I am sending the responses to my original post which was:
To all listserv members
I am looking to set up a small orthotics fabrication lab within a stand-alone building that once was a copy shop with about 625 square feet of available space. I am particularly interested in obtaining information on recommended machinery and equipment. I figure that I would need the following as essential items:
Sutton, Troutman, Anvil, 4 in 1 plastic cutter, Band Saw, Drill Press, Standard and Adler sewing machines, Oven, Air Vacuum system, workbenches. What is the suggested budget I should figure for equipment and machinery? Are particular brands of equipment more desirable? What about OSHA standards?
I received the following responses:
1.) OSHA standards we don’t need no silly OSHA standards. I do believe that some
rules do not apply until you are one of the big boys with more than say two
employees.
2. I commend you on your efforts. With your permission I will add you to my
address book. I am doing about $25K work each month and not spending enough
time with my family. My guess is you are a fishman (said with a smile)
because I went to school with Paul Jr and I think Clint Trautman. Family
makes a fine router but would you consider a Proline Router from Cascade? Our
lab was set up a year ago and the two Prolines have served us well. We also
got a shoe machine that is not a Sutton. I can get you that name if you wish.
Here’s another idea: to conserve initial cash output, the big power
machines were purchased through a lease company in Washington state. We
provided them the name of the product and the supplier, they purchased it,
and we lease purchase from the lease company. We got our brother sewing
machines from Sew Tex here in San Antonio but Brother probably has vendors in
your city too. To preserve more cash flow, consider having your clients order
component parts and drop shipped to you. This ensures your clients get the
joints they expect and you preserve approx. 40% of your material cost (and
the component shipping costs oie!) Get a website with downloadable orthometry
forms. How about a video link for you to offer consult sessions for the young
guns that don’t have your volumes of experience. I sincerely wish you great
success. Talk to you soon.
3.) Get in touch with Otto Bock, they have an excellent catalog called “Planning and Equipment” that shows layouts for different size shops/labs and all the tools you ever thought about buying, and then some. If you don t want to buy everything brand new from them, then at least the catalog will give you good ideas for your setup.
Some words on equipment – you can get by with almost nothing. When we started our facility here, we had no grinder, except for a hand-held drill clamped in a bench vise. And we still had patients the first day! But in order to get to work in a good way, make sure you always buy quality, it ll keep you going for a long time with no hassle. Also check out the orthotic Work Stations and Vacuum jigs made and sold by Becker Orthopedic, there are pics on their home page. If they are very expensive, maybe you can make your own version. It think it would really speed up production if you re concentrating on orthotics.
4.) Chris good luck with the new lab. I am still using a used pizza oven I paid
200.00 for 4years ago that has paid for itself many times over. I have an
16 inch Grizzly band saw that was about 450.00 and had a machinist make me
a clone of the Trautman carver for 800.00. Drill press was about 250.00 and
I am still using a milking machine for vacuum with PVC tubing to several
stations that cost 75.00. The point of this is it does not have to be a
large investment to get started. Try using used sewing machines and the
Sutton can come from the same supplier. There is a place in St.Louis that
does a good job with used equipment that I could find the name if you need
it. Again good luck
Thank you again to all who responded to my questions.
Chris Hovorka, MS, CPO
