The Orthodynamic Thread

[luvdunhill]

Well I'm giving up shortly. It's too much of a hassle.

Giving up what?

trying to find a decent wood worker to make him some custom cups?

[swt61]

You might get bitch slapped for that comment!

I think he's talking about making the TPs in general. It is very hard to keep up with demand while holding down a regular job as well.

Best of luck either way Smeggy. I'm even more glad I have my pair now!

[luvdunhill]

You might get bitch slapped for that comment!

heh, yeah I'd assume Steve is correct

[Yikes]

Those FUCKERS!!!!! At least fifteen years ago I came up with the idea of opening a restaurant where the specialty would be serving the richest most decadent food known to man. Big Steaks, Rich deserts, Huge triple burgers, heavy sauces, you name it it would have served it. Proudly listing the Calories and Fat content of each item on the menu. My logic was let the other places cater to the healthy meal, my place is where you would go for the true special occasion when one meal that tastes great and happens to be bad for you is part of the appeal.

My name for it was: Shear Heart Attack!

I was living in Denver at the time, but I was frequently traveling to Phoenix on business, like I said, Those Fuckers!!!!

[mypasswordis]

Yeah, but you missed the most important parts to Heart Attack Grill, the "nurse" waitresses, and the orthodynamic headphones.

[shellylh]

Best of luck either way Smeggy. I'm even more glad I have my pair now!

You mean the ones you sent to me? Hehe.

[Smeggy]

fah, it's a pain in the rear. I like making them but trying to make them to order is a nuisance. I'm still gonna keep making them and fiddling to see if I can get them better and just sell them off as I go on fiddling. I just wanted to make my hobby self supporting. Trying to do stuff to order isn't what I want to do and is no fun. I want to do what I want and if I end up with spares I'll flog them off as-is.

[Nebby]

It's much more fun to build stuff as a hobby than to have to build stuff to order. I think your sell-the-spares-as-you-go plan sounds much more workable

[swt61]

Yep, I think you'll be happier that way too.

You mean the ones you sent to me? Hehe.

Oh shit!

[n_maher]

fah, it's a pain in the rear. I like making them but trying to make them to order is a nuisance. I'm still gonna keep making them and fiddling to see if I can get them better and just sell them off as I go on fiddling. I just wanted to make my hobby self supporting. Trying to do stuff to order isn't what I want to do and is no fun. I want to do what I want and if I end up with spares I'll flog them off as-is.

You've basically ended up where I was a few years back. Customers suck.

[Salt Peanuts]

fah, it's a pain in the rear. I like making them but trying to make them to order is a nuisance. I'm still gonna keep making them and fiddling to see if I can get them better and just sell them off as I go on fiddling. I just wanted to make my hobby self supporting. Trying to do stuff to order isn't what I want to do and is no fun. I want to do what I want and if I end up with spares I'll flog them off as-is.

You've basically ended up where I was a few years back. Customers suck.

I don't envy you guys or any DIY folks who get inundated with request for builds (and I'm guilty of asking Nate for things over the years). I think Stephen's (thrice) current procedure of selling the amps as they're built (and not take custom orders) is a good one for folks with real day jobs.

[shellylh]

fah, it's a pain in the rear. I like making them but trying to make them to order is a nuisance. I'm still gonna keep making them and fiddling to see if I can get them better and just sell them off as I go on fiddling. I just wanted to make my hobby self supporting. Trying to do stuff to order isn't what I want to do and is no fun. I want to do what I want and if I end up with spares I'll flog them off as-is.

Good decision Smeggy.

[Dusty Chalk]

fah, it's a pain in the rear. I like making them but trying to make them to order is a nuisance. I'm still gonna keep making them and fiddling to see if I can get them better and just sell them off as I go on fiddling. I just wanted to make my hobby self supporting. Trying to do stuff to order isn't what I want to do and is no fun. I want to do what I want and if I end up with spares I'll flog them off as-is.

Well, if I may be the one nay-sayer, that one sentence seems to contradict everything else. But you know, whatever, do what you want, it's all good. I understand the whole "customers suck" attitude -- I've never lasted in retail for a reason -- but think of it like this -- if you were making this for one of your friends, you'd want to please your friends, right?

(Oh, and this is not self-serving -- I do eventually want a pair some day, but I'd probably like them even if you made them entirely blonde.)

