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Re: Neon Plant - Economics

Mike R. wrote:
> 
> At 08:20 AM 1/18/96 -0600, you wrote:
> >
> >
> >On Wed, 17 Jan 1996, Mike R. wrote:
> >
> >> Well...This should generate some discussion...(and advice I hope)...
> 
> >Wholesale work is a hard way to go. Why not sell retail, the same work
> >for twice the price.  Even at retail once you start production you
> >probably wont have time for art.  This happened to me. I had a very
> >successful production studio, selling 1/4KK/yr.  I thought that my six
> >employees could manage and I could work on my art at least one day per
> >week.  I was wrong, I didn't even get one day per month.  When I
> >discovered that the business was really running me, I pulled the plug.
> >Now I am back to the one person studio and making art.  My personal gross
> >and satisfaction has grown.
> 
> Ok....time to get nosy and ask for clarification....1/4KK/yr - what's the
> "KK" term mean I haven't seen it before...Also, you actually are doing better
> now working just "art" glass?....
> 
> >
> >             !!!!! AVOID THIS PURVEYOR AT ALL COSTS !!!!!
> >
> Alllll Right!
> 
> Tell it like it is!....Another gentleman in Okie City said about the
> same thing (actually "Don't buy nothing from that SOB"),I guess there
> are a few "quick buck" artists out there that would love to get ahold
> of a un-informed beginners money!  Thank god for you guys out there
> who are willing to share your experiences with someone like me!
> 
> I think that after just a few days of looking at and thinking about
> these "plug-and-play" packages I feel that I can setup a resonable
> plant in my basement studio for less money by investing my own labor.
> 
> Actually, I have already built vac manifolds in college, so I may even
> take a crack at building my own....I even have a start, I found a small
> vac pump in a pawn shop (Robinair model 15100) which may be useable with
> a good diffusion pump in-line (the pump was only $100 - too cheap to pass
> up!).
> 
> I guess "build it yourself" really appeals to me anyway, I like working
> with my hands (that's why neon work appeals to me)....
> 
> Happy Trails!...../\/\ikeHello Ike,  I have a couple of comments on your last post.  I tend to 
agree with the general flavor of buying the package deal.  As another 
had commented, each shop is unique and has specific needs that the 
package plant may not offer.  The approach that I followed was to visit, 
which may be hard to do unless you travel outside your ring of 
competition, other benders and see what they are using.  This can be 
extremely helpful as you not only get to speak with the benders, you 
also get to see how they have set their shop up.  Pictures are worth a 
thousand words as the saying goes.  I was fortunate enough to find such 
a fellow before I bought anything for the plant.  He even allowed me to 
take as many pictures as I needed.  If it hadn’t been for him, I doubt I 
would have had my shop set up in under two weeks.  There is one 
cautionary word here and I guess it would be do NOT visit the old timer. 
 Some make take exception at this point but from the ones that I have 
seen, they seem to have the same equipment when they started some 35-40 
years ago.  I realize that this is not true for all the old timers 
however.  I am sure some are up to date.  The last bit of advice I can 
give you is don’t be dollar wise and pound foolish when it comes to 
buying equipment.  I guess I am full of clichés today.  Spend the money 
on quality.  Skimp on the accessories.  
Hope this helps some.
Howie Cohen
Utica, NY
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