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Dealing with "build me this" folks


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I'm having some difficulty at work with a couple of guys that want me to build 1:25 versions of their 1:1 rides. A modern Mustang and Camaro. This happened often enough in the past, and normally folks are understanding when I tell them, no thank you.

But these two guys are pretty insistant. I work 50+ hours a week, with wife and kids. What bench time I do get, I don't want to spend on someone elses model, regardless of how much I'm being paid. So I usually explain that and people are generally okay with it. But these two knuckle-heads probably try to convince me every couple of weeks with all sorts of arguments.

"I'll buy everything you need."

"Just build it right out of the box."

"It can't take you that long."

I told them finally it would cost them $25 an hour with a minumum of 20 hours, thinking this would end the debate. Now they think it's time to haggle. *facepalm*

Anyone else have these problems?

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No, I don't have that problem. But, I would tell them that the twenty hour build time was far too low and that it would probably run into the forty hour range. That's about what it usually takes me to do a decent box stock build. You know you would be doing your best work possible and that you will probably spend more time on it than you normally would. That should scare them away.

Or.....you could just build a model like their real cars. No pressure there. Then, take it to work and say "If you want it, I'll sell it to you for $600" Then, see what happens.

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Tell them to F-off. Seems like you let the conversation go for far too long.

If they would spend as much time learning how to build as they do bothering you, they could have had a model of their stupid car already.

what kind of work do you do? Is it something they could cover for you? Have them do all your work for two weeks while you sit home and build, and hone your skills on their model.

Edited by Quick GMC
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I know that I could do better in "time management" and build more models but I don't. I won't build for other people as I have PLENTY that I want to build for me. Some guys build for others as gifts or for money, and if that works for them that's okay. It doesn't work for me.

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I feel your pain, brother, but I get the exact same thing doing the 1:1 stuff. People come to me by referral for the quality of my work, and then want an exact price quote to do something that's never been done before. I tell them "time and materials, period...what it takes is what it will cost".

"But it's easy and it shouldn't take you hardly any time at all" they say, "and you already have all the materials, so it won't cost you anything".

And I say "Okay, it's easy. YOU do it".

And they say "but I don't have the skills or the tools or the knowledge or the materials you do, but it should be easy for you since you already have all that".

So I say "what you're telling me then, is that because I've spent my entire working life developing a broad skill-set, getting an education in several engineering disciplines, and amassing enough tools to build literally ANYTHING from the ground up, I should work for you for chump change because YOU don't know how to do the work yourself ?? AND, I should GIVE you the materials because I already have them in stock, right??".

And they say "Bill's an arrogant SOB. He should be happy to do world-class work, and only make enough money to live under a bridge".

And I say "bugger off".

Edited by Ace-Garageguy
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I won't deal with people like that either Bill. I used to have my own business doing an exterior cladding on houses and commercial buildings commonly known as synthetic stucco. Just about every time I gave a home owner a quote, I would get the " I can get vinyl siding a lot cheaper than that!". To which I always replied " well, that's what you need to get then. But, if you want this, this is the price. Call me if you decide you want it." I then walked back to my truck and immediately left. Some would call, some wouldn't. I guarantee that I saved myself plenty of grief on the ones that didn't call. God knows I got enough from the people that did call back.

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$25 an hour? Boy you work cheap! A $25 an hour job is not the best job in the world and for a person with finely honed and specialized skills that hardly covers the starting costs.

That's true too. $35 minimum, and in some professional settings, for doing the same work $50 to $75 isn't unheard of.

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The folks that I work closely with they do know my hobbies and they do know I occasionally compete. I have a contest award in my cubicle.

I work at a major defense/NASA contractor and I'm in the production group building computers for satellites and space craft.

And I thought $25 per hour with a 20 hour minimum was crazy money for a box stock build. Thats $500, minimum. I felt that would scare them off right there.

I have told them no on many occasions. They just wait a bit and ask again.

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I have offered to coach then on building so they can do out themselves. But they say they just want the model not another hobby.

So far neither has taken up my offer. So I just have to put up with their nagging.

Edited by Jantrix
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I'm lucky, everyone I know thinks building models is nerdy and for kids. I have been trying to get someone to buy a kit for me, so I can build it for them. I get bored of trying to think of my own projects and have more motivation when I do it for someone else.

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Over the years I've built Models of cars for those at the Houston AutoRama.

But,

If your coworkers are serious about having a model built they won't haggle, they'll gladly pay.

More than likely they are just jacking with you.

Anyone serious will just find someone else to do it if they really want it done.

CadillacPat

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I've never built a model for anyone, other than the box art build of the '79 Ford pickup I did for Model King. And I wound up with that one back after the photo shoot.

I've had people ask, and I politely decline telling them that this is my art and some of my models have 100 hours into them.

I have helped people get diecasts of cars they are interested in. I've even put Acme generated license plates on some of them! Having a car with a custom personalized plate on it seems to satisfy most folks!

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Since co-workers have regularly seen me working on a project during lunch, the question has come up. I politely refuse, and that has worked. One lady I worked with actually bought a diecast like her husbands car, and she even painted it the same color, so I did make license plates and other stuff for her "build". Hey, she at least put an effort in, and found the end result rewarding. Her husband was thrilled to have a model of his car.

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I just tell them that this is my hobby, if I started doing this for money, it would become a job, and would take all of the fun out of my hobby, so NO!

Exactly why I won't do it! Earlier in life I was an enthusiastic stamp collector. That led to becoming a dealer and brokering collections and such. I got so involved in that aspect that I never had time to work on my own collection. And when I had time, I didn't want to look at another stamp!

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I would tell them your precious time is for your builds and direct them to the diecast world. I have built several models of 1-1 and given as surprise gifts but if asked and/or pestered it probably wouldn't happen. Stick with your gut on this one.

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I face the same issue. I politley tell them you have to pay for talent and its not cheap. ThT usually shuts them down. If not i tell them when your hobby becomes your job then its no fun. And i enjoy my hobby. I treasure my bench time as i work 50 plus hours and my comute time plus family duties. Dont let them pressure you into doing it.

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