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Post by stardiamond on Jan 17, 2020 21:29:09 GMT -5
The dynamic changes when a person is revenue positive. My previous hobby was golf. Since I wasn't a pro or a golf hustler, I didn't want to spend a lot of money on equipment or green fees given my skill level. When a person's hobby is working with rocks, why not work on the better rocks as long as they can recoup the cost selling cabochons. A hobby is about enjoyment and it is more fun to work with better material. I still won't buy material where I can't recoup the cost.
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Post by miket on Jan 17, 2020 22:39:12 GMT -5
I'd like to interject one thing. To me there's also value in doing something I really, really enjoy. There's value in the challenge of trying to get better results. Just about any hobby has a cost and there are far worse things we could be doing. Plus, our rocks will last a long, long time. So do what you can, do what you enjoy. You only live once. 😀
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Post by aDave on Jan 17, 2020 23:25:20 GMT -5
I'd like to interject one thing. To me there's also value in doing something I really, really enjoy. There's value in the challenge of trying to get better results. Just about any hobby has a cost and there are far worse things we could be doing. That wins the internet for today. Outstanding perspective. I used to golf, which was quite costly, but stopped due to not even being able to grip the clubs due to hand issues. That's another story, but you've illustrated that a cost for doing a hobby will usually leave a person in the red. IMHO, it's the satisfaction at the end of the day.
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Post by RocksInNJ on Jan 18, 2020 3:16:30 GMT -5
I just can’t justify it myself. Not that I have much money to splurge to begin with, but even if I did I can’t see spending much on a rock, that I don’t even know what I’ll do with after. Sure I love the hobby and would love to have some real rocks with color and patterns to tumble, but then I think what then? I’m not making cabs or selling anything, so it’s hard to justify. I guess maybe if I had more money I wouldn’t mind once in a while or so I guess. I unno. I just keep forcing myself out and trying new locations in hopes that some day I’ll find that magical spot. I have to tell you I was pretty much of the same mindset as you, as all I do is tumble, and there's no means to recoup the costs of what I do. That's pretty much still my thinking, but a couple years ago, I spent about $120 on four pounds of rocks. This fell within my trip budget at the time, and I pulled the trigger. Was it a good decision at the end of the day? Probably not, but it's stuff I'll not get rid of since it's not that common. For me, this purchase was a one-off. As a tumbler, I'm far more deep in the red than I would ever be if I was someone doing cabs. Those folks can recoup some of their costs by selling a finished product. The problem with simply being a tumbler (without selling) is that I constantly looked for a way to improve the quality of my tumbles and that meant trying to obtain better rough. As the old saying goes, GIGO. So, where am I at now? I'm still looking to produce the best rocks I can, and I think I've been fairly successful. We've managed to start running out of display vessels here at home, so I satisfy myself by giving rocks to elementary school teachers to use as prizes for work well done. The neat thing is I've gotten feedback about kids bypassing candy in the prize boxes, and they are grabbing the rocks instead. To date, I think I've given away 25-30 pounds of polished rocks, and I'm happy about how they have been received by the kids. Hey what a great story. That’s pretty awesome that the kids want your rocks over the candy and appreciate them. Especially now a days. Many thanks for sharing. I’m still experimenting with my local rocks, which consist mostly of ordinary river rocks. What I enjoy most is the experimenting and the learning process and of course the shiny results. I’m sure I’ll eventually get to the point of to many polished rocks and hope I can come up with a creative idea like yours to give them away.
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Post by RocksInNJ on Jan 18, 2020 3:33:53 GMT -5
All good points from everyone above. I’m just not really into making jewelry. Though I do have a really cool idea for a necklace that I’d like to do for my mom, but I’ll probably have to source it out. I don’t think I’ve ever had a cheap hobby, which was fine when I had the money, but since my injuries and being unable to work it’s a bit tougher now. It’s all good though, as I’ve still a lot of learning and experimenting to do and am having a blast doing so.
Sure the craving for better rough is there, but I’m sure it will come when the time is right 😃
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Post by MsAli on Jan 18, 2020 8:47:36 GMT -5
I'd like to interject one thing. To me there's also value in doing something I really, really enjoy. There's value in the challenge of trying to get better results. Just about any hobby has a cost and there are far worse things we could be doing. Plus, our rocks will last a long, long time. So do what you can, do what you enjoy. You only live once. 😀 Well said but we LIVE every day, we only die once
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Post by MsAli on Jan 18, 2020 9:21:00 GMT -5
My 2 cents
I spend a lot on this hobby and I've also been gifted a lot I also spend money on my other hobby (succulents) and I am starting a new one (beekeeping)
None of these bring me more money in return than what I spend, however it brings me much more.
