You know how you often see people posting about how you can sell a well built RV for about $20K more than the parts costs, and if you build it in 2,000 hours, that means you’re earning $10 per hour? Well I got to thinking today that those folks have it all wrong….consider an alternative point of view: It’s not about how much you could make, but about how much you enjoy the build!
If you don’t enjoy the building process, then it is work, and while you might expect to get paid for that work, I have to wonder what kind of masochist will go and drill holes in their own fingers for $10 per hour?! There are easier ways to earn more money! Ahh, you say, but there is the ENJOYMENT of it! Well…I agree 100%! Building isn’t a job….it’s recreation!
Now think about what people pay for recreation these days. Oh, not the simple, old-fashioned free kind – like fishing (oh, wait a minute – licenses, rods and reels, bait, boats, gas…), or walking in the woods (oh yeah….boots, clothes, collapsible hiking staffs – and don’t forget park entrance fees!), or…well, how about the COSTLY recreation – a daily ski lift ticket? I hate to ask! A round of golf at a respectable course? Heck, that’s a days pay for many! Going “camping” in a 4-wheeled RV? Price of the camper, gas, food… Hey, even staying home costs money when you consider the cost of a big-screen TV and a comfy chair!
So let’s say that you enjoy your building. Let’s also ignore the price of expensive things, like engines and avionics – most of your “enjoyment time” is going to come from working with the parts in Van’s kit anyway. Let’s then say you want to build an RV-3. No quick build option, no pre-drilling (hey, you’re lucky you don’t have to mine bauxite!), so lots of enjoyable build hours there. The current price for the kits? $12,530 – let’s call it 12.5K. Build time? Well, I did my QB -8 in 1,000 hours, but most people take at least twice that time, and those who want really fine airplanes take much more than that. So let’s say you knock out the -3 in 2,000 hours…..how does $6.25 per hour of recreation sound? Hmmm….I bet that’s cheaper than skiing or golf. More expensive than cane-pole fishing on a creek, but hey, you’ve got to get access to the creek!)
All in all, airplane building is a wonderful pastime. (It might even be cheaper per hour than building models, judging by the number of cashed models I see in serious R/C’ers workshops!). When you’re done, you have paid for the parts required for your pastime, but how is that different from any arts and crafts materials? (Hey, I almost forgot gardening – now THAT is expensive that way I do it - buying those plants over and over again costs …..!) In the end, enjoy the time in your shop, and chalk up the materials cost to recreation – even if you DO make ‘em and sell ‘em…that way, you get paid twice!
Paul
(The preceding was a humorous post with a grain of truth....and is intended for the entertainment of the reader. Any attempt to reconcile the numbers with actual dollars or time spent may result in disappointment or possible depression. Dizziness may be the result of leaving your MEK can open. See your Tech Counselor if symptoms persist.)
If you don’t enjoy the building process, then it is work, and while you might expect to get paid for that work, I have to wonder what kind of masochist will go and drill holes in their own fingers for $10 per hour?! There are easier ways to earn more money! Ahh, you say, but there is the ENJOYMENT of it! Well…I agree 100%! Building isn’t a job….it’s recreation!
Now think about what people pay for recreation these days. Oh, not the simple, old-fashioned free kind – like fishing (oh, wait a minute – licenses, rods and reels, bait, boats, gas…), or walking in the woods (oh yeah….boots, clothes, collapsible hiking staffs – and don’t forget park entrance fees!), or…well, how about the COSTLY recreation – a daily ski lift ticket? I hate to ask! A round of golf at a respectable course? Heck, that’s a days pay for many! Going “camping” in a 4-wheeled RV? Price of the camper, gas, food… Hey, even staying home costs money when you consider the cost of a big-screen TV and a comfy chair!
So let’s say that you enjoy your building. Let’s also ignore the price of expensive things, like engines and avionics – most of your “enjoyment time” is going to come from working with the parts in Van’s kit anyway. Let’s then say you want to build an RV-3. No quick build option, no pre-drilling (hey, you’re lucky you don’t have to mine bauxite!), so lots of enjoyable build hours there. The current price for the kits? $12,530 – let’s call it 12.5K. Build time? Well, I did my QB -8 in 1,000 hours, but most people take at least twice that time, and those who want really fine airplanes take much more than that. So let’s say you knock out the -3 in 2,000 hours…..how does $6.25 per hour of recreation sound? Hmmm….I bet that’s cheaper than skiing or golf. More expensive than cane-pole fishing on a creek, but hey, you’ve got to get access to the creek!)
All in all, airplane building is a wonderful pastime. (It might even be cheaper per hour than building models, judging by the number of cashed models I see in serious R/C’ers workshops!). When you’re done, you have paid for the parts required for your pastime, but how is that different from any arts and crafts materials? (Hey, I almost forgot gardening – now THAT is expensive that way I do it - buying those plants over and over again costs …..!) In the end, enjoy the time in your shop, and chalk up the materials cost to recreation – even if you DO make ‘em and sell ‘em…that way, you get paid twice!
Paul
(The preceding was a humorous post with a grain of truth....and is intended for the entertainment of the reader. Any attempt to reconcile the numbers with actual dollars or time spent may result in disappointment or possible depression. Dizziness may be the result of leaving your MEK can open. See your Tech Counselor if symptoms persist.)
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