[quote author="sahib"][quote author="ENS Audio"]Hello, I have been thinking of getting into learning machining on a hobby/diy basis. Im willing to put a small amount of money into equipment and materials and so there are a few options I have in mind and of course the least costly of these options is what I'll go for.
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This is the right time for personal development. Therefore go for it. Things are slow and bad in a lot of cases at the moment and will get worse. I don't know your budget but you can pick up a second hand small lathe, mill (not the railway modellers' toy types)and even a flat bed cnc router.
However, learning these machines to do simple things is one thing but offering services or products with them is another. The latter requires a bit more and the best way to go for it is to look for an apprenticeship. Go to machining shops and ask them for unpaid placement. Tell them as long as you are covered with their business insurance against accidents you'll work free. There is nothing on earth that replaces standing beside a master and watching how he/she is doing things.
My intention is not to compete with the other sellers in the products they're offering, I will only make batches in small but limited quantities to where in the beginning will not charge anything but for shipping of course, unless we're dealing with aluminum or other metals.
Now you have moved into a completely different territory. This is not hobby, this is business. Starting with the idea that you will not compete is wrong. You are at the dark end of a back street and there are a lot of guys who'll pick a fight with you even if you do not want to. As soon as you offer products and services then you are in the competing game.
You'll either offer the same products and services that other people are offering, in which case you will compete and aim to capture a market share. Or you come up with a product and service that the others do not offer. But your list below does not belong to the latter.
Small batches and limited quantities are o.k. but I did not understand the bit you will not charge at the beginning. If you do not charge for what you do how will you sustain your existence? Even if you meant you will only work for no profit then it is still a very bad start-up decision. You work ridiciluously cheap then you stay for the rest of your business life that way and struggle. Then you come to an age that you don't have the same strength that you had when you are young, then just all of a sudden, overnight you find yourself penyless.
When you start very cheap people will rush into you at the beginning. You will be up to your neck in work. But when you start raising your fee because you have to be able to effort a loaf of bread then they will question you. How come you became expensive? Trust me on this. And when you start to expand the business the people's attitude get even worse. The worst thing a small business owner can do is to park his brand new sport car in front of his office. As soon as they start thinking that they are making you rich, you are done for.
So, these are my options:
Making I/O audio transformers and Inductors, nothing that is already being offered by known sellers.
Could be a nice, very small boutique business but chances of turning it into a regular business is very slim. It will be worth continuing the struggle as long as you enjoy doing it.
Fabricating Pots/Trimmers, if that is this would be realistic in money, time and resources. (I'd like to find out more information on the manufacturing process and if someone to whom can help me out through the "learning curve" and in return would send the reciepiant some free goodies)
Forget it.
Finally, custom hardware and metal chassis (dont worry Purusha I wont be offering anything that youre offering )
So are my intentions ethically inline?? I dont want to "step on nobodys toes", I only want to learn some great skills and have fun in the process.
Now this is where you are going to get the slaughter. Purusha offers, at least is capable of offering every conceivable custom metal hardware that you can offer. If you meant boards, etc. by saying custom hardware ,then there are other guys that offer killer works. So, what you will be offering is no different then anybody else's and you will be competing with them. Is that ethical. Of course it is. This is business and we all have to survive. Unless you sent PMs to everybody saying that Purusha's or anybody else's work is crap and you are the best then it is completely ethical.
Now this is my way of thinking. And possibly in line with most of the guys' thinking here, if not all.
In what we do there is always business for everybody. Offer your best, give your price. If you get it you've got a job. Otherwise look out for the next one.
However, one important point is that this forum is all about DIY which makes it unique. It is a small community and what everybody offers is not with a huge commercial interest in mind. At best a modest profit to cover the costs.[/quote]
Yeah, you basically summed it all up for me :green:
I didnt feel that really there would be any chance of getting things rolling realistically.
just wanted to validate my illlogic :?