It brings me Joy, peace, a little challenge and this hobby in particular has brought me friendships.
to me those things are priceless.
However that said, my bills are paid 1st and I dont have to justify my xtra spending to anyone. I really dont have a lot of money, it takes me days to weigh the pros and cons of a purchase, and right now those purchases are silver so I can maybe make some money back. I have a new rule: I CANNOT SPEND UNTIL I SELL SOMETHING. I am not very good with rules.
But I will say, I have been in a position where I couldn't afford a hobby, much less daily life. I've been in the position of not knowing how things were going to get paid. I know struggle. So, if spending money on something you enjoy brings hardships to the family then you dont get the joy & peace. You get stress and worry and having to apologize and justify and then its a hobby doomed to fail or worse.
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Post by knave on Jan 18, 2020 9:29:47 GMT -5
I really like your take on this MsAli. I tend to be an optimist in the financial line and we do keep our bills paid. But we are not wealthy by any means. Tax return with the 4 kiddos tends to help us through the after holiday slump. But if the truth hurts a little. Then I need to wake up and listen. Thanks.
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Post by knave on Jan 18, 2020 9:33:12 GMT -5
And........ cool! My dad makes 3/4 of his living with honeybees. 200 colonies are in Cali gearing up for pollination. A beekeeper there tends his bees and they split the extra pollination revenue. It usually covers the cost of hauling them and his wintering rates are MUCH better. He sells lots of raw honey that is finely sugared like Canadian Creamed honey.
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Post by MsAli on Jan 18, 2020 9:38:38 GMT -5
And........ cool! My dad makes 3/4 of his living with honeybees. 200 colonies are in Cali gearing up for pollination. A beekeeper there tends his bees and they split the extra pollination revenue. It usually covers the cost of hauling them and his wintering rates are MUCH better. He sells lots of raw honey that is finely sugared like Canadian Creamed honey. 200 is a s&^*ton of bees! I'm just starting with 1 hive. My dad will have his two of Italians and I am trying a relatively new strain called Saskatraz. Plus we will be reintroducing clover to some areas around here.
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Post by knave on Jan 18, 2020 10:04:09 GMT -5
We started out with 4 or 6 hives. It has grown through the years with demand. He still has to buy a couple barrels of honey in March/April or so, to keep customers supplied. Hard to find good country honey that hasn’t been overcooked. Our local fave is Basswood honey. He markets direct from the door and he also has quite a few local wholesale accounts. 2 years ago he put up a new processing shed/ future point of sale. I helped him set up the big heat exchanger tube so the honey is the perfect temp for the capping separator. 1 huge chain uncapper, two 60 frame extractors, while one is spinning the other one is being unloaded/reloaded. Good workflow, constant flow of honey. They get a lot done. He could go up to 500-800 hives with his setup. But now extracting just takes him a short time.
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Post by miket on Jan 18, 2020 10:16:45 GMT -5
I'd like to interject one thing. To me there's also value in doing something I really, really enjoy. There's value in the challenge of trying to get better results. Just about any hobby has a cost and there are far worse things we could be doing. Plus, our rocks will last a long, long time. So do what you can, do what you enjoy. You only live once. 😀 Well said but we LIVE every day, we only die once A good way to put it. Thank you, ma'am. 😎
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Post by miket on Jan 18, 2020 11:05:39 GMT -5
I really like your take on this MsAli . I tend to be an optimist in the financial line and we do keep our bills paid. But we are not wealthy by any means. Tax return with the 4 kiddos tends to help us through the after holiday slump. But if the truth hurts a little. Then I need to wake up and listen. Thanks. I hear ya brother. Without going into the gory details I went to college for 6 years and I work 2 jobs, 7 days a week. My wife works full time also, but we decided to stay where we live to raise the kids. It's one of the poorest counties in one of the poorest states but there is little crime or violence and little to no gang activity. I don't lock my car and only lock the house at night. Plus, I only have one little tax deduction left and she'll be a senior next year. But two of my sons and my grandson go hounding with me and that's priceless. Two of my tumblers were gifts and one I bought used, and I have a used saw. Like I said, do what you can and enjoy yourself!
