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Hourly space to fab or build or whatever.

mako my day

mako my day

NAXJA Forum User
Location
Aliso Viejo
Has anyone thought of this? Is there a local spot that we can rent for a few hours to weld/cut/grind/fab/build etc?

I have a tiny available space in my shop that can be setup for this. 15 x 20 or close to it.

compressor, 220 welder, plasma cutter, chop saws, angle grinders, drill press, JD2 bender etc. Fridge full of beer. BBQ, Smoker, Stripper pole.

Has there ever been an interest?

I plan on moving from Garden Grove to the Lake Forest/Laguna Hills, San Clemente, Dana Point area hopefully by March 1. Fab day coming up maybe?

I have a forklift too for flexy testy.

Nothing professional or fancy here. Just some normal garage tooling.
 
I have always wanted to drink beer, and watch someone fab something, or finish up a bumper, or make some sliders as we point at them.
Bring beer, will watch you fab, lol.
 
Good luck. I have seen probably a dozen of these open up in the last 40+ years and none ever make it.
 
Not looking to make anything. My business runs in the front half of the space. Power, consumables, and the party in the back would need to be covered. Just like a mullet.
 
Sounds like it will be an example of 'no good deed goes unpunished'
 
I have worked on a business plan for something like this when getting my degree. I practically lived at the Auto Hobby shop(s) building my CJ5 while serving in the Marines. I researched civilian version Auto Hobby shops, but as Old_Man stated many of them don't make it.

Liability is a big cost. The other is your target market, people wanting to save money by doing it themselves. Often the cost to rent a place saves little over just having a regular shop do the work. Several businesses I found flipped to a regular shop after a year. They would have Cerfitied mechanics on hand to help customers at a discounted hourly rate, problem was most customers were clueless, so the staff would end up doing 99% of the work anyway.


Now if your place is more for buddies to come over and wrench in exchange for consumables and ensuring the fridge and grill is stocked, I am in!
 
theres a place like this in oceanside. more of a heres some tools and a lift spot no welding/fab etc.

only mullets would be on shitty attorneys taking you to court.

bitchen idea that would have worked in the past before people became 234x shittier.
 
You'll go broke repairing broken tools, then you'll raise your prices , then people will cry about how much it costs to run a shop....
 
Btw, people can have the best intentions, and still burn your shop down, kill your dog, then kill themselfs on your property!

I don't have any commercial insurance policies, but having strangers using grinders in my building is freaking TERRIfYiNg!
 
Your risk will vary with who you allow in. Consumption of adult beverages is likely to increase risk.

There is a place here in San Diego which appears to be surviving, doing something similar: http://makerplace.com/

I have thought about them a number of times, but so far the cost exceeds the benefit for me. I was actively involved with San Diego Fine Woodworkers when MakerPlace opened shop. They came and spoke to SDFWA in an effort to drum up clientele. It was interesting because SDFWA had been considering opening up a gallery/shop to benefit the membership. Cost, liability and equipment maintenance were all hurdles. MakerPlace seems to be overcoming the hurdles. In theory it should be doable, given the high cost of real estate and large population of apartment dwellers who would still like to be able to create something, but lack the physical space in which to do it.

I would say you are best off limiting it to folks you know and trust, and even then hedge your bets. I see far more risk than reward.
 
talk to a lawyer.

its very possible to have the right kind of waivers and insurance for this, but it may be cost prohibitive.

think about a gym. there are lot of different ways for people to do harm to themselves or others there but they still operate. having the right waiver and insurance is key.

if it werent so far from me I'd take you up on it. there are a few things I don't really want to do in my garage.
 
I would be worried about an idiot cutting a finger off, grinder slag in an eye, flashburn, all the way to having a few beers and dropping a car on themselves. I dont think a signed waiver will hold up too great if there is a horrendus accident and booze is involved. Keep it between close friends and skilled trustworthy chapter members and you might be ok.
 
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