[Northshield] Re: Laser cut lamellar plates

[Jamie Boley]

You beat me to it!  I was planning on sending this tonight, so you're one  
step ahead of me.

As always, mailling lists seem to mess up links, here's the page where the  
lamellar information will be housed and an continue to be updated,  
http://www.polarbearforge.com/lamellar.htm

Copin
mka Jamie

From: Wendy Kellogg <wfkellogg at yahoo.com>
Subject: [Northshield] Fw: [west-ns] Laser cut lamellar plates
To: List Northshield <northshield at northshield.org>
Message-ID: <20061213123736.23291.qmail at web35609.mail.mud.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ascii

----- Forwarded Message ----
From: polarbearforge <jamie at polarbearforge.com>
To: west-ns at yahoogroups.com
Sent: Tuesday, December 12, 2006 8:34:27 PM
Subject: [west-ns] Laser cut lamellar plates

Greetings all! At my last job, I started to make a die to punch out
lamellar plates. I ended up switching jobs before finishing it and
now operate and program a laser.

Right now, the finer details are still being worked out, but I am
planning on offer laser cut lamellar plates. I can process pretty
much any file given to me. Even if it's a sketch in paint, as long as
I have dimensions, I can create the files I need.

Here is a picture of some prototypes that I cut. They are 4 1/2" long
and 7/8" wide. http://www.polarbearforge.com/temp/aluminum_lamellar_ 1.jpg

The bottom piece is the top side, you can see a little of the spray
 from where the beam pierced the part. It comes off easily, I've been
removing them with my thumbnail. The top piece is the bottom. You can
see a little burr around the corners. I've been working on the cut
itself and have it cleaned up a bit already. The material here is
aluminum. I plan on cutting aluminum (0.050 thickness) and stainless
(20 gauge).

In addition to my test pieces, you can find a few other plates that I
already have drawn, here http://www.polarbearforge.com/lamellar.htm.
The nice thing, is that if you'd like the same design, but 1/4"
longer or with an extra hole, I can draw it in and make them.

Right now, my selling price will be $.50 per piece out of aluminum
and $.55 for stainless. As long as the size and configuration doesn't
radically change, this should remain the same for pretty much all
plates. The price is the same whether ordering 5 plates or 500, you
get the same low price regardless.

For shipping, I'll be using the flat rate boxes from the USPS.
They're $8.10 and a lot will fit in a box. If arrangements are made
a head of time, I can make sure to have the quantity and style you
want and bring it to an event.

Now I don't have a real good idea how many to cut in advance. So
initially, there will be a week or so delay for me to cut them as
needed. Once I get a better idea of numbers, then I'll be able to
keep an inventory on hand and eliminate the delay.

For payment, I'll be able to take checks/money orders through the
mail or credit card via the internet(please don't send me the card #,
let me know if you choose this option and I'll send you a secure link
through Propay to process that).

A couple things that I have been asked.
Will I cut material provided to me? Short answer, no.
How much is titanium? The cheapest source I've found sells small
drop pieces, and it works out between $1 and $2 per plate just for
material. Unless I find a cheaper source, I probably won't be
offering it.
Can it cut brass, bronze, or copper? No, the nature of the laser
doesn't fit well with these materials. It cuts steel, aluminum, and
titanium really well, though.

If there are other questions, please email me at
jamie at polarbearforg e.com and if you could, put lamellar in the
subject. Thanks!

Jamie


-- 
Polar Bear Forge
Custom Knives
http://www.polarbearforge.com