Mueller Idea HIJACK... CO-OP Metal Shop, Mike planted the seed, I'm adding water. Options

[nomore9one4]

QUOTE (Brian Mifsud @ Mar 15 2006, 12:17 PM)

Of course another way to do this is get an old U-Haul 26' Van ($3500) and fill it with all the machinery bolted down and ready to run.. then just park it in front of your house. At least then there is no rent to pay. Would need to maintain the truck and machinery, but the rental agreement is just a long version of what you sign when you go to Home Depot and rent a roto-tiller... you crash a tool, you own it... How 'bout that?

Theres a guy down the street from me who doe's this. He has a bunch of vans with all the tools in the back. His very own wood shops on wheels. Don't know if its worth it or not, he either rents them alot for himself or is not very busy (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/confused24.gif)

[lapuwali]

If there was a place within an hour's drive of me that had all of the following:

blasting cabinet
mill
lathe
brake
metal bandsaw
bench grinder

I'd be willing to pony up a nice monthly sum to have access to that. All of these things are big, and I haven't the space for them, esp. considering I'd only use them a few times a year. The space Andy was trying to set up awhile back was going to be just a shop with maybe a lift, and I wasn't interested. I have space to work, just not enough for machine tools AND two cars AND my stash of spares.

This wouldn't have to be a big space, just big enough for the tools and room to move around between them. Less space, in fact, helps with the problem of people using it for storage.

I'd solve any tool theft problems by simply not providing any. Things like hacksaws, tin snips, calipers, etc, should belong to the "users" of the place, not to the place itself. The big tools are all big enough that someone would have to be reasonably determined to steal them.

Liability would be a problem once the "club" got big enough, but it seems to be solvable.

[Porcharu]

QUOTE (Mueller @ Mar 16 2006, 11:31 AM)

At least in the Bay Area, I see a machine shop type operation working fairly well, I am a member of BAEM, I know that other members like to have access to metal working equipment that they do not have at home or have no other means of getting access to them.

One of the members of BAEM lives on the next street over from me. Great - something else to distract me from getten r' dun.

I think a trailer with all of the goods in it would be a great idea. You could set it up and leave it for a few days. It would need to be solid and have alarms but it could be done.

[Moose408]

QUOTE (Mueller @ Mar 16 2006, 11:31 AM)

I've got a freind that does glass blowing, the shop rents out "time" slots to use the furnace and annealing ovens. Just like the woodworking shop, they too have a classes and a store to help generate income. For some reason I want to say they are listed as a not-for-profit, how that helps I have no idea.

There is a clay art center near here that is similar, they rent time in the shop, classes, and retail. They are in the process of converting to a non-profit. The reason is that they can then get grants and funding from art foundations to support their operations.

BTW where is the glass blowing studio? I used to do laboratory glass blowing and would love to find a place to do some more.

[Mueller]

QUOTE (Moose408 @ Mar 16 2006, 01:39 PM)

BTW where is the glass blowing studio? I used to do laboratory glass blowing and would love to find a place to do some more.

Bay Area Glass Institute

A Small Production is the showcase for my buddies work...nice stuff, I have a few of his pieces at my house which always get compliments....

[Porcharu]

QUOTE (Moose408 @ Mar 16 2006, 12:39 PM)

They are in the process of converting to a non-profit. The reason is that they can then get grants and funding from art foundations to support their operations.

Non-profit. Sounds like me! Could we get grants to make 914's. Maybe one from the EPA to install modern clean running 914's. I think 20-30K each car would do.

[McMark]

I've always wanted to do something like this. But each work area/parking spot would cost around $250-$300 a month. The new space I'm moving in to would be great for this sort of thing. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/idea.gif)

I'd love to get some of our brainy members together and really crank out some great innovations for ours and other classic cars.

Mike Mueller for all the machine work, CAD, casting, etc.
Jeff Keyzer for all the neat electronics gizmos.
Sir Andy for the hard core computer interface stuff.
James Montebello because he knows everything. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/wink.gif)
And I'm sure there are others.

I have a lot of ideas that, with the right people in place, could really put out some kick ass stuff.

[Brian Mifsud]

Well, placing a stake in the ground, I believe there is a place for my "mobile shop" here in San Diego.... and Mike's reference to the model engine builders reminded me that many "hobbyists" can use the same type of facility.

- Other car projects
- Old boat owners
- "Live Steam" model railroaders

etc.. I've been looking for some type of business to start for years. Here I have this lump of tooling and no time to use it so I'm thinking the time is right.

Time to dust off that "business plan" template and get to it.