SorryNotSorry Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 My computer nerd buddy and I have come up with a simple gadget which we want to make and sell. It's made of 3 pieces of steel welded together and given a coat of paint. Problem is, two of those pieces have been very time-consuming to make, because they had to be cut on a drill press. It would be much better, I thought, to job them out to a company that can stamp them out of sheet metal the way washers are made, then I'd do the final assembly. First place I contacted never got back to me. Second place wanted WAY too much for the job. Third place said what I want is way too small a job for them. Fourth place told me—surprise, surprise—that stamping is an obsolete technology, that I'd do better to look for a place that can cut the parts I need using a laser or a plasma cutter. Up until now, I'd even been considering looking for someone in China who can make the parts cheap, but then the idea of buying a plasma cutter started to sound better and better, plus there are a lot of other unrelated projects my computer nerd buddy and I could use it for. So, he got so excited afer watching some guy on YT cut a steel plate using a plasma cutter, that he wants to buy one for both of us. I found out there's nothing magical about the way a plasma cutter works. It's essentially a jet of compressed air blown through an electric arc, and this superheated air is used to cut metal. It's way less time-consuming than using an electric saw, and not as messy as an acetylene torch. I've been doing my own arc welding for 24 years, so using a plasma cutter should be second nature. I remember when plasma cutters used to cost a couple thousand bucks. Now there are some for under $200. Link to post Share on other sites
Duke Memphis Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 What's your product's intended purpose? Link to post Share on other sites
SorryNotSorry Posted June 20, 2018 Author Share Posted June 20, 2018 2 hours ago, Duke Memphis said: What's your product's intended purpose? Surcam accessory for residences and businesses. Link to post Share on other sites
Ace of Mind Posted June 20, 2018 Share Posted June 20, 2018 I'm quite impressed with the accessibility of do-it-yourself CNC machines these days. 3D printers, plasma cutters, and 3-axis routers are all within reach of hobbyists for a few hundred bucks, either through kits or even built from scratch with enough knowhow,. It's refreshing. Link to post Share on other sites
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