Date: Tue, 22 Jan 2008 19:07:28 -0600
Reply-To: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
Subject: Re: Projektzwo Foglight Project - Bad News
In-Reply-To: <884070.71082.qm@web56808.mail.re3.yahoo.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1; format=flowed
Damon,
Thanks for the offer to help.
The first challenge came when I realized the grille units sent as sample
were too big fit into my own vacuum forming machine.
Challenge #2 - I went to a a local company who does big projects in
vacuum forming. Together we studied it to ascertain the possibilities.
Not cound the R&D costs which are always up front - they could make a
minimum run of 50 pair of grilles pieces - no hardware - for $50/pair
BUT, the Big Vacuum Forming company said they would need a mold made,
and it needed to conform to the needs of their vacuum forming equipment.
They could use CNC milling machines to make the molds, but they needed
the numbers to drive the CNC stuff. This would require some of their
staff to generate drawing on their computer to reproduce the grilles.
Big Bucks. They suggested I go to an associate company who had laser
scanning equipment, have the grilles scanned, then bring the numbers
from the scanning back and they would have staff convert the scanner
numbers to CNC numbers for milling.
Challenge #3 - The associate company was Southern Comfort Conversions,
a very modern company who does sports package conversions for auto
vehicle dealers across the country. They had the scanner equipment. The
was however, a big problem. The new year has arrived, and in
anticipation of the declining economy they were doubling up on their
output to get as much done as possible before ordering began to be cut
back.They didn't have the availability of equipment, manpower or time to
take on the project.
So, there it stopped. I don't know where else I can take this. I am not
that well connected to the kind of markets and manufacturing that are
needed to get this done. I really do hate to see this die off, but I've
gone as far as I can go.
Perhaps you or someone else can pick up the ball and run with it.
Thanks for our inquiry.
Regards,
John Rodgers
88 GL Driver
Damon Campbell wrote:
> What is the crux of the stalling point? Finding someone to tool up the plastic parts?
>
> I am a product designer by trade, and have a several contacts of people who can do injection mold, vacuum form, 3D scanning (although i can't imagine that to be too necessary). I do not really understand all your technical challenges, though, so i may be oversimplifying it.
>
> Maybe i could be of some assistance?
>
> -Damon
>
> ----- Original Message ----
> From: John Rodgers <inua@CHARTER.NET>
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Sent: Sunday, January 20, 2008 6:42:43 AM
> Subject: Projektzwo Foglight Project - Bad News
>
>
> The project is DEAD!
>
> I finally got to see the engineer at Southern Comfort Conversions. Big
> outfit, their facility here is a city block in size, all under one
> roof.
>
> The engineer there took a look at what I wanted done - the laser
> scanning of the pieces and digitizing of the numbers,, and the
> conversion of the numbers into CNC code for milling of a mold.. He said
> it could be done, but they couldn't do it because of current demands on
> them by the market place. They had to much to do to tie up the manpwoer
> and equipment on such a project. He elaborated, but the bottom line was
> NO!
>
> With that said, I have exhausted all possibilities here. There might be
> a place in Nashville, or Memphis, or Atlanta, but at this time I can't
> devote the time or resources to trying to find someone in those locales
> to take a look.
>
> So, there it is, I'm done.
>
> I want to thank Ryan Alfonso and Kim Brennan and Daniel Stern of Daniel
> Stern Lighting for their generosity - and patience - in the loan of
> the
> parts that were to be used in this project. I will be returning the
> parts to them this week.
>
> And lastly, thanks to all you list members for your patience while I
> sought out the possibilities of making this project viable. I just wish
> I had something better to report.
>
> Regards,
>
> John Rodgers
> 88 GL Driver
>
>
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________________________________________________
> Be a better friend, newshound, and
> know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now. http://mobile.yahoo.com/;_ylt=Ahu06i62sR8HDtDypao8Wcj9tAcJ
>
>
>
>
|