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Richmond Virginia area, where to find centerless grinding, plating, heat treating.

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I am 40 miles NW of Richmond Virginia. Is there any reliable small batch services for the above items in the Richmond area? Most of the parts I make you could fit multiples in a shirt pocket and it is all lathe work. The biggest thing I ever make would be the size of a one pound coffee can. I do not want to ship. I am getting too many RFQ's needing the above items recently to keep no bidding them.
 
This is not super helpful, but I'm fairly close in Lynchburg and grew up in Henrico County (west end), and I want to offer anything I can since your close by internet standards. I know of a good plater/anodizer in Ly that I use. IPC (industrial Plating Corp) they could possibly make rounds in your area. Also Global Metal Finishing but they are in Roanoke. Plenty of heat treating here too. A lot of the bigger shops have their own equipment. It would depend on the process you need and if there was a quality spec. Also depending on what kind of pricing you are looking for of course. Centerless grinding I have no idea but I could easily check. I don't know anywhere you can get all three in-house.

Paul
 
This is not super helpful, but I'm fairly close in Lynchburg and grew up in Henrico County (west end), and I want to offer anything I can since your close by internet standards. I know of a good plater/anodizer in Ly that I use. IPC (industrial Plating Corp) they could possibly make rounds in your area. Also Global Metal Finishing but they are in Roanoke. Plenty of heat treating here too. A lot of the bigger shops have their own equipment. It would depend on the process you need and if there was a quality spec. Also depending on what kind of pricing you are looking for of course. Centerless grinding I have no idea but I could easily check. I don't know anywhere you can get all three in-house.

Paul

Thanks, as far as all three in house, I know better, ha,ha. I moved here from Southern California. I made the wrong assumption through internet searches and visits that since areas of Richmond looked as old, run down and crime ridden as East Los Angeles the supply sourcing would be the same, I was 100% wrong. Lynchburg is a little far. I have been there a few times using an electronics repair place a couple years back (I forget the name). I travel to Richmond frequently so using a place in that area would minimize time and expense. I appreciate the response none the less. Internet searches are annoying as a lot of small places don't seem to show up and a lot of sites use multiple location tag lines so Richmond Virginia doesn't get local results.
 
Thanks, as far as all three in house, I know better, ha,ha. I moved here from Southern California. I made the wrong assumption through internet searches and visits that since areas of Richmond looked as old, run down and crime ridden as East Los Angeles the supply sourcing would be the same, I was 100% wrong. Lynchburg is a little far. I have been there a few times using an electronics repair place a couple years back (I forget the name). I travel to Richmond frequently so using a place in that area would minimize time and expense. I appreciate the response none the less. Internet searches are annoying as a lot of small places don't seem to show up and a lot of sites use multiple location tag lines so Richmond Virginia doesn't get local results.

Not sure Richmond - which HAD foundries and such at one time - ever fully recovered industrially from Grant's artillery.

Roanoke / I-81 corridor had a kick start from textiles plants and other polluters many, many decades ago chasing weak regulations, plentiful water, and then-cheap - and may still be - labour. Biggest concentration otherwise, Norfolk/Newport News. Read warships and such.

Nawthun' Virgininyah, pretty much have to look further North yet - Pennsylvania, central Maryland, Baltimore, etc.

"Ship" you may not be able to avoid. OTOH, how much is saved to stop work and trek over even to a "local" provider that's 30 minutes and more round trip wheel time, present-day traffic as it can be?

3CW
 
Nawthun' Virgininyah, pretty much have to look further North yet - Pennsylvania, central Maryland, Baltimore, etc.

"Ship" you may not be able to avoid. OTOH, how much is saved to stop work and trek over even to a "local" provider that's 30 minutes and more round trip wheel time, present-day traffic as it can be?

3CW

I have read numerous horror stories right here on PM about platers and heat treaters not packaging parts correctly. When I was back in Cali and used those services frequently I had a combination of sources in the next town I drove to, or ones that had a pick up and delivery route with company truck that served my area. I make weekly trips to Richmond anyway so I would add a stop that would not impact my time much. Another issue is UPS seems to be the preferred shipper of many outside suppliers and in poor weather they will use the post office to complete delivery in my area, sometimes adding a week delay. The reason why I did not have an immediate need for these services after moving is I stopped doing DOD work. The RFQ's I have seen recently requiring these services mostly have short lead times, hence the need to handle transporting the parts myself.
 
... I stopped doing DOD work. The RFQ's I have seen recently requiring these services mostly have short lead times, hence the need to handle transporting the parts myself.

DoD and GSA destined work? BTDTGTTS, never again. Rather have syphilis.

I kid you not.

Better odds of getting it cured, and at least half a chance it was more fun "going in".
 
DoD and GSA destined work? BTDTGTTS, never again. Rather have syphilis.

I kid you not.

Better odds of getting it cured, and at least half a chance it was more fun "going in".


Agreed, I picked and choosed. I used it to fill time. Bidding the jobs gave me something to do in the middle of the night when I could not sleep. I actually only gave it up because of issues using the government sites with my satellite internet when I moved here. (only option here) I only bid short run jobs that took an hour to 2 days, mostly small replacement parts. I figured you could double the time it would take to sell the part to the private sector because of the paperwork, labeling, packaging and shipping requirements. You had to charge double what you would the private sector per piece for parts to make the same money per hour.
 
You had to charge double what you would the private sector per piece for parts to make the same money per hour.

Problem is you cannot really count on being able to charge what their extra paperwork and such cost - even with the complex tracking and accounting to support that that the "big guys" use (Northrop my first exposure, civilian side, COR and Contracting Officer whilst still in uniform..) ..

There's been a Public Law on the books easily fifty years that no supplier can charge the Government any more than it charges its next-most-favoured NON government customer.

