On Sun, 15 Jan 2006 21:32:48 -0700, Mark & Juanita
wrote:


What kind of costs would be involved in such an undertaking? I'm
looking at 6 sets of small hardware (Roughly 3" wide by 1 7/8" tall with
bail pulls) and 16 sets of larger hardware (Roughly 4" wide by 2 1/2" tall
with bail pulls). I recognize that this I am asking for custom work and
certainly expect this to come at a premium, but I also need to find out if
that premium breaks the bank.

Some 25 years ago I went to a printshop to get a color blowup of a
wood drawing I wanted as a poster. The first one would cost me 1400$
and all the other 1500 copies would be 1.70$ each. Call around to
foundries and see how far off things are today.

2. How is the design handled? Does the custom house expect rights to the
design, or could the rights be traded for a lesser cost for the custom job?

For casting, you supply a drawing, they make a pattern. They own the
pattern. You carve up the pattern, you own the pattern, and you
better get right because if they pour your pattern and you goofed you
still pay for pouring.

For CNC work a CAD program on disc and a hard copy of the prototype.
Ask about CAD compatabilities to theirs.

3. What level of detail is needed by someone for this effort? I have an
initial basic design concept and can turn that into something from as
simple as an overall sketch and preliminary embellishment idea to a
full-fledged CAD drawing.

A nicely done up drawing by hand - to scale- is more than enuff. Be
sure to draw it from the top, sides and back and show where the
mounting holes/studs are. Better yet, ask if they will work off of
your carved prototype (all edges are sloped inward for casting)


Pete