Growley Pipes - Going Full Time

[Growley]

Hey guys,

I haven't been able to be on here very much lately. In fact, I've barely been able to do anything pipe related lately. Work has been running me ragged. Well, it looks like that's all changing. Last Wednesday I quit my job to give pipe making a try full time. Today was the first day in the shop as a job, and so far so good. I'm going to be eating Ramen Noodles for some time, but compared to the stress I felt in my other job, I think it will be worth it.

So, I'm guessing I'll have more time to be active here, and I'm really looking forward to it.

Brian.

Here's the pipe I turned out today.

[Alden]

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen.

Repeat Daily.

[Joe Hinkle Pipes]

congrats brian! good luck in the future.

[LatakiaLover]

Congrats on becoming your own man, and good luck!

btw -- since this is the general board not the gallery, did you want feedback on the pic?

[Growley]

Congrats on becoming your own man, and good luck!

btw -- since this is the general board not the gallery, did you want feedback on the pic?

Nah, feedback would break my fragile brain at the moment. Thanks for asking though. With as zoned out as I am, I'm afraid a lot of great critique would go wasted. I'm tellin' ya, I feel like a truck ran over me lately. Too many major decisions to make in too little time. A few more days in the shop though and I'll be right as rain.

[sandahlpipe]

Congrats man, and good luck with making a living on pipes!

[Ocelot55]

You got dis!

You'll do great, Brian!

[d.huber]

Congrats on going full time! You were the first person from the forum to reach out to me and give me a shop tour of any sort and I remember that kindness fondly. I'm happy for you and wish you all the best!

[caskwith]

Best of luck! You will need it
On the 1st May I passed 5 years full time, of course I had the decision made for me back in '09 lol.

[baweaverpipes]

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen.

Repeat Daily.

I COULD NOT have said it better!

[pipedreamer]

You will be ok. Make pipes, and be happy. All the best. John.

[eric]

I'm excited for you, and am sure you'll do great.

[Growley]

Thanks guys. So far, (I know it's only day 2) things are going well. I've finished two pipes, one for the site and one commission, and I've got 3 more commission pipes to work on. Now, if I could quadruple that and double my prices at the same time, I might just make it.

[Sasquatch]

Yeah that's the secret - just make them better and also faster.

[baiguai]

Thanks for the updates! So exciting to hear about you going all in!

[LatakiaLover]

Yeah that's the secret - just make them better and also faster.

The beauty of craftsmanship is that the two happen simultaneously. Provided the natural talent is there, everyone who pushes himself to do his best every time will find the quality of his output going up, and time it takes to produce his items going down.

The trick is surviving monetarily until the lines cross for your living situation. After they do, the numbers get pretty impressive. 300 pipes per year @ $500 (avg) each makes for a tidy sum. Two pipes a week @ $200, not so much.

[mightysmurf8201]

That's awesome! Congrats!

[BobR]

Hail Mary,
Full of Grace,
The Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women,
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary,
Mother of God,
pray for us sinners now,
and at the hour of death.

Amen.

Repeat Daily.

I COULD NOT have said it better!

"Father forgive him, for he knows not what he's done"

Congrats!

[Alden]

300 pipes per year @ $500 (avg) each makes for a tidy sum.

Not stirring the crap up, but who makes 300 pipes @ $500 average ?
I can think of guys who maybe make 300 pipes at $300 average and guys who might make 150 pipes @ $500. Or are you talking the average selling price and not how much a guy actually makes selling them?
I think this fuzzy math leads newbs to think you can make an easy living at it.
NOBODY is earning $150,000 a year making hand made pipes. Not even guys selling $1000 pipes

[d.huber]

Yeah.... If you sell (You have to SELL what you make) everything in a regular and predictable way (yeah right) and make... oh... let's say 100 (as a median number) a year and when you've covered taxes and business expenses, pay your rent, buy food, pay your monthly debts, replace your winter boots, repair your model t, and get dinner with your spouse once a week, you've got about $1000 to put in your retirement fund at the end of the year.

I may be exaggerating, but only slightly.

For the new guys, going full time is not a money making venture. It's a quality of life shift.

If you can sell enough to make it work or if you are lucky enough to have a sugar momma (or daddy), your life will be happier but your wallet thinner.

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