Is there a website or some other reference that I could use for
guidelines of what will and won't cost a lot of money at the sheetmetal
shop when I go for a real quote?

Something as simple as "a bend will cost you $4, a hole $0.50" would be
nice, but I understand that it's never that easy.

In the thread "Sheetmetal sticker shock" someone suggested getting five
pieces laser cut, and bolting them together -- no bends. I'm wondering
if that's going to save me all that much, but I'd like to find out
without terminally exasperating the estimating folks at the various shops.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

On Mar 10, 7:36 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
Is there a website or some other reference that I could use for
guidelines of what will and won't cost a lot of money at the sheetmetal
shop when I go for a real quote?

Something as simple as "a bend will cost you $4, a hole $0.50" would be
nice, but I understand that it's never that easy.

In the thread "Sheetmetal sticker shock" someone suggested getting five
pieces laser cut, and bolting them together -- no bends. I'm wondering
if that's going to save me all that much, but I'd like to find out
without terminally exasperating the estimating folks at the various shops.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Serviceshttp://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details athttp://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html


Tim,
You might torment:
http://www.emachineshop.com/
to get quotes.

I know of no online resource for estimating machined or sheetmetal
parts.
Mainly because tolerances are the cost driver, in addition to the
number of tight tolerances.
Estimating parts is an art, requiring many years of experience. Some
jobs are simple; some, like yours may require days of tooling to hold
the tolerances. (Assuming you still use the original sketch.)
Dave

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:29:47 -0600, Don Foreman
wrote:

On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:36:29 -0800, Tim Wescott
wrote:

Is there a website or some other reference that I could use for
guidelines of what will and won't cost a lot of money at the sheetmetal
shop when I go for a real quote?

Something as simple as "a bend will cost you $4, a hole $0.50" would be
nice, but I understand that it's never that easy.

In the thread "Sheetmetal sticker shock" someone suggested getting five
pieces laser cut, and bolting them together -- no bends. I'm wondering
if that's going to save me all that much, but I'd like to find out
without terminally exasperating the estimating folks at the various shops.

You think like an engineer, Tim! Being one is no excuse. G

Exasperate the estimators. Go visit them, sit down with them and tell
them what you wanna do and ask them how they'd suggest you do it. Be
open to their suggestions. A good estimator can help you do what
you wanna do if you let him or her do it. They know a hell of a lot
more about sheetmetal than you'll learn on the internet. They'll
happily defer the practice of engineering embedded controls to you.

Every shop is different because costs depend on capital assets and
processes available.

You need to decide and communicate what you want your sheetmetal
structure to do.

Don is a very very smart man. Listen to him.

Gunner

On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:36:29 -0800, Tim Wescott
wrote:

Is there a website or some other reference that I could use for
guidelines of what will and won't cost a lot of money at the sheetmetal
shop when I go for a real quote?

Something as simple as "a bend will cost you $4, a hole $0.50" would be
nice, but I understand that it's never that easy.

In the thread "Sheetmetal sticker shock" someone suggested getting five
pieces laser cut, and bolting them together -- no bends. I'm wondering
if that's going to save me all that much, but I'd like to find out
without terminally exasperating the estimating folks at the various shops.

You think like an engineer, Tim! Being one is no excuse. G

Exasperate the estimators. Go visit them, sit down with them and tell
them what you wanna do and ask them how they'd suggest you do it. Be
open to their suggestions. A good estimator can help you do what
you wanna do if you let him or her do it. They know a hell of a lot
more about sheetmetal than you'll learn on the internet. They'll
happily defer the practice of engineering embedded controls to you.

Every shop is different because costs depend on capital assets and
processes available.

You need to decide and communicate what you want your sheetmetal
structure to do.

Tim Wescott wrote in
:

Is there a website or some other reference that I could use for
guidelines of what will and won't cost a lot of money at the
sheetmetal shop when I go for a real quote?

Something as simple as "a bend will cost you $4, a hole $0.50" would
be nice, but I understand that it's never that easy.

In the thread "Sheetmetal sticker shock" someone suggested getting
five pieces laser cut, and bolting them together -- no bends. I'm
wondering if that's going to save me all that much, but I'd like to
find out without terminally exasperating the estimating folks at the
various shops.


Don't know of any online estimating, but as I noted, they will be cheaper
without the bends, especially if you provide an accurate electronic
drawing they can import to the laser or waterjet software. The cost
driver then becomes the bracket with the tapped holes. Might want to
consider using a cheap plastic for the bracket with pilot drilled holes
and self-tapping screws designed for use in plastic.

