[Clifcecile]

Here is Gary's reply to the question about the Vendor and extrusion prices.

Dear Clif:

I reduced my PO to the minimum amount 2,000 lbs of each shape. The downside is that if this stuff sells, I will need to reorder the frames way before the slide shape. I ordered the material in 24 ft lengths so we have the option of cutting into 4, 6 or 8 or 12ft lengths.

Including the die charge and around a 200% markup, the cost comes to $2 per foot for the slide, $3 per foot for the 2 inch frame, and $4 per foot for the 3 inch frame.

Shipping is going to be the big problem. If someone orders a single 8 foot piece, it will have to be strapped to a wooden backing to keep it from bending in shipment. If it is a multiple piece order, I don’t think the wood is necessary. Shipping will be expensive and is not included in the pricing. The lowest rate I have found without negotiating something is the USPS ground package service. Probably pretty slow. Air freight starts at $100 to ship anything. Trek ships through UPS at much lower rates than what a retail customer pays. I don’t know how to get something better. If someone were to order a bunch, we could make it a truck shipment.

I have been on the fence about who is doing this. It sounds like it needs to be Chehalis Bicycle Inc. It has the all the tax numbers and such to be a Vendor. I will need to hire someone to answer email, cut, pack and ship. Perhaps a student??
I do not have a delivery date yet. Just got the final drawing on the slide to approve. I was hoping for Jan 10th, but I don’t know where we are at.

Obviously we only have the shapes we have made to sell. If someone has a different shape in mind, I would be happy to look at it, but there will be the lead time of a new extrusion to deal with. It will need to have broad usefulness in order to justify making 2,000 lbs.

You may share this email with the group.

Gary

Clif:

I forgot to include weights.

3 inch frame is .607 lbs per foot
2 inch frame is .457 lbs per foot
slider is .269 lbs per foot.

There should be plenty of material in the edges to drill and tap 1/4 x 20 or 6 mm holes from the top or sides. Can also drill and tap from the ends. Material is of course weldable, but I am favoring machined and bolted construction for the robots. Less distortion and easier to modify.

These frames shapes are not super light, but better than trying to work with commonly available rectangle strip.

So if you bolt a slider to each side of a frame with the tab, there should be clearance for the assembly to slide over the same size frame. Or you can just use the light slider on the edge of a frame by itself.

Gary

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If anybody out there have any ideas or suggestions we would appreciate any and all..