100K garages

[myxpykalix]

After talking to Bill & Ted (this sounds like their "Excellent Adventure"), it got me to thinking.

I have a brother in michigan who does not have a shopbot. I would like to help him make some money by creating any kind of design that a customer may want then have a local botter cut the files for him.
Are there any botters in the Mattawan or Kalamazoo, Michigan area? What kind of rates do you charge? What is business like these days?

In their discussions it was more long the lines of getting this off the grounds first and not a lot of discussion on how to implement shop time costs and other things.
Part of the problem i see is that costs for a shop in New York would be higher than one say in Arkansas.

Maybe there could be a standard set for design time then cutting time set for each shop.
A good example of how this could work is this thread:
http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/11098/45866.html?1252414575

This person wanted some furniture legs reproduced. Lets say a shopbotter close to them could do the work but lacked the expertise to create the 3d part for cutting.
So someone like Khalid who is in another part of the world (location doesn't matter) could produce the part and/or the cutting files, send them to the shopbotter closest to the customer for cutting.
The only way to do this is for EVERY shopbotter to be in this network. With the economy the way it is if you have no work would you be willing to work for less then you normally charge (if need be)?
Also this is work that you normally may not be privvy to unless you were in the network.
It sounds, in theory, like a good idea, but the implementation and logistics is something that needs to be worked out.

[wberminio]

I joined a while ago.
Interesting concept.We'll see....

[angus_hines]

AJck I think the part that you missed was. Predetermined pricing only takes effect if you CHOOSE to opt into the Easy Cut part of the system which is a module due out around spring of next year (I believe).

Out side of that (the Easy Cut system) everyone is free to negotiate their price's with the "Maker" without any SB input as to what you charge.

[gc3]

So did we...www.100kgarages/fabricator/profile/33




Gene Crain
www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com)

[robtown]

I know times are tough, but I hope this concept doesn't become a "race to the bottom" in terms of pricing.

Understandably we all have different pricing factors, thus different needs in terms of price per hour-minute-second, what-have-you, but you cut your own throat when you price too low. As well as everbody else's, even the customer.

Say you price cutting this widget at $.25/ea, even though you feel it should fetch more. Your customer takes the pricing. You cut the pieces at this sustenance rate, because you needed the work, but feel it was priced too low. When the customer wants to do it again he's plugged your price into his pricing formula, but you decide that rate is too low to want to do it again.

You don't get the job and said customer is screwed because he's plugged a bad price into his pricing formulation, and he won't be able to get it done at that price...

It always easier to drop your price a little the second time around, than to raise it.

[myxpykalix]

Rob...you are absolutely right on however in this economy i can't tell you how many builders and other professionals i've talked to (non shopbot related) have just priced themselves out of work because they think they are back in 2007 before the bubble burst.
It might be better to take a job with the caveat that this is a "one time pricing" or "temporary pricing" and you can always make a sign and hang it on the wall "prices subject to change without notice".

[gene]

What is the easy cut System?

[angus_hines]

The "Easy Cut System" will be (the way I understand it) an online design platform where a Maker can design his project and get instant quote, to have his project made by the Fabbers who Opted into the system.

If you Opt into this part of the program (Easy Cut) then you are bound by the pricing structure set forth by Ponoko.

[gc3]

OK Guys...here you go

There is a posting on www.woodweb.com (http://www.woodweb.com) cnc forum for a fabber in the Portland ME area.

Poster web site link http://j-pvilkman.com/tables.php?item=0201




Gene Crain
www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com)

[gc3]

Angus,
Maybe you can link into woodweb to help promo 100k garages and shopbot....just a thought



Gene Crain
www.plantasymaderas.com (http://www.plantasymaderas.com)

[magic]

I hope people are / scratch that... I know that Boters are smart enough to charge for set up, cutting packing and shipping. We were smart enough to learn the ins and outs and can make shapes that others can't.

(That's a clue) Does the customer want a kidney shaped counter top or just a rectangle? They can cut a rectangle with a hand saw.

I think the people who want cheap small parts are probably going to take the best deal but customers who want quality work on cabinets or prototypes will want to visit the shop to see the progress... and that's another selling point, if you're close to them.

If makers want you to cut a board in half, I usually send them to the box store. The time it takes to fire up the old Bot is worthy of lunch. And truthfully by the time you interpret what they want and go over options you need to charge a minimum. I can't tell you the number of times people come to me with an idea, that I can see immediately won't work, and out of the goodness of my heart I take the time explaining why a CNC works differently then a table saw and all the possibilities that were overlooked.

We are Boters... better boters... on the "better boters board". (say that 5 times fast) Bonus!

I appreciate that this service is set-up.
Location, Intricacy, Finishing & Expertise - will be my motto. L.I.F.E.