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Time in the shop
- Thread starter Shing
- Start date
- Joined
- Dec 20, 2005
- Messages
- 2,045
I get about 15 minutes (max.), today I cut out some micarta handles on the bandsaw!! You can probably tell that I'm a less than part-time maker!
Family commitments, work and studying for another degree -they all pretty much take up all my time.
Family commitments, work and studying for another degree -they all pretty much take up all my time.
Right now, being "between jobs", I get to spend 8-10 hours a day, and I'm lovin it! Being new to knifemaking, I need that amount of time to get anything done. I'm not looking forward to becoming employed again, as then I'll be struggling to find time, too.
A habit I developed several years ago (while trying to complete a personal project while maintaining job and family commitments) is to get up early in the morning, at least 3 hours before the rest of the family, and do my work then. That way, my work gets me when I'm fresh, and there are no competing responsibilities. I found it too difficult to work up motivation after a long day at the office, and I felt that after-work hours should be spent with the family. So...when employed, I get up at 4am, work till 7am, help get the kids fed and of to school, go to work, come home, hang with the family, and go to bed at the same time the kids do (9pm). When I really have a lot to get done, I may get up at 3am for a week or to. If only a person didn't need to sleep!
A habit I developed several years ago (while trying to complete a personal project while maintaining job and family commitments) is to get up early in the morning, at least 3 hours before the rest of the family, and do my work then. That way, my work gets me when I'm fresh, and there are no competing responsibilities. I found it too difficult to work up motivation after a long day at the office, and I felt that after-work hours should be spent with the family. So...when employed, I get up at 4am, work till 7am, help get the kids fed and of to school, go to work, come home, hang with the family, and go to bed at the same time the kids do (9pm). When I really have a lot to get done, I may get up at 3am for a week or to. If only a person didn't need to sleep!
When I was gunsmithing full time i did the same thing.. get up 'bout 3, make coffee and get to work... at 730 or so, deal with the kids school, come home, work 3-4 more hours, head to the range, pick the kids up at 4 ish, and be " dad" till about 930-10PM.
I still keep the same type of schedule out of habit.
I still keep the same type of schedule out of habit.
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2003
- Messages
- 1,183
Get up at 3am are you guys insane!!! I wouldn't dare go near a grinder at 3am, that would be an almost certainty that a finger or two would be lost in no time! 
Needless to say I am NOT a morning person. I admire those who can do it though.
I try to get into the shop two to three nights per week after work for a couple of hours and then I am almost always in the shop for part or all of Saturday and Sunday. We don't have kids at home anymore so it is a little easier. I have a full time job right now, this schedule is starting to get to me though as I have no free time to do anything else. I haven't gone fishing or hunting in over a year now. Am working on reducing my day job to 3 days per week to free up more time for knifemaking.
All in all I'd say that right now I am spending about 15 to 20 hours per week in the shop. I do all my advertising stuff at night when my wife has gone to bed.
Needless to say I am NOT a morning person. I admire those who can do it though.I try to get into the shop two to three nights per week after work for a couple of hours and then I am almost always in the shop for part or all of Saturday and Sunday. We don't have kids at home anymore so it is a little easier. I have a full time job right now, this schedule is starting to get to me though as I have no free time to do anything else. I haven't gone fishing or hunting in over a year now. Am working on reducing my day job to 3 days per week to free up more time for knifemaking.
All in all I'd say that right now I am spending about 15 to 20 hours per week in the shop. I do all my advertising stuff at night when my wife has gone to bed.
- Joined
- Mar 28, 2004
- Messages
- 297
I don't know how I"m going to spend much time in the shop in the near future. My wife and I just had a baby girl 3 weeks ago. I work 8:30-4:30 and my wife works 4:00-10;00 so that leaves me to be Dad from after work till 10 pm. I might try and do the early morning thing and wake up at say 5ish and get a couple hours of "alone time" in the shop to tinker before going to work. But alas, I too am NOT a morning person. And baby usually has her fussy time anywhere from 11pm to 2am. I wish I could function off 2 hours of sleep a day 
For the time being I"m restricted to maybe 2-4 hours in the shop on the weekend. I'm just an aspiring hobby knifemaker so I guess I"ll do what I can. Family commitments come first.
For the time being I"m restricted to maybe 2-4 hours in the shop on the weekend. I'm just an aspiring hobby knifemaker so I guess I"ll do what I can. Family commitments come first.
Actually, it was the birth of our first that prompted me to start getting up early. It was the only way I could find time. It wasn't easy for the first six months or so, and I definitely wouldn't have wanted to be using dangerous power equipment during that time. But, eventually, my body adjusted and I began to wake up at 3:30 or so without an alarm clock. Now I always get up early, even if I don't have anything pressing to do, as I've come to relish that quiet, alone time before the world stirs. When you have kids, quiet time is priceless!