Getting stuff made
Submitted: Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 02:14
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t0me (WA)
I'm beginning to think I'm asking for something difficult....
I've rung sheet metal workers, boiler makers, metal fabricators, vehicle fabricators, welders, and a firm that makes explosives containers (but that one was a wrong number...)
I only found one company that would take on the job and they had a 3 week waiting period!!!
All I want is someone to bend up a new bash plate for me. I can show them a diagram of a
well designed one thats 90% of what I want it to be like. It can be steel (3mm enough) or Aluminium (5mm enough?). I can even cope if its angular bends rather than smooth curves (though I'd prefer curves).
I've rung over a dozen place so far but I just can't find someone in
Perth (preferably south) that wants the job (and who doesn't want me to wait a few weeks for it - and then probably charge me several hundred bucks for it!)
Anyone know of somewhere I can try?
Reply By: Member - Andrew W (SA) - Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 11:07
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 11:07
Hi tOme,
For people in
Adelaide, I get my brackets and odd thingies made up by "Metal Fabricators" in Edwardstown in
Adelaide - tell them Andrew from [insert my business name] sent you - I know it's not much use to you t0me, but I think you should just keep trying until you find the right place.
I generally find that they charge $30 to scratch themselves (fair enough) and about $50 per hour - I'm prepared to pay that. Everything comes out exactly as I specify it. Most of my stuff has minimal material, but you would need to factor something in. When it comes to the real little jobs, they end up doing it for nothing - the relationship is worth a lot to me.
They are not into cash deals - they only do GST incl (which is fine by me anyway as it's for the busienss), but are flexible, understanding and provide great quality work.
Ciao for now
Andrew.
AnswerID:
157485
Reply By: Mike DiD - Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 22:09
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 22:09
Another problem facing thos eof us who want a quick, cheap bending job done is that the simple Panbrake is disappearing to be replaced by teh computerised bending machine.
It can do just about anything, but only after they've set up the appropriate dies and programmed all the details.
I have done my own bending - get some heavy angle iron placed under the bend, then use a bolster and hammer along the top of the bend.
Alternatively use the 1 tonne press you have already - place angle iron on the ground, the metal on top, a steel bar on top, your hydraulic jack on that. Put it all under the vehicle and start jacking.
Mike
AnswerID:
157663
Follow Up By: Pajman Pete (SA) - Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 07:59
Friday, Mar 03, 2006 at 07:59
Now there is an Idea I hadn't thought of before!
Thanks Mike, its snippets like this that keep me coming back here.
Cheers
Pete
FollowupID:
412660
Reply By: awill4x4 - Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 23:49
Tuesday, Feb 28, 2006 at 23:49
As a tradesman boilermaker/specialist Tig welder working in the motorsports industry here in Victoria I can sympathise with the workshops. We get these sort of enquiries all the time and inevitably the 1st thing that people say "it'll only take 5 minutes". Unfortunately, it never happens that way. Assuming a guard or bash plate with dimensions around 900mm X 900mm of 5mm aluminium then there's about $80+ in material straight away. You may show them a diagram of the "
well designed" one you like but there's no accurate dimensions to work with so it all has to be measured up on the car or copy the original one on the car already. This all takes time and it's amazing just how much time it takes. The jobs a "one off" so you know you'll never make another one and it's nearly impossible to put a price on it without actually building it in the 1st place and pricing it on hours on the job. If you tell the customer it could take a 5 or 6 hours to build @ $60 per hour plus material suddenly you're looking at $300 - $360 plus material plus GST.
These jobs are never as easy as they look, I know, I do this stuff for a living working in aluminium, stainless and Chrome/Moly every day.
There's no point criticising the workshops, we all know there's no free lunch out there and often it's better to say "sorry mate, we're just too busy" and most of us are too busy. These sorts of jobs we'll try and fit in if we can at times but it's always without interrupting our regular bread and butter work and if the customer can't or won't wait we're sorry but that's the best we can do.
Regards Andrew.
AnswerID:
157719
Follow Up By: Truckster (Vic) - Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006 at 00:00
Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006 at 00:00
*applause*
Grovel brown nose love ya work....
FollowupID:
412011
Follow Up By: t0me (WA) - Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006 at 01:36
Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006 at 01:36
Yup I get that, and I understand. Thankyou Andrew for taking the time, mate I've learned something about how it works.
So maybe if I try another approach, maybe you, or someone you know can take a look at this and let me know if they can make a bashplate for a Series 1 Delica Spacegear. It shouldlook goodand be pretty much of these dimensions:
However at the 583mm mark it should be split into two bits instead of one. For maintenance we'd want to get into the right half which would be under the engine. Ideally there would be minimal edges raised between the two bits to avoid catching on things.
I'd prefer if it was Aluminium so I could make any small adjustments with a jigsaw or hammer.
How thick should it be?
How much would it cost?
Do you know someone specific who could take a look at the diagram and give me a quote for it to be in front of me here in WA so I could bolt it on.
Now what if I could find another 9 people in WA who wanted one how much would it be then?
FollowupID:
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Follow Up By: t0me (WA) - Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006 at 01:38
Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006 at 01:38
Trying again with the picture
FollowupID:
412030
Follow Up By: t0me (WA) - Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006 at 01:40
Wednesday, Mar 01, 2006 at 01:40
Thankyou to Ajwhite2 for the picture.
FollowupID:
412031