Bowyer as an occupation ???
#1
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 85
Bowyer as an occupation ???
What do you think?? Could a guy make it if he was good ?? If I started tinkering with building as a hobby, and got to be pretty decent and then go into it as a profession, with maybe a little bow shop and internet sales ?? I love to work, but I hate my job. I've been there 18 years and the pay ain't bad, but, I really hate it. I have about 3 years left on my house note and two outa three vehicles paid for. The one that's not paid for is the wifeys and she's a nurse I want out of the rat race. Maybe I'm just crazy. [:-]
#2
Giant Nontypical
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 9,175
RE: Bowyer as an occupation ???
Have you looked at the number of ads in Traditional Bowhunter Magazine from bowyers? Talk about a field with heavy competition for market share! Maybe it'd be a good sideline if your fulltime job leaves you enough time to make bows and slowly build a reputation, but I'm not sure I'd recommend quitting your day job to dive into the market. If at all possible, it'd be a feather in your cap if you could work a few years with a well-known bowyer before breaking out on your own.
On the other hand, I know I wouldn't want to be a full time bowyer. I like making bows, but I wouldn't want to turn it into a job. When it becomes WORK instead of a hobby, a lot of the fun goes bye-bye.[&o]
On the other hand, I know I wouldn't want to be a full time bowyer. I like making bows, but I wouldn't want to turn it into a job. When it becomes WORK instead of a hobby, a lot of the fun goes bye-bye.[&o]
#3
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Mississippi USA
Posts: 15,296
RE: Bowyer as an occupation ???
I agree with what Arthur said 100%. Even when you make a good bow and have built up your reputation, it doesn't always work out. Consider Jeff Massie--heard great things about his bows for years, but he's closing shop due to not getting enough orders. Besides having to make a great bow and earn a great reputation, you have to be able to make and market them in a way that is cost effective while maintaining enough orders to keep you going. It can be a tricky balancing act--it's tough to make any trad business work out, even harder to make any money at it. And, I will parrot what Art said about making a hobby into a business--it can take the fun out of it when you have to do what everyone else wants you to do vs. what you want to do. Very few people are making any real money at it compared to the ones that are in it because they love it and are just getting by.
Chad
Chad
#4
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Spring Grove, Pa. USA
Posts: 2,120
RE: Bowyer as an occupation ???
A guy at work said I was nuts for paying $800 for a recurve.I told him tht's actually pretty reasonable if you break it down.40 hours labor into making it(this is what a bowyer told me he puts into a bow in actual time spent on a customers bow).Now that comes out to $20/hr-not too bad a wage but you have to consider he buys the materials,he has to travel to shows,advertise,pay taxes and insurance.That knocks that hourly wage back pretty good.I'd say it's a tough way to make a living.
#5
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 49
RE: Bowyer as an occupation ???
The market is saturated- Jeff Massie's retirement from bowyery underlines that. If you can do it as a hobby, and break even- by all means go for it (and send me a price list!). If you want to make a living from it you'd better be VERY good and VERY quick.
Very good- bows that do what you'll say they'll do, built and finished to a high standard, and priced right.
Very quick- I firmly believe that nothing puts off customers as much as a potential 24 month wait- I wouldn't wait that long. You could order a recurve, and in a year go over to longbows. You could end up shooting wheelies! Next thing you know there's a bowyer on the phone with a bow you no longer want or need- and he's asking for the balance payment!
So, when are you gonna post some pics of your bows?
Very good- bows that do what you'll say they'll do, built and finished to a high standard, and priced right.
Very quick- I firmly believe that nothing puts off customers as much as a potential 24 month wait- I wouldn't wait that long. You could order a recurve, and in a year go over to longbows. You could end up shooting wheelies! Next thing you know there's a bowyer on the phone with a bow you no longer want or need- and he's asking for the balance payment!
So, when are you gonna post some pics of your bows?
#6
Spike
Thread Starter
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Mississippi
Posts: 85
RE: Bowyer as an occupation ???
ORIGINAL: Jakes Cronje
So, when are you gonna post some pics of your bows?
So, when are you gonna post some pics of your bows?
He He. It's gonna be awhile. I gotta learn how to build them first. But, I do have a few qualifications; cabinet and furniture building, mechanical drawing etc.
#7
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 49
RE: Bowyer as an occupation ???
I'm going to build a couple of Bingham's kits next year- just have to organise a bandsaw first. But I have no intention of doing it for money. Here in England people either shoot English longbows (invented in Wales, btw), FITA recurves or wheelies- the market for hunting recurves and longbows is modest, to say the least.
#10
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Mississippi USA
Posts: 15,296
RE: Bowyer as an occupation ???
Lol Bill--I can guarantee you that nobody is going to get rich making strings--not if they do it right anyhow. That's one reason I have no reservations about showing anyone everything I know about making them--if you don't enjoy doing it, you won't--it's sure not for the money. There seems to always be more than enough business for one more stringmaker too.
Sag, O.L.'s bows are very popular right now, and I'm not trying to cut him short as a bowyer, but he's fairly new and always coming out with something "new and improved". He hasn't really been around long enough to see how his bow's popularity will hold out, and doesn't produce enough to saturate the market. I don't blame him either--he's retired from the Navy, and evidently isn't into it because he needs the money. Folks like Martin, Black Widow, and Chek-Mate have been around for the long haul, through good times and bad, recessions, the explosion of the compound market, etc.--these are the ones that have it figured out, IMO. These folks livelyhood depends on their business, so they have to stay on top of it. I don't know how long Jeff was at it, but I know it was several years, he made a quality product, and it got rave reviews, but........it's a dang tough business to make a living at.
Chad
Sag, O.L.'s bows are very popular right now, and I'm not trying to cut him short as a bowyer, but he's fairly new and always coming out with something "new and improved". He hasn't really been around long enough to see how his bow's popularity will hold out, and doesn't produce enough to saturate the market. I don't blame him either--he's retired from the Navy, and evidently isn't into it because he needs the money. Folks like Martin, Black Widow, and Chek-Mate have been around for the long haul, through good times and bad, recessions, the explosion of the compound market, etc.--these are the ones that have it figured out, IMO. These folks livelyhood depends on their business, so they have to stay on top of it. I don't know how long Jeff was at it, but I know it was several years, he made a quality product, and it got rave reviews, but........it's a dang tough business to make a living at.
Chad