I have been drilling from my home for over 25 years.  Yes, I have a Tax Id and consider myself a business with acounts with 2 distributors. I stock many accessories, full line of VISE inserts and thumb slugs and a few balls. I also have well over $15,000 of equipment (System 2 ovalmatic with end mills, Haus, rejuvinator, spinner, scale, etc.) I have attended all the drilling seminars offered in my area including one IBPSIA course.  No, I am not IBPSIA certified, but if I paid the money I feel I could be.  One last item, I do NOT solicit business in any bowling center.  I understand that the guy in the pro shop pays the rent and he is has the only right to sell equipment in that center.  I honor and respect that right. This is why I am good friends with many of the shop owners in my state.  Now here is my point.

I know there are some hackers out there drilling in their home with no idea of what they are doing and some that just want to drill their own equipment, but there are also guys like me that have a large customer base that know what we are doing. Because you are IBPSIA certified, does not mean you are a good driller.  There is one in my state that is certified and is considered by many to be a hack and to be fair there is also another one that is very good.  Why do you have to have a store front to be recogized as a legitimate driller?  Now the manufacturers are telling everyone to go to a certified IBPSIA shop or to a brick and mortor shop to have you equipment drilled.  The way bowling centers are closing, many of the shops will have to setup in their homes if they want to continue their trade.  I will say that I am not alone.  In my state I know of 4 others that drill from their homes and they are very good at what they do.

How many of you drill from you home, have a tax id and consider yourself a business ?  Maybe we should get together and form our own organization.  In numbers there is power.  





Edited on 10/17/2008 9:35 AM

I drill from my home also and have a tax ID and consider my self a business.

Like the idea of starting some kind of organization.  I mean you have plumbers, electricians, accountants, lawyers, doctors, dentist, hair dressers and others working from their home with no problems.  Just because we feel more comfortable drilling from our homes, mainly because their are no openings in the centers close to us, why shoulod we be treated different than anyone else.

As far as equipment, I started working with a friend of mine in his shop many years ago.  The center closed down, he moved and I purchased all his stuff.  Obviously, he gave me a good deal.  Since then, I have updated everything.

The reasons that you don't get any respect you mentioned.

Many/most of the guys drilling from home ARE hacks.  Manufacturers don't want you going to hacks.  Hacks make everybody's equipment look like crap.

Every situation is different, but the manufacturers need the in center shops to stay open.  Generally speaking they are the ones that are going to move the most equipment, have the most visibility, are where most bowlers are going to see the equipment.  Most of your hacks are not IBPSIA certified, ideally if you go to a certified driller, he has at least some basic knowledge and the ability to get more.  Most hacks dont give a damn about whether they are any good or not, they just want your money.

MOST basement guys dont have a good reputation because the "real" shops bad mouth them as a way to keep business.  After all the basement guys are probably not making a living at the pro shop business.  Its easier to bad mouth the competition than to try and out work them/do better work than them.

MOST basement guys are not ethical at all, unlike you gsr.  They try to sell right in the center where a shop is, they don't care about anybody but themselves most of the time.  Hell, I had other pro shops try to sell in my center, they got escorted from the property, once with a police escort, but that's another thread.

I have/had toyed with this same idea, doing just what gsr is doing, doing this here in Oklahoma City after my move from Houston.  I haven't done it for multiple reasons.  The main one is my friendships with Anne Marie Duggan and Donnie Cassel.  They are the two best drillers around here, I don't want to pull any of their business.  We have been friends many years, and wouldn't want this to come between us.  If the economy and bowling scene looked better, I would still consider getting back into the business, I feel confident that I would have a healthy business in less than a year.

I have reread this, and don't want to come off as anti basement guy, although generally I don't have much respect for them.  Really I am anti hack driller.  It is so hard to make a decent living in this industry, hacks just undercut competent drillers and make things that much worse.  Every situation is different, but generally speaking, basement guys are hacks, but there are always exceptions.  gsr, you have put in your time and go about drilling in an ethical, respectable manner.  Good luck to you.  I cannot say that I am not jealous.  I miss my pro shop.





Edited on 10/17/2008 8:36 PM

Mike, I understand your feelings about hacks and I also share that opinion.  But, based on conversations with bowlers,talking to my customers and my own personal experiences, there are plenty of hacks that own pro shops in bowling centers.  I feel if a bowler goes to a hack (in a basement or bowling center) and is not satisfied with the drill, then they should go somewhere else regardless of the price.  Also, I charge about $20 less than most of the shops in centers.  Not a big difference.
Some of the shops will complain about guys like me and my response is basically, if you do quality work, they will come, regardless of price ($20 more).  There is only one shop in my state that is full time, the rest have day jobs and work the shop only at night.  If you are losing customers to me, then stop complaining and sharpen your skills. Do better marketing campaigns. Don't try to pay your rent by selling 6 balls.  I also do not solicit in bowling centers.  Like gsr, I also agree that the guy in shop has the only right to sell equipment in that center.  My advertising is word of mouth by my customers.  I do quality work at a reasonable price.  I am not cheap, but like I said only a few dollars less than a shop in center.  And to be clear, the majority of my customers are high average bowlers who are looking for quality consistant work.  One of them has been the high average in my state for a few years.  

One last point.  Your state may be different, but we lost 9 bowling centers in the last 10 years and I hear some others are in trouble.  Stand alone shops are very expensive to operate and the centers that are still open already have shops.  Where do we go to practice our trade ?  Most of the guys like me have owned shops in centers but have only one option if they want to continue to run a shop.  I feel sorry for you not being able to do what you love. I know it is your choice, but still tough on you.  All basement guys are not hacks and thanks for aknowledging that.

Drill, baby, drill.

...Oops, wrong thread.
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Official Member of the BrunsTrackColumStormHammEboRotoBuzzAMF Nation!

I drill my own stuff from home. But only for myself. I have two drill bits, 31/32 and 1 1/4. Which is all I need. I have a spinner as well.

I had drilled my own up till this year.  Was doing it for past 7 years and enjoyed it as my own little hobby, not a business venture

You are correct, I could be an IBPSIA member if I Choose.  Their classes are geared for someone that owns a shop in a center.  Yes, there are some topics that would be interesting and probably worthwile to take, but not sure it is worth the expense.  Being a member is just paying your money, but being certified is a lot more expensive.  They probably would not do it, but it would be nice to have a certification program designed for the guys that drill from their home.  It would be similar to their current program with a different marketing twist and less shop set-up.  Also, I only drill about 5 - 10 balls per week during the fall season, otherwise its down to only a few per week.  So, financially, at this time, I do not think it is worth the expense.  Also, lets face it, although many of us used to be in a center, we now drill from our homes and we just do not get the respect from the bowling communuty.  I think gsr's idea about forming a organization were geared toward tying to get the respect that we deserve.