Leveling Up: The Quest Board v1, T1D, and The Future of the Shop
Author: RJ (with heavily mandated edits by Pandora)
Hey Eeks,
It’s been a while. If you’ve been following the shop lately, you’ve probably noticed things have been… well, let’s call it "fluid."
Let’s rip the band-aid off: Pandora finally won.
(Pandora: It wasn’t a battle, RJ. It was an intervention. Your clipboards were becoming a fire hazard.)
She’s right. For years, my organizational system has been a stack of clipboards and a lot of hope. But life has changed, and the shop needs to change with it. So, welcome to the Quest Board v1. This is the XP level-up Freeky Geeky needed this year.
Here is what’s going on, why things are changing, and what it means for your builds.
The Life Update (The Real Stuff)
Shop time has been all over the place. My personal health hasn't been great, but the biggest shift has been my daughter, Rue.
Two years ago, she was diagnosed with T1D (Type 1 Diabetes).
It was a long learning curve. Priorities had to shift. The constant worry about her numbers dropping meant I wasn’t sleeping—I was running inside constantly to check on her. Thanks to the Omnipod, things are getting better. Her numbers are in range more often, and a bit of the worry has lifted. Some nights I actually get to sleep by 5 AM.
(Phobos: You stay awake through the whole night?! That is when the shadows are longest! And then you sleep when the Day Star rises? Your circadian rhythm is a horror story!)
Because of this, I needed to take stress off my shoulders. Focusing on maintaining "Inventory" was killing me. So this year, I am focusing less on stocking shelves and more on the Quest Log and Guild Runs.
The Emporium vs. The Quest Board
So, does this mean the Emporium is going away?
No. The Emporium has always been the home for ready-to-ship, regular inventory, and that isn't changing. However, the way parts get there is getting an update.
I am a one-person operation. The recent Trap Run taught me a hard lesson—trying to keep stock of a kit with 55+ parts, plus Throwers, plus Packs… it’s just not feasible.
Here is the new workflow:
The Quest Log: This is my focus. If I’m working on a Thrower Body for a Quest, I build it. I send the buyer pictures.
The Approval: If they fall in love with it, it’s theirs.
The Rejection: If they don’t love it, I make them another one. The one they rejected? It gets offered to the next person on the list.
The Emporium: If no one on the list claims it, then it moves to the Emporium to find its forever home.
The Emporium is now the place for parts that are looking for a builder, rather than me stressing about mass-producing stock to fill empty digital shelves.
Quality Over Quantity (And Outsourcing)
People ask why I don’t just mass-produce parts. The truth is, I consider my parts to be premium. If you are willing to buy something I make, you deserve the best. You deserve to be 100% happy.
However, I have started outsourcing "Basic Labor."
What is Basic Labor? Laser cutting plates, rough cuts, etc.
Why? Instead of me spending hours babysitting the laser cutter, I pay a bit more to have that done so I can devote my limited hours to the art: Fishing, Drilling, Tapping, and Welding.
It costs me more, but it saves wear and tear on my machines (and my body) and ensures the final finish is exactly where it needs to be.
Opening the Log (Again)
Years ago, I opened the Quest Log and it grew to over 200 orders. It was… a lot. I’m happy to say I’ve got it down to about 14 active builds. Apparently, I love punishment, because The Quest Log is open again.
The Rules:
First Come, First Serve: You are just saving your spot in line.
No Money Down: I don’t take payment until the order is done and ready to ship.
No Hard Feelings: If you find the part somewhere else before I get to you? Awesome. Just mark your Quest "Cancelled" and I’ll move to the next person. I want you to build your dream, even if it’s not with my parts.
(Glitch: Does this mean we have more time for experiments? I found a way to wire the bandsaw to the doorbell!)
(Pandora: NO. absolutely not. RJ, please continue.)
Return of the Maker
The best part about Pandora’s new digital system? It frees up my brain.
For years, I’ve always been order-focused. Usually, the only things I did for "myself" involved improving shop tools or the layout to serve you better. I was putting everyone else above my own wants.
Glitch (in his own chaotic way) taught me that I need to enjoy this. I want to play video games again. I want to write Freeky Geeky songs and create video projects again.
Most importantly, I want to work on The Ecto-1. It's the ultimate example: I’ve had that car for 15 years and it's sat on the back burner the entire time because I was prioritizing work over my own dreams. That changes now.
I missed making posts and sharing my world with you guys. I had to buckle down for work and family, but I’m hoping to share more of the process again.
If you made it this far through my rambling and the Crew’s interruptions… congrats. You are truly a great Eek.
See you at the Guild Desk.
- RJ
(Mopes: Oh. You made it to the end. I suppose that’s an accomplishment. But really, it just means you ran out of words to read. The page ends. The scroll bar hits the bottom. Entropy claims the content eventually. You might as well close the browser tab now. It’s inevitable.)
P.S. (Pandora’s Addendum)
Pandora: RJ wrote an entire novel about the new system and somehow forgot to include the actual map to get there. Classic.
If you are done reading the emotional ramblings and are ready to actually do something, the Quest Board is live.
ENTER THE QUEST BOARD
Click it. Bookmark it. And please, try not to break anything on your first day.
#ShopUpdate #QuestBoard #T1D #Ghostbusters #MakerLife
