LocostUSA.com

An idea that has been running through my mind for a while -

All of us builders face at one point or another during our build with the folowing question - "do I pay some shop to do ________ (insert whatever it is here) or do I buy the tooling and build it myself?"

This question mostly arises when that something requires an expensive tool.

My idea is to form a database of tools that some forum members have.
This of course isn't about a 4.5" grinder but thing like tube benders, lathes, mills and other relatively high dollar machinery.

This will allow forum members to offer some small time services for a few bucks to offset the cost of the tools, while the guys that pay for the service may save a few bucks over going to a shop and know that their hard earned goes to help other forum members.

In short - everyone wins!

However, in the slightly longer version, I suggest limiting your services to things that you're 100% sure of the quality of your product.

For example, I personally can work my tube bender pretty well but I'll be hesitant offering a fully bent roll cage in parts, especially if it includes compound bends like my roll cage..
I'd be happy to someone who's local to with bending his cage on my bender for a lot less than the cost of a shop, all while the guy is there with me to see how things will turn out ahead of time.
And to round it all up - if it's some non structural part like the 4 bends of the rear tubes, I'll be happy to bend them for you and ship them out.

In order to make sure we're all happy with the way things work and no one starts chopping prices (I mean c'mon guys, let's keep it fun) we may even want to establish a standard pricing for certain services.
Remember, every time that you take a project for someone else to perform you tend to judge them on a professional basis, remember that most forum members are only doing this for hobby, just like you.
Keep it nice and work out issues that may arise in a friendly manner otherwise this will die quickly.
If you expect super professional results - pay the full price at a shop.

Last but not least -
This attempt to create a little tool network is only on a gentleman basis between the users of this forum and by no means puts any sort of liability on the forum or its' owner.

So, if it sounds like a good idea to you please list the following -
1. Your location
2. Tools that you have
3. Services that you may offer - please note if only locally or shipping is okay, also note if you have certain limitations

I'll start -

1. Van nuys, just north of Los angeles.
2. Tube bender and tube notcher. Currently have dies for 1" and 1.5" tubes.
3. Roll cage or roll bar bending (local only), non structural stuff shipped within the US for whatever shipping and packaging costs.

Moti

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Moti

My R1 powered Locost build log

Visit the Blackbird Fabworx Facebook Page!

1 - Near Vero Beach, east central Florida.
2 - Tube bender (1.5"), Tube roller 1" to 1.5", CNC Plasma, Lathe, Mill
3 - Case by case basis Local or within the US for whatever shipping and packaging costs.

Alan

Russ Amos: Custom wood dashes and accents. Your choice of woods. Send me a template and I'll send you your dash. Finished or unfinished. Pricing based on type of wood, complexity, and amount of openings. 50% down payment required. Kansas City area but can ship anywhere.

I happily offer mill, lathe, press, light welding, and tube notching/bending services to my Locost Brethren. I can bend pretty much any tubing from 5/8" to 1-1/8" OD to a 4" center-of-tube-radius and 1", 1.5" and 2" tube to any (practical) radius.

I'm eager to help out with any other aspects of the build as well -- your (nearby) place or mine. For projects that are fun or educational (to ME!) I charge only cost of materials and shipping. (Given that I'm a very amateur machinist, most everything is educational!)

Note that I will never undercut any of our professional Locost professionals (Kinetic, Coveland, COLD, etc.). I'd rather keep our suppliers in business than make a little beer money for myself. ('specially since my annual beer budget is about $5!) Also, I will only work on structural components (e.g. rack/tie rod modifications) for autocross-only cars -- never for street or race cars.

I'm in Lexington, KY, have a daily UPS pick up and sweet shipping skillz. I also have several local steel suppliers, a Grainger account, and other "creative procurement channels" if anyone is having trouble sourcing hard-to-find components.

-dave

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...nowadays people are so intellectually lazy and lethargic that they can't build ANYTHING with their hands. They'll spend hours watching whiny people marooned on an island, but won't spend a second adding anything to the world. -weconway
Visit my [Locost 7 build log]

Well, I'm glad you guys like the idea .

