[bluefork]

I had some parts that I got a quote on over at RFQwork. They are a simple part and there was only a initial order of 50. I opened it up for quotes and I got 30 +. The lowest bid was $5 apart from China all the way up to $75 apart. I'm just a small business person who is looking for my parts to be made. I had a local guy who made them for me. He has gotten to busy to make them so I figured I would try online. I've been in the machining arena for 10+ years and I know how to do all aspects of the business.
I awarded the bid to a small machine shop. There prices were right in there with my current parts. I thought the thread was over at least I thought.

I visited it a day later. The guys were wanting to know what the job went for. The last time I checked that wasn't really anybodies business but me and the person whom I'm doing business with. Then some of the bigger shops are slamming the little guys for what they charge. Being a person who needs my stuff made has really left a bad taste in my mouth. I know the economy is not that great. I also know I don't work with outsourcing. I have nothing against that practice. But I have choosen to not take that route. But when I read that guys who have 100+ employess are upset because the one guy small shop isn't charging there industrial shop wages. Then they go one step farther call them nonlegitimate business WTF! I sell my part for a set price. Just because the person whos bid it high is pissed and thinks they deserve the job cause they are "legitmate" and have all these employess. I'm a small Buisness. So I have to take the hit or raise my selling price. To give him the business. If I wanted to pay industrial shop rate I would stay local. If the big shop is pissed about loosing my little job I find that alarming.
When I joined the forums a couple of years ago I was under the impression that it was for hobby machinest and small shops. I have no problem if a large shop wants to put in a bid. But don't be surprised if you don't get the job. I mean come on give me a break. I really appreciate the time spent to give me a quote. But if this is whats going to happen I'm not posting the rest of my jobs on the open forum. This part is one of many I need made.

Here is the thread for refference.

http://www.rfqwork.com/showthread-t_1277.html

[rumble]

This sounds pretty normal to me. It's like a pride thing. I wouldn't think much about it, if I was you. And I wouldn't give up on, the online thing, either. May be you could make a form for bidders to fill out, kind of like on MFG.COM and attach it to your blueprints. That would cut down on alot of reading about bull ****.

[cam1]

Hi: America was built with small 1 man shops (Henry Ford). If anything, the big shops should be able to run circles around the little guy.Darwin's rules of survival here: Adapt to the new economy or ..........perish.

regards

[mc-motorsports]

This sounds pretty normal to me. It's like a pride thing. I wouldn't think much about it, if I was you. And I wouldn't give up on, the online thing, either. May be you could make a form for bidders to fill out, kind of like on MFG.COM and attach it to your blueprints. That would cut down on alot of reading about bull ****.

MFGQUOTE makes me sick. MFGQUOTE is selling our freedom. I hope someone outsources your job.

[mc-motorsports]

I had some parts that I got a quote on over at RFQwork. They are a simple part and there was only a initial order of 50. I opened it up for quotes and I got 30 +. The lowest bid was $5 apart from China all the way up to $75 apart. I'm just a small business person who is looking for my parts to be made. I had a local guy who made them for me. He has gotten to busy to make them so I figured I would try online. I've been in the machining arena for 10+ years and I know how to do all aspects of the business.
I awarded the bid to a small machine shop. There prices were right in there with my current parts. I thought the thread was over at least I thought.

I visited it a day later. The guys were wanting to know what the job went for. The last time I checked that wasn't really anybodies business but me and the person whom I'm doing business with. Then some of the bigger shops are slamming the little guys for what they charge. Being a person who needs my stuff made has really left a bad taste in my mouth. I know the economy is not that great. I also know I don't work with outsourcing. I have nothing against that practice. But I have choosen to not take that route. But when I read that guys who have 100+ employess are upset because the one guy small shop isn't charging there industrial shop wages. Then they go one step farther call them nonlegitimate business WTF! I sell my part for a set price. Just because the person whos bid it high is pissed and thinks they deserve the job cause they are "legitmate" and have all these employess. I'm a small Buisness. So I have to take the hit or raise my selling price. To give him the business. If I wanted to pay industrial shop rate I would stay local. If the big shop is pissed about loosing my little job I find that alarming.
When I joined the forums a couple of years ago I was under the impression that it was for hobby machinest and small shops. I have no problem if a large shop wants to put in a bid. But don't be surprised if you don't get the job. I mean come on give me a break. I really appreciate the time spent to give me a quote. But if this is whats going to happen I'm not posting the rest of my jobs on the open forum. This part is one of many I need made.

Here is the thread for refference.

http://www.rfqwork.com/showthread-t_1277.html

If you live in America, and you want American's to buy from you, please have your parts made in America.

And yes, bickering will happen. Some of the bigger shops with expensive equiptment are going to try to discredit the little guy with less expensive and probably less expensive equiptment, but in reality, they are set-up for 2 diffrent lines of work.

