After sweating for a year on calypso I collected some 140,000 sweat.  that's 3 hours per day for 4-5 days a week off and on over a year.  More concentrated effort would have yielded more but then i wouldn't have time to write blog posts or live like a pauper.  anyway i have a huge amount of sweat left that i slowly convert into mind essence and welding wire.  The effects of all the time spent I offset with healing and hunting and scanning.  Paying the piper so I can dance to the tune. 
Is this a success story?  Not yet, but I feel the story is on the way.  Perhaps others could succeed faster, better, and more by reading the few bits of knowledge in these posts.  Drop a comment and I'll see what I can do for you and the wonderful world that is Calypso.