Get as big as you can but remain as small as you can be.
This seems to be in self conflict but not really.
YOu need GOOD equipment that will make GOOD parts. Something that is flexible yet productive. A V2Xt would be a good CNC mill but, today, they are surpassed by the TM-1's both in capability and speed and productivity. The V2Xt will be cheaper, the TM-1 much more robust/adaptive/contemporary with regard to today's machining capability.
The trick here is to find a ;market for your service and find one where you can collect your money from. It is easy to find guys to do work for who won't pay or won't pay well. Finding work that is GOOD paying and worthwhile is the trick.
If you spend good money going after lame machines, you'll not make money and always be behind. Spend the most you can barely afford to buy the best you can hardly afford - and then you'll still be barely satisfied. Finally, don't buy junk and hope/intend to "fix it up". You'll be fixing forever and not be making money - do you want a science project or to make parts????
If you're creating a science project, fine. If you're looking to create a CNC shop, spend the time and money and buy properly chosen machines for your known, target client base. Do NOT, NOT NOT buy everything on credit - spend your money wisely as the machines are an investment that can be recouped when/if the time comes when you have to liquidate. Good machines can be liquidated - junk can't be even hauled away after a while. Again, choose wisely and don't always thnik that yesteryear's "name" equipment is still viable - some "names" are simply that anymore, namely, hollow names that don't mean "service", not anymore anyway....  |