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Thread: Lathe Time in your Area

  1. #1
    Boolit Master
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    Lathe Time in your Area

    .I don't have a Lathe or Know how to use one. I have been reading some posts about going to machine shops to make parts. . Living around NY, Nj. I went to a shop . Very hard to find one. . I asked about making some parts. . I was shocked to find out the cost

    basic Make Ready time $150.00 MIn.
    machine time $200.00 per hour
    + materials
    what are the prices in your area
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  2. #2
    Boolit Bub
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    Keep in mind these prices might be designed to discourage rather than simply say no to your customers. Especially if you don't know how the machine works or how to make the part you need. You are essentially paying for machine time and instruction time. I know that I wouldn't rent my machines out to someone off the street.

  3. #3
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    doesn't cost me anything but electricity on my 2 lathes, don't know anyone that rents out machine time without an operator around here

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
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    yes it is not cheap. lots of hidden costs. tax, heat,wear and tear on machines and tooling and other things.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    Sounds about right. Unless you can find a small shop or get someone to do it on a side business is business it cost money to set up machines pay people to do the work electricity overhead. And it’s been along time since I was involved in any kind of business in New York but electricity up there isn’t cheap as I recall the Long Island lighting company was the highest paid utility in the country back in the early 80s . I don’t imagine it’s gotten any cheaper over the years. You’re probably better off looking for a good auto parts store with a machine shop associated with it they might be more apt to do something on the side if they’re equipped to do so
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  6. #6
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    That’s about going rate. Most shops have larger contracts to honor and many just don’t want to do smaller jobs.
    Me, same as blankets response. Electricity for my 2 south bends.
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  7. #7
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    You’re not finding the right kind of shop. It is becoming harder to find small shops, but they do still exist or even a retired machinest who has a lathe. Keep looking and asking around. Maybe the expensive shops could tell you where to look. Even ask garages where they go. You are in a very industrial area there has to be someone with a more reasonable price. Good luck.

  8. #8
    Boolit Grand Master

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    Ive never heard of a shop that rents machines out for outsiders to operate. Machine cost, Power, tooling both long term and expendable, Shop space, electric, insurances, bonding if needed adds up quick. Expandable tooling ( drills, cutters, reamers, Grinding wheels, things that are used up in use) is a on going cost. What I term long term tooling ( dividing heads, live centers, tool posts, rotary tables, whirly gigs, or tooling that's used over and over with little change) is a one time cost unless it get damaged. Not sure what make ready time is.

    One thing is to "Talk the Talk" ask for a quote on the part to be made. Another aspect id this is to have a dimensioned part drawing with you.

    Ive seen drill presses and mills with the tables drilled full of holes, Lathe chucks with cut marks in the jaws and the working surfaces scored from work spinning in them Vise with mill cuts and holes drilled in them. Magnetic chucks with grinder marks dings and other damage. That's why few run my equipment except me.

    A lot of people don't realize this but the actual Lathe mill and surface grinder are the cheaper part of the cost, the vises, chucks, collets, tool holders, rotary tables, dividing heads, live centers, steady rests, and other tooling is the real cost. Then the expendable's tooling on top of this.

  9. #9
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    Depending on what you are going to be using it for, You can get a 7x10 Harbor freight Mini lathe that will make dies for under $500. If you are at all mechanically inclined you can learn how to use it by watching youtube videos. In my opinion that would be better than paying a crazy price. If you want to get something made. Ask here. There are many machinists who may have already made the parts you need and therefore they would be cheaper than having to work up something from scratch.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master Hannibal's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by salpal48 View Post
    .I don't have a Lathe or Know how to use one. I have been reading some posts about going to machine shops to make parts. . Living around NY, Nj. I went to a shop . Very hard to find one. . I asked about making some parts. . I was shocked to find out the cost

    basic Make Ready time $150.00 MIn.
    machine time $200.00 per hour
    + materials
    what are the prices in your area
    What is it you are trying to have made? Perhaps there is a simpler solution than custom machining work, or perhaps a shop that specializes in the type of work you need done would be an economical alternative?

