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Need a career change but unsure what to do. Gunsmiths please respond or anyone!

Bowman26 said:
The main problem I have with going to a school or community college is that I already have a degree in Industrial Engineering with a Specialization in CAD/CAM, Machining and Materials etc.

Search a classic gunsmith and start a bussiness together.
With your qualification in CAD / CAM you can desing and CNC manufacture and the gunsmith invest his KnowHow about firearms, assembling and service.
But most important is to have enough money for starting a new bussiness.
 
acloco said:
Couple of things.

1 - if you make your hobby, your job.....then, in most cases, the hobby and job are not fun anymore.

This...

Each person is different. I know people who have made their hobbies a job.

For me.. I loved playing with computers. Just like customizing a car or a rifle, I would build and tune PCs. I use to read Computer Shopper (anyone one remember that, lol). in my spare time for fun. I've been working in IT for 15 years now... other then playing an occasional game or cruising gun forums the last thing I want to do when I get home from work is look at a computer ;)
 
You may have all of the math down and computer design is nice if you plan to make muzzle brakes or silencers...but...If you aren't a seasoned machinist on the lathe/mill...you will very much need to get into a reputable gunsmithing school...Colorado School of trades @ Trinidad...has some very competent instructors and you will not get the help and instruction trying to convince a gunsmith to let you apprentice under him...I suggest you talk to the Gunsmithing School about adjusting your ciriculum allowing you to test thru the math classes and get into the hands on machine shop and gunsmithing part of the course and maybe even repeating courses you feel were over your head....find a field of gunsmithing that interests you most (custom hunting rifles, Tactical, handguns, benchrest, etc) and focus on that as your goal...being a general gunsmith means you specialize in nothing...

Good Luck..

Eddie in Texas
 
BigDMT said:
Lesloan said:
If you want a career that gives you personal satisfaction, then maybe gunsmithing is for you. But if you want a job that pays well, has top benefits, is secure and gives you a guaranteed pension; one that leaves you with plenty of time off to enjoy your hobby and other satisfying free-time pursuits, go to work for the government. The average federal employee makes, with benefits, over $122,00 per year. This compares to the average private-sector employee's $61,000. Even among the few private sector employees lucky enough to have a pension, (most don't) they seldom have a COLA. All federal retirees get a guaranteed pension, WITH a COLA.

Wish I'd known this many years ago.

What a waste of valuable tax dollars.....

Sure is. That's what happens when liberal politicians and public sector unions crawl in bed together. The pols get union support for reelection and the unions get political support for their causes, salaries & benefits. The rest of us get to pay for it.
 
Read the book "Quitter: Closing the gap between your dream job and your day job", by John Acuff.

Others books that might help are:
48 days to the work you love.
No more Mondays.

Good luck.
 
itchyTF said:
Another option, which I'm sure you have already considered, is to find another "regular" job that would be more interesting using your experience and do the smithing on the side or as a hobby. That combination seems like it would fill your bill.
The economy might make that job search a challenge though.

This approach would allow you to 'test the waters' and see how you like it.

If you should want to jump all the way in-contact one of the gunsmithing colleges and tell them of your former degree and experience. Ask what courses they would wave cause many would be BS to you, as you noted.
 
I'm not sure exactly what you do for a living, but it sounds like something that would work for what I am going to suggest. There are a fair amount of jobs available for people willing to work overseas for roughly 3 months at a time, and then take a month off back home. There are obvious benefits. The pay is usually quite a bit higher than the same job in CONUS, and depending on where it is, your earnings may be tax free. Most of these jobs that pay require someone with a degree, and experience, but it sounds like you have that. Being recently free of most family obligations this sounds ideal for you. It will allow you to semi-retire earlier than you would now, you would spend less money while you are working over seas, and then have a month off to build and shoot guns. Something to think about I guess.
 
Thanks again to all that replied and sent PMs with their thoughts all are greatly appreciated. I think for now I will stay where I am and have the means to do what I want and not worry about the job as much, focus more on my own joys.

I know what you mean about the computers I worked in that field as well as a Network Admin and Hardware Tech, all self taught while getting the Engineering degree. My skills are broad and relevant to this day it is just the jobs they lead to bore me and I too have no desire to sit at a PC much in my free time short of gun forums etc.

So again thanks to all for taking the time to say their .02

Perhaps all I am needing is another woman to take up my time, wreck my mind, spend all my money and to make things easier on me by deciding what I should do :o


Bo
 

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