Opening a Local Saw Shop...Thoughts

[RI Chevy]

Most small businesses fail due to lack of capital! #1 issue.

 

[angelo c]

Most small businesses fail due to lack of capital! #1 issue.

Exactly Jeff...most people forget to include their own needs as part of the "startup " capital required

 

[Johnmn]

First off thanks for your service and congratulations on retirement! Secondly good for you for going after what you want to do!
It sounds like financially this can/could be more of a side hustle rather than needing to support your family?
I was self employed for 15 years prior to this state gig.
You can spend all sorts of money on lawyer stuff, accountants and advertising but it's not always needed.

I'd definitely recommend an LLC, insurance and maybe something like quick books. That's all I ever did, I advertised very very little and usually had 1-1.5 years of work ahead of me. Word of mouth advertising is great but just remember bad news travels way faster than good news and it takes a bunch of customers to create a good reputation but only 1 to wreak it!
Take care of your customers and they will take care of you.

 

[Larry B]

If a business startup doesn't have the capital to fund startup costs AND still be able to eat and pay bills until the business is projected to turn a profit then it was just a poor business model to begin with.

There are loans with good interest rates and terms available through the SBA. For a potential small business startup to apply for a loan they must present their business model to a panel of businessmen who review it. If they don't think it will work you don't get the loan and they will tell you why they think it will fail. My friend wanted to retire and start a coffee shop. The SBA turned down his loan application and so did a bank. Being the brilliant businessman he was he pulled out all of his retirement savings and took a massive tax hit and then had to file bankruptcy because everthing including debt was in his name. Even if you don't want a loan most SBAs will review a startup business model and give you feedback for free. Lots of my"friends" have wanted me to "partner" (put my money in) with them in a small business. I told them to go to the effort to present a business model with all the data they require to the SBA review board and tell me what they say. None of them did it. Tells you all you need to know.

https://www.sba.gov/business-guide/10-steps-start-your-business

 

[Czed]

Not about the business/insurance side
I'm unfamiliar with that.
I'll just say the best way to run a saw repair/porting shop
Is to have some damn test logs
My friends shop he ran for 50 year's
Until he passed away
Outlasted countless other shops that would
Repair a saw and not test it.
I get stuff in all the time that was never tuned in wood with bad coils or has airleaks/bad boots/line's
Only when you run a saw can you diagnose all the issue's.

 

[huskyboy]

Not about the business/insurance side
I'm unfamiliar with that.
I'll just say the best way to run a saw repair/porting shop
Is to have some damn test logs
My friends shop he ran for 50 year's
Until he passed away
Outlasted countless other shops that would
Repair a saw and not test it.
I get stuff in all the time that was never tuned in wood with bad coils or has airleaks/bad boots/line's
Only when you run a saw can you diagnose all the issue's.

Running a saw in the wood... who woulda thunk of dat? They are made to cut wood no? Lol

 

[RI Chevy]

You don't just piss rev the saws???
I see it done on utoobe

 

[Czed]

Running a saw in the wood... who woulda thunk of dat? They are made to cut wood no? Lol

The first makitas I worked on
were the generation that they epoxied the carb adjustments.
The shop sold them and the customer fried them soon after
The local stihl shop will at least fire up and tune a saw.
I'm not sure about bridgeport equipment they sell stihl and echo
I don't know if they test them or not.

 

[redline4]

Running a saw in the wood... who woulda thunk of dat? They are made to cut wood no? Lol

The couple shops here start them up, rev them up and if the crankshaft doesn't hit the floor, they proclaim it good to go.

I once watched a guy diagnose a saw that wouldn't start by pushing in the decomp, then pulling it out, then saying it needed a carburetor.

 

[XP_Slinger]

Picked up this 9” South Bend yesterday. Everything is very tight, gonna give it a good cleaning today and get it in place in my barn.

 

[davidwyby]

Excited for you. Lots of good advice here. Makes me wanna start a thread asking for advice. I inherited the running of a large machine and welding shop. I think I envy a smaller business.

