RE: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] re:DIY anodizing

Ballendo -

I fully agree with you about sticking with what I do best and paying others
to do for me what they do best. It gets tricky, though, when such a big
part of what I do depends on speed, turnaround, etc. The only reason I
would consider doing the anodizing myself is for the "rush" advantage.
Doing the parts myself would speed delivery of my customer's parts by two
full days, and if it takes me as long to do the parts myself as to package,
ship, etc., I'd much rather spend that time "hands on". I am definitely not
trying to make anodizing a "commercial" service that I offer, but more like
an added tool in my shop. I send out 95% of my fab/machining work to local
shops, and I only do things myself when I can do it quicker than the amount
of time it would take to: make a drawing...talk to the shop...send the
files...talk on the phone...pick up the parts...etc. Often, especially in
the R&D type of work I do, I just need to lengthen a slot, chamfer an edge,
make a bracket, etc. to get the prototype/machine to work. If I didn't have
my own tools I wouldn't survive in this business.

Again, it's a VERY good point you make about sticking to what we do well. I
am continually relearning that point.

Carlos Guillermo
VERVE Engineering & Design

> -----Original Message-----
> From: ballendo@... [mailto:ballendo@...]
> Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 6:08 AM
> To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com
> Subject: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] re:DIY anodizing
>
>
> Carlos, Jon, List,
>
> Anodising is fun! AND maddening! Like so many other things, it is
> easy to DO; HARD to do WELL! There's a REASON these guys charge
> what they do! Having the process understood, and maybe the
> capability to do a NON-rush job once in awhile MIGHT be worth
> it... BUT,...
>
> I keep re-learning that it is often MUCH better to use my time to
> do what I do WELL, to make money which I then give to somebody
> else to do what THEY DO WELL!
>
> If I am anodising, I'm not machining(includes the setup and
> cad/cam parts of machining since this IS a cnc list <g>). In a
> hobby situation, it will be great fun to anodise. As a commercial
> sideline, it may cost much more than you think...
>
> Hope this helps.
>
> Ballendo
>
> P.S. Carlos, Those RIT dyes are not color fast (they fade!)
>
> P.P.S. I am not against the idea of home anodising, just against
> some of the "we WILL save money/time by doing it ourselves"
> situations as presented in this thread.
>
> >It really sounsds like the fast response side of the business is
> what >keeps the clients happy (and paying the bills). It seems
> like a >little effort on our parts would go a long way towards
> keeping the >clients impressed and satisfied.
>
> >BTW, it sounds like getting the special colors you want for
> anodizing >comes down to just experimenting a little with the
> cheap RIT wool >dyes. Pretty crazy-simple, huh?
> >Carlos
>
>
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