A Door Closed Yesterday... Another Opened

[hunterridgefarm]

Scotty,

Sorry to here this happen but sould like you have some good plans in the works. The machinist part sounds good. I sell for a large job shop and many of the companies I do machine work for also use small shops, some with just 1 or 2 people. One you let some of the companies know what you are capable of doing and your past experience I don't think you would have a problem getting machine work. The woodworking could also fill in the gaps as well as part time truck driving.

Diversify yourself with several occupations.

Good luck and I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers!

David

 

[hazmat]

Scotty,

Well all I can say is, Good Luck in your future endeavors.

Let us know if you do open your own little shop. I've got some mods I want to do with my MMM which would involve a couple small brackets that I don't have the equipment to fabricate on my own, well at least not to my standards (I suppose I could hack at them with my cutoff saw & drill press...)

You could probably do some good business just by advertising on tbn. Small parts are easy to ship in low quantities.

 

[dooleysm]

"You could probably do some good business just by advertising on tbn. Small parts are easy to ship in low quantities."

I totally agree. I was just thinking about building a brooder pen for some chickens this spring. It would take too long to describe the parts I wanted, but I don't have the skill or tools to make them, and would have gladly paid a few bucks for someone to make them for me and ship them out here.

Anyway, I know what it's like to get laid off, as it happened to me about 2 years after I got out of school. I had just bought a harley and a house (in that order) and had some pretty steep bills coming in with minimal savings. Fortunately I was younger and in a very marketable field and landed a new job in 2 days. It worked out great for me, as I hated the guy I worked for and ended up moving closer to my future wife.

On a related note, my parents just up and sold their house and moved closer to us (and the rest of our family). They didn't have any jobs lined up and were content to be 'retired' for a while. My mom started substitute teaching while both continued looking for work. They've both been on many interviews and been told time and time again that they are overqualified. Neither one wants anything glorious, just an 'easy' job to provide health insurance. That's the big problem for them. They aren't old enough for medicare, but are old enough that insurance costs a fortune.

 

[DocHeb]

Hazmat - I'll bounce this off you since my comment is similiar - I need a couple brackets made out of 3/8 inch steel, but I don't have any metalworking tools or skills. None of the shops that I've found in the area would even talk to me (yeah, they would, but they need a $250 "setup" charge to get started.) This achieved the desired affect - just make me go away .

 

[jbrumberg]

scotty:

Sorry to hear about your "displacement". I can also relate to your situation. All I can say is take advantage of the time, monies, and support now offered you. I have become happier (maybe not richer) with each of my displacements. Good luck and keep hanging in there- Jay

 

[hazmat]

Hazmat - I'll bounce this off you since my comment is similiar - I need a couple brackets made out of 3/8 inch steel, but I don't have any metalworking tools or skills. None of the shops that I've found in the area would even talk to me (yeah, they would, but they need a $250 "setup" charge to get started.) This achieved the desired affect - just make me go away .

you need to find the little guy who will crank it out in an hour from stock he has laying around for $75 cash.

I work for a *very* large company, I can certainly understand the $250 setup fee. It costs the machine shop money to log you in to their system, generate a bill etc. etc. etc.

We've calculated that to bring a new part number into stock it costs in excess of $700 - just to get it into the system(s), receive it, inspect it, put it away, & kit it to the production line. All this could be for a $0.02 washer.

Obviosly the small guy has much less overhead.

 

[sandman2234]

DocHeb,
If you have a drawing of the part you need, send it to me. If I have the material, I might be able to do it. I do have the time, at least for now. Hopefully next week things will change on my end and I will get to go back to work!!
David from jax

 

[Wayne County Hose]

Hazmat - I'll bounce this off you since my comment is similiar - I need a couple brackets made out of 3/8 inch steel, but I don't have any metalworking tools or skills. None of the shops that I've found in the area would even talk to me (yeah, they would, but they need a $250 "setup" charge to get started.) This achieved the desired affect - just make me go away .

No, that's called "We're real busy but if you pay us more than the job we're on we'll do it."

 

[AlanB]

Scott, hate to hear it, but sounds like you have it under control.

I would echo what hunterridgefarm said, diversity can be key, then narrow in on what you like as the business develops.

Whatch that other discussion going on about SS benefits, and when and how they are figured, it can play a huge role in your future income.

My 2 cents (and it may not be worth that) on the woodworking etc. is to build finished pieces and sell them. If you start doing commision work, until you get to the point where you can charge "whatever" it can be real frustrating.

I have a very talented friend, that does hourly commision work, and does real well, and from the sound of it, you could do it as well if you can connect with the customers.

He does EVERYTHING to the bodies etc. of exotic cars. Need a taillight made for a 1942 RR cast out of unobtanium, he does that, need a custom peice of rolled stainless dash trim used in a 1912 dusawhatever, yep, he can fabricate that, need a set of hubcaps spun for a 19whatever Chord, Yep, made them One of the latest ones, was

Need a 3/4 scale model of a horse drawn fire pumper engine thing to pull behind the 3/4 scale horses you had specially bred to pull it???? yep, call Ron.

It is really cool to go into his shop and see the projects going on (one man shop) Somedays it is interior work, somedays, metal casting, somedays machine work, somedays exotic woodwork, but always interesting, and now, after many long years, he is charging what he is worth and the backlog is so long to get in, that they stopped accepting orders.

Sounds like you have many of the same attributes. Now you just need to find the customers that will pay the $$$$ to make it worthwhile.

 

[scott_vt]

Good Afternoon Guys,
OK its been a whole month of runnin different scenarios of what the heck Im gonna do, why I want to do it, if I want to do it, when I want to do it etc... I wanted you all to know that Im not gonna sit around and do nothin...

I found a great part time job driving a flatbed car carrier for a local auto wrecking company, heres a pic of my new office http://www.fleetsaleswest.com/photos/International_4700_1300_1.jpg

Actually the truck Im driving is a 92 International DT 466 diesel, but they may be gettin a new truck soon ! The other full time guy has a new carrier.

Im still lookin into a milling machine and a lathe to do some small jobs, couple of potential customers !

In the end I decided after 35 years of machining, I have kind of had it with doing that for other companies, and am really lookin at four walls working inside I may have a different view after working out in the cold for a week or so, but I dont think I will ! So thats the big update~!

Merry Christmas !!!