  11. #11
    Boolit Master
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    A few times over the past 40 years ,someone has kicked off an idea of having a workshop with various machines where people could do their own work............they never seem to last very long..........anyhoo,I would think the main demand was for car repair/resto type facilities..........I would think you might be setting yourself up for a big liability claim when a customer claimed he got a piece of swarf/sawdust in his eye kind of whiplash lawyer scam.Consequently ,insurers would not touch the risk...........

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    There are a couple of places like that here in AZ. One is in Gilbert, Arizona and the other is in Sun-City. Sun City is a retirement community. One of group members of my air gun group happens to live there and he recently told me about it. I'm not sure if you have to be a resident to use those facilities and machines but they do exist. There may be others. These are just the ones I'm aware of.

    The one in Gilbert, Arizona is a type of club. You have to be a member of that club in order to use the mills, lathes and whatever else type of machines they have there. I've never been there myself I've just heard of them from several car guys that I've done work for. If I'm not mistaken they have experienced volunteers on staff that help the novices out if need be. Other than knowing that such places exist, that's about all I can tell you about them. I'm sure anyone associated with them has to sign a waiver of some sort for liability and insurance purposes but once a member you get to use the machines.

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  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy MaLar's Avatar
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    If you have a trade school near you you could ask a student to make some thing for you.
    We have Idaho State University here with a VoTech school. It has Machine shop Technology class.
    They have a night class for us poor citizens not going to school.
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  14. #14
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    I visited a shop here and asked about having a very simple part made top punch for a sizer and the price was just crazy. I asked a few guys about making me some and always got the its nothing to it but never got anyone to make them for me . I never liked counting on anyone for help and bought me a lathe to do it myself.
    Reloading to save money I am sure the saving is going to start soon

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by salpal48 View Post
    .I don't have a Lathe or Know how to use one. I have been reading some posts about going to machine shops to make parts. . Living around NY, Nj. I went to a shop . Very hard to find one. . I asked about making some parts. . I was shocked to find out the cost

    basic Make Ready time $150.00 MIn.
    machine time $200.00 per hour
    + materials
    what are the prices in your area
    Try your local high school/tech school shop class instructor if they even have a shop class.

    edit: sorry for the echo of #13
    Last edited by Kenstone; 01-23-2019 at 02:02 AM.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    The technical schools here used to run nightime machining courses,where a lot of projects were done on lathes mills ,slotters ,and what have you.................unfortunately ,all the machining has been cleared out in favor of floral therapy,art hairstyling ,and ebay shop procedure......yes ,true......the machines are all gone.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    I must say ,when I had the shop,I used to get lots of little jobs from the public............and you pretty soon learn to avoid them........because you are expected to run a free design department,metal spec consultancy,and take 1/2 hour explaining why the rusty piece of metal they are holding cant be used....to their utter disbelief.........you are just trying to rip me off ...they cry......Ill go somewhere else......woo hoo.........Unfortunately ,the other shops get cunning........the send "charity cases " of to the opposition......and so you get a 90 year old with a broken bit from an original "Thomas Crapper & Son" toilet that needs fixing before his house floods and drowns his dozen cats,.........and then you have the guy wants to pick up some piece at 6 pm,you wait ,and then he rings up to tell he cant make it to 8 pm......with the sounds of a public bar in the background.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master


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    Try to find a hobbyist in your area, there are sure to be plenty around, put an ad in the local paper stating you need a one off job and are willing to pay.
    Commercial entities don't have the time for small one time stuff and with the setup time, tooling, operator, etc, the burden of cost quickly places it out of reach for the average tinkerer. You can go the route that many have suggested, acquire a lathe, and the tooling and the night classes and the learning mistakes and it goes on from there. If your interested in learning a new skill, I'd say go for it. Don't do it to save spending money. You will quickly find out you will save about as much money as you did when you started casting bullets/reloading. Good Luck.
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  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by salpal48 View Post
    .I don't have a Lathe or Know how to use one. I have been reading some posts about going to machine shops to make parts. . Living around NY, Nj. I went to a shop . Very hard to find one. . I asked about making some parts. . I was shocked to find out the cost

    basic Make Ready time $150.00 MIn.
    machine time $200.00 per hour
    + materials
    what are the prices in your area
    I understood that the OP wanted to have the shop make the parts for him, not make them himself. He says he doesn’t know how to use a lathe. Of course asking to use equipment is out of the question.

  20. #20
    Boolit Master
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    What are you trying to get done ?

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