online CNC laser/plasma cutting?

[danielbuck]

I've been wanting to start using some parts designed in CAD for some of my projects, but I don't want to get into owning a CNC plasma table.

I'm going to contact local companies to see if they will do small parts runs, or individual parts at a reasonable price. One of them quoted me a minimum order price of $200, which for a single small part seems kind of high. Though I don't know what prices are like in general for CNC cutting, so maybe that's not out of line.

While I'm contacting local companies, is there any online companies that folks have used and had good results with? Most of my parts would be fairly small, so shipping probably wouldn't be a big deal.

 

[matt_i]

This is just a devil's advocate position but do you need the repeatability and quantity of the CNC part?

IOW can you get a plasma cutter, sharpen up your pencil or scribe, lay out the part, and cut it out manually?

The job shop is spending a lot of time to get the first part to come out right. The next 50+ knock off very easily after that and so their price per part will usually come down unless they don't want the work.

So that's why I say for just a few parts just set 'em up and knock 'em down yourself. I know its tedious, I've bandsawed and sanded my way to quite a few profiles...

 

[kazlx]

Just like stated, one or two parts is always going to be the most expensive. Most shops have minimums for that exact reason. Making one part is 95% of the the work as making 100 parts. What kind of parts do you need made?

 

[4 FN 27]

One of them quoted me a minimum order price of $200, which for a single small part seems kind of high. Though I don't know what prices are like in general for CNC cutting, so maybe that's not out of line.

As a Fab Shop owner, one must get a return on their investment. $800,000.00 Fiber Laser cutting $200.00 Minimum orders is a very slow ROI.

Even on a CO2 at $340,000.00 it is still a slow ROI.

Here is a good thread to read:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=334038&highlight=Quoting

Specifically:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5863629&postcount=28

 

[PCustoms]

As a Fab Shop owner, one must get a return on their investment. $800,000.00 Fiber Laser cutting $200.00 Minimum orders is a very slow ROI.

Even on a CO2 at $340,000.00 it is still a slow ROI.

Here is a good thread to read:




Specifically:

https://www.garagejournal.com/forum/showpost.php?p=5863629&postcount=28

This.

Same concept for any machine, and remember administration (order entry, qa, shipping etc.) Cost get ammortied across orders, qty 1 or 1000.

I source for a living, it's fun to watch small runs get ordered for more then the larger run would cost. Sometimes more qty=less $ overall, but it doesn't always make sense.

 

[4 FN 27]

I should also mention I have a Water Jet at home...I don't carry the overhead I have here at the shop. PM me and I can quote a couple of things for you on the Jet.

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[Griff93]

We take online orders for small parts and quantities of cnc plasma and machined parts. We have a $35 minimum. We run a prototype shop so were well setup for smaller quantities. Send me a pm if I can help you with something.

 

[dr_clyde]

My local laser cutter has a $30 minimum, they have a fiber and two Co2 lasers. I can’t even buy steel for what they can get me finished parts for.

They get a lot of my business...

 

[4 FN 27]

My local laser cutter has a $30 minimum, they have a fiber and two Co2 lasers. I can’t even buy steel for what they can get me finished parts for.

They get a lot of my business...

How do they stay in business???

Interesting. What can you get for $30.00?

 

[pamike]

My local laser cutter has a $30 minimum, they have a fiber and two Co2 lasers. I can’t even buy steel for what they can get me finished parts for.

They get a lot of my business...

In some instances I have seen the same thing. The big laser guys are buying trailer loads at a time of material where I am normally buy 10 sheets at a time.

Their waterjet isnt quite the same but similar. The waterjet is less competitive and has a higher billing rate. They keep 3/8, 1/2, 3/4, 1" T304 Stn Stl full plates in stock where as I would have to buy a cut down blank at a premium. Also those big waterjet and laser guys make very thin margins on material where as we have a comfortable margin.

 

[dr_clyde]

How do they stay in business???

Interesting. What can you get for $30.00?

$30 buys you any manner of small brackets, plates, or they usual "walk in" type work. Just yesterday I had a dozen plates, 1/4" HRPO with some holes in it cut, they did it in less than 24 hours for about $50, so I imagine if I had ordered a few less I would have been around $30 or so. Basically a floor plate for a 2" x 2" post.

