So I've got an idea to build some stuff to make money on.

[CRASH]

Ok, so most of you know that I was working for a small family owned/operated company a while back doing commercial restaurant service/repair. I worked for the guy for almost 3 years.

We did a lot of stainless and aluminum fabrication and on-site TIG welding. I convinced the owner that we needed a portable TIG welder and I could run it. He bought a nice little Miller and we went to work. He charged a $100 set up fee, and $100 per hour. I started out doing all of the welding, and ended up teaching his son how to TIG weld.

Well, after I was in the car accident back in May of last year and had my arm in a cast, he cut me loose because he couldn't afford to pay me any more. And well, let's face it, since his son could now weld well enough to do most of the jobs we had, he didn't need me for the welding jobs either !!

I still keep in touch with all of the guys and hang out with them from time to time. I was in the son's wedding as one of the groomsmen too.

Anyway, they got in touch with a lady that does interior decorating and built this thing that hangs on the wall. It's all stainless, and was cut on a CNC waterjet machine. It was 24"x60".




They also built this table.


I want to make car guy stuff similar to this. The downside, depending on how much of the work I can do myself, will be the cost. I have two different friends that have CNC plasma cutters, but I'm not sure how smooth of a cut it can make without any slag or rough edges.

What do you guys think ?

-Aaron

[94StangFiveO]

That light up tree/picture thing is pretty damn cool. I would put something like that in my house.

[Slow Five-O]

That light up tree/picture thing is pretty damn cool. I would put something like that in my house.

X2

[Slow Five-O]

If you did something like that tree but made a running pony or a cowboys mural, etc. I would probably buy it.

Sports teams, car stuff always popular with the right crowd!

[Slow Five-O]

Not to mention being able to add some pin-stripe!





Also, I hate not being able to edit when using tapatalk!

[94StangFiveO]

If you did something like that tree but made a running pony or a cowboys mural, etc. I would probably buy it.

Sports teams, car stuff always popular with the right crowd!

Definitely do more "manly" type stuff. I just happened to really like the tree being as I'm in the nursery business.

[CRASH]

Yeah, I really want to do guy/car guy stuff. I mean, honestly, if I could make some good money on doing stuff like the tree one above I wouldn't be against making stuff like that and selling it to the fancy interior decorator types.

I mean, the possibilities are nearly endless. I could do all of the welding myself, which my old boss didn't do. He farmed out ALL of the work on the above two jobs and still made over double his money back....and those things weren't cheap !

I've got some ideas on some things I want to do, so when I am able to get something going on them, I'll post up my works and see what you guys think. I am going to try to come up with a price that's not so far out of reach that normal car guys can't afford the stuff. Size will be a determining factor in the cost as well.

-Aaron

[Sleeper]

Shit like that tree sells. Period.

You will make more money off art/decorating like that. I know a picture of a running horse will sell as well, but i still think the other has a wider market.

I bet they charged 3-400 for that tree or more.

[Ruffdaddy]

Deburr? Or just leave the rough edges for looks

[CRASH]

I could also make signs for businesses as well.....like something with a tree and the name of a nursery. Hint, hint. LOL !

I've also thought about doing some different cut-out designs, doing the random grinder marks method, spraying some different colors of candy paint over them, and then pinstriping them.

I'm just trying to come up with stuff I can do to make more money than I make at my shithole job I'm at currently so I can quit working there and do stuff I enjoy.

On Sunday I talked quite a while with a buddy of mine that has a CNC plasma at his house and also does a lot of painting side work about getting together and making something happen.

-Aaron

[CRASH]

Shit like that tree sells. Period.

You will make more money off art/decorating like that. I know a picture of a running horse will sell as well, but i still think the other has a wider market.

I bet they charged 3-400 for that tree or more.

That's why I made the comment about not being against doing that type of stuff more than the car/guy stuff.

Yeah, the tree was quite a bit more than that. That's why I said I will have to figure out a way to be profitable, but also not price it out of the stratosphere.

Deburr? Or just leave the rough edges for looks

That's another thing I'm wondering about. I need to find out how smooth of an edge it can/will cut. Also, on bigger pieces, I am thinking I would have to worry about warpage from the heat of the plasma.

One of the guys in our car club has access to a CNC waterjet, which is what the tree and table were cut out on. However, my buddy with the plasma will be helping me out big time with cutting the stuff out, so the cost will be a huge difference.

-Aaron

[Strychnine]

Aaron, Im going to commission you for something. Rach likes that tree.

I'll text you in the morn.

[CRASH]

Aaron, Im going to commission you for something. Rach likes that tree.

I'll text you in the morn.

Cool, let me know.

Woo, the first customer !!

Who's next ?! LOL !

-Aaron

[JP135]

Don't limit yourself to art. Somebody around the Canton area makes some bad-ass heavy duty lawn furniture. Its all CNC cut and tig welded metal. You pick out the chair, a rocker or a glider, then you pick the artwork that goes in the middle of the back (running horse, school logo, car brand, ranch brand, whatever), then you pick the powder coat color. The stuff sells.

I had a brochure lying around somewhere. If you want I can try to find it or run by the hardware store and pick up another one.

[Slowhand]

If you can keep production costs down I don't see any reason why you couldn't sell a good load of those. I can't tell if it's back-lit or not in that second picture, but I think that would be an excellent addition. Hell, you could even make a water feature out of it.

You could probably whip up a few of the generic tree-ish ones and get rid of all of them in Canton before noon on any given weekend. Bring along some cards to give out and you could probably make enough of a stink to get regular work out of it.