Struggling with getting parts made in the UK

thorphar · Mar 5, 2017

There are some amazing projects and genuinely innovative makers out there. What really bugs me that some of these awesome projects are halted by the accessibility to the tools and machines needed to prototype the first revisions.

This is not an unknown fact, for instance American machining companies have seen this occurring and have a service to help nurture prototypes and their makers to the final stages before manufacturing.

An alternative is a Maker Space which is also present in the UK. However, as is with most projects and prototypes time is a major factor. Yes, you could go to a maker space and learn all the new skills to necessary to manufacture your first prototype. But realistically, there is way too much time involved with that and by that time you have made you first prototype, you would have seen your idea already being showcased in some online fancy kick-starter ad and you'll kick yourself that you didn't spend the thousands necessary to get your idea manufactured at one of the large machining companies in the UK.

I'm offer machining along with development if needed at a low price in comparison to these large machine workshops.

Our aim is to provide a unique and personal service to the imaginative makers out there, who have necessarily not got access to machines of this type and who rather not spend a small fortune on a single revision of a product/project with a production grade machine workshop.

We hope by providing a service like this will allow for idea's to be developed and eventually brought to market with much lower development costs.

If you are one of these makers, please visit Maker Service | Harry Thorpe for more information.

Thank You so much for taking your time to read this.

PDW · Mar 5, 2017

I see - back of the envelope sketches without dimensions or tolerances are fine, right?

Better be working on the retainer system so you're always spending your inventor clients' money.......

At least Sami will know just where to refer the next nutcase walk-in anyway. Can't be a bad thing.

PDW

Machines! · Mar 5, 2017

What you are proposing is offering a business partnership with all the pitfalls and none of the benefits of a successful product. I'm sure this will go over well here :rolleyes5:

RC Mech · Mar 5, 2017

There is a reason development costs money. The current system of requiring large capital expenditures or any actual skill in manufacturing ensures the entire process is self-policed against the uninitiated. Even then, there are some pretty terrible ideas that manage to slip by and get produced.

I, personally, am tired of the uninitiated constantly parroting that "access to machines" is the problem. It isn't. I, however, am tickled that this new generation of dreamers have found the word "maker" to describe their ventures. It saves those who are machinists, mechanics, draftsmen, engineers and electronics technicians from distinguishing themselves amongst the amateurs. "Maker" to me simply means no skills and no clue.

OldSquier · Mar 5, 2017

thorphar said:
There are some amazing projects and genuinely innovative makers out there. What really bugs me that some of these awesome projects are halted by the accessibility to the tools and machines needed to prototype the first revisions.

This is not an unknown fact, for instance American machining companies have seen this occurring and have a service to help nurture prototypes and their makers to the final stages before manufacturing.

An alternative is a Maker Space which is also present in the UK. However, as is with most projects and prototypes time is a major factor. Yes, you could go to a maker space and learn all the new skills to necessary to manufacture your first prototype. But realistically, there is way too much time involved with that and by that time you have made you first prototype, you would have seen your idea already being showcased in some online fancy kick-starter ad and you'll kick yourself that you didn't spend the thousands necessary to get your idea manufactured at one of the large machining companies in the UK.

I'm offer machining along with development if needed at a low price in comparison to these large machine workshops.

Our aim is to provide a unique and personal service to the imaginative makers out there, who have necessarily not got access to machines of this type and who rather not spend a small fortune on a single revision of a product/project with a production grade machine workshop.

We hope by providing a service like this will allow for idea's to be developed and eventually brought to market with much lower development costs.

If you are one of these makers, please visit Maker Service | Harry Thorpe for more information.

Thank You so much for taking your time to read this.

Wow....took a look at your website. You are certainly involved in some very cool projects! I think I understand yor business model and I think it has a LOT of promise. If I were 25 years younger, I would probably try to join your team.

With this said, I am not qualified to evaluate the economic/financial side of your experiment. I spent most of my working life as a gunsmith and my machining skills are sort of centered around my trade. I have just a little experience with prototype work - surgical devices for orthopaedics and manufacturing of rifles geared for youthful shooters. On another occasion I did some work associated with prototyping and manufacturing of specialised firearms for a middle eastern nation's special forces. All of these were brief and/or part-time gigs for me, but I really did enjoy working in the medical field especially.

