010 Share Posted January 31, 2010 As you can see by the time stamp, I was composing at the same time as HWHII and we both have the exact same view. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeremyP Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I am with you.... I basically have to be working on someones stuff 40-50 hours a week to keep the shop afloat. I do lots and lots of things that are not what I would choose to do If I didnt have to pay the bills. I get frustrated that I cant afford my own time anymore, That my projects are always the ones that get set aside and that creative and fun stuff is almost always the least profitable. I do like ironwork enough that I dont see any project as terrible. I usually find something I like about even the worst projects. I do envy those who have a income outside of there metal work and the freedom to do what ever it is they like. Metal is my life... my hobby and my only income source.. You and me both. Some weeks I dont even get a spare moment to forge at all. It gets very frustrating when I'm stuck doing something mindless or mundane but I don't have the freedom to turn it down and pursue something more challenging and creative. The worst part is, now that I've discovered blacksmithing and a new passion for it, some of the jobs I'm used to doing feels a lot more mundane. I'm totally getting sick of it, but they are my bread and butter, and with this slow down I dont want to turn anything away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dragons lair Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Freelance, DO NOT turn anything down, I have about closed my shop to work with a green energy start up co. I am now about $12,000 in the hole. Paid for 2 of last 7 mos. If ya turn down work they WILL go somewhere else. Been there doing that. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sawyer04 Posted February 5, 2011 Share Posted February 5, 2011 I have only played blacksmith for a hobby, not wanting to make it a business, but have had several things going, farming, garage, lawn service, construction in the last 40 years and one thing I know is the make it or break it is in the office. I was never too bright about office work. I hired a bookeeper, found a good one and kept him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Willis Posted February 7, 2011 Share Posted February 7, 2011 I absolutely refuse to turn my blacksmithing fun into a business. Of course my wife and I are both retired and my wife has another full time job, so I can readidly understand those who must do this and feel for you. As far as taking on too much, I always tell folks, including family members, to just drop over to the shop and put their name along with what they want at the bottom of the list. I keep a large piece of sheet iron and a piece of chalk on my wall for just this purpose. Sometimes they just take one look at the list and say never mind sometimes they add what they want. It is made plain that my priorties are 1) what my wife wants 2) what I personaly have a really burning desire and just absolutely have to make and 3) any one who has what I consider an emergency. We have a lot of folks around here who must rely on hunting and fishing to make ends meet and I also do basic leather work and will make leather sleeves for amputees who cant afford prothesis or any other odd or end to make thier lives easier, my wife also knits and helps with this. I reckon I'm just truly blessed to be able to say I can pick and choose what and who for I want to make with the exceptin of items 1 and 3 above. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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