If a big shop can't drop thier price within your range, that is understandable, they have more overhead than a small shop with "lesser" equiptment, but the small shop has less overhead and would not be able to compete with the production capabilities of the large shops.

In todays economy, people are going to *****, bicker, argue and try to cut eachother down, so be it. Base your decision off of #1, is it made in America, and are you supporting America. #2 quality. #3 price.

It doesn't matter if a big shop wants too much money for what you need and a little shop can do it for less. The big shops are wasting thier time bidding on the wrong jobs. End of story.

MC

[scadvice]

...though I have never responded to the RFQforum (yet) don't let a few jerks stop you from using it. If they can't quote and respond in a professional manner, then they are not the big shop they say they are. I currently work for a large defense contractor and our RFQ's can exceed 500k at times. If one of them tried to treat us like you were treated, that would be the last RFQ they got from us.
When I retire from here, and open my own company, I will use the RFQ forum from both sides. I believe in the small shop and promote what work I can here to them locally.
Steve

[harryn]

I didn't really see that much of a problem with the thread to tell you the truth. Everyone is trying to figure out what to do in this economy and double checking their "historic common sense" against today's reality.

To give you an example, I had a 100 piece part which required some fairly intricate work (2 years ago). A Local (Bay Area, CA) shop bid it at $ 175 each and told me that this was really the best they could do. I didn't argue, I just could not pay that much for the part, so I actually had planned on killing the project.

I was visiting my brother in Toledo (which already had something like 20% of its population unemployed back then). I gave the drawing to a large, local, high end, iso 9000 shop, mil spec qual, etc. No push, just asked for a bid - $ 35 / each, and they also had some really good suggestions for IMPROVING the finish over my original proto - which actually would be more expensive to do. This shop has plenty of business, my project was almost incidental to them, but it was worth paying them a local "premium" than to argue about improving by a few $s by shopping around my part to more shops.

China is a problem, and doing business there is full of risk I cannot take. IMHO the machining cost delta in CA vs midwest is a bigger problem for local shops than China is, or put another way, if you need a part built, there is a good chance you can have it made in USA at a very competitive price by looking at the traditional regions of machining.

[dertsap]

anyone who posted and wants to claim they employ 100 people is full of bs or absolutely tragic , I can understand and respect the small guy trying to get work which ever way possible but any company that employ's 100+ people and has to scavenge small quantity work through forums is pathetic or just doesn't exist ,

[neilw20]

1. Best Price.
2. Best Quality.
3. Best Deliver Time.

Chose any two...:wave:

[Dualkit]

anyone who posted and wants to claim they employ 100 people is full of bs or absolutely tragic , I can understand and respect the small guy trying to get work which ever way possible but any company that employ's 100+ people and has to scavenge small quantity work through forums is pathetic or just doesn't exist ,

I would just say with this economy it is highly possible someone with 100 employees could be scrounging for work every place possible. I would think they
won't have 100 employees much longer if they are bidding on too many jobs
that are under $1,000. I think some of the big boys are out of touch, and haven't realized the economy has driven shop rates down. They eventually find this out and get angry about it, it's all simple supply and demand. I think the problems here go both ways. For every decent shop bidding on these small jobs, there is one that just plays games, low quoting with out ever intending to do the work for that price. I am sure that there are a few illegitimate RFQs on here as well. I am sure plenty of people solicit quotes just to pressure their current vendors to drop prices, and they never intend
to award the jobs to a new shop. So the BS goes both ways, you have to take the good with the bad and keep moving forward.

[larry53]

I did not quote on the job you had up for bid but I think its your business who you gave the quote to. You had your reason and do not have to explain that to anyone. Its people like you that helps to keep shops like mine running. I win some quotes and lose some quotes and never ask why. I just figure its something I did not offer that someone else was able to do.

[dertsap]

I think the problems here go both ways. For every decent shop bidding on these small jobs, there is one that just plays games, low quoting with out ever intending to do the work for that price. I am sure that there are a few illegitimate RFQs on here as well. I am sure plenty of people solicit quotes just to pressure their current vendors to drop prices, and they never intend
to award the jobs to a new shop. So the BS goes both ways, you have to take the good with the bad and keep moving forward.

I agree to a certain point , it can be quite cut throat , but the large companies with say 100 employees can probably not survive quoting on small jobs under $1000, the administration costs alone could kill them before they power up the machine , there tends to be a far greater chain of hands a job touches before it hits the floor , the small companies on the other hand have far less overhead which can allow for a decent profit

sadly I'm sure some of the large companies are scrounging for work whatever way possible but hopefully they have planned for a rainy day or there will be a lot of people going to work at mcdonalds