Not challenging what PDW et al are saying. Just seems to me that a guy as sharp and tech-savvy as you should go a long way. Best of luck to ya!

Old Squire

Sent Using Tapatalk - Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Tahlequah OK

PDW · Mar 5, 2017

OldSquier said:
Not challenging what PDW et al are saying. Just seems to me that a guy as sharp and tech-savvy as you should go a long way. Best of luck to ya!

Old Squire

Sent Using Tapatalk - Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Tahlequah OK

We've seen a lot of inventor types pop up on here over the years, is all. Generally no clue about making anything and no money, often secretive so nobody steals their great idea as well so getting decent information is like pulling teeth.

But they're all sure the machining side is dead simple, you should be delighted doing it for a share of the bountiful profits, and really, they're doing you a great favour offering the opportunity to get in well below the ground floor.

Most of us don't really like digging holes at our own expense, especially when the start point is already underground.....

PDW

metlmunchr · Mar 5, 2017

Some of you might benefit from looking at his link. The thread title is somewhat misleading, as he's offering to work for inventors in making their parts rather than looking for someone to make parts for him.

He does mention that proper drawings are a requirement early in the process, so he's not looking to work from napkin sketches.

He lays out a pretty impressive resume on his site for a young guy.

My primary advice to him is to make sure he gets paid in real money rather than in promises of getting cut in to the $millions every inventor thinks his brainchild is going to bring in. Working at a reduced rate is fine, but working for smoke and dreams doesn't pay the bills.

machtool · Mar 6, 2017

OldSquier said:
With this said, I am not qualified to evaluate the economic/financial side of your experiment.

Truer words have never been spoken. What a fart in a space suit.

PDW · Mar 6, 2017

metlmunchr said:
Some of you might benefit from looking at his link. The thread title is somewhat misleading, as he's offering to work for inventors in making their parts rather than looking for someone to make parts for him.

He does mention that proper drawings are a requirement early in the process, so he's not looking to work from napkin sketches.

He lays out a pretty impressive resume on his site for a young guy.

My primary advice to him is to make sure he gets paid in real money rather than in promises of getting cut in to the $millions every inventor thinks his brainchild is going to bring in. Working at a reduced rate is fine, but working for smoke and dreams doesn't pay the bills.

Yeah, I got that he was on the machining side not the mad inventor side.

I was just pointing out the pitfalls we've all seen going there. That's why I suggested operating on the retainer basis. Money meter hits zero, work stops until more money arrives. Nothing wrong with working with people who don't/can't machine stuff themselves as long as everyone is on the same page WRT time/effort. Ditto working at a reduced rate or spending an hour every now & then off the clock if the person is going to benefit from it, as long as it's your choice to do so, not an expectation.

PDW

SeymourDumore · Mar 6, 2017

metlmunchr said:
My primary advice to him is to make sure he gets paid in real money rather than in promises of getting cut in to the $millions every inventor thinks his brainchild is going to bring in.

That ^^^^ Right there!

Sidenote:
This is coming from a shop that just built a set of steering knuckles out of Titanium a few weeks ago for a friend who wanted a MUCH LIGHTER head assembly
for a competition snowmobile.
He gave me specs for 6061AL tubing and solid AL blocks...
For a F'n sled that's pushing 380Hp !!!

Incredibly, I had just enough TI tubing and solid TI stock left over to make the friggin' thing instead of the suicidal AL he wanted.

Moral of the story: He is a very good personal friend and I did not want to loose him as such, nor charge for the work I've made on the components.
At the same time, he shat bricks when the bill for the TI welding came in.

They've tested, they've achieved and got the results as hoped for ... and the schmuck riding it is still in one piece. ( not sure that'd be same if I kept the AL specs in place )

OldSquier · Mar 6, 2017

machtool said:
Truer words have never been spoken. What a fart in a space suit.

