Help me find a niche

[wash]

Let's say I spend $500 tooling up to make flats and $100 on materials. Now I've got to cover $1,200, not $600.

After shipping costs, that is probaly 24-25 flats I need to make in the first batch.

If I spend a similar amount on Saiga 12 flats, my first batch is 11-12 at $120.

There has to be 15-20 people a year who would pay that for an item they could not otherwise get at any cost (except in a complete and very expensive AOW).

I'll make my S-12 in to a cruiser and worry about getting it stamped and AOW'd later.

[shotcaller6]

PSL

And that's a problem how?

Who said anything about a problem? it would be a good thing!

[wash]

Actually I said it's a problem.

I want a little profitable work to do, not a job (I've already got one of those).

I don't want hoards of customers who's needs I can not fulfill.

I don want to wake up one day to 25 people who's flats are out of spec (because my tooling is wearing out) and want a replacement.

I want something small, something I can control and something profitable. It can't be too big or someone else will push me out of the market.

[Milspec714]

new scope mount for mosin or mauser??

[wash]

Ah, no.

[JPurp]

Just my $0.02 but I don't think your are going to find that magic widget to sell one month a year that is going to be low volume/low risk and quick turn around/major profit.

In my experience 99% of the time if it is that easy someone else has already done it. There's always that 1% but I wouldn't bank on it.

It sounds like you have the money and you are comfortable paying $600/yr for your membership just not $1200/yr.

I would take a look at the things you are planning on working on and add up all the costs you will avoid by not having to pay to get work done. My guess is you will close the gap between your comfort level ($600) and the actual cost ($1200) quickly.

I personally pay over $100/mo just for work space. That is just the space, no tools. So from my perspective and IMHO $100/mo for access to all there tools is worth it.

If you do end up doing it I would love to get a review from you including how "firearms" friendly they are.

-JP

[SJgunguy24]

Wash, stick with what you know, your a machinist. Don't mess with Saiga 12 flats unless you have ample development time and access to a laser machine with Autocad set up. I have that but no time and sheetmetal is my thing. Ajax is a smart dude and knows the business, take whatever bones he's tossing out there. Drickel is 1000% right, mag locks are a money maker but volume is the ticket.

[SJgunguy24]

I think you need to check out what your material costs are going to be. A full sheet of .050 4130 is gonna run you 90-100$. Your S 12 blank will need a 12" X 8" cut piece. So based on that you should get 48 blanks. Now how many are you going to burn up in development. You can't really substitute either because other materials won't have the same properties when working the material. Don't forget the rails, need thicker material for that.
Is this that place being built downtown on second and san carlos?

[straykiller]

Ah, no.

Actually I said it's a problem.

I want a little profitable work to do, not a job (I've already got one of those).

I don't want hoards of customers who's needs I can not fulfill.

I don want to wake up one day to 25 people who's flats are out of spec (because my tooling is wearing out) and want a replacement.

I want something small, something I can control and something profitable. It can't be too big or someone else will push me out of the market.

Let's say I spend $500 tooling up to make flats and $100 on materials. Now I've got to cover $1,200, not $600.

After shipping costs, that is probaly 24-25 flats I need to make in the first batch.

If I spend a similar amount on Saiga 12 flats, my first batch is 11-12 at $120.

There has to be 15-20 people a year who would pay that for an item they could not otherwise get at any cost (except in a complete and very expensive AOW).

I'll make my S-12 in to a cruiser and worry about getting it stamped and AOW'd later.

not trying to sound rude but it seems like you found your own answer you want and dont need/want our suggestions. would be interested to see your finished product. post up info as you progress , good luck. 100 bucks isnt bad for access to that kind of machinery

[shotcaller6]

Wish you the all the best in whatever direction you decide to go.

[ptoguy2002]

Well looking at the equipment lists they have, 3D scanners, laser cutters, CNC milling machines, the sky is the limit.
How about PKM / PKT flats and bending jigs, to match the Polish kits out there?
The only receiver is the VLTOR, which doesn't match the Polish kits, or a cold steel solutions blank, which is a POS.
Use their laser cutter to cut flat sheets out. A simple die will roll the ejection port, and after that it is almost the same as a AK flat jig.
If you are serious, call Apex, tell them what you are doing, find out how many kits are out there, and if it is worth it.

ETA: The hump in the bottom might be difficult though, but vltor welded theirs on to fix that problem

[wash]

Their laser cutters can't cut through steel sheet, I think they can etch through anodizing so I can T mark uppers and stuff like that.

For cutting flats, they will have a really nice water jet machine.

If I do Saiga 12 flats it will be as much for myself as for making money.

I wouldn't really call myself a machinist, I was a fabricator which means I did a little bit of everything. That includes sheet metal but I know I'm not an expert at anything. A real machinist can run circles around me on a lathe. A real sheetmetal guy can run circles around me on a brake.

The thing is I usually get there in the end.

I was just looking at my Saiga 12 and it looks quite simple, no dimples or flanges like on an AK flat. The mag well might have to be opened up after bending. There is one bump on the bottom but it doesn't look like it would be hard to form.

I can't figure out why no one is selling flats already.

As for Mosin and Mauser scope bases, the markets are large, even if I could produce a good product, I will have to compete with commodity priced products and if I can do that I'll have too many customers looking for one.

With low volume I can keep the quality high, if I have to sell 12 and I make 20, as long as I don't have to reject more than 8, I'll be doing good.

[straykiller]

I can't figure out why no one is selling flats already.

because parts kits are non existent.

[nick]

because parts kits are non existent.

As opposed to those for PSLs... Just a thought.

[straykiller]

As opposed to those for PSLs... Just a thought.

same one i used for my pistol build

http://centerfiresystems.com/drakit-mm.aspx