Careers and stuff

Hi John:
I read your ideas with interest; here's my two cents' worth.
I used to try to make ends meet in my shop by doing much the same as you're
intending, and I found it didn't work too well.
Most of my customers at that time were totally unaware what it costs to make
stuff; I found that I couldn't make any money off them, and they were a pain
in the ass besides.
I've learned never to target a customer group that can't or won't pay what
your skills are worth.
Don't forget; as you gain experience in this business, you will find that
your skill set puts you in a highly sought-after minority and that there are
a lot of good customers out there who NEED what you can provide.
Without your abilities they are lost.
My advice to others who show a strong interest in this sort of activity has
always been to learn voraciously, and broaden your skill set as much as you
can.
Consider your equipment investment as an investment in your education, and
don't be afraid to spend as much as you can get away with on it.
If you show initiative, you can worm your way into all sorts of interesting
career options.
Play with your gear, and really learn how it works. None of this time will
be wasted.
With regards to your specific machine related comments:
The Sherline can be easily retrofitted for CNC; it took me about an hour to
put a Flashcut setup on my machine, and it worked beautifully for me.
I've done some really complicated prototyping, and I've never needed a 4th
axis rig yet.
Volume production is a different story.
I actually prefer the Sherline 5400; it is a more rigid machine.
The 2000 is not a 4th axis machine; all it has is a milling spindle that can
be manually tilted relative to the work. A 4th axis rig typically has a
rotary table that can be driven in concert with at least 2 of the other axes
of movement of the machine so you can cut spirals and stuff. Microkinetics
markets a setup for the Sherline.
The gantry mills you refer to are aftermarket units built from Sherline
parts.
I've never seen one running, so I can't comment fairly on their
capabilities.
If you want to get into TIG at a level that would be useful for the scope of
stuff that your machines can produce, you will need a pretty high-end unit
with stable arc characteristics at low amperages.
Last time I checked, these ran in the $2000.00 to $3000.00 range.(ouch)
Last but not least, San Diego is in California (the southwestern corner).

Cheers

Marcus
-----Original Message-----
From: e.heritage@... <e.heritage@...>
To: CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com <CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO@yahoogroups.com>
Date: Saturday, February 17, 2001 9:04 AM
Subject: Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] New to list (Maxnc, Taig, Sherline?)

>Thanks Marcus,
>
> I've been reading things on the Sherline page now for a good hour or
>two. I planned, with this vast some of money I hope to make, to buy a very
>simple mill, a TIG set and Plasma cutter from ESAB. I already have a VERY
>simple (Clarke) mig set and oxy/acet torch (Harris, cost a lot!) but I was
>going to pack them in for TIG and Plasma. It depends how much the monsters
>at ASDA will pay me to put Kit-Kat's on the shelves for two months every
>night of the week. After cruising through the Sherline page for all this
>time I was thinking though. I thought ealier that I could pay for the mill
>by selling small machined bits to people who couldn't afford to go to a
>larger metal working shop. So I thought that with such small precision bits
>there would be quite a calling for a TIG set to weld togther small
>essemblies, and I adore welding. If I don't get enough from ASDA I will
>leave the cutter though and buy a much better mill with the fourth axis and
>four extra dimensions on the Sherline 2000, plus the TIG set. The other
>option would be to leave both the TIG and Plasma cutter and get the 2000, a
>Sherline lathe and a nice bench. The only criticism I have with Sherline is
>their page is just SO big! It's too much to handle for more than thirty
>minutes straight without some type of cafine. And that they don't supply

the

>CNC kits directly. I've found pages that will sell the 5400 CNC kits but

non

>that will do the 2000. I've written to one asking if the 5400 will operate
>the 2000. Non of them seem to have controllers that will take the forth

axis

>stepper. Anyone know where might? I've tried Flashcut and a number of
>others. I've also seen Sherline gantry mills (I don't plan to buy one), are
>these their own or bought in from someone else? Finally, where abouts is

San

>Diago? Because my family and I are planning to visit the US this year but I
>have no idea where San Diago is. And since the Sherline factory is there I
>could go for a free tour if we were near-by.
>
>Regards,
>John
>