acozygun
Plastic
- Joined
- Jun 19, 2017
- Location
- Crawfordsville, IN
Hi all,
long time lurker first time poster
So here is the deal I have a small weld shop (me and some part time help) set up for rig welding and on sight work. I had been building handrails, staircases and such for one company, I basically set my whole business up around them .(I know it was dumb but the $$$ was crazy) they went under a couple weeks ago. I am tired of working outside in the sun, heat and rain.
I have always done a little bit of tig work for some local shops so I am pretty descent pop cans and razor blades are not a problem. I recently picked up a Wells Index mill and am buying tooling as stuff comes up. I am looking for advice on going from strictly welding to making and fixing parts. I know I am limited until I get a lathe but I know a few people I can have turn stuff for me for a reasonable price.
There are not to many shops in my area and the ones I have dealt with in the past are using all manual mills/ lathes, shears to make parts. I am some what new to the turning/ milling but the other stuff they make I know I could crush them if I got a water jet or cnc plasma. They have some one cutting out 100s of the same part on a shear and plasma cutting holes trying to make them all the same. Most are close to retirement and do not want to learn new things.
I tend to buy machines and learn how to run them as I go. My plan was to buy a used Haas VF3 after the next big job but that is out now. I am looking for Ideas on getting work I can run on a manual mill. Or would I be better sticking to hitting up machine shops for welding work.
Thanks
long time lurker first time poster
So here is the deal I have a small weld shop (me and some part time help) set up for rig welding and on sight work. I had been building handrails, staircases and such for one company, I basically set my whole business up around them .(I know it was dumb but the $$$ was crazy) they went under a couple weeks ago. I am tired of working outside in the sun, heat and rain.
I have always done a little bit of tig work for some local shops so I am pretty descent pop cans and razor blades are not a problem. I recently picked up a Wells Index mill and am buying tooling as stuff comes up. I am looking for advice on going from strictly welding to making and fixing parts. I know I am limited until I get a lathe but I know a few people I can have turn stuff for me for a reasonable price.
There are not to many shops in my area and the ones I have dealt with in the past are using all manual mills/ lathes, shears to make parts. I am some what new to the turning/ milling but the other stuff they make I know I could crush them if I got a water jet or cnc plasma. They have some one cutting out 100s of the same part on a shear and plasma cutting holes trying to make them all the same. Most are close to retirement and do not want to learn new things.
I tend to buy machines and learn how to run them as I go. My plan was to buy a used Haas VF3 after the next big job but that is out now. I am looking for Ideas on getting work I can run on a manual mill. Or would I be better sticking to hitting up machine shops for welding work.
Thanks