Does this quote seem reasonable?

[HankMcSpank]

I asked for 5mm dia mild steel rod (1018) to cut into various (short) length pieces & then nickel plated.

I've just received this quote (UK company)...

WE CAN OFFER CUT TO LENGTH WITH A MINIMUM CHAMFER AT BOTH ENDS SIZE 5mm
+0.00, -0.05
MOQ = 100
M5 X 4 = £40.00/100 NET
M5 X 6 = £40.00/100 NET
M5 X 8 = £40.00/100 NET

Now 40p+VAT for one four millimetre piece of 5mm dia steel rod seems to me a tad excessive - but then again, what do I know!

They weren't able to nickel plate.

Short of buying a turret lathe & winching it into my loft (just kidding - way too heavy!)....perhaps I should source what I need from the Far East - anyone done such a thing? (screws, bespoke bits & bobs etc)

[audioandy]

Rob
Would some of this do you then use your lathe to cut to size?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-new-300mm-NI...751bc5fea68d51

Andy

[HankMcSpank]

Hi Andy,

How are you?

thanks for taking time out to offer up some input!

A bit more meat on the bone - these little pieces of metal are for 'pole' pieces on a guitar sustainer. Essentially the six metal upright bits similar to this piccie...

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Electron...ctures#details

so whay can't I just use those?

Well, because that's a pickup, whereas with a sustainer they need to be *much* shorter - I'm pretty sure nothing exists ready made in the size I need, which means I have to either make some (time intensive!) or have some made.

The threaded rod you linked to - well, firstly I really need unthreaded steel rod, but even if I was using threaded rod, it would need cutting up - the problem then, is that the 'cut' ends wouln't be nickel plated...& it's the very end bits that will be open to the elements so to speak (I need the nickel plating for both aesthetics & to stop corrosion).

So the hunt goes on.....but tks anyway!

[Robin Hewitt]

Have you tried googling for 'steel dowel pins'?

[HankMcSpank]

Have you tried googling for 'steel dowel pins'?

Actually I hadn't and initial results are good! (& as ever, having the right phrase works wonders)...

I do recall a while ago searching for shelf support dowels - but it's tricky to find them just plain (most have a middle piece to set the depth).

Stainless is a no no (not that great magnetic properties) & a lot of links are coming up with that...but worth pursuing this new line of thought!

Just found this link...

http://www.rkengineeringco.com/Cylin...wel)%20Pin.htm ...with this extract....

"Our range of manufacturing is 2 mm to 25 mm in diameter and 5 mm to 150 mm in length" - so close (my shortest needs to be 4mm length), but hey it's a start.



What a great site this is.

Edit: Actually, Robin your post prompted me to visit an old line of enquiry...something like this might get me up and running relatively cheaply (ie I only need low run until I've established if there's even a demand)...

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/40-Nickel-Plat...item4834716869

if I cut them to length, then that works out at 10p each (I'm not worried about one end being unplated - that'll be in the bowels of the device itself!).

I have an ER32 collet chuck for my mini lathe, which ought to make this a little bit quicker.

Has anyone any tips on a way of parting off 5mm steel rod? (I've had bad experiences parting off to date!). Is there a better dedicated tool I could use for repeatablility (my present parting off tool has somthing like a 1.5mm blade - is a thinner one available?)

[Robin Hewitt]

Hi Hank

Let's try one more, see if I'm on a roll :whistling:

Your local electro plater will be in Yellow Pages and they usually charge by the Kilo.

bestest

Robin

[HankMcSpank]

The problem here is alas, I live in London - all we have is estate agents, coffee shops & Polish delicatessens down here! lol

I'll see if I can find a yellow pages though ("Do you have a copy of Fly Fishing by JR Hartley")

[bogstandard]

I think the quote you had for your opening post is very reasonable.

Material costs mean very little nowadays to a machine shop for a job like this, but you chaps always seem to quote it.

The costs for any small, and 100 off is small, jobs is the time taken to set up plus use of the machine, then add on the cost of the machinists time. Around here £65 to £80 per hour, including setup time, is normal.

I will state that you would be very hard pressed to part off 100 pieces in an hour, plus most probably mutiple tool breakages as well, if you are not too proficient at parting off.

I would be unwilling to quote less than that price, even though I have 40 years machining experience, and can part off with the best of them. Any less than that, I would actually be doing the job as a loss leader, another name for a 'thank you' job.

Bogs

[BillTodd]

if I cut them to length, then that works out at 10p each (I'm not worried about one end being unplated - that'll be in the bowels of the device itself!).

40 sobs is going to sound very cheap after you've saw and de-burred a hundred of those :)

[edit] Oh hang on - it's Hank, he'll only want two ;)

What about bearing rollers?

[HankMcSpank]

Hey...before I get a bad name, that's why I asked if it was reasonable!

My gut reaction was that it seemed a little high (incidentally, I never asked for just 100pcs...that's what they quoted)

If they came chamfered (their quote was for chamfered) *and* nickel plated (alas their quote wasn't), I'd have likely just gone with it.

Probably better to get a quote for a larger quantity, which ought to bring the price down ...but from somewhere that can plate too.

I guess I could always buy these & cut 'em in two ... nicely chromed too (& at 50p each retail price!)

While my search continues, I'll grapple with honing my 'parting off' skills! (& look at DIY Nickel plating - not that expensive or onerous http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...=STRK:MEWAX:IT )

Re roller bearing - another top tip brought to you by 'CNCUK Enterprising members©' ...off to Google!