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Seems I spend an inordinate amount of time in my shop. My wife asked me to figure out how much money I make in terms of hourly rate. I had to think about it for a minute. then put pen to paper and pull out the calculator...."about $20 an hour", I finally chimed with a half grin.
She didn't smile as much as I did, but a telling smirk soon covered her face.
"well, let's see, if I work 8 hour days for 5 days a week, that's 40 hours, takes about 3 weeks to complete a build. After materials, shop expenses, beer and the daily trip to the store for something I need (ok, wanted).
...X3 (Xa + Yb)..Carry the 1, drink a beer, dang polynomials, Ok, I'm right there at 20 bucks an hour, maybe a little more, or less. Depends on if I have to make dinner! But think about the peace of mind I have now, that's easily worth the money I don't make now, Right".
She very gently pointed out that I am in the shop for 12 to 14 hours a day, 6 and sometimes 7 days a week, often greeting her in the morning as she gets up and I am just coming in. But then I do take time everyday to play with the kids and make breakfast and lunch, go for icecream, you know family stuff.
Truth is, she's right. In order for me to make any money from my building, I have to stay at it and see it through. Never really paid attention to how long a day I actually put in. But there's always something to do. If I only have one guitar to build, well, I can kinda coast, but you get 2 or 3 or 4 going at the same time and I never see a clock. So anyway...How much time do others spend in their shops?
Full-timers, I know will be more than hobbyists, but let's hear all.
Not how much you make, that was just my wifes way of telling me she makes more than me, but time spent building (and , OK, maybe a little playing too).
BTW- we just celebrated our 16th anniversary, I'm proud of that.

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Nehemiah Covey
www.coveysacoustics.com

I am an ameteur guitar builder and spend approximately an hour a day in my workshop, whether it's guitar building, sharpening tools or cleaning the stinkin' place up....

However there are lots of other elements to life that take up a lot of my time.

I'm self employed, so the question still applies, even though I build wood canoes instead of wood guitars.

I try and limit myself to a regular work day in terms of hours, some days longer, some shorter. I'm the one who get the kids up and off to school in the morning, so my work day doesn't start till after they are gone and cleaned up from. Then I eat and check my morning reading so 9:30-10 and I'm in the shop. I usually finish so I can go in the house around 6. Then its the evening roller coaster ride.

Work is a black hole. It will suck in all the hour that you can throw at it and still take more. We have to set our own limits or we get sucked in, too.

For the record, still married 20 years (this summer) to my first wife!

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Expectation is the source of all misery; comparison the thief of joy.
http://redrivercanoe.ca/

I am a full time engineer and my shop tome will vary depending on if I have to go to the field that day or not. Most days I will spend 3-4 hours after work in the shop and 6 hours on Saturdays and Sundays. Maybe more depending on work in progress.

I work one 24 hour shift and am off 48 hours, so that gives me 2 days to work in the shop. I average 4 days a week there. When I had a waiting list, I would be working 9-12 hours each day. Now that I am caught up somewhat, maybe 6-8 hours, depending on what I am doing. My wife (16years) might would argue that point, and she has to drag me out of it to mow grass. Dedication, or obsession......depends on who ya ask! If I knew I could make a decent living doing this, I'd be on it like a duck on a junebug!

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Brad Tucker

I get off my day job at 3:30 so I get to spend 1 1/2 hours in the shop before the better half gets home. Then there are the weekends. From around 6 am to 5 pm if I don't have other commitments, which have been far too many of late.

I try to make as much time to spend with my wife as she'll have of me. I do make a point of asking her every day if there is something that she needs me to do, or something that she'd like both of us to do. Seems to keep both of us happy.

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Allen R. McFarlen
Barron River Guitars & Ukuleles
Facebook
Cairns, Australia

50-84 hours a week...though I think I did set a record one week at something above 110 . Bad week, that one, which is why I can't even remember how many hours it was . I'm trying to keep it down to 40-50 hours lately, after awhile your productivity suffers overall despite working more hours.

I make hundreds of guitars worth of parts a year and never have time to build a full one for myself. It's sort of a curse, really!

On the plus side, I get some neat presents from clients sometimes and one of them is building me a guitar right now!
So, all my work wasn't in vain (from the 'getting me more guitars' standpoint )

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Bob Garrish
Former Canonized Purveyor of Fine CNC Luthier Services

Depends on the Girl Scouts and Brownies schedules, Then there is also than darn day job!
I get an hour or so each night, but it really goes in spurts. Sometimes (i.e. leading up to shows or deadlines)
I can get 3 hours a night for several weeks in a row, then after shows I always back off a little and recharge.
The weekends are hit or miss, some weekends Ill get 10 or more hours, others I wont even see the shop...

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