I mean no offense by this, but the reason you're not getting specific names of suppliers and examples of surface finishes straight off the rip is that concept known as "legwork."Quote:
Originally Posted by incepi
Bringing a product into the supply chain (even as small a number as 25) is a commitment. Not all cutting and jetting shops are created equal, obviously, and the success or failure of your product is going to be solely in their hands. Some will advise you on what size/heat lazer you should use, and what entry angle is best to minimize kerf for your cut piece. Others will just have Ol' Junk McGee push a green button at 3am after cutting aluminum. It took friends of mine 4 different laser shops before they found the quality they were looking for, with good service, and a price that fit into their model. I have had similar experiences.
People here are really generous when it comes to "hey what size wire should I use" and so on. Which is awesome. But when it comes to supply chain in a competitive wholesale environment, it's a whole different ball game. My advice would be to start with a shop that is always busy and has a lead time. Beware of shops that can "do it tomorrow morning," as idle laser cutters are only idle for a reason. Get at least theee quotes, go down to the shops for hands on samples from the cut line, meet your potential sales contacts. It'll take a few days of scheduling and running around chasing smoke.
My guess is that you haven't built those legwork hours into the eventual price of your product. Realistically for 3 quotes you're looking at 2 hours of phone time, 2 hours on the shop floors, 2 hours of driving/biking around, and a sandwich. AKA a full day. You might be paying yourself $20/hr, so $140 floated into the life of your parts. For 25 parts, you've got $5.60 into each one without accounting for any design, material, and cost for the vendor. You need to pay yourself and account for these hours, it's not charity work. All of a sudden, it sets in, Mark's tabs are a bargain even at 1.5 times the cost (including shipping and/or duties to Canada).
Good luck, let us know how the project goes.
