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Post by mohs on Apr 26, 2012 23:26:27 GMT -5
O I have allusions of opening up a rock’n heart factory and having rock’n heart skyscraper Not because I made money just because it would be way cool
Reality motto though is: When at rock bottom --POLISH!!!
And I love the acquaintances I’ve made and the bartering I do
I give them to clerks, clients ect… I get free drinks, extra taco’s, discount car wash little fringe benefits from clients ect..
so rock’n heart beats money every time
mostly
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Sabre52
Cave Dweller
Me and my gal, Rosie
Member since August 2005
Posts: 20,471
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Post by Sabre52 on Apr 28, 2012 13:29:54 GMT -5
Mostly pure addiction and hobby for me. I enjoy the out of doors and wildlife a lot so the rock hunting gives me a good excuse for outings too. I rarely sell except maybe to buy a new pair of cowboy boots when the old ones wear out *L*. Pretty difficult to actually show any kind of profit these days with the high cost of lapidary supplies and gas. I mostly give away my rocks to the schoolkids or groups of kids I take on nature hikes here on the ranch....Mel
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Post by mohs on Apr 28, 2012 14:11:24 GMT -5
mostly. its a labor of love, mostly,
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Post by mohs on Apr 28, 2012 14:22:52 GMT -5
o the reason I put a comma after mostly is because I had to pause, to think, about the labor of love part sometimes its just aggravating hard work grinding rocks and it doesn't pay squat! mostly and it was a nod to Mel, mostly ;D
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Fossilman
Cave Dweller
Member since January 2009
Posts: 20,688
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Post by Fossilman on Apr 28, 2012 14:25:00 GMT -5
Hobby and investments..............When I get to old to enjoy this anymore,I'll let my kids pick out what they want and the rest will be sold! Same with my weapons....
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Post by mohs on Apr 28, 2012 16:24:05 GMT -5
seriously tho...if I could figure out a way to do rocks full time I would... It would take much,,, mostly Its all I think about I do a little grinding in between lunch breaks early mornings - after work I was out early this morning got 4 glued up I'm going to eat at don Jose and later i'll do some polishing I got it ---I got it bad seriously
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Post by gingerkid on Apr 29, 2012 0:17:27 GMT -5
ROFL, Ed!!
Just a hobby that I love, but also a professional rock hoarder (mostly, had to throw that in ;D)
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Post by mohs on Apr 29, 2012 2:32:53 GMT -5
Professional rock hoarder, Jan? anytime you want to throw rocks at me feel free to mostly
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rattlehead
starting to spend too much on rocks
MI Rocks
Member since December 2010
Posts: 213
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Post by rattlehead on Apr 29, 2012 6:41:02 GMT -5
It's been a money pit hobby for me. I've sold a few spheres but it pains me to do it. I'd keep them all but I'm running out of space and I use the little bit of money I make to buy more supplies. I've turned into a rock hoarder. My local customers usually pay me in beer. So basically I'm broke and drunk with a lot of clutter. Thanks rocks....
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Post by NatureNut on Apr 29, 2012 8:35:59 GMT -5
Haha...
Well, I waited a long time to sell my work. I gave my pendants away as gifts and thank yous for about 3 years. I wanted to keep developing my skills without any pressure to do certain things. Played around with my own website but that was a bust, mainly because of the software. Finally opened an ETSY store last year and had a good year. Didn't support me, but came close to supporting itself. So far this year, the shop sales have covered what I spent in Quartzsite, so that's good I guess.
Once you start selling, you need to gear your work to what people want, not necessarily because I think a rock is really cool is the general public gonna get what the piece is all about. I think with some discipline, you can pay for your hobby. I think the thing that makes a good artist successful is the ability to promote and market themselves, with real quality work backing it up. I'm probably too shy, have more to learn, and like most, I'd rather spend my extra time with my rocks. Jo
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JUDY
spending too much on rocks
Member since September 2011
Posts: 431
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Post by JUDY on Apr 29, 2012 9:00:55 GMT -5
Ours is a hobby turned mini business, but then again, I do more than wire wrapping pendants, and Hubby is learning to cut, shape and polish stones.....it's not enough to sustain us but hopefully one day it will supplement our retirement. It also gives us something we can do together, which is priceless in my eyes
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peachfront
fully equipped rock polisher
Stones have begun to speak, because an ear is there to hear them.
