Shaotech needs regular and dependable boring service

[shao.fu.tzer]

Hello,
I've recently started a light company as many of you may know. Well I have a dilemma. The guy who was doing my boring is constantly being called out of the country to work so he can't meet with my demand for bored Surefire hosts.
Please, if you have experience in boring Surefire C/P/Z/M hosts, are confident in your
abilities, have the proper tools, have the ability to accurately and cleanly bore at least 10 hosts a week, and would like to make some money, I would like to discuss doing business with you. Please PM me if interested. Thank you.

Shao

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

Anyone? I have an awesome benefits package. :D

 

[precisionworks]

IMO, there are a few reasons that no one offered to do this (self included).

Money is probably Reason #1. My shop rate is $1.25/minute & includes the time to clean up the lathe after use. For a one-off job, figure 20-30 minutes (about $30-$38). Cost would be less if there were a dozen of the same body to bore with one setup. Add shipping to & from & boring one light will cost $40-$50. That's a bunch of money to spend on a $200 light.

Capacity, or lack thereof. Many mid sized lathes don't allow a body to be fed through the chuck & into the spindle. My 14" machine does (1-7/8" spindle bore) but most people on this forum have machines 12" and smaller.

Tooling. Boring a 6P or 9P can be done with a steel bar, but it is excruciatingly slow. A solid carbide bar gets the job done quickly, but cost $300+. I rarely do deep boring so all my bars are steel, as are many other members of this forum.

Measuring instruments. Not much room to mess up on most lights. For a dead nuts accurate reading, a triple contact "hole mic" or "intermike" is the preferred tool. About $300 per copy, and each one has a range of only .200"

You mention on your web page that you have a machine shop. Your best solution may be to do the boring in house.

 

[russthetoolman]

http://www.candlepowerforums.com/vb/showthread.php?195928-Feeler-Surefire-Body-Boring-Service

 

[precisionworks]

From the link that Russ posted:

it would probably be around $24.00 with return shipping included in the Conus .

That is a steal ... so much so that I'd have him do any light that came into my shop. Either he's working at warp speed, or (more likely) his shop rate is around $.60/minute. If he still offers this service (the thread is almost 3 years old) that's a low price, especially if he's good at it.

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

You mention on your web page that you have a machine shop. Your best solution may be to do the boring in house.

My "machine shop" currently consists of a drill press, 4" belt sander, 1" belt sander, 10" wheel grinder, an assortment of dremel tools and parts, and a wood lathe.

Hardly what I need to do in-house boring... Although at this rate, I may just break down and buy a used setup... I would just prefer to outsource the job to someone who has experience because I'm already swamped with work as is...

 

[shao.fu.tzer]

Well maybe I should change the title of the thread to : Shaotech needs advice on a good metal lathe and setup that won't turn their C2s into Swiss cheese... Anyone? I have many a great source of old Surefires and I want to bore them all!!!!! :devil:

Looking to spend as little as possible on a GOOD lathe... No hobbyist lathe that's going to send pieces flying..

Still would prefer to outsource... Anyone?

Thanks,
Shao

 

[precisionworks]

Looking to spend as little as possible on a GOOD lathe... No hobbyist lathe

That boils down to something 12" or greater. Lots of posts here on the PM 12x36, which is working well for a number of our advanced machinists (look at some of the work done by WQuiles or DarkZero, and others).

Add the cost of the lathe, maybe $2000 more to buy a decent chuck & some basic tooling and measuring instruments, and you'll have in-house boring.

I'd be interested IF all ten bodies could be done at one time, and all shipped back in one package. A wild guess on pricing is $30-$38 per body - I can give a more accurate price after boring a few.