Search found 1114 matches

by ToddJohnson
Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:47 am
Forum: General
Topic: Importance of apprenticeship / having a mentor
Replies: 34
Views: 5102

Re: Importance of apprenticeship / having a mentor

Even when they started not to stink, there was disappointment in some aspect on every pipe to this day, which allows me to keep improving. I definitely experience disappointments with every pipe I make. I'm not sure if that will ever go away. For you it won't. I'm still 90% pleased by 10% of my pip...
by ToddJohnson
Fri Mar 06, 2015 6:35 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

Todd, I appreciate your reply, and I believe I understand (and am sympathetic to) your concern. Before reiterating your concern, let me first say that I do not think, nor was I intending to communicate, that sour grapes is the only motivating factor for the frustration over social-media-hound sales...
by ToddJohnson
Fri Mar 06, 2015 2:12 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

Tyler, I've had a couple of snowbound days to sit and think about all this. I'm sure everyone is aware of the beating I've taken as the fall guy for this thread, and hindsight being 20/20, I guess this is why the "private" section of this forum exists. Being as passionate and vocal as I am...
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 8:32 pm
Forum: General
Topic: G+ tonight
Replies: 37
Views: 6775

Re: G+ tonight

So, for real, what do I do to join the virtual get-together? I think I have a Google+ account because I always get e-mails about whatever stream-of-consciousness posts David Migdal has recently made. Help a brotha' out, would ya'?.

TJ
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 7:36 pm
Forum: General
Topic: G+ tonight
Replies: 37
Views: 6775

Re: G+ tonight

LatakiaLover wrote:
ToddJohnson wrote: Rita is out of the office, so I'm going to need very specific instructions on how to make this happen. Sounds fun, though.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OZPlL4qFoms
That guy is NOT Rita!

TJ
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:55 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Steve Jobs on PipeMakersForum
Replies: 35
Views: 5372

Re: Steve Jobs on PipeMakersForum

To use the academic jargon that I'm versed in, one's intention is irrelevant to another's apprehension of a given iteration. In practical terms, that means it doesn't matter if I did not intend to come across as "harsh" to my wife if she takes it that way. Basically, it's on me to make su...
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:33 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

For being so independent, everyone seems to share a remarkably similar "aesthetic," style of grooming/dress, manner of speech, and promotional philosophy, bruh. Having professed such a strong desire to be separate from whomever they've deemed the "other," I find them to be a pec...
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:26 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

What I do produce I think is good value for the buyer and represents a well made product that I have put many hundreds If not thousands of hours in working on, I make enough money to support myself and while it may not be the best paid job in the world it certainly is the most fun (most of the time...
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:18 pm
Forum: General
Topic: G+ tonight
Replies: 37
Views: 6775

Re: G+ tonight

The Smoking Yeti wrote:You should totally join us Todd- we use Google hangouts- it's a video chat option on google+. Really simple to use, and tons o' fun.
Rita is out of the office, so I'm going to need very specific instructions on how to make this happen. Sounds fun, though.

TJ
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:16 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Steve Jobs on PipeMakersForum
Replies: 35
Views: 5372

Re: Steve Jobs on PipeMakersForum

e Markle wrote:

Hope this Helps!™
You can't triple-stamp a double-stamp, #sparklecake! Everybody knows that.

TJ

P.S. Hope this helps©
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 6:15 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Steve Jobs on PipeMakersForum
Replies: 35
Views: 5372

Re: Steve Jobs on PipeMakersForum

Another way to say this (if I read you right Tyler) is that we are arguing whether content and style are or can be two totally separate things, and the answer is obviously "no". Hemingway's style is part of his content, the emotive content of his work. T.S. Eliot's style is part of his co...
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:55 pm
Forum: Gallery
Topic: Bent Mushroom
Replies: 5
Views: 1251

Re: Bent Mushroom

Bowl is fine. Shank is fine. That pipe needs a saddle mouthpiece.

TJ
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 4:53 pm
Forum: General
Topic: G+ tonight
Replies: 37
Views: 6775

Re: G+ tonight

What is this exactly? I think I got an e-mail from Nate about it last week, but it seemed to require I download something.

TJ
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 3:37 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

I'm just curious to know what #indie #artisans are "independent" from . Who/What is the "Establishment" from whom they have broken free? What yoke of convention have they thrown off so as to be thus emancipated? Is it simply the burdensome shackles of convention, dictating that o...
by ToddJohnson
Fri Feb 27, 2015 12:38 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

Micah, Having seen your pipes in person, and knowing how committed you are to doing this the right way, let me just say, without positing we actually form one, that this is the very reason guilds exist. Being part of one would demonstrate that you have actually committed yourself to pipe making as a...
by ToddJohnson
Thu Feb 26, 2015 6:23 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

The only danger I think we really face is trying to take advantage of the inflated markets by over pricing our pipes. Once the market corrects you'll have a lot of explaining to do to regular customers that hang in there with you about why your pipes are suddenly selling for half as much as the one...
by ToddJohnson
Thu Feb 26, 2015 3:54 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

James, One reason "time in business" is an important factor is that it demonstrates one's dedication to this as something other than a side hobby or passing fad. I could list dozens of guys' names who made a brief appearance, showed some or even a lot of promise, then dropped off the face ...
by ToddJohnson
Thu Feb 26, 2015 12:02 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

my fellow Americans... interesting read.. not withstanding the desire to achieve excellence in your art.. offer a quality product and forgo the 'pipe turd' but are you understanding what your reading. Has the capitalistic blood been slowly bleed from your veins? Creation of a Pipe Makers Alliance s...
by ToddJohnson
Wed Feb 25, 2015 5:56 pm
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

Sturgeon's Law---90% of everything is crap---is a constant. It hasn't really changed recently, it just looks that way. What has happened is the primary filter that kept most of the pipe-crap out of the hands of buyers in the past has been largely removed. That filter being knowledgeable wholesalers...
by ToddJohnson
Wed Feb 25, 2015 11:30 am
Forum: General
Topic: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.
Replies: 172
Views: 33420

Re: Machined pipes.New Factory in Nashville.

Retailers can also play another important role, and that is basically QC. Yes, there are "retailers"--and I use that term loosely here--who will take pipes from anyone, consign them, and talk about how great they all are. The problem here is that, again, they're mostly turds, and neither t...