Big Defense has bespoke Divisions meant to never, ever, ever HAVE a non-gummint customer and/or goods that are not ever sold to them, either.

Small shops have been cut a number of breaks over the years, but it is still a slow-pay, admin-heavy road with ever-present threat of the cost and nuisance of special audit hanging over yer head.

Even if an entity has never once set a foot wrong and gets praise for it - that takes time and resources away from earning a crust.

Worse, even customer "loyalty" is banned. Do a superb job every annual contract renewal for long years - still at-risk the next round goes to a lower bidder, so long as "qualified" to perform. Or can sustain the lie that they are qualified for long enough to make it so. It's the Law.

A field for specialists IOW. Virginia actually harbouring more of them than any other State.

Harder ride for mixed-biz generalists, though.
 
I was just bidding small contracts that always went to the lowest bidder, all of it was for replacement parts, somethings going back to WW2, with scans of old blueprints to match. I kind of found my niche on small low quantity parts, it took a while to learn the system.
 
I was just bidding small contracts that always went to the lowest bidder, all of it was for replacement parts, somethings going back to WW2, with scans of old blueprints to match. I kind of found my niche on small low quantity parts, it took a while to learn the system.

Folk at the pointy-end - MIL or CIV - still need the goods, so yeah - shitty jobs, but glad somebody is still willing to do them.
 
Not sure if this helps at all, but when I did work for HDT (Fredericksburg, VA) a few years ago, they used Alexandria Metal Finishers in Lorton, VA. I know that is a bit north of you, but they might run trucks south. I believe HDT was happy with Alexandria.

Bill
 
Not sure if this helps at all, but when I did work for HDT (Fredericksburg, VA) a few years ago, they used Alexandria Metal Finishers in Lorton, VA. I know that is a bit north of you, but they might run trucks south. I believe HDT was happy with Alexandria.

Bill

Thanks - their listing and website are still current.

Grinding services not explicitly listed, but in their biz, the'd have to have a source, too.

FWIW-you-already-know-this Department.. Our "federally focused" microclimate within 200-odd miles of Metro DC means stuff is often rather more expensive than it might otherwise be.
 
Not sure if this helps at all, but when I did work for HDT (Fredericksburg, VA) a few years ago, they used Alexandria Metal Finishers in Lorton, VA. I know that is a bit north of you, but they might run trucks south. I believe HDT was happy with Alexandria.

Bill

Thank you! Fortunately that is on a route I travel quite often. I was hoping since there seems to be a lot of old school businesses in the area (Don't have websites, still advertise in the Yellow Pages)this thread would turn up plenty of leads, so far that isn't happening.
 
probably too far (1.5 hrs), but two popped up when I googled Quantico metal finishing... There's usually plenty of manufacturing around bases.

I hear ya though, the east coast sucks in comparison to the west coast for industrial services. I'm anmazed at the businesses I see out there every time I travel to Cali...

Brent
 
Not sure Richmond - which HAD foundries and such at one time - ever fully recovered industrially from Grant's artillery.

F**king Yankees. Beaverdam's claim to fame is General Custer burned down the train depot 3 times. It still stands, but just as a monument, freight trains still pass by. Glad the Indians butchered him.
 
F**king Yankees. Beaverdam's claim to fame is General Custer burned down the train depot 3 times. It still stands, but just as a monument, freight trains still pass by. Glad the Indians butchered him.

F**kwit never did get anything right the first go, did he?

As a lad, Dad asked an Uncle if he had ever seen Washington, DC.

The old man flew into a rage.

"SEEN it HELL! I could have SHELLED IT if I'd been allowed to!"

Seems that in the confusion of first Manassas, he had slipped his battery of CSA's rather decent horse Artillery up around the lines and onto Lorcum Heights without being detected... then been ordered to withdraw, no shots fired.

Lee had had any idea what was to come, "like Grant took Richmond" still in the language, there'd have been several batteries up there with him, pounding at least Georgetown to flinders.
 
F**kwit never did get anything right the first go, did he?

As a lad, Dad asked an Uncle if he had ever seen Washington, DC.

The old man flew into a rage.

"SEEN it HELL! I could have SHELLED IT if I'd been allowed to!"

Seems that in the confusion of first Manassas, he had slipped his battery of CSA's rather decent horse Artillery up around the lines and onto Lorcum Heights without being detected... then been ordered to withdraw, no shots fired.

Lee had had any idea what was to come, "like Grant took Richmond" still in the language, there'd have been several batteries up there with him, pounding at least Georgetown to flinders.


I s'pose that's possible, but that must'a been a "Great" uncle, and of very old age at that, with you being a "wee" lad eh?

If so, that is something to remember. Regardless of who you were root'n fer.


-----------------

Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 
I s'pose that's possible, but that must'a been a "Great" uncle, and of very old age at that, with you being a "wee" lad eh?

If so, that is something to remember. Regardless of who you were root'n fer.

Mixed bag. That war was like that, most especially for up close to the Mason-Dixon.

"Stonewall" Jackson was very close kin. James Ewell Brown (JEB) Stuart similar - through the Browns. Great G ^ Uncle Bennett as the story goes "got his signature on a lot of the Confederate Banknotes, and his hands on even more of them!"

That said, our line and closest kin were not up for secession. Part of how WEST BY GOD! Virginia came into being. Moving its functional economic capitol to Akron, Ohio, came later... Goodyear's jobs, was it?
:)

And it was DAD'S Uncle - or even then, probably GREAT Uncle, the term not being used all that fussy-like, not mine. Dad was middle of five kids, his vintage 1910.
 
Yes - it would have had to have been your dad's G-uncle as my math puts it.

(or there were some REALLY late bloomers in the woodpile)



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Think Snow Eh!
Ox
 








 
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