Well aren't you just a fucking ray of sunshine! I'm guessing you didn't look at the guy's site. He's obviously young, highly motivated and sharp as a tack. I like his business model and just wanted to wish him good luck. You, on the other hand contribute nothing but a shit head remark. Let me encourage you to find a dark place and abuse yourself.

Squire

Sent Using Tapatalk - Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Tahlequah OK

OldSquier · Mar 6, 2017

PDW said:
Yeah, I got that he was on the machining side not the mad inventor side.

I was just pointing out the pitfalls we've all seen going there. That's why I suggested operating on the retainer basis. Money meter hits zero, work stops until more money arrives. Nothing wrong with working with people who don't/can't machine stuff themselves as long as everyone is on the same page WRT time/effort. Ditto working at a reduced rate or spending an hour every now & then off the clock if the person is going to benefit from it, as long as it's your choice to do so, not an expectation.

PDW

BTW, I think you guys are doing the lad a service by giving him the benefit of your advice, especially as it pertains to working for nothing. I did that a few times when I was working. I was always an easy touch for doing shit on spec. Course, I never really figured I would get paid. Got lucky once or twice, but mostly not. I just thought he has a fundamentally sound idea and the smarts to make it work. The tone of responses wasn't the best, so I thought I would make some positive remarks. I did say, up front, that I'm not qualified to really evaluate what he's doing from a purely financial standpoint. So what do I get? Some tool surfaces to issue snarky-assed commentary. Sure would be nice to post something - just occasionally - without having to tell somebody to fuck-off.

Squire

machtool said:
Truer words have never been spoken. What a fart in a space suit.

Sent Using Tapatalk - Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Tahlequah OK

RC Mech · Mar 6, 2017

Reiterating the common point here: you need to get paid. My comments above are not to be mis-construed to mean I believe the OP is uninitiated- I do not. His clientele however, are. So what is the end goal?

Being a non-profit is a slightly more tenable plan. There is a great thread on PM about Tech Shop and the related successes/failures. This is essentially what you're proposing, only with you providing the labour. As PDW said you need to be on retainer or have a subscription based service.

sable · Mar 7, 2017

I don't think this service is much different to hundreds maybe thousands of other small shops operating around the UK and no doubt the rest of the world ,we all tend to start off with a similar idea but the reality is that we need to find a good customer or two with real projects and real money to keep us going in the long term .Best of luck to him.

TedinNorfolk · Mar 14, 2017

So long as you charge time spent x hourly rate,that's all fine and dandy. Simples !

SeaMoss · Apr 25, 2017

TedinNorfolk said:
So long as you charge time spent x hourly rate,that's all fine and dandy. Simples !

Yes. No discounts based on future volume.

This is another trap no one has mentioned .... out of all the dreamers I dealt with, a few actually did end up being pretty successful.

And the first thing they did when orders got bigger was to head off to a more production-oriented shop where they could save thirty cents per part. The hours I spent refining and improving their napkin sketches ? Sorry. It's just business. Moonlight Machine probaly knows one of them, pretty well-known guy at Indy.

I would wish the op best of luck but ... pitfalls doesn't fully describe the situation.

Limy Sami · Apr 30, 2017

TedinNorfolk said:
So long as you charge time spent x hourly rate,that's all fine and dandy. Simples !

Even better join the REALworld, and have to quote and stick to the price on a job, win or lose your shirt.

boslab · May 3, 2017

Well done for trying to capitalise the machines you have, a difficult proposition as most folk turning up at my door are either clueless or penniless, the latter usually being the motivation behind wandering around with a sketch.
On your site the lathe work section, second photo of offset flat bar in 4 jaw, if that's the Pratt and burnard chuck I have you only have 1 possibly 2 but unlikely jaw teeth hanging on the scroll, a faceplate would be safer in my opinion.
Good luck with your endeavour, I wish you success
Mark

ronf · May 3, 2017

You guys are missing a great part of the machinist trade, I love napkin sketches. It lets you exercise your brain a little.

Struggling with getting parts made in the UK

Plastic

Diamond

Aluminum

Stainless

Aluminum

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Diamond

Aluminum

Aluminum

Stainless

Titanium

Stainless

Banned

Diamond

Titanium

Cast Iron

Similar threads