--
Anthony

You can't 'idiot proof' anything....every time you try, they just make
better idiots.

Remove sp to reply via email

Mechanical Magic wrote:
On Mar 10, 7:36 pm, Tim Wescott wrote:
Is there a website or some other reference that I could use for
guidelines of what will and won't cost a lot of money at the sheetmetal
shop when I go for a real quote?

Something as simple as "a bend will cost you $4, a hole $0.50" would be
nice, but I understand that it's never that easy.

In the thread "Sheetmetal sticker shock" someone suggested getting five
pieces laser cut, and bolting them together -- no bends. I'm wondering
if that's going to save me all that much, but I'd like to find out
without terminally exasperating the estimating folks at the various shops.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Serviceshttp://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details athttp://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html


Tim,
You might torment:
http://www.emachineshop.com/
to get quotes.

I know of no online resource for estimating machined or sheetmetal
parts.
Mainly because tolerances are the cost driver, in addition to the
number of tight tolerances.
Estimating parts is an art, requiring many years of experience. Some
jobs are simple; some, like yours may require days of tooling to hold
the tolerances. (Assuming you still use the original sketch.)
Dave

The group has pretty much talked me out of the notion of trying to get
precision out of the sheet metal shop (as did the estimator that I
talked to). If the part is amenable to it, once I get done with the
sheet metal shop I may get a price for having the holes drilled on a
mill as a secondary operation, but I think my best bet is to either
assemble the board onto the base with a jig to center everything, or to
hand-adjust things as the board is assembled to the base.

That's if I don't just use the pot as one of the bearings -- I think
this is going to prove to be a Bad Idea, but I'll be testing one soon to
see just how much violence I do to the thing.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 00:03:26 -0700, Gunner
wrote:

On Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:29:47 -0600, Don Foreman
wrote:

On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:36:29 -0800, Tim Wescott
wrote:

Is there a website or some other reference that I could use for
guidelines of what will and won't cost a lot of money at the sheetmetal
shop when I go for a real quote?

Something as simple as "a bend will cost you $4, a hole $0.50" would be
nice, but I understand that it's never that easy.

In the thread "Sheetmetal sticker shock" someone suggested getting five
pieces laser cut, and bolting them together -- no bends. I'm wondering
if that's going to save me all that much, but I'd like to find out
without terminally exasperating the estimating folks at the various shops.

You think like an engineer, Tim! Being one is no excuse. G

Exasperate the estimators. Go visit them, sit down with them and tell
them what you wanna do and ask them how they'd suggest you do it. Be
open to their suggestions. A good estimator can help you do what
you wanna do if you let him or her do it. They know a hell of a lot
more about sheetmetal than you'll learn on the internet. They'll
happily defer the practice of engineering embedded controls to you.

Every shop is different because costs depend on capital assets and
processes available.

You need to decide and communicate what you want your sheetmetal
structure to do.

Don is a very very smart man. Listen to him.

Gunner

Blush. Don is an old injunear who has paid attention now and then
along the way.

Don Foreman wrote:
On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 19:36:29 -0800, Tim Wescott
wrote:

Is there a website or some other reference that I could use for
guidelines of what will and won't cost a lot of money at the sheetmetal
shop when I go for a real quote?

Something as simple as "a bend will cost you $4, a hole $0.50" would be
nice, but I understand that it's never that easy.

In the thread "Sheetmetal sticker shock" someone suggested getting five
pieces laser cut, and bolting them together -- no bends. I'm wondering
if that's going to save me all that much, but I'd like to find out
without terminally exasperating the estimating folks at the various shops.

You think like an engineer, Tim! Being one is no excuse. G

Exasperate the estimators. Go visit them, sit down with them and tell
them what you wanna do and ask them how they'd suggest you do it. Be
open to their suggestions. A good estimator can help you do what
you wanna do if you let him or her do it. They know a hell of a lot
more about sheetmetal than you'll learn on the internet. They'll
happily defer the practice of engineering embedded controls to you.

Every shop is different because costs depend on capital assets and
processes available.

You need to decide and communicate what you want your sheetmetal
structure to do.

I'll do that. Thanks.

--

Tim Wescott
Wescott Design Services
http://www.wescottdesign.com

Do you need to implement control loops in software?
"Applied Control Theory for Embedded Systems" gives you just what it says.
See details at http://www.wescottdesign.com/actfes/actfes.html