CAD/CAM Home Office

[gearhead]

Any one, Please give a nubie some assistance. I'm trying to set up a home shop to contract my services out and would like to hear from anyone who has there own home office. I currently have AutoCad 2000 and Mastercam v9.0. I'm hoping to write programs and do some drafting but don't know how to attract business. Any pro's that wouldn't mind mentoring please contact. I would be for ever in your debt

Sincerely
gearhead

[CAMmando]

I gave it a shot 'bout 8 years ago. Unfortunately I had become accostomed to the finer things in life (Bread, Water, Basic Shelter) so I wound up going back to the regular job.

Good luck though.

Interestingly one of my first customers is now my employer (has been for 7 years).

Quickest way to getting work will be through existing contacts.

[gearhead]

Don't sound to encouraging. But I'm the stubborn type and will keep plugging along at it.
Thanks for the input
Gearhead

[HuFlungDung]

Gearhead, why not buy yourself a cheap cnc mill (ebay has some) and get some machining experience. I'm assuming you have not done much cnc machining up to this point.

Even if you have to "give away" your time for a while, you are far more likely to attract a customer if you can make something for them to prove your abilities.

In my experience, nothing is ever so cut and dried that I could dream of farming out the programming part of the job. There is always something that needs tweaking (and right now!) before the program is ready to run. This is why machine shops have their own CADCAM departments real handy. Can you outcompete an in-house programmer? That is the question.

[Turbine]

Gearhead,
I do it as a side income that I do not rely on.
(It's just extra cash when work blows my way) I work a full time programming job. Getting PAID is the biggest problem besides finding the work. So I don't look too hard to find the work. It just kinda finds me
Make buisness cards and plaster 'em up everyewhere.
Pass them out to everyone you talk to. The best places are westec eastec IMTS etc....etc..(If they scan your card give them one of yours)
People that go outside thier own company for fixture design, fixture programming and/or part programming are usually in a jam and desperate for one reason or another. Be willing to stay up all night and get the job done quick. They ALLWAYS needed it the day before yesterday I will not even turn my computer on for less than $30. hr. (and that's if I know you) Base your price on complexity and urgency. It is also comforting for a potential customer to put a celing in your quote. (ie..$70. hr. not to exceed 6 hrs. or $420.) "Trust" is a huge part of this. I had to build the trust of the guys I program for over time, both at my full time job and otherwise.

[gearhead]

Thanks for the great input turbine. That is just about the same chain of thought I was having. I know that I have to start somewhere and doing this as a side line sounds about like the path of least resistance. I just have to come up with a hook so to speak.
Thanks again, everything you say will be taken to heart.

Gearhead

[gearhead]

Geez huFlung (if i can be so informal), didn't want you to think me ungreatful. I also greatly appreciated what you had to say also.Just didn't see it till I looked at the whole thread.
Keep talking all of you cause I be listening
Gearhead