Quote:
Originally posted by t00lb0x
Hmmm...so do I  . Seems like a good idea to hire someone. How much does it cost to have someone do it?
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That depends on how complex the design is. Do you want to make a one-off? A batch? A big batch?
Prototyping a single block is anywhere from $50-$300 US depending on the complexity of the design and CNC programming involved, and then on the resultant machine time. Each Cascade prototype variant was costing a few hundred dollars US to make up, and that's only because the machinists were being nice due to our prior working relationship.
To walk off the street unknown and ask for a Cascade prototype to be made up would be more like $500US, per variant.
If you know someone who's willing to do it for you for cheap, and you can draw it all up in CAD, you might save a few hundred dollars.
If you ask for more than one or two, then the prices come down. Ask for one hundred and the setup prices get amortised pretty well and it just becomes a matter of paying for parts, machine time and labour.
It's the setup time (also called "tooling costs") which is the big hit.