When can we start sending you saws for port work?

Maybe @Spike60 has some input too. ;-)

 

[Spike60]

"Austin, turn off the dam lathe and do your homework!"

 

[CJ Brown]

Picked up this 9” South Bend yesterday. Everything is very tight, gonna give it a good cleaning today and get it in place in my barn.
View attachment 288243

That's a nice sized lathe and you will be glad it has the quick change gear box. Put some shielding across the back to confine the mess to a smaller area. I temporarily stuck a sheet of cardboard across the back of mine 2 years ago and it will likely still be their 2 years from now lol. Did it come with the other jaws for the 3 jaw chuck, as well as a 4 jaw chuck? Oh, and a quick change tool post could be a nice addition as well.

 

[Larry B]

I inherited the running of a large machine and welding shop. I think I envy a smaller business

What's the old saying? You don't own a small business it owns you.
Mowers and chainsaws coming in and my other business is at a standstill because i can't get equipment (thanks china) my oldest son wants me to be a contractor at his house 200 miles away doing built ins in a family room. My other son got a bonus at work so he wants to finally do a kitchen remodel in his little house. Plus all the church stuff to get back in person and ready for Easter. I think i will unretire and go back to the day job. It was only 60 or so hours a week.
And yes, i will take some cheese with that whine.

 

[davidwyby]

Yeah, @Larry B , a friend and I were talking about too much to do the other day. First world problems...

 

[Spike60]

Excited for you. Lots of good advice here. Makes me wanna start a thread asking for advice. I inherited the running of a large machine and welding shop. I think I envy a smaller business.

When can we start sending you saws for port work?

Maybe @Spike60 has some input too. ;-)

I'd be happy to share what I've learned over the years. Josh, it might be a good time to finally take that ride down and hang out for a day.

 

[Stump Shot]

Picked up this 9” South Bend yesterday. Everything is very tight, gonna give it a good cleaning today and get it in place in my barn.
View attachment 288243

Excellent score!

 

[XP_Slinger]

I'd be happy to share what I've learned over the years. Josh, it might be a good time to finally take that ride down and hang out for a day.

Much appreciated Bob. I’ll let you know well ahead of time so I don’t interrupt anything. Haven’t been on here much in the last few days, been in a whirlwind of learning, ordering, building etc. I finished my lathe bench today. Still need to make a chip pan and a shield to put between the spinning thing and the motor. The UPS driver started bringing me “gifts” today

 

[XP_Slinger]

That's a nice sized lathe and you will be glad it has the quick change gear box. Put some shielding across the back to confine the mess to a smaller area. I temporarily stuck a sheet of cardboard across the back of mine 2 years ago and it will likely still be their 2 years from now lol. Did it come with the other jaws for the 3 jaw chuck, as well as a 4 jaw chuck? Oh, and a quick change tool post could be a nice addition as well.

Yup I have the other jaws for the 3 jaw, had buy a 4 jaw. I have a QCTP but need to modify the clamp so it will mount on my compound cradle. I ordered all the proper lubricants for the lathe, once they show up I’m gonna tear it down and replace the oil wicks and give everything a deep clean. Once she’s all serviced I’ll get to work turning the 4 jaw back plate and spinning down cylinder mandrels. My dad was an exceptional manual machinist, I’m excited to start learning stuff. Wish he were still around, he and I would have a lot of fun doing this together.

 

[CJ Brown]

Yup I have the other jaws for the 3 jaw, had buy a 4 jaw. I have a QCTP but need to modify the clamp so it will mount on my compound cradle. I ordered all the proper lubricants for the lathe, once they show up I’m gonna tear it down and replace the oil wicks and give everything a deep clean. Once she’s all serviced I’ll get to work turning the 4 jaw back plate and spinning down cylinder mandrels. My dad was an exceptional manual machinist, I’m excited to start learning stuff. Wish he were still around, he and I would have a lot of fun doing this together.

Good stuff! I bet @dahmer would be happy to answer any questions you might have. He has helped me a lot with my lathe.