Hard to argue with any of this,,,,,,,,,,,,I was on the assumtion there was no one qualified locally.
The point was more like he could weigh price, cuemaker rep, delivery date, etc then pick what met his needs. More than that, the cuemakers who really need the work may get a chance at work. and $5 or $10 can make a difference to some in this economy.
The concept is set up to help those that need it, and it can help on both sides of the deal. I realize it's not for everyone,,,,,,but it is an option.
Since this thread has taken a jog in the road, as they sometimes do, I'll offer some thoughts on this new path.
I WILL NOT engage in a bidding war for ANY cue-work. I don't know if I'm alone in this and don't really care.
Here's why. Once the gates are opened to this type of selection process, the lowest bid tends to become the norm.
Ex: A starving artist says he'll do a linen wrap for, let's say $20. Before you know it, people are wondering why
all CMs aren't doing wraps for $20. I mean, if one CM can do it for $20, why can't they all. See what I mean???
In that selection process, quality never enters the picture. Selection is now reduced to and based on, the lowest price.
Should the Master Craftsman now be asked to work at the wage of an apprentice??? Ain't gonna happen.
The concept of: 'you get what you pay for', starts to ring clear.
I don't understand the need for the CM to be local. Is it that the cue-owner is looking to save time or is it money???
If it's 'time', why didn't you mail the cue a day earlier? If it's 'money', what's your driving time worth and cost of gas?
You're not going to beat any of the shippers in this area, UPS, Postal, Fed-EX, you name it. You can't beat them.
Shipping is a major player in our global economy.
Here's an abstract for you to consider and I'll wager that it actually comes into play.
Why is this artist starving in the first place???
Is it because he lives in the middle of the desert and sees maybe two other people a week or is it because his skills,
let's say, aren't quite polished to their highest sheen??? So, do you want door #1, #2 or door #3??? You don't know.
I think people are misreading our current economy. People that are good at what they do are busy, some even too busy.
There's certainly no lack of work for those with talent. The problem today isn't that there's a lack of work. It's because
there's a lack of talent for the good jobs that are available. 7.8% unemployment because these people don't have the skills.
Even that number is misleading. I recently did a quick search and learned that the lowest unemployment percentage number in
the past 40 yrs is 4% nationally. I'm forced to believe that the 4% wouldn't work even at gun-point.
The remaining 3.8% are wanting to work, they just need better job skills.
I'll also suggest that if you get the illegals out of here, the unemployment rate goes back to 4%.
The point that I've apparently drifted from is that if you're going for the $20 wrap job because it's the best price,
you'll likely come away with what looks like a $20 wrap job. No extra charge for the gaps.
If you want quality work, be prepared to pay for it. I'm not Monte Hall and this ain't 'Let's Make a Deal'.
There's a reason that Ferraris cost more than Escorts.
'Renegade_56', I applaud your efforts and appreciate what you're trying to do. Please continue.
My writings are just another view.
KJ