New Tool Maker here in the Midwest

[Jeremy4757]

I'm 28 years old, I've been a machinist for 6 years here in St.Louis MO and I've worked my way into being a tool Maker. I Really enjoy the process of welding and fine tuning my welding skills. Fortunately I'm realizing at a young age that I am one of those guys that can not work for somebody forever. I've done extremely well in my industry but I need to get started on my Escape from being just an employee until I die. Nothing wrong with that whatsoever its just not for me.

So here I am.

I made a small investment into Langmuir Systems Pro Table Back in January and it is just now starting to show up and I'm beyond excited. In the meantime I purchased a Kobalt 60Gallon compressor, ran air throughout my shop (870sqft building), ran the proper power I will need to where I need it. I'm glad I've had this time to really get all my ducks in a row because now I'm ready and better off than I ever would have been if it showed up a week or two after purchase.

I've also been on a Learning mission. absorbing as much information as I can and paying attention to what is going on in the industry. I'm not going to go too much into detail about my end goals here, but I plan to start with signs and artsy stuff to get the wheels rolling. Then, I want to get into more of Industrial type work. There are many reasons for doing so that I'm not gonna get into but I do have quite a few connections from working around town for so many years that I will take full advantage of. Also I've been doing a lot of learning about accounting and "the books" side of running a business UPWARDS, and NOT straight into the ground.

I ride and Race Dirt Bikes as my hobby/passion. My son and I have really connected through two wheels. I am a part of a MC as well. I have already designed some proprietary items that I will be working on that will help me reach my goals and be a hit in the two wheel world.

Thanks for having me! I look forward to learning here on this forum and sharing my experiences!
-Jeremy

[adbuch]

Welcome aboard Jeremy! It sounds like you are buying first class equipment for your new cnc plasma cutting venture. I hope to see some photos of your setup and some of your work once you get up and running. As a tool maker what sort of tooling are you making? Maybe some photos of some of your work. Thanks,
David

[acourtjester]

Welcome aboard sound like you did some research and have a plan to move forward. there is something to be said about working your own business. Not having to put part A in hole C for 40 hours a week can be fun and interesting especially if your a self starter. You may look at a local Community College as they may have a small business class you can take to fill in some of the blanks. Getting business license and learning the tax structure is part of the whole picture.

[Jeremy4757]

adbuch - Unfortunately where I currently work we are not allowed to share the tools and processes. We build molds and stamping dies. I just finished a 64 Cavity mold that makes the rubber seal in the top of "cheese wizz" and "hair Spray" bottles, etc. Everything we make is for the food industry so it must be small, perfect and clean. As i develop my own designs and products i will share them here in the future.

acourtjester - I have considered it and its not out of the question! I know that the legal part of a business can be just as important as making a product and I'm glad that I've realized that early. listening to these podcasts about accounting and business I've heard some of the stories and its really opened my eyes to what I need to do. Being a failing business is NOT and Option!

[jmersereau]

Welcome and good luck with your new adventure.

In your research did you see how one of the bigger frustrations/problems new users have is water in their air lines? Wondering if you have addressed it, you will save yourself a ton of time, consumables and stress.

Also, with the Langmuir system the weakest link that I have found so far are the stepper motor to threaded rod connectors. I recommend you deal with it early to avoid wasting material due to slips. There are ways to modify the provided collars, motor drives or rods OR you can purchase better collars that don't slip from Amazon, McMaster-Carr or elsewhere.

If you haven't already spent time learning from others on the Langmuir Forum, it is time well spent ... https://forum.langmuirsystems.com/

Any questions that you have, I am happy to share what I have learned.

Jim

[toasterman12]

noice! i love pro tips, thanks for the awareness expansion

[Joe Jones]

You know what they say ...

Why work 8 hours a day for someone else, when you can be your own boss, and work 16 hours a day!

Good luck!

Joe

[Jason@bc]

Welcome Jeremy, best of luck with your new venture, lots of useful info on here.

[adbuch]

Welcome Jeremy, best of luck with your new venture, lots of useful info on here.

Jeremy hasn't been active in over 2 years. But perhaps he will be back.
David