Small turned metal parts

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tallstory
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Small turned metal parts

Post by tallstory »

Is there anyone out there who can make small replacement parts for arcade machines? I'm looking for someone with a lathe and a modicum of experience to make some parts for some of my arcade machines. The companies online are into CNC and everything costs a fortune as they want to make a thousand. So I'm looking for an enthusiast or a small family firm who is happy to turn out a single small item or two.
tallstory
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by tallstory »

Looks like nobody can help :( Perhaps this Australian guy could step in
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_ ... ing+videos
Now that what I call engineering :lol:
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badpenny
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by badpenny »

Strewth, your idea of "small replacement parts for arcade machines" and mine differ.

I don't know enough of what's involved to meet your needs, but even if you were able to supply accurate and detailed drawings for a competent engineer to faithfully reproduce your items, I'd still expect the costs to be chunky.
Anyone worth their salt and in possession of the equipment and facilities will have overheads that dictate a minimum hourly rate, before you get into materials costings etc.
Do you know this story?
The Graybeard engineer retired and a few weeks later the Big Machine broke down, which was essential to the company’s revenue. The Manager couldn’t get the machine to work again so the company called in Graybeard as an independent consultant.

Graybeard agrees. He walks into the factory, takes a look at the Big Machine, grabs a sledge hammer, and whacks the machine once whereupon the machine starts right up. Graybeard leaves and the company is making money again.

The next day Manager receives a bill from Graybeard for £5,000. Manager is furious at the price and refuses to pay. Graybeard assures him that it’s a fair price. Manager retorts that if it’s a fair price Graybeard won’t mind itemizing the bill. Graybeard agrees that this is a fair request and complies.

The new, itemized bill reads….

Hammer: £5

Knowing where to hit the machine with hammer & how hard: £4995
tallstory
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by tallstory »

I can supply drawings - no problem. Anyone who has a lathe could do them so perhaps I should buy one. That would certainly add to the cost.

I had a contact (a retired model maker) but sadly he is now too ill to continue. I'll try searching the model maker hobbyist forums.
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treefrog
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by treefrog »

I suspect that is the issue, finding a fellow colleague who can help as I suspect there are many who have the skills seeing the work done over the years. I often have had a similar dilemma when considering investing in a expensive tool, will I get use of it and will I fail miserably to master it :HaHa:
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geordy55
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by geordy55 »

Put some drawings on here and people will then know what skills they need. I’m an engineer with a couple of mills and lathes, but I like to see drawings before I say anything about how easy or difficult they would be to make.
tallstory
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by tallstory »

Put some drawings on here and people will then know what skills they need.
Geordy, I have attached a drawing so you can see it is fairly straightforward machining and not high tolerance work. Hope someone steps up because I contacted a commercial company and they wanted shed loads of money to do it.
Attachments
Regina-startup-buttona.jpg
highfield
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by highfield »

Twenty minutes work if you have a lathe and a drill.
highfield
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by highfield »

My point being it shouldn’t be a prohibitive price.
pennymachines
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by pennymachines »

Unless you have the tools and skill to do it yourself, or know someone willing to do it as a favour, any one-off job like this will be relatively expensive.

Anyone doing it professionally, and therefore needing to make a living wage, has to take into account (on top of the estimated time for completing the work) time communicating with the customer about requirements and understanding technical details, sourcing and cost of raw material, setting up tools, wear and tear on tools, plus the time and cost of postage and packing. So the unit price of such simple items does tend to be prohibitive unless required in quantity.
highfield
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by highfield »

Not to put words in to tallstory's request I don’t think he is looking for a professional to do it. He seems to have already gone down that route.
Just someone to help out with a couple of bits.
The communications would be the drawing. Tool wear on this would be nothing as long as you have a lathe and a tool bit. BMS is easy to get and postage for one of of these would be less than £3.
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badpenny
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by badpenny »

I think the most expensive part of a one off job done by someone being either professional or semi is lost opportunity.
While they're spending time and resources on your work they aren't earning the going rate nor caring for their valuable punters that help them pay their bills.
I spent less than £200 on a model makers' hobby lathe which along with two years of Comprehensive School metal work enables me to tackle such jobs. Before I bought it I could have probably converted a coach bolt into your drawing using an electric drill secured in a vice, a file and emery cloth.

Even far from being professional in engineering, my stumbling stone in offering such a service is simply time, to me it's rare and valuable. I'm now retired and don't handle stress too well. Taking others' work on is a responsibility.
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geordy55
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by geordy55 »

I’ve tried to send you a private message, but for some reason it’s not sending.

What’s your budget ?
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gameswat
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by gameswat »

Amazing what you can lathe with a simple electric drill held in a vice, usually just a small hacksaw blade or files will make whatever you need. For more precise parts I found using a hand held grinder is fantastic, the speed of the grinder wheel matches the speed of the drill but at 90 degrees so you end up with very precise cutting. For many years this was my only way of lathing all parts until I saved up to buy a proper lathe and mill. I still occasionally use this method when can't be bothered walking to my machine shop all of 30 ft away.....in fact used it just tonight to linish a steel shaft I'd rough lathed earlier to get a precise fit.
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JC
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by JC »

Back in the days when I was doing this sort of thing, I would probably have done it for £20, although many requesting such a job would probably have expected to pay a fiver, (including postage). I would be really interested to know what you have been quoted.
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geordy55
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by geordy55 »

Is this what you're looking for ?

Machined Pin.jpg

This took me just under 2 hours to make, plus the material (plus of course 2 hours lost time from my normal working day)

So, what would you think would be a fair price for it ?
tallstory
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by tallstory »

Geordy
I have replied to your pm - sorry for the delay. Yes that looks great. Twenty years ago I would price a job like this with some certainty but I live in the past and I don't want to undervalue you. I would be happier if you pm'd me a price you are happy with. BTW the commercial firm wanted £90 plus VAT and postage. :o Thanks for taking an interest.
highfield
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by highfield »

Good job Geordy55
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badpenny
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by badpenny »

There you go Tallstory, you didn't need worry about trying to make one after all.
Geordie had one all the time!
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geordy55
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Re: Small turned metal parts

Post by geordy55 »

badpenny wrote: Wed Sep 08, 2021 8:24 pm Geordie had one all the time!
Mmmmmmm
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