I have a dream - Metalworking ++

To add to this, a few months ago I met just that kind of guy. (bought some of his scrap, broken CNC machine for parts and general surplus).

He started a CNC manufacturing operation in his garage. Kept it going and expanded. Right now he is renting an industrial unit, has a bunch of machines, people etc. He did not seem to be stupid and, I am assuming that he is making money.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus11177
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"Ignoramus11177" wrote in message news:xOmdnVx70Oo_DejPnZ2dnUVZ snipped-for-privacy@giganews.com...

How do CNC job shoppers deal with customers who don't know quite what they want and ask for engineering help? Even if you are only copying something for a repair you don't have the original specs and dimensions.

jsw

Reply to
Jim Wilkins

I am not in that business, and I find it to be generally unattractive for myself. That particular guy I mentioned in my previous post, was making certain engine parts for a leading lawnmower company. They know what they want and he was making exactly what they wanted.

I would not want to have customers who want parts made and do not know what exactly they need. I would try to gently send them elsewhere, and if that does not help, not so gently.

i
Reply to
Ignoramus11177

I've done plenty of profitable work for people who didn't know exactly what they needed. They pay extra for someone who can help them. What's the problem with that?

Reply to
whoyakidding's ghost

Years ago I worked with a semi-retired guy that had a screw machine shop in his garage. Three (I think he said) second hand B&S machines; holes in the rear wall for the stock feeders and three Mexican girls as operators.

He said that he did mostly small, non precision, jobs. One he described was a brass knob drawer handle. The profit on that job was the sale of the brass scrap :-)

Reply to
John B.

I think that you are taking the wrong approach if you are talking to the bank about money you may, or may not, earn from hobby machining. The bank is going to look at it as a real estate question. Try doing what the bank is likely to do:

Get an independent assessment of the sales value of your present buildings and property and a second assessment if there were an additional X by Y foot building on the lot.

Depreciate this assessment for by outstanding money owed on the property and buildings, then depreciate this number for the possible quick cash sales of the place.

You now have a number, less interest, that the bank might be interested in discussing as some form of a mortgage against the value of the buildings and land.

Reply to
John B.

I send them to the competitition, by raising my prices high enough to accurately reflect the additional time and hassle.

Reply to
PrecisionmachinisT

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