turn around time ?

[George Roof]

I put "1 year" on all the contracts.  All you need is one "emergency" to screw you up and since I'm full time, my "first deer of the season" is still behind spring turkeys, spring bear and African safaris.  He's just fortunate he came in the first day of the season versus the last day.

[Becky P]

I don't specify a time in writing just in case of that emergency but I try to keep it under 6 months.

[Uncle Harley]

16 months. Part time.  250 to 300 pieces per year.

Raise your prices!  LOL!  How in the hell do you do 300 pices a yr part time?   What is a typical day like in your shop?  work  8 hrs at your day job and mount 15 heads a night?   LOL      I ribbing you a little here but seriously  how do you accomplish that?

[Rudy Eppley]

16 months. Part time.  250 to 300 pieces per year.

Raise your prices!  LOL!  How in the hell do you do 300 pices a yr part time?   What is a typical day like in your shop?  work  8 hrs at your day job and mount 15 heads a night?   LOL      I ribbing you a little here but seriously  how do you accomplish that?

Thats what I am thinking, no possible way in my mind.

[Uncle Harley]

What REALLY shocks me though is George didn't jump on this one   He tell full time guys those numbers aren't possible without help  LOL

[coonhollow]

years ago I guaranteed 90 day turn around "once" took in more heads than I ever dreamed of. never again! first phrase on my contract says:

You have not been promised a completion date!

[MattHCT]

Uncle harley. You may have misunderstood. I said pieces. That's game heads, flat hides, rugs,lifesize and birds. I have 11 25cu chest freezers.  I have a retired taxidermist that helps sew and prep mannikins and another guy that skins for me. I'm a millwright by trade. My dad and I own the company. We install equipment in steel, chemical and paper mills as well as fabricate and erect steel for hospitals, schools and walmarts (commercial stores). I can usually take off time when needed. The funny thing about it is that I started taxidermy as a way to relax. It then turned into a full time job. When I count pieces it includes all work. Its gotten over whelming at times 

[MattHCT]

Rudy. Well Champ I don't know what to tell ya? But yes it is possible. I'm self employed at my day job so I can take a month off if I want too. As well as I have two guys that work part time in my shop to help keep things flowing.   

[MattHCT]

Uncle harley. I looked back at my text and when I read it, it sounded kinda smug. That wasn't my intention at all. Please don't take it that way. I wasn't trying to come off rude. just explaining myself.

[MattHCT]

Last years numbers. 61 deer, 33 elk,23 antelope,4 bighorn, 28 bear,19 bobcat,10 cougar, 5 coyote,36 birds, 17 antler mounts, 58 euros

[Uncle Harley]

I can believe those numbers with help........ LOL  not many part timers have help though  but I still say that's not part time thats 2 full time jobs    Thats the way I felt with last yr with 33 pieces mostly been deer.  ( but then again for almost 2 months straight I was home less than 24 hrs a week and still mounted one a week after I spent time with my wife and kid........figure that one out   LMAO! It was a rough couple of months waiting till the girls went to bed and pull an all nighter and then pin and pray everything stayed in place when I got back in a week LOL!

[MattHCT]

Uncle harley. Thats even tougher tryin to balance family time in the mix. LOL. Family is way more important than work. But yet a man has to work to support the family. Its a catch 22. I've been blessed to have the help that I have gotten so far. Like you said though, lots of late nighters.

[George Roof]

Matt, I'm going to tell you something that you're going to ignore and say I'm just being an ass by telling you something you know to be a lie.  OK, got that?  Here it is: "You're playing with your ass.".  Sure you can do that type workload FOR A WHILE, but you're well on your way to terminal burnout.  You don't have to believe me or take my word for it, but I didn't fall off the onion truck yesterday.  You're rationalizing a lot of  crap to escape reality.  Sure a man needs to support his family, but you aren't doing a helluva lot of interacting support working that type schedule.  Money won't buy happiness and working your ass off day and night simply leave your wife and kids to fend for themselves when the father should be there.  This also ain't something I read about, I lived it and ended up divorced because of it.  I know Michael P. is a workaholic and I've warned him as well.  If and when he has a child show up, he's going to face some helluva decisions that aren't there now. You may think burning that candle on both ends isn't effecting you, but that's just another lie you're convincing yourself of.  When it does, you're going to be in deep trouble. Artists and taxidermists are manic/depressive personalities anyway, and when the maniac side wears off, the depression can be bottomless.  Seen far too many taxidermists committing suicide for it to be an accident.  So while you're young and dumb and have that Teflon skin and Kevlar ass, you just keep ignoring meaningful advice. I won't come back to tell  you "I told you so.", but at least YOU will know I did.

[coonhollow]

you are 100% right George, myself i dont fall under the depressed part. But I took in more work in one year than I ever should have. I guaranteed a turn around time on "deer heads" and after they were done (I think I had the last 8 ready for the deadline day) i was left with everything else still to do. I had 1 full time employee that attended Piedmont with me, and a full time summer person that also attended Piedmont with me. so 3 of us capable of turning out work. That year ruined me I didnt want to look at taxidermy again, lost interest in hunting... if it wasnt for my now 14 yo son I wouldnt have gotten back into it, but after I jumped back into it it feels good! I will never go that route again..take this foe what its worth and look back at history, where are some of the greats in taxidermy, where are some that use to be in your area? I saw Lou Spina at the NY show he was a fish mounting fool, inovative..his fish were/are everywhere in salmon country of NY. there are countless great taxidermist that were the reason for their own demise..

[Kevin M.]

  Beginning of bow season. I tell them March. By the end of Black Powder. I'll be telling the Sept.. Figure how many you want to do a week or month. And go from there.