New guy looking for some statistics

[Ramball36]

Hey yall, I'm an owner/operator of a small welding company in Texas. I have been going at it full time for a little over two years now, mainly specializing in hunting and outdoor cooking products. For the past year, I have been lucky enough to have access to a table through a metal shop at the local high school. It has been good enough to get me through so far, but I only bother them to cut the things I can't make look good by hand (emblems, small stuff, etc.) I know that once I have my own table, my build time on firepits, smokers, and grills will decrease by a minimum of 2 hours per item. I'm getting together a business plan to approach my banker with, and am really wanting to go into it with some solid numbers that will impress her. I can demonstrate what it will save ME time wise, but as far as a profit margin for other jobs that come in due to having the table I can't really find anything at all. I already have a website and am very active on social networking sites with my business, as well as being partnered (unofficially) with a steel supply yard here in town that can outsource CNC stuff from their customers to me. I will probably also begin to pay my part time guy/little brother to set up at the local trade days once a month and sell art as well as other stuff.

Is there anywhere that I can find some statistics to present them with on projected profits? If not, then tell me your personal experience with purchasing a table for your business, whether it be part time or full time. I realize that my situation might be a little different, as it seems that a good chunk of yall started your businesses directly around a table and I already have a "successful" one welding (I say "successful" because I'm not starving my family to death but still have to be pretty tight on stuff).

As for the table choice, I've settled on an Arclight 9600 with PM65 and plate engraver. Awesome prices on those machines and I haven't found one bad review on the company in the 5 months I've been researching!

Thanks,

Mike

[weldor2005]

Plasmacam offers third party financing if you were going to go that route. It was reasonable when I got it. Only thing I did, was outright buy the plasma cutter from a LWS for less than I could get it from plasmacam who sells them at retail.

[762frmafr]

I can't answer your main question, but if money is a factor, I would check out LDR Motion Systems' tables. Guaranteed to save you money over an Arclight, and I have been using mine on a daily basis for almost a year and never had a problem with it.

[cdw]

I will second the LDR,, Great guys to work with and table is solid as a rock. Not one single issue with the table. 5x10 will save you in material waste,

[acourtjester]

Something that may help is if you can get a letter of intent from the local steel supplier for future plasma cutting business.
Not an exact contract but that they plans to use your service as needed. This will show you banker you have researched expanding you business and there is a customer/buyer for your services.
Another thing if you can contact some one in a local collage business department to see if they can help compose a business plan. They will know what the banker will be looking for.