Dave, I wasn't suggesting that we should replace the community vendors (perhaps just Coveland?), only to offer some extra hand to other members and get some change to offset the high costs some of us paid for our tools.

I, for one, would like to buy a dowel from you to help me with the alignment of my steering rack as I weld it, but I want to PAY you for it rather than get it for material plus shipping.
You bought a lathe, it cost you some money, I'd like to help you offset that cost, even if it's not much.

Moti

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Moti

My R1 powered Locost build log

Visit the Blackbird Fabworx Facebook Page!

Great Idea Moti!

I have done some CNC work for different members on the board here.
CNC Mill- 8" x 22" capacity
small lathe- soon to be CNC
sand casting- aluminum 20lbs max, brass/bronze maybe 10lbs max
tube notching
John Deer 330 excavator (flatten doner car) 455 loader and multiple skidsteers. Custom homes/shops (Montana only, will ship other projects anywere.)

Honestly, with the way the housing market has turned south, I've decided my car has to be built with money earned with my machine tools. I'd be more than willing to trade work for spare parts if its something I need so don't be afraid to ask.

-Zane
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I have one of Motive's Lotus plates (pictured above) for my Zetec, and it is spectacular!! And, it fits...absolutely perfectly. I don't think it could be improved - and I'm something of a perfectionist! It was very reasonable, too, I thought.

Motive - I'd love to have one of these "7" grill badges (like in your avatar)...and I'm sure that several others would like one as well. Any chance of cranking out a few more of those?

Location: Holly, MI (about 15 minutes south of Flint off I-75)

Tools I have:

-drilll press
-tube notcher
-bender (long term borrowing now, but in the group buy)
-MIG welder
-trailers (open and enclosed) for people looking to pick up donors
-overhead hoist (a frame and chainfall)
-cherry picker
-pneumatic panel flanger and hole punch
-20T press

My preference would be to trade tools/service for other services/tools or parts. As a last resort, I will trade for beer. Most of the tools I listed need to be borrowed. I will be willing to notch/drill parts that are already marked.

I'm trying to get in touch with Motive, I have a couple of parts I need quoting but it seems his inbox or something is full.

Can you contact me? meerkatguy1956 at hotmail dot com

Or if anyone has an e-mail adress for Motive that would help too.

Thanks,

Alan

Atlanta, GA (downtown near Gatech)

-mig, tig, OA torch (not set up)
-air tools
-air/hydraulic riveter, hand riveters, basic rivnut tools
-hand shears
-engine hoist (currently out on long term loan)

-multicar garage for emergency repairs

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Georgia Tech
Ride and Handling Engineer for a major car company
Locost finished - book frame, IRS, '84 celica GTS donor, '99 tacoma 2rz motor with a turbo, megasquirt DIYPNP. Getting rebuilt with new IRS, F20C
"the all-consuming time-sucking car, which I really enjoy working on" -KB

E-mail address is at the bottom of my post. I don't know why my inbox wasn't working. It said it was full but I only had 2 messages. I only get on here every other day or so cause I never get anything else done.

zetec7 your badge is done. I need an address.

Zane

Whoa, tell me about it. I've been checking in every week or two and I miss you guys so much, there's so much happening here...I promised myself I'd catch up on LocostUSA on Thanksgiving and it looks like t'll take all day.

But to get back on subject (a list of forum members' tools)...I'm thiiiis close to adding a 3 axis CNC foam carver that'll fit a car body.

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Locost builder and adventurer, and owner/operator of http://www.kineticvehicles.com

That's quite an addition. Wonder if a MidLana or a Mongoose could wear a 904 outfit...

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.

By the way - Motive did up a 7 badge for me. It's fantastic! The perfect finishing touch for the front end of my Locost. Now I have to build a grill worthy of it.

Stainless steel tubing, here I come...

Copper might look nice too. It holds a shine for a long time. I like the old time look too.

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Marcus Barrow - Car9 an open design community supported sports car for home builders!
SketchUp collection for LocostUSA: "Dream it, Build it, Drive it!"
Car9 Roadster information - models, drawings, resources etc.