Member since August 2010
Posts: 1,745
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Post by peachfront on Apr 29, 2012 14:45:01 GMT -5
For us, it has never been a serious main source of income, but there have been periods when we could pick up a couple thousand extra a year. And there have been any number of years where we ended up ahead a few hundred dollars for the year. In years where you actually make a profit, even if it's tiny, you should be able to deduct your expenses, which you are not supposed to do if it is a hobby under IRS rules, so it's good to try to make at least a few bucks each year. However, I think most people are very smart to keep it as a hobby, because I've seen people really get worn down by trying to make a living income using stones as a business. I really don't think that making a full-time income is attainable for most people, because you get squeezed by a number of market forces. 1) Your labor is not worth anything, since there are many stone-cutters working all over the world for the proverbial dollar a day. 2) Metal costs have become very volatile in recent years. Silver has dropped back some but the days of $4 an ounce to $6 an ounce silver are probably gone forever. 3) The price of rough rock has really cratered overall since I started in this hobby, which is nice if you're cutting as a hobbyist, but when I'm picking up stone at the 10 cent a pound sale and some of this material used to be several dollars a pound (in 1980s dollars) then it's pretty clear that investing in rough stone to make money was NOT the way to go. :-) Most of my "bonus" income last year came not from selling stones but from selling silver I bought back in the cheap silver days. In short, in my opinion, there are many ways to make a few dollars to support and improve your collection, but there are very few ways, unlikely to be achieved by most people, to make a living income as a rockhound.
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Post by stoner on Apr 29, 2012 17:48:56 GMT -5
I started out this hobby tumbling rocks, then found out I can have have a polished rock in 20 minutes instead of 6 months, so I lucked into a deal with an 18" saw and a grinder for $450, and my tumblers haven't turned since! I spent a lot of money converting my grinder to all diamond, I made a bunch of cabs that sat idle in my kitchen, started selling to a few members on RTH and had a lot of fun. I lost my job and didn't work for a few years and I had a website designed for me to try and sell my work. The person who designed my site used Etsy as my store front, so I put a few things in my shop and waited. After two weeks, I used the forums Etsy had then to introduce myself and within 15 minutes I sold my first cab, and a little while later I sold some more and it hasn't stopped since. I'm happy to say that I just had my 2500th sale, which makes an average of 500 a year for me(officially thru Etsy, but there's been a lot outside Etsy). The sales have well paid for ALL my equipment, ALL the rocks I've bought, trips to Woodward Ranch and Arizona, and I pay the bills and the food for the house while the wife pays the Mortgage, and I still am amazed at the beauty I find when I cut a rock and cab it. I enjoy lapidary as much today as I did when I first started. Again, I haven't been working since I had my stroke 2 years ago, so this has been my only income, and I look forward to cutting rocks well into the future. The only down side of Etsy, there are some who saw how well I was doing and copied everything I did, and news has also gotten out the the people who sell on ebay, so they are on Etsy selling their cabs(vibe tumbled cabs, NOT handmade) for dirt cheap prices. But, I've got a following of certain customers who appreciate a good handmade and polished cab along with new customers all the time. The point is, I'm having fun and making some money with rocks!
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chassroc
Cave Dweller
Rocks are abundant when you have rocktumblinghobby pals
Member since January 2005
Posts: 3,586
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Post by chassroc on May 1, 2012 7:40:44 GMT -5
Just a hobby...but as my experience has grown I get more custom requests and people wanting to pay me...especially those who are themselves professionals.
Monday at Lexington Arts and Crafts, Marsha, who had gotten a pair of turquoise earrings in Tucson this year, didn't really like them and asked me if I could remove them from the bezel(they were not a real good fit and had sawdust propping up one side) cut some blue turquoise 12mm round to fit and then grind(reshape) the turquoise I removed for another project and she wants to pay me.
I've given cutting and grinding tutorials and hands on demos for two of the craft guilds and People have been suggesting I start selling some finished cabs there.
Otherwise, ..until I quit, retire, or get fired, I only have time for my wife and Mother and sisters gifts
charlie
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dbrealityrocks
fully equipped rock polisher
Member since February 2010
Posts: 1,084
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Post by dbrealityrocks on May 4, 2012 9:20:04 GMT -5
I wasn't making $ farming so thought I would try doing shows with my rocks and jewelry. I've been able to keep my streak going....cleared 1500$ last year. Luckily I own my house, no morgage or other bills and taxes last year were 250$. Last year was the worst that according to many people that I've met that have been doing shows for years. This year so far all shows are way up from last year. Is this because people remember me and wanted something last year? Or is the economy doing better? Or maybe more likely folks are just getting over sticker shock and realizing high gas and other products are just the norm. Thank you so much Federal Reserve owners who are the richest people in the world, manipulate the $ supply for their own enrichment!!!!!
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Post by talkingstones on May 6, 2012 8:05:22 GMT -5
Right now I'm strictly hobby and have been since I started last summer. At some point I think I'd like to do a estore, maybe on Etsy and maybe a couple of shows a year, but I'm not there yet and probably won't be for a while. I want to know what I'm doing and how to do all of this before I jump in and start selling, I think. When that will be, I don't know. I'd also like to do this as a kind of side thing for retirement. I really enjoy working with the rocks and am allowing myself the time to do that.
Cathy
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