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  1. J

    When you win a quote

    "I'm thinking you need a business bank account. " Yep I'm thinking you do. Seeking a percentage. Yeah it can be a bit of a tricky 1. How much competition do you have in your area? An investigation into what others are doing around you would probably help on this one. For a regular cust who...
  2. J

    Making SOP for new shop floor trainees

    Clean up your shit as you go. I'm not your f..ing cleaner!
  3. J

    Help With New Customer

    Sometimes customers will surprise you, but from what I am reading, yeah thinking its a leave it for someone else senario. But hey I've been wrong before. I dont beat myself up about it if I make the wrong call - one can only go off the vibe you are getting at the time. The customers that...
  4. J

    Tips for moving a lathe around on skates

    Yep pipe rollers for some things - carefully. Pallet jacks - yep handy for some jobs. I try to place the heaviest stuff closer to the door, so can use the tele without risking bad shit happening with the boom out too much. Hav hired a conventional fork and tele before. Rates wernt too nasty...
  5. J

    Where do the amateurs post?

    Couple of suggestions for amateurs/ hobbyists: Mad modder - pommy site. Metalwork forum - Aussie site But look lots of interesting stuff here - Just gotta watch out for the hostile natives :-)
  6. J

    What would you do differently if you could do it all again?

    Charging more for jobs for sure. Better now days now I can pick and choose more, and I do.
  7. J

    How is business for you right now? Busy or Slow?--GBI drops to 47.1

    Cant complain. Cooler weather for this time of year has slowed one part of business here. But not fussed cause it means have been able to focus more on the RV side of things. Recon flooding a couple of months ago in the north of the state will help continue to keep that side of things busy-...
  8. J

    Is it me, or are your RFQs always missing information?

    Stop it you lot, giving me flashbacks! :D Hung up on this clown today cause after asking 4 times to either see the item in person, or at least some good photos, I still couldnt get this basic concept through. Listen but dont hear. U know the story - one doesnt have all day. My favourite...
  9. J

    Resurfacing and Automotive Work for a New Shop

    Former neighbor was doing engine rebuilding/ machining with right the gear to do the job. Last time I spoke to him he was doing servicing on taxis. His words, " I do better with stuff like oil changes nowdays than the former." What else do u wanna know?
  10. J

    Key Components of a Machine Shop Business Plan

    Hmmm, yep the start in a garage idea is where I would start off. Learning about some of the business ins and outs at this stage will help you for sure. Thats where my show started. Business plan, yeah next question..... You can have all of these wondereful ideas, but its grabbing...
  11. J

    So is it slowin down? (business/mfrg)

    Work is still busy here. Slowly picking up more work from the states capital (Melbourne). Like isnt anyone down there actually working!? 100 miles away and 4.8 odd million folk. Hmmm Have found some of my regulars are slower to pay than they traditionally are. So can only assume the cost...
  12. J

    New Shop and financing

    Hmm yeah. Diversification is the best tip I can offer here. Those things one thinks is going to be a winner frequently arent. Even worse if what you are doing becomes a race to the bottom. Even today X years down the track, still have had to change tack as time goes on. If too many get in...
  13. J

    Doing work for other shops

    Why would you think your potential customers were hidden in certain industries? You need to play salesman to all of them. The successful job shops I'm close to have such an incredible spectrum of customers they cater to. There's no " Yeah! Go talk to wood shops, they'll definitely make you...
  14. J

    Too much demand!

    Some good ideas already put up. "Even though many would be horrified that I'm letting opportunities go, I've had zero trouble keeping as busy as I want to be, despite my "bad business skills". Hmm sounds familiar! Currently even going as far as letting calls go if they dont come on the...
  15. J

    First Month at New Shop!

    Some good points already raised. If you can, maybe a catenary wire and cable setup like an overhead crane. Move it where you want it, and gets it off the floor. Getting production work - Firms downsizing/ closing have yielded some stuff over the years. Naturally your size will help you in...
  16. J

    Minimum charge.

    Minimum charge around here is a variable thing. But yeah steadily reducing the amount of walk ins. Insurance work - depends on how much the particular insurer tries to interrogate me wrt the components of quote (hours, parts etc...) Even have been cutting back on the calls I'm taking, amazing...
  17. J

    Contacted by contractor for quote

    Still do a fair amount of work for retail customers - the net is where many of them 1st contact me. This amount is diminishing over time. The commercial guys, whether they windup being ongoing, or for one off stuff - 1st contact on the whole is still the phone. But yeah I dont normally put...
  18. J

    What are your current shop hurdles, and how will you beat them?

    Current shop hurdles, hmm where to start... What I did to beat em. Moving away from being "the shop for all occasions" - 'oh we basically do everything' to being more selective. Well guess its an ongoing work in progress, but its helpful in the sense that dont have to carry as many different...
  19. J

    Starting a small CNC shop

    Yeah I know the whole age thing is touted as just a number, but as someone who almost 50 - be damned if I would want to basically start out again (looking for decent ongoing customers etc...). Doing well to keep my wife as it is with the hours I currently do. That last bit is of course my...
  20. J

    What is you shop's overhead increase in the last year?

    Found a piece of industrial zoned land in my local town with a house down one end. Got a renter in it, so the good folk in it are helping me with the mortguage, bless them! On the price hike on everything. Its going up by a similar amount this side of the ditch. Not paying much on the rent...

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