[Smeggy]

well it's not really contradictory, it's the methodology that I need to change. I don't want to be caught in the orders and custom thing. I'll sell off spares as they arrive but I'm getting too many requests for them and that leads to people getting impatient and takes the fun out if I'm under pressure to finish them. I have enough of that at work with our everlasting overtime to meet deadlines. The woodworking is what I do to relax and have fun. The self-supporting thing is simply I sell a set to get another set, some wood and consumables so I can make more. I can't keep sinking endless cash into it as we're up to our ears in bills already, so my fun needs to fund itself to at least some extent. Selling off done sets will help. It's also a way around a ;standard' thunderpant because one thing I like most is experimenting and trying new stuff. I'm a tinkerer which is why no two sets are the same.

[Dusty Chalk]

Nothing wrong with that.

You could make a rule -- complain or nag, and you get bumped to the end of the line?

But yeah, your way works well, too. It also keeps it at the hobbyist level (in terms of investment), so is probably the better approach.

And like I said, take any advice from me with a grain of salt, I have zero good experience dealing with "customers".

[Voltron]

It makes complete sense and seems like the absolutely right thing to do, robot bro.

Now, if you happen to make a set with burled walnut with ebony accents and gold-leafed supports, with Ethiopian sheep skin padding, and get it done within the next two weeks, that would be excellent!

[n_maher]

Gary,

Rule #1: no deadlines.

Rule #2: no deadlines.

Rule #3: they will pay what you ask to be paid or they can pound sand/ find some other sucker.

[K3cT]

Has anyone compared JH13 with the LCD-2 before? Completely different I know but I'm sure this will be interesting. I have experience with the universal JH13 but not with the latter.

[Smeggy]

well certain peeps here are a separate case and will, of course, get first attention.

Never heard the JH but I'm loving the crap out of the LCD-2 and is my new TP target.

[Nebby]

You should send a pair to Tyll to get measured every few iterations to see just how close you are to your target

[Edwood]

Yeah, but you missed the most important parts to Heart Attack Grill, the "nurse" waitresses, and the orthodynamic headphones.

And opening the first restaurant in between a big Hospital, College, and Strip Clubs.

-Ed

[swt61]

well it's not really contradictory, it's the methodology that I need to change. I don't want to be caught in the orders and custom thing. I'll sell off spares as they arrive but I'm getting too many requests for them and that leads to people getting impatient and takes the fun out if I'm under pressure to finish them. I have enough of that at work with our everlasting overtime to meet deadlines. The woodworking is what I do to relax and have fun. The self-supporting thing is simply I sell a set to get another set, some wood and consumables so I can make more. I can't keep sinking endless cash into it as we're up to our ears in bills already, so my fun needs to fund itself to at least some extent. Selling off done sets will help. It's also a way around a ;standard' thunderpant because one thing I like most is experimenting and trying new stuff. I'm a tinkerer which is why no two sets are the same.

Smeggy this makes perfect sense to me. I feel pretty much the same way. I only take special request from a limited group of friends now. It's not that I don't want to please people, it's more about a hobby that I love becoming a PITA, because I feel obligated instead of doing something when the mood hits me. Dr. Wood's shop is not yet air conditioned (will be remedied very soon now), and that can be downright oppressive in the summer months, also adding to the feeling of a second job instead of a hobby.

There are a few people I've had on the "not quite done yet" list for far too long though, and I need to finish those projects up. Luckily some of the special requests I have gotten from close friends are actually fun projects. Also there are a select few here that bend over backwards to help myself and everyone else, and I get a nice sense of balance when and if they'll let me do something for them.

Edited July 14, 2010 by swt61

[Nebby]

Well, how about cranking up the dust collection system so it can be an effective fan?

[swt61]

I was recently introduced to the newer portable A/C units that you can roll around, and they only need about a 3" hole for the exhaust, so that's what I'm planning on getting. The prices seem quite reasonable too.

This one should work well for my needs...

Walmart.com: 12,000 BTU Sunpentown Portable Air Conditioner: Home Improvement

[Dusty Chalk]

Warning about those: you need to keep them as close to the exhaust hole as possible -- that hose runs hot, and ends up warming up the room as much as the A/C cools it.

(My housemate's sister ran into that, that's the only reason I know.)