Doing Jobs for "Friends"

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Robert LaLonde

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If anybody says, "If its no trouble," or "If its not to much bother," or sounds like they are challenging your abilities in their request... they are manipulating you to get you to work for them for free. I started replying. "Sure I can do that. What's it worth to you?" For 99% that's the end of the conversation. They bluster and throw spittle because they were caught and they know it, but the real conversation is over. A very few say they don't know and they ask what you think its worth. Of those 1 in 10 is willing to pay. The real hustlers throw some stupid offer at you like, "I'll buy lunch," if you work for them for hours to perfect their part.

Then there are the true friends. You want to do something for them because they aren't one of the people listed above. They have knowledge and skills or abilities or tools of their own and they will do things for you if you ask. These are the same people you would call first to get their tractor or their 4x4 if you put your car in a ditch on some country back road at 3 in the morning. Maybe the same guys who answer the phone when you call with, "What do you need buddy? Lawyers, guns, or money?" I recently engraved a bunch of brass placards for one of those friends. When I put my boat on a sandbar on the river one evening with water falling he was the only one who said, "I will be there as soon as I can with my boat to pull you off."

Now before anybody decides to run down my boating skills. There are two kinds of experienced boaters on the river here. Those who have tagged a sandbar and liars. I'm out of practice now and the sandbars move, but when I was out 3-4 days a week I could run about 25 miles of the river by starlight. Well most of the time. LOL.

Back on topic. There is another side to this. Sometimes hobbyist machinists are looking for projects to do. It can be worth it if that's what you enjoy doing. Accept those freebie jobs from hustlers and freebie hunters just for the fun of the project. Just understand most of those people will NOT appreciate or reciprocate. When I started learning to make bait molds I did a lot of jobs for free or very cheap. I learned a lot, but not one single one of those people has ever EVER paid me my going rate to make a mold since. In fact one of those people is why I decided not to make cheap/free molds for people anymore. He basically said (not in those words), "I'll condescend to allow you to make molds for me dirt cheap, but only if I can be sure I'll continue to be able to get you to make molds for me dirt cheap."

Anyway, be aware, but don't allow a-holes to prevent you from doing projects you think will be fun and educational. Look at the project. See if it entertains you, and if it doesn't don't do it. I've found now that I do specialty machining for a living I get plenty of fun and interesting projects in the door anyway from people who are willing to pay for it. I just had to get good enough first. Take projects you will enjoy. Turn down projects that you won't. Maybe even say, "That doesn't sound much like fun. Its just looks like work," for those projects you don't want to do, or for those people you don't want to work for ~~~ especially with tricky materials like stainless or titanium.
 
I have good friends that I don't charge, they're the same guys that don't need telling "The Rules" for borrowing tools.
Everyone else, even for "Interesting Projects" gets to pay at least the cash cost to me, there has been some transition between the groups ;-)
 
I agree completely with you Bob. A real friend will make a fair offer and not pout about it. I too find I have more projects than I can handle in a lifetime and will only accept jobs of friends that are willing to pay. The thing that people seem to forget is the huge investment you have in tools, equipment, and facilities that you bought for your use and enjoyment and not to provide inexpensive or free work for someone else. Now, I do have some very close friends that all this is different, we swap tools, labor, and good times. The thing is we don't abuse it and we respect each other. And sometimes I just feel like doing something for nothing other than the learning experience as you mentioned.
 
I have friends and I have people I casually socialize with. Friends buy material, cover the expenses or trade etc. for small jobs. Associates or acquaintances get charged up front.

Around here my friends are always helping each other without asking. If it's a fairly big project I'll just get expenses covered, I don't charge actual real friends for profit and they don't charge me either.
 
I learned the hard way about "friends". A guy I worked with showed me a broken part for his mower and asked if I could help. I had no problem helping the guy out as I assumed the part was no longer available and it was kinda complicated with holes and shoulders. I carved up a good hunk of aluminum and killed an afternoon because it had to be chucked a number of times. At the end he thanked me for saving him $15 for a new part??? If I knew you could get the part for $15, I would have come out ahead if I just gave him the money!
 
Even paying customers are a pain -which is why I only do this as a hobby now. I'd love to tell you a story about one cheapskate in particular.

Anyhow, I'm 100% in the same boat as Ulma Doctor. My real friends get my help w/o asking. Everyone else... -not so much.

Ray
 
So far I have only done work for my real friends at no cost. And both of them would do anything for me at no cost. One constantly gets me degreasers, rags, Kroil, thread locker. All at no cost.
I have a couple so called friends that occasionally want something done. I usually either tell them it will cost or I am just too busy.
 
Very true!!!! If every case of beer showed up at the same time that has been "Owed" to me over the years, everyone on this forum could get together for a free beer!!! No more though. That was years ago, and mainly on motorcycles, not machining, but even now more are asking me to do stuff for them(relatively simple stuff) with machining but I'm not going down the free road anymore!!!!
 
I guess that I look at things a little differently. I generally will take on the little projects that friends and neighbors have. When they offer to pay me, I tell them "You can't afford to pay what it's worth. Pay it forward." If I am doing it for money, it's work and I should be getting paid my going rate. If it's a favor, it's free. If I have to buy materials, I will make it clear that they will have to pay for them.

If people pay a pittance for your services, in their mind, they have paid and just got a good deal. An expectation that because they are a friend, they should get a better deal is flawed because if you look at it from the other side, they should be giving you business because you are a friend. If you receove a pittance for your services, it only devalues your work.

One of our neighbors is particularly generous with his tome and services. He will help other neighbors, often using his business equipment and often get offered a loaf of home baked bread in return.

He has done a lot of work for us and we make it clear from the get-go that we are hiring him in his professional capacity and expect to pay the going rate. Over the years, we have given him in excess of $50,000 in business.

When we had thirteen trees come down around our buildings last summer, he showed up with his chain saw 4WD tractor and logging trailer to help clear the debris. That was neighbor helping neighbor. When we rebuilt the basement entrance destroyed by the same storm, we hired him to to do the work at his going rate.

Keeping a separation between friendship and business is good thing IMO.
 
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