How many of you are hobbyists and how many are paid for your skills

[AstroKeith]

Hobbyist, retired engineer/scientist and really enjoying being free to spend time making projects for us and our childrens' families.

Now I'm retired I can take my time and do a better job. Fortunate to have a good pension (and understanding wife) that allows me to acquire and use good tools.

 

[MaineShop]

Professional, small three man shop, doing work directly for customers and mostly directly for contractors and designers.

 

[Jim_in_PA]

As I said above, I am a hobby woodworker who accepts occasional commissions.

I don’t like doing commissions as it usually adds schedule pressure. The other downside is clients who don’t pay.

Most awkward was a couple, friends of my wife, extremely rich, who wanted me to make  something rather unusual for them. They picked the wood, ebony and paduk. Almost $1200. It turned out beautifully. I delivered it early and they were elated with it. After several months and several requests, they paid. They were taken off the “list”.

Other clients have been most gracious and paid on delivery.

I require a 50% non-refundable deposit for any work and final payment before or during delivery. I can count on less than one hand the number of people I would trust without that deposit and they are all very close friends. I invoice for the deposit and it's very clear that it's non-refundable, too. I'm making a commitment to both acquire material and spend time and if someone bails, I at least have covered hard costs for the most part.

 

[nclemmons]

Hobbyist for me.  Lots of projects in my home, my kids home, and for friends and family.

 

[fritter63]

Full hobbyist. Software architect/consultant by day.

But "champagne taste on a beer budget" drove me to start building for myself 30+ years ago.

Add an obsession with guitars and CNC and you get this:
http://ahsbandguitar.blogspot.com

In the early days I would "work for tools", but now I"m like "I have too many of my own projects and don't need the money".

 

[MaineShop]

Reading Jim's post makes me think if anyone is thinking of charging for your work you may want to check the laws in your state, for example he mentions 50% up front, in Maine for example it is illegal for a contractor to charge more then 30% up front.

 

[ChuckS]

In my city, a contractor needs to be on the city's registered contractors list in order to collect any deposit or down payment lawfully. It's up to the consumers to check the list before handing over any money...most don't because they aren't aware of the legal requirements.

 

[Sparktrician]

Part-time pro cabinet guy and handyman, part-time hobbyist, part-time real estate photographer, part-time IT project manager.  And in my spare time, rescuer of German Shepherd dogs.  [smile]

 

[jshippy90@gmail.com]

Hi everyone Profesional finish carpenter and cabinet maker. Part time ranch and cow horse trainer

 

[Jim_in_PA]

Add an obsession with guitars and CNC and you get this:
http://ahsbandguitar.blogspot.com

Ya...when I created the business I needed "something" to do for fun, so I started building electric guitars last summer, leveraging my CNC. I can't really play them, both because of wrist surgery a few years ago as well as being primarily a keyboard player, but I'm enjoying the building in a huge way.

 

[DavidCBaker]

Pure hobbyist. It wouldn't be fun (for me) if I did it for a living.

 

[Amateur]

Purely a hobbyist. I really respect a true craftsman.

 

[ceddy]

Have a been a hobbyist for 10-12 years, but my business is super slow because of Covid, so I bought a jointer and a proper dust collector to add to my Festool arsenal to be able to sell furniture. Only piece of the puzzle missing is a saw stop. I get by with the TS55 but a table saw would be easier to work with.

 

[ChuckS]

Snip.
Only piece of the puzzle missing is a saw stop. I get by with the TS55 but a table saw would be easier to work with.

Could you claim tax deduction if you buy the SawStop for your furniture business? My hobby brings me income which is reported as revenue when I file my tax return. My tool purchases are capital expenditures (depreciation).

 

[PaulMarcel]

Just a hobbyist, though I do a fair number of basically unpaid commissions. These are usually for my broke friends with an entrepreneurial idea I support (and one now has a very well equipped shop with CNC and laser free for my use). Other times, it's for the challenge, and those the people will always, always run the second I ask for an agreed-upon jokingly-small payment.

I'll admit I have more tools than I 'need', but I also love tinkering with them and as most of them have pretty nice resale, I get to play on discount.

 

[mkasdin]

Glad to see your still around! The circus thing with Covid doesn’t fit into essential business. I think regular table saws like Powermatics are going for cheap, since most people these days are trading I for a sawstop?

 

[PaulMarcel]

Glad to see your still around! The circus thing with Covid doesn’t fit into essential business. I think regular table saws like Powermatics are going for cheap, since most people these days are trading I for a sawstop?

Thanks! Yes, my month-long traincations to Las Vegas to train with Cirque performers is kinda done right now. But many have moved on to training via Zoom classes. Thankfully, I converted my living room into an aerial gym 3+ years ago and now it gets used for 15+ hours a week. Best thing ever. (Festools, Vacupress, and SawStop used to build it, btw).

In my case, I pre-ordered the PCS SawStop because I pay for my hobbies typing at a desk job and, as a mentor of mine from Microsoft who lost part of finger in the shop told me, never, ever underestimate how much this affects your life. Fortunately, he made his fortune before having to move away from intense coding (i.e., typing). That was enough for me. Cheap insurance especially considering my private insurance monthly [eek]

I took a long weekend this weekend and next: they are both filled with woodworking and a whole lot of circus aerial  [cool]

 

[Grakat]

Hobbyist.

I am a professional Engineer but work in wood for the change, and the opportunity to do one off work.