How Much Per Hour!! (What is you shop rate)..

[Frosty]

That's a pretty fair assessment of bidding jobs Anvil. Dad used to drag me along to watch and listen silently while he evaluated jobs, then talked to me while he ran through his process of determining a profitable margin for a bid low enough to win the job. 

He had the experience to estimate time, and overhead, waste, etc. without making a test piece. Usually. Shop rate could as accurately be called overhead. One of the factors that amazed me in the day was how Dad could determine which one of his spinners would make the best margin.

His shop was mostly production work but one off projects were scary expensive because he had to stop a % of shop production to do one offs.

You're absolutely right, bidding jobs is the most stressful, ulcer making part of his business. Worse than the IRS.

Frosty The Lucky.

[jlpservicesinc]

Frosty did you take over your Dads shop and then fill the roll? 

This past spring NEB meet I got to sit down with a bunch of the Big time smiths that all have been full time smiths since the 70's. 

Each one had a slightly different story but with each story it was interesting how they were allowed to " have a chance".. 

Most had worked for someone successful in some facet of metal work while they were learning the trade. When I say learning the trade.. I mean refining their skills while working for the successful metal worker. 

The other interesting thing is they traveled and most found work in an area they were not from.. 

Eventually moving back to where they wanted to be..    Each person also bought  property when it was reasonable to buy.. 


And lastly and most importantly is this " They all have a way of talking that is not direct, but you still understand what they are pointing to.." .. Its like you form your own thought, but its' really theirs.. 

  This is very important when dealing with customers and being able to juggle that's persons personality and desires, even when that person has asked for 5 changes during a  period of production and then asks for changes when finished. 

 There is a very good percentage of destiny.. 

Anvil,  i really appreciate you sharing your story..   I read it again and your replies..   Your not wrong..  You have your feelings about what you did and believe in..   It's wonderful. 

[Frosty]

No I didn't Jennifer. I worked in his shop starting at maybe 8yro until I was 16. I'd had enough I wanted to do something different but was kind of locked in. I would've disappointed Dad too much to just leave.

Then he got pretty successful and had between 5-7 employees besides Mother and I and he got a visit from OSHA. No insurance company would insure his 16yro son working the floor so I was out. I still worked weekends and such but that was it for me taking the operation over. 

I could spin but was nowhere good enough to run or do more than basic work in his shop. 

Frosty The Lucky.