After I make my ANH Vader chestbox(s) I will need to get rods and coin slots milled. Anyone here ever have stuff made? I'd like to get this started around the first of the year so any helpful advice appreciated.

DOug

As I am a machinist, the first thing they will ask for is a good drawing or an example. If you have a wood prop in exact measurements, your golden.

Rods will be run on a lathe, and the coin slots on a mill. Machining isnt a cheap date. The hours and time are what you pay for. The aluminum is cheap.

If they are a bigger shop, they will have access to a CNC, or Cumputer numeric control machines, Great for mass production as well as finish.

Smaller shops will hand make the parts.

Talking to the machinist is important, as for most have an imagination. We kinda have to...

Tell him the way you want it to look, and provide insight for your piece.

Most of the time a one off part will excite some, but turn off other machinists, and depending on shop commitments you might have to wait a while.

I would look in the phone book and let your fingers do some walking, then visit in person.

Hope i helped a litle.

Thanks R, this is the kind of info I'm looking for.

It sounds like if I want repeat orders (if others wanted some) then I should go with a CNC shop?

Any ideas on typical minimums to bump the costs down?

I have very detailed drawings showing relivant profiles and detailed measurements, would this suffice? I also have Russ's examples to show (though not accurate) to give them an idea.


Doug

Volume will always bring costs down. The more that want a set will help a ton.

I will say though the Prop community is one to want to see the final product, so the first offs might be the higest priced.

The minimums will be on the shop, they all will price a little diffrent.
Thankfully your Vader parts arent to hard in the machining world. Especially CNC. Very Repeatable.

Having the Drawings is a Very Very good first step.