How much would you spend for a prototype?

[Titan]

I was wondering how much you guys would spend to make a prototype of your waterblock. Im living in singapore and the last time i ask how much it took to do an exact replica of Cather's cascade waterblock (no offence here cather)... It cost me about $310(SGD) which is roughly about $180(USD). Which is way too expensive for me so i have to do it all on my own and i am still working on it..

[Titan]

Oops forgot to add this..... The cost of machining cather's cascade design was to be cnc milled. when i asked another machinist, he say he would help me to mill it MANUALLY for a cost of $230(SGD)--->$133(USD)... AND HELL IT IS ONLY TO MAKE THE BASE PLATE....and it is going to cost me so much

[Sin22]

Where did you ask ?

The last time I was home in Singapore, and went to ask to get some copper CNCed with my own designs, the prices werent even close to $100.

Albiet they werent as complicated as the Cascade is with the tubes, but they had their own...features

[Titan]

i forgotten where i when to ask.... but is was F***KIN ex..... for them to machine microfin designs are a big headache to them and they are not willing to do it. so now im on my own.

[Sin22]

I strongly suggest having a look in the yellow pages under machinists and u'll find some that will do it cheap.

[JFettig]

Those prices quoted sound about right for something that insane. The main reasons cathar is getting good deals is that he is comming to know the machinists and buying in volume. Why dont you ask him how much one would cost, if he was to make only one block..

If I had my cnc running and you asked me to make one of those(If I didnt have ethics of course) I would quote you around the same price.


Jon

[joemac]

Wow that is a good deal! I live in Texas and have spent a minimum of 300 USD on one proto type. This may sound expensive but it is not the most I have spent. Back in the day when I was a real freak about water cooling I spent 8000 USD and the unit did not work!!!. There are a lot of people vomiting theories around here but very rarely do you see any one prove or disprove them selves (I just wish it wasn’t so expensive). If you just want one block wait and buy one I know that you don’t get the same level of satisfaction you would if you do it your self but at the very least you will save some sanity.

[Zhentar]

$8,000! did your theory involve 7 pounds of gold or what?

[joemac]

Originally posted by Zhentar
$8,000! did your theory involve 7 pounds of gold or what?

LOL. no it didn’t but there was a huge amount of machine time and very tight tolerances that had to be followed. Besides this is a hobby to most of us here and I would almost bet that some one else has spent more on this or other hobbies.

[Cathar]

Originally posted by Sin22
I strongly suggest having a look in the yellow pages under machinists and u'll find some that will do it cheap.

Hmmm, in the Yellow Pages in Australia you will typically find them listed under "Tool Makers", rather than "Machinists", and this may apply in your region too.

Why dont you ask him how much one would cost, if he was to make only one block..

To make a single Cascade as a prototype would cost around $1000 AUD from the machinists I use, and if you went somewhere more upmarket, you could be looking at nearer the $2000 AUD mark.

There is a LOT of programming and machining time in the Cascade (compared to most any other waterblock), and the size of the work being done involves doing the job slowly to avoid breaking things. The cutting and drilling tools used to make it are about as fine as your average "seamtress's sewing pin".

Basically you're looking at the costs of employing a professional CNC machinist for a full day of work (~$50/hr), plus machine time (~$100/hr), plus tools (~$200), plus materials. All prices in Aussie dollars. There's a little over one hour of machine and machinist's time spent on each Cascade block, but for a single protoype you could expect to triple that.

If you work it out, a Cascade should be costing me around $170 AUD each to get made, but I manage to get a moderate discount due to obtaining them in batches, and I sell them for what amounts to almost no profit.

When you think about it, ~180USD you were quoted is a total bargain for a one-off prototype.

[Sin22]

That just shows how uncomplicated my designs must be !

Regardless, good luck Titan in your waterblock endeavors.

Just curious, how come you aint on the Natriumtech Forums. Thats the main Singapore watercooling forum. Havent seen your nick there unless you go under a different handle.

[Zymrgy]

"standard" shop rate for my shop depends on the machine. For a mill to make a cascade...$60/hr. If you are making 500 the cost per unit really is not that bad, as the setup time and programming is balanced out over 500 parts. If you go into a shop with a sketch on a napkin (it has happened), its going to cost more than if you already have the thing drawn in Solidworks. The first thing I get to do when I get a job in is draw the thing up into a solid model and then program all the toolpaths. If you supply the model then some of the work is already done. Modeling the thing up also lets you work out the bugs before you even bother someone to make it....

[#Rotor]

I charge less than 10$/hour for manually making a block.... hmmm I wonder..... I think I need to find me an other job.

[Titan]

lol im not in Singapore's watercooling forum because the people in singapore do not make their own waterblocks often..... mostly because of the price (what i posted) and also it is not as active as this forum where there are many useful information being posted ....

And i did try looking the yellow pages but the problem is that not many of these companies are willing to do it. As cather says a lot of programming is required and also the minimum quantity required so they rejected me. I even ran into a machinist who would help me do it for $60 a piece but a minimum quatity of at least a few thousand pieces a month......

I could program it myself though as i have learn cnc machining in the course i studied but i do not have the capital to buy a cnc machine...Hell i even came up with an idea to turn a basic drill press to a milling machine and convert it to a cnc 1 if i have enough money to buy the parts.... so now im saving up to at least build a $300 milling machine for my own use...

And about that guy who spent $8000 on his waterblocl projects could get me a manual milling machine here , and i could start on all the ideas i have in my head now.

P.S. if u could give me the number for the machinist where u got your block i would gladly appreciate it.

[Sin22]

Kind of disagree on that. Eggbert, Shamino, alweek and me have all made our own blocks.

Anyhow, good luck on your endeavors, its always great to make your own blocks.

I got mine milled somewhere in the Ubi industrial area actually. I cant remember the no. or shop name atm. Once I get back to Singapore in a months time I'll try and let you know ok.

[siavash_s_s]

what would you quote if the drawing was made in CAD?