To Jimmy Sickles

[ShootingArts]

Chris's post is spot on, if understated

The original poster isn't doing work for free, he is literally paying people to do their work when he thinks he is working for zero profit. Chris's list was a good start but still leaves a lot off. There is a lot of difference between somebody that is a hobby cue maker or machine builder and someone trying to make a living at it.

Looking at machine makers for a minute, let's consider their shop labor worth fifty dollars an hour, cheap if combining machine and assembly time. Let's also say that those that retail machines deserve even fifteen percent net profit on their machines after expenses. I think that most would be as happy as a pig in flop to actually see that much, forget all of their R&D time.

In reality I can walk over to the machine shop next door and make more money cranking out valve parts with loose tolerances and no investment or headaches than I can making custom cues or machinery.

Hu

 

[ScottR]

As an amateur hobbyist, I have to chime in on the idea of a passion for cue building. I've stated in other threads that I have been trying to learn how to do a very specific part of the process. Why? Because that fascinates me and I have a passion to make a forearm that is 1/2 way as good as blank makers of the present and past. I do it because every little once in a while you get one that you can sit back, look at, smile and say "That's nice." Then you go back to finding a way to make it better, more consistent, or with a new twist.

I bought my Unique Taper Shaper on ebay at a decent discount from retail. I got very lucky; #1 that I even found one for resale and #2 because the price was within my means at the time (hell I sold two cues to pay for it!). I've tried to find one of Chris' machines, but the perfect storm of my funds availability and the machine being available hasn't happened yet.

Jim and Bryan have been nothing but completely responsive to my questions during the learning process on their machine. I have Jim's personal phone # to call at ANY time of the day or night to talk. That is customer service. Jim doesn't know me from Adam. He didn't give his number to me because he thought Unique would get free advertising. He gave it because he wants me to be satisfied with the product, AND, more importantly, because he wants me to feed my passion for building part of a cue.

Bubs, you owe Jim, Byran and Unique a huge apology. Just stop after the apology. Please.

 

[Williebetmore]

Bubs, you owe Jim, Byran and Unique a huge apology. Just stop after the apology. Please.

Scott,
You are right on target. This is really a lame attempt to bring up the same old sour grapes. There is nothing illegal or unethical about these pricing issues.

The Chevy Corvette contains about $600 worth of plastic, glass, metal, and leather. Forget the cue lathe; I want a Corvette for $601; where do those jerks at GM get off charging me extra?????

 

[tag]

gm jerk here

yea im a gm union member local 2166,we have to charge so much for all vechicles because the dam ceos are getting 1 million in christmas bonus on top of there yearly income of 3 million,we are under paid!!!

 

[tag]

gm jerk again

O i forgot,every gm car and truck $1000.00 is added to price to cover our health care coverage

 

[Williebetmore]

yea im a gm union member local 2166,we have to charge so much for all vechicles because the dam ceos are getting 1 million in christmas bonus on top of there yearly income of 3 million,we are under paid!!!

tag,
I hope you understood I was just kidding with the GM reference - no offense intended. It seems everyone (except the thread starter) understands that it costs money to do business, and it is not reasonable to expect businesses to operate without making a profit. Happy New Year, sorry if I offended.

 

[etimmons]

yea im a gm union member local 2166,we have to charge so much for all vechicles because the dam ceos are getting 1 million in christmas bonus on top of there yearly income of 3 million,we are under paid!!!

tag, that would be great if all they were getting is a million, most are in the 50 million range!!!!

 

[butterflycues]

cue making

I have about $35000 invested in my shop. When I started, I was a computer programmer and my wife was (and still is) a full time nurse. Some who know me back that far (ScottR, RascalDoc, CAM) can verify this for you. She was 8 months pregnant, out in the shop WITH ME, on my $39 drill press and $300 7x10 lathe, making joint protectors for the grocery money, and trying to save the money to buy a bigger lathe. By the way, we have still NEVER cleared $100k, even counting my wife's income, 8 years of cue making, computer consulting and all. I don't know where most got their start but mine wasn't handed to me, and I didn't find (nor expect) some manufacturer to cut me half off cuz I didn't happen to have $20k in the bank.

Actually, as a matter of fact, on that very subject...I conjured up every dime I could find AND borrow and it was BRYAN SWANK AND JIM SICKLES who DID cut me a deal on a cue monster because they knew I really wanted the thing and that I was spending every dime I had. They didn't owe me a damn thing. They helped me anyway. Let me state again... I went BUSTED buying it, but I made the decision to buy, and I bought. That simple.

Now... I don't know you, and am not trying to be rude, but you are saying you have over $150k income, and you have a problem with Unique making a buck or two for THEIR work? Yes, they WORK for their money. Hell, even if 100 cue companions were dropped at their front door from Santa, with NO COST AT ALL, I still wouldn't expect them to just give them away! They gotta eat. You can't tell me you would just love to do hospice work for $5 an hour... can you?

Lastly... I want to save you some time. I can tell you right now, and I will bet that MANY cuemakers will back me up on this... if you think you want into cue making for the money, then go get every single dime you can possibly invest in cue making and STICK IT IN A SLOT MACHINE. YOU HAVE BETTER CHANCES THAT WAY.

JWP

Amen, Butterfly cues

 

[mark smith]

hey bubsbug

if you are going to be 'giving' away cues then all of cuemakers need to find free nurses, doctors, and pharmacies.