Is there money in CNC business owner.

[MBG]

Everybody I talk to says there isn't. Everybody says "get your own product" then start machining.

Well is there money being just a job shop doing aerospace and maybe medical work.

I would like to do high end work one day that is my goal.

I worry I would not be able to provide a life for my family going this route though.


Please any input from people who do this work now.

[WayneHill]

Our company is in Medical and aerospace. They are fields both low. The order volume is low. Fast turn around is how we work.

[MBG]

Originally Posted by WayneHill Our company is in Medical and aerospace. They are fields both low. The order volume is low. Fast turn around is how we work.

Fields both low? What do you mean by that?

[CaptainVee]

Just stumbled upon this question and I find it an iteresting one.

If it is difficult to make money in running cnc machines to make parts for others I think that's because everybody can make everything. Hence prices will get lower and lower because businesses need the work and lower their prices just to get it.

That's a marketing thing and also it is never good to compete on price.

So instead, be unique!

It is probably easier for someone who can build the machines himself to be unique than people that have to buy machines. Specialise in huge foam milling and or wire cutting.
Or super size engraving.

Let your mind run wild.

Make sure to combine it with your personal skills and passions, that will shine trough.

If you like to let your mind run as wild as you can get it, read the purple cow by Seth Godin or his blog. He's a very inspirational marketeer.

Oh, I built my own router to make my own product. The people I asked to make the parts for me could not do it, they were either too good or not good enough...

[aaron p]

Find/invent/develope/patent a product that everyone needs that you can sell thousands of and find a good shop willing to produce your product at a good price. This has worked for me quite well in the racing world. Id love to have a full size CNC mill to play on, but it isnt cost effective for me.(initial cost, tooling, maintence, power) Get out in the world with your buddies and/or hobby club and see what you can invent. Get some decent cad software and go to town.

[Geof]

Originally Posted by MBG ......I would like to do high end work one day that is my goal. I worry I would not be able to provide a life for my family going this route though. Please any input from people who do this work now.

This is a good goal but it takes a long time to get there, with long being anything from 5 to 10 years.

It is also very difficult to provide for a family while getting there.

I did get there and past it into (semi)retirement with my daughter and son-in-law now running the business along with several valuable employees. The way I did it was not typical because after getting all my trade training I got a couple of university degrees. This meant I could get very well paid part-time college teaching contracts during the first five years when my business needed money put into it rather than taken out of it.

The moral of my story is you need to find something to support you and the family while you are establishing a business which, with a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, will take over supporting the family when it is well established.

It goes without saying almost, that you have to be ready to work like a maniac, go without a lot of luxuries and a lot of what many people call necessities during the first few years, and have a very supportive wife and family.

[CaptainVee]

I missed the High end work one day part.

"Click" Guru mode swiched on

You can not get in to high end work one day. Why?

"High end" is undefined and "one day" is even less defined. Or at least, is is in the way you wrote it down. It could be you have it well defined internally, that would be different.
But the vast majority that want to be somewhere someday keep on doing other things. May still be a nice trip, but it is not getting somewhere and it is not someday.

[MBG]

Originally Posted by Geof This is a good goal but it takes a long time to get there, with long being anything from 5 to 10 years. It is also very difficult to provide for a family while getting there. I did get there and past it into (semi)retirement with my daughter and son-in-law now running the business along with several valuable employees. The way I did it was not typical because after getting all my trade training I got a couple of university degrees. This meant I could get very well paid part-time college teaching contracts during the first five years when my business needed money put into it rather than taken out of it. The moral of my story is you need to find something to support you and the family while you are establishing a business which, with a bit of luck and a lot of hard work, will take over supporting the family when it is well established. It goes without saying almost, that you have to be ready to work like a maniac, go without a lot of luxuries and a lot of what many people call necessities during the first few years, and have a very supportive wife and family.

What kind of degresses are you trying to get? I am getting my mechanical engineering degree.

[Geof]

Originally Posted by MBG What kind of degresses are you trying to get? I am getting my mechanical engineering degree.

I am way past trying.

I got science degrees in chemistry with a minor in physics and then I could teach chemistry and physics at college level. I did this teaching while I established a business making customized laboratory equipment for university researchers and engineering companies. Gradually the company converted to making specialised equipment for people with physical disabilities.

[lerman]

Of course there is money in it. If there weren't, people would be in that business.

Did you mean easy money? In my experience, the best way to make easy money is to work hard.

Ken

[MBG]

Originally Posted by Geof I am way past trying. I got science degrees in chemistry with a minor in physics and then I could teach chemistry and physics at college level. I did this teaching while I established a business making customized laboratory equipment for university researchers and engineering companies. Gradually the company converted to making specialised equipment for people with physical disabilities.

very nice. You found your niche.