Not building related, but, on a similar tone. I developed an after-market item for a niche market. I went to no less than 6 machine shops to make the parts. I couldn't believe the way I was treated. Here is some of what I wrote on another forum.
My adventure started in April of last year. Let’s start with shop #1, First of all, this guy made me wait an hour and a half outside his office, while he was talking to someone on the phone. I could hear the entire conversation; it was about his boat and flying bridge. I’m a patient kind of guy so I let it go. When he finally came out, He asked me what I wanted; I showed him my samples and my prints. He looked at the parts and started to roll his eyes and gave me that “get this small **** out of here” look. Undaunted, I told him that I needed 100 sets to start with and would he give me a quote. He told me to leave the prints and he would call back the next day.
The next day came and went, still no quote. I called and asked if he came up with a price. He told me to give him a couple days. A week goes by, still no quote. I call again; this time he tells me he’s too busy and asked me to try again in a couple of weeks. ……
Shop #2, this guy seemed ok; I showed him my samples and prints. He told me that this would be an easy job. Great!!!, he told me that he would get back to me in a couple of days…. A week goes by and no quote. I give him a call and he apologized and said he had issues with tenants at one of his rental properties and that he would get back to me the next day. Next day….no quote. I called again and again he apologized, but, he did have a quote. First let me say, to be competitive, I have to keep the price at $250 per system. If I had accepted his quote, I would have to sell at $395, to break even…..it would never sell at that price…..
Shop#3, I gave this shop a call and explained what I had. I asked if I could stop by his shop and show him my prints and samples. He told me that he was close and that he would stop by my home the next day and see what I have. The next day comes and after a couple of hours of waiting, I tried calling, but, no answer. The next day he calls me and tells me that he completely forgot about me and asked me if he could stop by again. Like a dummy, I agree and told him that Saturday would be good. Saturday comes and guess what????
Shop #4, never called back.
Shop #5, never called back.
Shop #6, when I called this shop, the owner told me to drop by and he would look at what I needed. I arrived at the shop and was greeted with a handshake and he started to check out what I had. I gave him my story about the previous shops and he couldn’t believe that I was having such a hard time getting these parts made. He asked me to give him a couple of days and he would have a quote for 100 sets. True to his word, he called and gave me his quote. It was more than I thought it would be, but, I needed these parts. He showed me sample of his work and I was impressed, so I accepted his price. He told me that since he’s a little slow, that it wouldn’t take long at all. Well, 4 weeks have passed and still no parts.
First it was ”my wife and I decided to go camping for a week”, then it was the problem of getting material, he complained about the cost of material and I told him that I could pick up the 6061 aluminum at a good price…So, I buy the material needed and deliver it to him. Next ….it’s he isn’t setup to do the pulleys and would have to farm them out. Then the shop he farms it out to, changes their mind on what type of stock to use and decides to use flat stock instead of the 12’x 2.25” round 6061 that I bought per their recommendation, then it’s they can’t figure out how to put the radius in the wheel , like I did on my old Logan lathe. …..
So, I laid out a bunch cash for a deposit and bought and delivered all the material and I’m still without parts. In the meantime, I’ve been making a handful of parts on my old machines, to keep my waiting customers at bay. While a complete CNC shop is still trying to figure how to make some simple parts.
The problem as I see it, is that these businesses just don’t want to take that extra step. I can see it in the way they agonize about moving a part off the mill to drill and tap one 10/32” threaded hole, because the CNC mill couldn’t do it. I can see it when they think you’re just an old man with a stupid idea and brush you off. I can see it their MSDS (my chit don’t stink) attitudes and how they think they are smarter than you because they hold a degree or they have “X” amount of years of machining.
I am very tempted to go to China and I would probably find a shop very eager to make these parts, but, I just can’t do it.
I finally recieved my parts after seven months of BS from the professionals.
I will not do any business with any other shop. I’ve made the decision to get my own CNC mill, take some courses and do it myself. In the meantime, I will lurk the forums learn a bit more and also read the threads with shop owners complaining about losing business and how hard it is to run one..... Oh you poor souls.
The same thing happens in Minnesota.
