workshop tooling

[brokenbiker]

right, looking to the future, when i have my Beng i am looking ay starting a small gig customising mainly bikes but am open to doing cars too.

finding premesis is a big enough headache, but once done i obviously need to kit it out.

from a health and safety point of view is there anything wrong with me making my own tooling such as 50T press, English wheel, engine cranes, car ramps, roll over jigs etc etc.

there is a huge saving to be made doing it myself like this which will help in starting up.

as for the actual welding, will be done with a machine of atleast 300 amps, probably a portamig or oxford or similar mig. Would also be looking at a big ac dc tig and a big oil cooled big amps stick welder and oxy acet too.

obviously this isn't going to happen over night, this will take years to even set up let alone make a profit enough to recover my costs, i am looking way into the future, maybe 5-8 years yet. I have designs for some of the stuff, and obviously a car lift will have to be bought in but if i can make most of it myself it would really help

 

[mike 109444]

With your "long term" in mind might be worth signing up to some of the auction web sites, the ones that deal with bankrupt business and if something comes up that you like, put in a reasonable bid and leave till after the auction before looking to see if you have won (save a bidding frenzy by yourself!) I use to accompany a friend to auctions and fare enough some stuff went for silly high money but some times there were few bids on some kit so could be had cheep. Remember if bidding unseen then bid low enough not to get caught out. There could be auctions you could attend "up the valleys" from you (out in the sticks) that many wont attend due to distance. Farm auctions may have equipment you might need (enough farmers come on here for advice on welders and equipment etc)
Think there is a newspaper that advertises up and coming auctions (can recall which one)
Police auctions are another possibility.
Don't get carried away though cos if it don't work can you afford to bin it?
Don't be put off by the numbers that may turn up as some are there just to have a nose!!
Other on here may have tips on auctions......
Maybe spend a day at one WITHOUT the intention of buying just to see what goes for what and eves drop on the general conversations of those "browsing" who then put in bids!
My friend use to specialize in buying the odd and sods boxes (dirt cheep) of what looked like crap to then find a gem burred at the bottom.
Good luck with your venture.

 

[AndyStobbs]

Its you under it, so that should encourage you to make it right!

 

[brokenbiker]

i quite like going to auctions, haven't bought anything for a while but hadn't thought of thy for machine tools.

ideally i would want a cnc lathe and mill too but that is serious long term if i can get the business to kick off enough

 

[Fintray]

From an H&S viewpoint it will be ok as long as it is you who is working with it but as soon as you employ someone then that is a different matter as you will need employee insurance and the insurance co. won't be happy with diy equipment of the lifting or supporting type unless you get it load tested and certified.

 

[brokenbiker]

that what i was concerned about. Still looks like a good option to get started with. If business got to the point where i would need employees i would want decent branded equipment anyway.

the plan has always been to do this as a career, ever since i wad a kid helping my dad work on his bikes and watching him spray them every other week in order to build his business.

being a sparky is alright but its not my goal and at the moment serving a purpose to get me enough money to buy a decent sized house with a bit of land to build a workshop on.

then the plan is to start making up tooling and buying in the kit like welders, lathes and mills, plasmas and so on until i have enough to start taking customers.

my father is on side as a custom painter and is willing to use his own kit until such a time i can get my own, he also has a lot of experience with panel beating and using English wheels and so on so he will be a big help in the first years.

ad i say its an ambitious plan, especially as in trying to do a degree along side working in a factory and running a business as a leccie at the moment, but if it all comes good then i am set for life

 

[shed or dead]

If you are making tools such as power hammers with electric motors you would have a responsibility to have at least a PAT test carried out by a certified sparky.

I have a similar long term plan to set up a mainly panel beating business when I retire (not any time soon, I'm only 30) so learning and accumulating tools slowly as a hobby. What I've noticed is that these 'dying trades' are making quite a comeback from other hobbyists such as the members of this forum. If you look on the Locost Builders Forum it's amazing that determined people everywhere are learning the English Wheel etc. Why? Not only for the satisfaction of building their own car, but also due to the high cost of having this work carried out by a professional.

Looking at the few sheet metal courses run by David Gardiner and MPH Motor Panels, it seems that running courses keeps the money coming in between commissions, mainly very high end vehicles whose owners aren't going to get their hands dirty. And in my experience, bikers are usually more hands on than car owners.

As far as owning CNC equipment goes, that sort of job can be farmed out until it becomes uneconomical to do so. Expensive machinery usually needs to run day in day out to earn its keep.

Sorry if this all sounds a bit glum, I'm not trying to put you off, just sharing what I've noticed myself.

Good luck whichever direction you take.

 

[MattF]

As someone said, if you're the only person you can kill through using it, you shoud be fine. That would likely also include not letting customers onto the premises anywhere near machinery too, not just employees.

What I've noticed is that these 'dying trades' are making quite a comeback from other hobbyists such as the members of this forum. If you look on the Locost Builders Forum it's amazing that determined people everywhere are learning the English Wheel etc.

I think that's the way a lot of 'outdated' professions continue to mainly exist. If it wasn't for amateurs, some knowledge would probably be gone forever.

 

[brokenbiker]

before needing cnc machinery i will be buying manual machinery that will cope with the work as my little lathes aren't up to that much abuse, my mill cant cope with anything tougher than mild steel and the hardinge i mentioned a few months ago has fallen through, company hve realised what it is worth and decided to keep it

 

[norlander]

Good to see you have design ideas before you start. I'd buy in the tools/machines as and when I identify the need.I know nowt about cars but I would start with bikes - less paint/leather, only 2 wheels to do etc.
I'd also do Bolt and Ride-BOAR bikes turn around faster from strip to build and help keep the beer tokens coming in.
I'd also put a foot in the water part time at first-keeping my day job and working on the bikes weekends and holidays -tough- but thats being self employed in the early days.
Also, be prepared to drop the dream and concentrate on something you are really good at if needs be to put scoff on the table-ie around every bike builder there are blokes that just do tanks/other sheetmetal, paint, machining /leatherwork etc.
Joining a club -if you are not already in one- can be good for learning stuff and making contacts.
Hth and good luck

 

[Big Pete]

strictly speaking, if you build a piece of machinery and use it while employed (including by a compnay you own) it needs to be CE marked. This isn't necessarily technically challenging, and as far as I can tell is widely ignored by small businesses without any issues.