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Post by rockjunquie on Jan 18, 2020 11:41:44 GMT -5
But I will say, I have been in a position where I couldn't afford a hobby, much less daily life. I've been in the position of not knowing how things were going to get paid. I know struggle. So, if spending money on something you enjoy brings hardships to the family then you dont get the joy & peace. You get stress and worry and having to apologize and justify and then its a hobby doomed to fail or worse. I hear ya. The guilt alone would crush me. Me and DH are responsible for other people FIRST. If I make a stupid, selfish purchase and someone has to go without- yeah, the guilt would take all the pleasure out of my purchase.
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Post by stardiamond on Jan 18, 2020 11:52:39 GMT -5
I've been making cabochons for almost 20 years. I've gone through burnout periods where I stopped for a year or so. When I've made thousands and they are sitting in boxes, why make more? I regularly search for attractive/special material as encouragement to keep going.
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Post by MsAli on Jan 18, 2020 22:25:29 GMT -5
We started out with 4 or 6 hives. It has grown through the years with demand. He still has to buy a couple barrels of honey in March/April or so, to keep customers supplied. Hard to find good country honey that hasn’t been overcooked. Our local fave is Basswood honey. He markets direct from the door and he also has quite a few local wholesale accounts. 2 years ago he put up a new processing shed/ future point of sale. I helped him set up the big heat exchanger tube so the honey is the perfect temp for the capping separator. 1 huge chain uncapper, two 60 frame extractors, while one is spinning the other one is being unloaded/reloaded. Good workflow, constant flow of honey. They get a lot done. He could go up to 500-800 hives with his setup. But now extracting just takes him a short time. That is crazy You will have to send me pictures of his setup one day
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Post by knave on Jan 18, 2020 23:15:56 GMT -5
I’ll do that if I think of it when I’m there. The extractors might be 120s they are like 6 or more feet across.
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JR8675309
freely admits to licking rocks
Member since August 2019
Posts: 751
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Post by JR8675309 on Jan 25, 2020 18:58:44 GMT -5
It’s a long story. What started out as an inexpensive hobby with a $5 nat geo plastic tumbler has grown into a money and time drain. Money and time are two scarce things when you have 4 kiddos and 1 income. Britney and I really enjoy it. When I decide to spend less money, I spend more. So I’m trying reverse psychology.... spend more so the urge leaves. Lol. I will be fine as long as I keep bread in the jar. I completely understand the money pit that “rocks” create in our lives. I walk around the house and pick out things to sell on CL and Facebook marketplace LOL. I’m currently selling musical toys for rock toys. LOL. I always try to sell to buy. So I sold the table saw and got a HF flex shaft today. We’ll see how it fares, I’ve got 90 days to figure that out.
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ataraktos
starting to spend too much on rocks
Member since January 2020
Posts: 140
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Post by ataraktos on Jan 25, 2020 19:30:36 GMT -5
Involve the kids, and she will the added value. Thanks Pat. That’s a great point. It gives the 10 yo some purpose. She is working on a set of checkers right now. Quartz for the white. And the 4 yo loves the grinder. He wants to “do rocks” with me. Tonight Britney was cleaning up the counter, picking up the scrap rocks and stuff while Riley was playing with the saw. He turned around to yell at her just as the blade came through as he finished his cut. He is fine, but it taught him a good lesson. Actually drew a little red line on his finger. I can’t get the blade to draw blood on my old hands. Even running. But he got his little lesson but a Paw Patrol bandaid fixed him right up and after dinner he was sawing again. Do be careful about rock dust and the kiddos. I'm *just* starting out too and I was drawn to the title of the post, as I'm currently trying to figure out where the new monster Covington tumbler could fit, inconspicuously so the husband doesn't notice it for a while. (Maybe if I put the triple quart away for a bit, and put the triple gallon in its place, he won't really notice? They say it may take a while to ship, and I'm glad. And also praying it shows up during the week while it's just me and the kiddo here.) But, anyway, from what little I've read, rock dust is super-dangerous to inhale. (I have a 4 year old too - I might not would've posted any silicosis warning for you ;-) but wanted to make sure the kiddo's lungs are safe! He's got plenty of fingers, but only two lungs! =)
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Post by aDave on Jan 25, 2020 20:40:03 GMT -5
But, anyway, from what little I've read, rock dust is super-dangerous to inhale. (I have a 4 year old too - I might not would've posted any silicosis warning for you ;-) but wanted to make sure the kiddo's lungs are safe! He's got plenty of fingers, but only two lungs! =) It very well may be, but that's where water comes into play. It definitely helps in minimizing dust. With tumbling, IMHO, this is a non-issue since you're working with a closed container. Cabbers have different water delivery systems to eliminate the dust as well. Same with saws and some other tools. If water is used to minimize dust, you're in great shape.
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