Anyone ever quote jobs at places like quickparts?

I know of a couple of online brokerages for quoting small and large production parts. Anyone here have any first-hand experiences with these types of businesses?

Tim-

Convenient yes, if you can't rustle up your own work. They'll provide you with jobs within the scope of your ability. I haven't dealt personally with any of them as I am to capacity now.

Downside of this is dependant on the particular brokerage- according to 2 shop owners I know. The trucking to and from is sometimes not included, and then there's the brokerage fee which is from 8 to 27 percent of the gross, not the net. Neither of these shops deal with these people anymore because of the "hidden" charges that crop up. I can't provide particulars until I talk to these guys further, if you'd like.

Billy

I would like to hear more from anyone with personal experience.

I have done a couple of rapid prototype PO's through quickparts. Service was very good.

With commissions of 8 to 27 percent of the gross I wouldn't need any further information

I know a guy who employs a rep on a commission basis. The guy works his butt off for the shops he reps, knows what jobs are decent and which ones bark at the moon, gets along well with buyers (most of whom are lazy and like the idea of dealing with a guy who has ties to shops covering the spectrum of metalworking). He gets a 5% commission initially, which eventually drops to the 3% range over time if the job continues to repeat. He makes no bones about the fact that he wants to keep good shops, and that its the shop and not him that keeps the work over time, thus his decreasing commission on things where he eventually has no work to do but still has a check coming in.

Personally, I'd be real wary of any deal where its obvious right up front that the talker who assumes no risk is going to end up with more of the gravy than I am, even if things go to perfection during the course of the job. One of the things my dad pounded into my thick head for years is "its okay to be tired, and its okay to be hungry, but there's no reason to be both tired and hungry". In other words, if you ain't gonna make no money, don't do no work.

I know they don't all work for commission, and that there are pluses and minuses to each arrangement. Just hoping to hear from anyone with a strong opinion based on first-hand experience. I'll bump this up over the next few days to make sure everyone gets a chance to see it.