10/30/2021
Seriously thinking about shifting gears and getting more into modern day blacksmithing full time professionally. I don't know of anyone else doing it for modern farming. I am hard pressed to find anyone who welds and fabricates for the family farm farmers on a personal level. May be reason for this but I think it is worth trying to do. Especially being up front and transparent with my pricing and show what my cost of materials is and I believe a family farm farmer would understand that I have to cover equipment tools and upgrades to these things and the fact that my time is valuable and worth a few hundred dollars a hour minimum for not only labor but also design and engineering. That isn't ego talking but real experience and understanding. I understand down time and wait time cost and that often waiting for the right things is faster and more efficient than rushing and doing things the hard way. Not being dollar dumb to be dime smart. I completely honestly believe I can do very well for myself with those ideals and that mission in my work alone. Added with my knowledge, skills, ability and experience with mechanical and metals. And I feel like I can make phenomenal things happen. Unfortunately it means shelfing my The Demon Workshop Rod and Customs brand for something more family friendly sounding but that doesn't mean it's dead or gone. It's only putting it into personal hobby rather than professional business. I will never forget where I came from and I will never stop building unholy monsters on and off the streets. But nothing kills the joy faster and more completely than making it about the financial bottom line. And that has never drove my passion for what I do or why I love it so much. I have never been in it for trophies, glamor or anything of the sort and I don't really care about records or being the fastest. I just wanted it to be fun. Not only for myself but for everyone involved. Nothing makes me happier than seeing the s**t eating grin on someone's face ear to ear the first time they fire up the engine in a machine I built that brings their dream to life and seeing that child like innocents and joy come to life that's been dead and gone in them sometimes maybe 40 or 50 years. That feels better than anything most people will ever experience and is just fundamentally good. I felt like it's the kind of thing that makes the world a little bit better place for everyone. But such is life and the real world, bills need paid and I need to put food on my table. And to be perfectly honest Especially with myself. I have been dropping the ball in that regard since even before the pandemic. Honestly because I have been more worried about bringing other people's dreams come to life and everyone else happy to the extent that my own have escaped me. In a perfect world I would be in a bleeding edge super shop with the best of everything with bottomless resources surrounded by family and friends doing what I love doing for anyone and everyone who really needed it most without any regard for what anything cost and not charging a thing for doing it. But that is a silly unrealistic dream of a little boy with a plastic carrier full of hotwheels that thinks everyone is inherently good if you give them the chance and opportunity to really be. I wish I could be that little boy forever but I have for as long as I could and it cost me more than I can even think to say. Now it's time to dust myself off get myself making money and not being everyone's friend just because they need one for once in their life. At the end of the day I see that besides a very few. I'm on my own with my broken toys and shattered dreams. It's not the end or goodbye. I just have to be realistic and financially responsible and secure. And something just won't let me completely let go and let this dream die completely. That little boy with his plastic case of hotwheels won't let me I guess. Never could tell him a God damned thing, especially when to quit terrorizing everyone with his damn toys.
Its fun to dream. Later,
Andy Andrews,
AKA that little boy with a plastic case with a couple Hotwheels still left in it and room for many more God willing.
P.S. I am still totally single over here and build awesome blanket forts.
