Looking For Machinst For Various Projects

[IthinkIcan]

Hello Everyone,

I am looking for a machinist who enjoys taking on various types of really really cool projects outside of model engines. If you like a good challenge, I'd love to hear back from you! If you prefer simpler projects, I'd love to hear from you, too! If you're merely a machinist-hobbyist and you don't know if you have the capabilities for my projects, contact me and we'll see. If you're a 'mechanical geek', I'd love to hear from you! My projects are various magic props, so I hesitate to post details. However, I can of course provide details via pm or e-mail.

Thanks!

Brent

 

[Jasonb]

As we don't all have psychic powers it may help if you give a rough idea of what part of the world you are in, not too much point in a machinist in the US helping if you are in Australia.

 

[abby]

needs Octarine and sapient pear wood no doubt !

 

[IthinkIcan]

I am located in St. Louis, Missouri. Having said that, if we're otherwise the right fit for each other, I don't see location being a problem. So, whether you're located down the street, or on an entirely different continent, if you're possibly interested in making some really really cool stuff, please don't hesitate to send me a pm!

Brent

 

[Herbiev]

I'll put my hand up. Nothing too complicated though.

 

[Jyman]

I'm always up for making something fun and exciting.

 

[Blogwitch]

Nothing against Brent at all, but please be careful.

I used to do this sort of thing for a living, and not just for small projects, some costing thousands, but had to give it up when people started to not wanting to pay for the raw materials, going rate for time spent on the job and postage costs, plus sometimes (many times) development costs, which can cost a lot more in time than actually making the parts. If plans are supplied, then fine, but do make sure that you check everything dimensionally before starting to cut, most plans have a fault in them somewhere along the line and can be costly to put right if you have already made the part and it is wrong.

It is a very difficult thing to do when asked to quote for hours to complete the job and how much materials (plus wasteage), broken tooling etc , which all have to be factored in. Try getting someone to pay $100 for a broken carbide bit when the job was only costed out at $50 can be a real PITA.
Much better to factor high with the worst case scenario, then give the customer a nice suprise when it comes in under budget. Also consider that nowadays, at least here in the UK, for one off's, normal jobbing shops are quoting between £60 to £100 per hour or part of, and that includes set up time, which in some cases can take many hours longer than actually doing the job. If I was quoting now, I would quote about half that figure (I don't have such large overheads as a jobbing shop).

A good example is someone wanting you to make an engine for them if they supply the casting set. You should gear up to charge somewhere between two and three times the casting costs (sometimes a lot more, depending on the difficulty, a wobbler or a triple expansion engine) to finish it to a running unpainted model.

Otherwise you end up being a charity case with people taking advantage.

John

 

[mu38&Bg#]

John, those are the standard risks of running a job shop. Quoting work with profit and charging enough to keep up with replacing and maintaining tooling and machines is all part of the game. Still there are some people willing to make parts at home for 20-25USD/hr, which sounds like a break even hobby to me.

 

[V22]

I hope I'm wrong but I get the distinct feeling this is a request for unpaid work. Why would the OP not go to a local job shop and get this done? Something does not quite feel right. Zero history here and soliciting "exciting" work, secretive project, no care for geographical distance. Currently not passing the sniff test.

 

[Blogwitch]

Diesel,

20 to 25USD per hour isn't getting anywhere close to break even once you take into account of machine wear, tooling and running costs. I used to do things on the cheap for people, basically for less than what it would cost me, but you can only do it for so long before you call enough is enough.

On here we used to have people asking for help (I and an ex member were even approached privately by the FBI at one time) to develop all sorts of things, and when things came to a head, and we started suggesting asking for all development costs up front. Almost instantly all requests disappeared.
I am not talking about someone asking for a bit of help fixing an engine or something similar, but those people who seem to think that model engineering sites are a way to get free or cheap development and machining costs.
There is a huge difference between helping someone out and helping someone to make money from anothers efforts by using other peoples' hard work.

I know it is difficult pricing up a job correctly, but if the customer wants the job doing, he should be willing to pay a fair price.

If my post helps stop just one person falling into the same trap as many others have done, then it has been worth my while.

John

 

[IthinkIcan]

I hope I'm wrong but I get the distinct feeling this is a request for unpaid work. Why would the OP not go to a local job shop and get this done? Something does not quite feel right. Zero history here and soliciting "exciting" work, secretive project, no care for geographical distance. Currently not passing the sniff test.

V22: You're hope that you're wrong...is right, meaning this isn't a request for unpaid work.

 

[Rocket Man]

I worked in industry for 40 years and NEVER paid anyone for a price quote. I needed some parts laser cut so after checking all the local machine shops I posted a question on the machinist forum to find a good low price laser cutter. Laser prices vary from high to higher depending on the size of the laser and the over head of the shop. You don't use a laser capable of cutting 1/2" thick steel to cut 1/8" steel it is too expensive for the buyer. I was looking for someone with a smaller laser with good prices. I sent a guy on the machinist forum drawing next thing I know he wants $280 to give me a price quote. We talked back and forth for a week questions about my parts then he sent me drawings he programmed into his laser for my approval. His prices turned out to be 2 times more expensive than everyone else so I did not buy parts from him. The guy got very MAD and insisted I pay him $280 for his time doing the programming. I did not buy parts from him and I never pay for a price quote.

Moral to this story, make sure you and the other person know and understand what your getting into.

 

[abby]

I agree rocket man , I have hundreds of parts laser cut and I have never been asked to pay for a quote , and never would ! As for programing the job in to get the quote that is nonsense , the costing/quoting department have software that does this in quick time. My supplier has a minimum charge so I get a quote for how many I can have for the minimum price rather than a price for each part.