Translating the manual

[irving2008]

Sounds fun! But why are you doing this (oh to have so much time on my hands :) )

[Robin Hewitt]

Sounds fun! But why are you doing this (oh to have so much time on my hands :) )

I have a full order book and no stock. Everytime my supplier puts me in that position I work to remedy the situation. Last time I started making a pick and place machine, the time before I bought this moulder. I continue until stock arrives, eventually I will succeed or die. Simples.

My logic went like this... I can get 2 new moulds made for around £8k, but for the same money I can make around 15 moulds and buy an old injection moulder to boot.

My experience has not been good. It takes time to set up an injection moulder and you pay for it, plus you have to buy lots of parts to justify the setting expense. My original UK supplier made me wait weeks while he sent my parts off to a home for the disabled to be de-sprued, they couldn't be arsed to cut and simply ripped the sprues off. When I suggested I cut the sprues off myself he shrugged and said "No". Eventually a shedload would arrive as a fait accompli and if there was something wrong I had to grin and bear it because the alternative was to send it all back and wait another month or two. Eventually I gave up and sent the moulds to China but they are now having problems.

[irving2008]

The only way to get quality control is either to have a supplier you can rely on or do it yourself... for the volumes it seems the latter is the better option for you, if you can stand the setup costs and have the time to get it working. Mind you, once you have got it running you have another string to your bow, mould production and low-volume prototype mouldings as a service?

[Robin Hewitt]

once you have got it running you have another string to your bow, mould production and low-volume prototype mouldings as a service?

I don't know how hard it is to make moulds yet, they come in a sort of kit form, here's a couple of UK suppliers if you are curious...

http://www.dms-diemould.co.uk/

http://www.bergertools.co.uk/

I had to make 2 new hose connectors before I could try pumping water into it's cooling system. Nothing would go through the oil cooler, turns out it has a thermostatic valve so I won't know if it leaks until 32 gallons of hydraulic oil get hot.

Nothing came back down the screw cooler return pipe either, but it did a pretty good impersonation of the "Mannequin Pis" so it would seem I have blown a gasket. Don't think that circuit has a thermostat, seems unlikely, probably just gunged up. Hopefully things will become obvious when I split the gasket seal. It's in a bit of a tricky place to get at, but that has never stopped me before.