Amen.
What a great thread! I love it. I almost feel bad about responding because the last two posts summed it all up. I’m not a trained guy in any kind of metal working, but fell into it about 25 years ago after coming up with a product for the woodworking industry I’d worked in for the previous 30 years.
But I quickly realized that to make any money with it, I’d have to cut costs from the prices I was getting for small runs. Used Browne and Sharps were ridiculously cheap compared to what I was paying for parts. So I wound up buying a square base and an Ultramatic for cheap and hiring the guys I bought them from to show me how they worked, and to order the cams for my parts.
I broke even inside a year on each of them. They are way underutilized from a production shop standpoint, about which I know nothing. The only setup time for me is switching collets on one of them, then adjusting the cutoff length by a few thousandth for a nearly identical part of a different diameter.
The parts are way, way better than what I was paying a premium for at the quantities I needed, and I’ve had no problems with the machines that I could not fix myself in short order. Never have I had to order the parts they make from another shop, nor been down long enough to affect assembly of finished products. The parts are done when they fall into the parts tray requiring no secondary operations, and I run batches small enough so that the oil is still wet and not sticky for assembly.
Between them and a “modern” 20 spindle drilling and tapping machine running off a PLC, I have managed to make a living for the last 25 years. Without them, I have no idea what I’d be doing today.
No way I could have afforded a CNC machine. The drilling/tapping machine cost me $1,200. used, $700 for the programming software, a couple more thousand for sensors, solenoid valves and incidentals and a lot of time to make the spindles, bushing, plates, fixtures etc., needed for just two different parts. The Brownies were much cheaper considering the time spent customizing the other machine.
So to answer your questions, Camscan, from the standpoint of somebody who has no need for different setups:
1) Are parts available for the needed repairs and if so for how long?
So far,Yes. Those very few not quickly available were either repaired or made by me, and the tooling made by Lester Detterbeck is reasonable and of excellent quality.
2) Are the machines meeting your customer's needs?
I am the customer and they both have for the past 2 + decades.
3) Are the machines making an acceptable amount of money for you?
Yes. I am still vertical during daylight hours, and no longer have to do any heavy lifting.
As dedicated machines for the right parts they can be very worthwhile for someone making the same parts on a regular basis.
Cheers,
Jim