They are a very good shop, have been serving the area for decades. I'm sure the margins are very, very thin on those little jobs, if they make money at all. Could be a loss leader on a lot of those things, but they'll do it for anyone, not just established shops. History helps with speed and price to some extent, but these guys are very, very good.

They do wire EDM as well as some forming and some minor machining, but they primarily do laser cutting.

I know the owner pretty well, and he's a sharp guy. He bought the business a few years ago and has built it into a heck of a nice place.

I rarely get stuff quoted for little jobs now because I know the price will be more than fair.

 

[Bigblue&Goldie]

$30 buys you any manner of small brackets, plates, or they usual "walk in" type work. Just yesterday I had a dozen plates, 1/4" HRPO with some holes in it cut, they did it in less than 24 hours for about $50, so I imagine if I had ordered a few less I would have been around $30 or so. Basically a floor plate for a 2" x 2" post.

They are a very good shop, have been serving the area for decades. I'm sure the margins are very, very thin on those little jobs, if they make money at all. Could be a loss leader on a lot of those things, but they'll do it for anyone, not just established shops. History helps with speed and price to some extent, but these guys are very, very good.

They do wire EDM as well as some forming and some minor machining, but they primarily do laser cutting.

I know the owner pretty well, and he's a sharp guy. He bought the business a few years ago and has built it into a heck of a nice place.

I rarely get stuff quoted for little jobs now because I know the price will be more than fair.

Are you providing them with the cut files? Regardless, that is incredibly cheap considering the overhead that goes into such a business.

 

[dr_clyde]

Are you providing them with the cut files? Regardless, that is incredibly cheap considering the overhead that goes into such a business.

Yes, I provide a cut file, but they have been known to work from napkin sketches in the past.

 

[bullnerd]

I use to use a guy up in WA or OR, but I forget the name now. They were the same way, no min. and they would cut and ship for less than I could buy the material in NJ.

I have recently used Precision tube laser in Vegas though. Very easy to deal with and they cut me ONE(1)! part for a prototype and shipped it within a few days for a very good price. But they only do tube work. Great guys to do business with and hopefully I will be in the future.

 

[kazlx]

When I had my plasma, I would do odd job simple stuff for cheap. I get the overhead in running a shop, but if I already have material and even better already running the needed material, it literally takes 30 seconds to draw and program basic stuff. There were plenty of times I'd do stuff for $20-40.

I will still do some stuff on the Fadal to help people out as well, but it needs to be pretty basic, easy to hold and not need any specific tooling.

 

[ericlar80]

http://www.bigbluesaw.com

I've used them for a number of things. They even have an online design tool you can use if you don't have the software.

 

[sz0k30]

A while back I ran into this site.

https://sendcutsend.com

Haven't had the occasion to try them, but appear to be exactly what you might be looking for.

 

[ilovevocs]

When I had my plasma, I would do odd job simple stuff for cheap. I get the overhead in running a shop, but if I already have material and even better already running the needed material, it literally takes 30 seconds to draw and program basic stuff. There were plenty of times I'd do stuff for $20-40.

I will still do some stuff on the Fadal to help people out as well, but it needs to be pretty basic, easy to hold and not need any specific tooling.

I’m sure that $20 is a cash and carry price.

This is a different thought process than a larger business. When we do business I have to write a work order, send the work order to a tech, tech performs the work, work order returns, I follow up with the customer, then forward to bill to be generated, mail it / email, then wait 30 days (if your lucky ) for payment. The tech is a $60 an hour. I value my time above that, and the person issue the bill, then cashing the check is $50.

Protocols exist so we can run large scale work with consistent quality and speed but they are not necessarily cost effective for small jobs.

I can’t afford to service a client for less than $500. We work in the industrial sector; when residential customers call me they typically make remarks like “well you don’t want my business”. No sir, I can’t afford your business

Know a guy who works for wages without insurance out of a mini van and he will do it for $25 / hour cash. I’ll will refer to them to him if that is what they are looking for.

The other aspect is we have fixed resources. While I try to help people out I can’t tie up an individual who could generate income performing profitable work to perform work in a market that we cannot profit in. Unfortunately we are not amazon.

 

[kazlx]

Of course. Overhead is everything.