Some neat fab services

[Ummon]

techshop

emachinshop

[quarterback]

I knew about emachineshop but techshop is new to me.  Sounds really interesting and would be great for those times that you really wish you had a CNC to cut some stuff (assuming that they'll have a CNC).    Too bad there's not one near me, but is interesting none the less.

Thanks for the post.

[Ummon]

There's also Ponoko and Red Eye.

[HaRuMaN]

Along that line, did you see the link at the bottom of emachine shop for http://www.pad2pad.com/index.html?

Could be interesting...

<edit>

Prices would be prohibitive for single pieces... looks like you would need to make about 200 to bring the price per piece down to a reasonable value.

[quarterback]

Cool.   I love this kind of stuff, even if it all does end up being more expensive than what I'd pay.

Linked:
http://www.ponoko.com/
http://www.redeyerpm.com/

There's also Ponoko and Red Eye.

[stan2323]

They are machine shops.  There are machine shops in every good size town that can do anything they can do.  The thing is the cost of single items.

[quarterback]

They are machine shops.  There are machine shops in every good size town that can do anything they can do. 

Yeah, but there always seems to be a lot of 'customer service' questions with local places that are used to doing commercial or industrial work.  Sometimes you find someone who wants to help, other times you find people who don't want to deal with a 1-time small customer.   

I tried to find a local glass place to make me a top for my cocktail cab. I figured that would be an easy one.  It's a single piece of tempered glass cut into a very basic shape, but it was not only a PITA, but the prices were over the top and I did better off paying for shipping off of ebay.    Similar thing when I tried to source some big sheets of coroplast.  All I wanted to do was to buy a 4x8 sheet.  It seems like a basic thing, but these kind of local companies don't deal with the general public and it frequently shows.   I drove 40 min across town to have one place tell me "oh, we don't deal with individuals.  You have to have a company".  WTF?    I went to 3 sign places and got equally dismissive responses, or unbelievably overpriced quotes.   I did find a place, but even they seemed put out by having to deal with me.   And that's just to buy materials, I can't imagine what they would have said if I wanted them to actually fabricate something for me.

[stan2323]

Yeah, but there always seems to be a lot of 'customer service' questions with local places that are used to doing commercial or industrial work.  Sometimes you find someone who wants to help, other times you find people who don't want to deal with a 1-time small customer.   

I tried to find a local glass place to make me a top for my cocktail cab. I figured that would be an easy one.  It's a single piece of tempered glass cut into a very basic shape, but it was not only a PITA, but the prices were over the top and I did better off paying for shipping off of ebay.    Similar thing when I tried to source some big sheets of coroplast.  All I wanted to do was to buy a 4x8 sheet.  It seems like a basic thing, but these kind of local companies don't deal with the general public and it frequently shows.   I drove 40 min across town to have one place tell me "oh, we don't deal with individuals.  You have to have a company".  WTF?    I went to 3 sign places and got equally dismissive responses, or unbelievably overpriced quotes.   I did find a place, but even they seemed put out by having to deal with me.   And that's just to buy materials, I can't imagine what they would have said if I wanted them to actually fabricate something for me.

I fully agree with all of this.  Companies have forgotten the art of customer service.  That is one reason I hate to go to a brick and mortar store.  When I do get attitude the first thing I do is ask for the boss or owner.  Then if I still get attitude I write the local news paper about how horrible customer service is in the area and at that company.  What I have had major problems with is when I want an estimate to have work done on the house ie new floor put in.  All the companies say free estimates and say they are so good at service.  They come, measure the house, tell me they will call when the estimate is done.  I never hear from them again.  I even told them that I have had several  bag companies do that but they still do not call what are they thinking.  I wound up doing the work myself.  It takes time but I refuse to use any company that does that .  And I give those companies a very bad name to everyone I know.  Word of mouth is the best and WORST advertisement. 

[Ummon]

These kinds of companies have been prophecized for a long time. The public shops would be great for many here. And the service shops could be good for Mameroom, GGG, etc so they wouldn't have to tool up for every certain thing. Of course, these services could make easy competitors out of people here or in general.