-
Full Time, Part time?
How Many shopbotters are using their shopbot full time as a business VS having a different day job and shopbotting part time? I've read some of the stories about some of the guys losing their day jobs and trying to go fulltime with the shopbot. How are all you guys doing now? I'm not there yet just looking out for the future when big corporation says "thanks for playing".
Thanks,
John
-
John, I'm using it part time at this point, with the goal of full time. It has opened the door on what I can do in the shop, Have been doing a lot of sub work for several small sign shops and cabinet shops in the area.
Bryan
-
John,
I was laid off last year and have been using my Bot(s) fulltime. I don't run them all the time, only when I need to suppliment my fabrication business. Things are tight at times...feast or famine, but I'm still standing and making the mortgage. It takes time to make contacts, so as time goes on, more business will come in the door.
-Brady
-
John,
I have a day job that pays the bills. I'm building a business with my son that hopefully will keep him busy full time in a year or so. It gives me a great outlet for my itch to do engineering and build my own business.
-
Fulltime and sometimes overtime. We have a full woodshop as well but I have one employee now who just runs the machine, frees me up to do more! I still do the programming and much of the CAD work though. Last summer it was 18 hours a day for four months. Thanks to the Alpha upgrade we can now keep it down to a single shift a day.
Eric
-
Eric, you mentioned "summer" - we also find that spring/summer brings in a lot more work than autumn/winter. This seasonal nature was unexpected when we started out.
-
Right now, I am part-time. I've got enough business coming in to keep making the payments and cover most expense.
So on and so forth, I continue to look for more and have made contacts that keep me busy with work. I'm also working to develop my "line" of products and projects. We will be gearing up for a Feb. home show.
I keep the full-time job, that I dislike, in order to support my family and keep financial strength.
-
Gerald, the worst is the 2 months before christmas. Nobody seems to want to do much of anything!
Eric
-
75% of my income comes in the two months before Christmas.
I make traditional Rocking Horses!
-
My PRT96 sits idle far too much for my liking. Was bought as a "hobby" tool with POTENTIAL! At present am working up to a part time income status. I would love to get full time employment with it and to cut back on the hours (or retire) from my present job that doesn't have the challenges nor the rewards.
We shall see what the future holds.