Possible hat flanges

[jpdesign]

I am contemplating buying the equipment to make hat flanges, followed later by blocks. The will be direct copies of the old flanges. I will be making copies of the flanges I have on hand, as well as copying flanges others send me. I will be able to make different sizes from exhisting flanges. If you send a 7 1/4 and want a 7 1/2 however you will have to pay for both a 7 3/8 and a 7 1/2 as I will have to make the 3/8 before I can make the 1/2. I don't think I want to try to skip a size in order to keep accuracy, we will see. once I get the equipment.

They will be made of poplar, approximately 2 1/2 inches thick, just like the old flanges. They will use as few boards as possible which will be biscuit jointed with waterproof glue. They will have rope grooves, alighnment pegs for flange stands, and cutouts for ribbons.

I will make the first 50 at $150 per flange. I should be able to keep that price, it just depends on how long it takes to make them. If it takes a great deal of time the price will go up.

I would like to have guaranteed orders for 50 flanges before committing to buy the equipment. I would have to have at least 25.

Jimmy

 

[jpdesign]

Since someone brought it up I will say more here.

I keeep having to work other jobs to pay bills do to not getting enough hat orders, this delays the orders I do hat. I have several partial sets of flanges and blocks that need filling in. so I got to thinking that if I could make and sell flanges I could both fill in my sets, and possibly not have to work another job.

If I can get, for lack of a better word, orders for 50 flanges, then that would show a market and I could get the money to buy machinery. I am already an accomplished wood worker, I do some antique furniture repair, as well as repair all my own blocks and flanges. After buying the machinery I would probably bring in my nephew, or one of the kids I taught at the local high school shop class (some of which are very talented), to actually run it, once I get it all set up. I will be doing the quality control , material selection, and overseeing. I already have a place to set everything up. The idea of buying the equipment was really a selfish one, but I would have to be able to turn a profit with the equipment in the long run.

The wood for the flanges is going to cost about $60 per flange. Factor in cutting bits, machine maintenance, and labor, and $150 is most likely too low of a price, but it is a place to start.

Jimmy

 

[Brad Bowers]

Jimmy, this certainly seems like a worthwhile goal. I need a bunch of flanges and blocks to fill all the holes in my sets, too. At best, I could probably only order one or two at a time, though, and it won't be anytime soon. I was laid off from my full-time job in May, so it will be a while before I can get anything. I hope the interest is there to allow you to go forward with this. We need a little more competition in the block and flange supply!

Brad