paying jobs in the shop

[chuck foster]

the last few days i have been doing a cash job in my little shop. it has involved repairing an ignitor for and old fairbanks morse gas engine and making a duplicate ignitor for another engine of the same make and size.

the first pic shows the old ignitor on the right and the new one on the left.

the old ignitor needed both electrodes replaced.

the next pic shows the new ignitor

both ignitors are all done except for the springs that make them snap open when tripped by the push rod on the engine.

i was just wondering how many of you guys do little cash jobs in you hobby shops, and would like to see or hear about some of them.

chuck

 

[scoop]

One day I would love to be paid for small jobs like these.Ever since people found out that I used to be a machinist and have done a few favours word travels fast.I'm too soft to charge people and few seem to offer even the cost of the material.Once you get a reputation as being an easy touch it's hard to change it.Still,at least I will not be getting any demands for refunds if anything goes wrong with what I have done,the warranty runs out once you leave my house.I Suppose one day I could get lucky and break even on a job.Won't hold my breath though.Must be a labour of love.

Best Regards Steve C.

 

[rake60]

I do a lot of neighbor favors here.
I did make a new fan shaft for a 48" greenhouse fan last summer.
19 inches of 1" cold roll stock with 4 flats milled on it for set screws.
It took me 45 minutes to make the shaft and the stock cost was $11.21
I charged the greenhouse owner an even $50
He was ecstatic! The manufacturer of the equipment wanted $127
for that simple shaft.

Rick

 

[Cedge]

I just turned down the chance to do a well paying project, based on the guy's attitude alone. I own a rare Jensen steam engine of which there are only 28 in the world. I got a call from a guy who chose to almost "demand" that I send him the cylinder section for his machinist to copy. In return he promised to put down a deposit to assure its return. That idea was more than a bit annoying, but I kept my cool and let him know that would not be happening.

I then offered to give him dimensions but that was not to his liking. I mentioned that I might be willing to make the assembly but it would not be cheap. That didn't seem to suit him so I ended the call and pretty much forgot about him. Today I got mail from him asking when his cylinder would be ready and telling.... yes..... telling me what he'd be paying. BEEEEEEEP!!!!.... WRONG!!!!!

There are right ways and wrong ways to approach things and he sure found all the wrong ways if he thought to convince me to do anything to help him.

The only other "favor" I've flatly turned down was from a buddy who wanted me to prototype all the parts for his new handgun silencer design.

Steve

 

[RonGinger]

When people ask me if I can do some job I tell them There are two ways to get me to do a job. If it sounds like fun, I do it for fun. If it sounds like work they are going to have to pay a hell of a lot of money.

I dont get much money .

I actually do a few small jobs. I have made cutters for a computer controlled brownie cutter, see [ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kPNQI-_AUIA[/ame] I really didn't want to get into this, but they could not get anyone else to make them, and they often tip in brownies ;D See http://www.simplydivinebrownies.com/ This is one of the more interesting Mach3 applications.

Ive also made several rubber molds and lots of investment cast parts for a local sailmaker. Ive got parts on several major sailing ships. I send these to a foundry for the casting, but I do the pattern prep and finishing of the castings.

 

[Maryak]

I just turned down the chance to do a well paying project, based on the guy's attitude alone.

Steve,

I should be so lucky :bow: If the potential client rubs me up the wrong way I just charge them double with half in advance. If they are silly enough to pay, I'm silly enough to take their money.

Best Regards
Bob

 

[Davyboy]

A picture I found on the 'net

DB

 

[shred]

I haven't done any cash-paying jobs, but I make some parts here and there for friends-- the payoff there is greater, though less immediate.

I did learn something from my time as a computer network operator though-- it takes about 5 minutes to restore a file from the nightly backups. But, whenever somebody comes asking for a file, the answer is always "it'll take about 30 minutes", even if it means the sysadmin is reading a magazine for 20 of them. If you recover them right away, you get flooded with requests for things they could have recreated from scratch in 10 minutes.

 

[oldiron64]

If you have farmers around and they find out you have machinery you will get opportunities to do some paying jobs. The pay can vary from half a pig to beef to firewood but rarely cash. One word of advise though, there is no amount of goodwill or payment that is worth laying under a loaded manure spreader welding.

Harold

 

[deere_x475guy]

In addition to the machine shop I have a MM251 welder, ready access to a Miller Plasma cutter, torches etc, so I can pretty much take on most things that would come through the door. I stay away from anything that might have a high liabilty attached to it.

I have a neighbor that repairs lawn tractors and such and from time to time he needs helped out. I never charge him but he is always here if I need a hand. It works out in the end.

I use to live in a fairly new subdivision and I always took care of my neighbors and they took care of me. God nose a machine shop can be noisy at times.