Fabricator Kevin's Frequently
Asked Questions:
|
| Question: |
"How
do I pay for parts from Fab Kevin?" |
| Answer: |
NEW!!! I now accept Visa and
MasterCard over the phone (for now, if this takes off we'll add online
payments) Call 586-291-4798 7 days a week from 8:00 am to 10:00 pm |
| I also accept: |
|
Money orders, made out to:
Fabricator Kevin
38227 Mast
Harrison Township, Mi 48045
|
And:
Click the button |
|
I do not accept personal checks without prior
authorization. |
| Question: |
"How long does it take to make and ship my
parts?" |
| Answer: |
I can "usually" design, manufacture,
and ship out a part within 2 weeks. There are always exceptions, and items
in stock usually ship the day after payment arrives. I can quote accurate
delivery dates if asked. |
| Question: |
"How do you normally ship the parts?" |
| Answer: |
I ship everything UPS ground, and cannot ship
to post office boxes.
If the item is small, I occasionally ship US Mail.
If you need "next day air", please let me know, so I can price
out shipping accordingly. |
| Question: |
"Should I send the money order Priority
Mail?" |
| Answer: |
The answer to that is: NO! Here's the
reason. If the mail delivery comes at lunch time, or any other time I may
not be here, it gets returned to the post office, and I have to go pick it
up. This usually results in it taking longer than regular mail. |
| Question: |
"What do you need to use as a pattern to
make your parts?" |
| Answer: |
If you have something special that you want
fabricated,
there are several ways to convey the idea to me.
- Send me a detailed drawing with dimensions, along with some good
description of anything not shown on the drawing. Also, include a
phone number for me to contact you with any questions.
- Send me a template. You can make a template out of nice heavy
posterboard, or a ceral box. Do not use shipping cardboard, as it is
not accurate enough to hold a nice shape. Make the template as
accurate as possible, because the part I make will match it EXACTLY,
unless there are instructions to the contrary with the template.
- Email me an Autocad file (.dwg). This is a great way to save a few
dollars, as I can easily convert an Autocad drawing to machine logic.
If these ideas are not easy for you to do, contact me and I can see about
sending you a simple drawing for you to "fill in the blanks". I
usually need some conversation on the phone to get things like this made
right, and it doesn't work well on complicated stuff.
Do NOT send templates priority mail, or registered mail if you are in a
hurry. If my mailman comes at lunchtime, and I'm not here to sign, I have
to schedule a trip to the Post Office, and it usually takes a couple of
days extra with all of the confusion. |
| Question: |
"What is the capacity of your Plasma or
Laser machines?" |
| Answer: |
I can cut from 16ga. (.059") steel, to
1/2" plate on the Plasma cutter, and almost the same capacities on
the Laser, but I can also do aluminum, and stainless steel with the Laser. |
| Question: |
"Why is the Laser so much more costly then
the Plasma Cutter?" |
| Answer: |
The plasma cutter is an accurate machine, but
it has limitations. It cannot make small, precise cuts like a laser. The
expendable parts and set up time are much cheaper than the laser, so the
cost per hour to cnc plasma cut is about 1/3 the cost of the laser. I try
to Plasma cut whatever I can to keep the costs down. |
| Question: |
"How do I prepare my parts for paint after
I get them?" |
| Answer: |
Many times I ship the parts with a scuffed
finish, and all that is necessary is to wipe them down with a de-greaser
before applying paint. If you use a rattle can, you can get good results
with Rustoleum brand, and especially good results with Rustoleum "Hammertone"
finish. That paint is durable, and easy to apply. Be sure to spray in a
well ventilated area, in the correct temperature, and to use proper safety
equipment like a respirator and safety glasses.
Another trick, is to use a blow dryer on the parts in between coats.
This will speed the drying time,and allow you to put several coats on in a
shorter amount of time.
|
| Question: |
"Do your parts come with installation
instructions?" |
| Answer: |
No. Most of them are simple parts, and with the
type of customers I sell to, instructions aren't needed. If you think you
might have a problem with the installation, I am always available to
answer any questions, or help guide you through it. Do not be afraid to
ask me - I want you to be happy with the parts, and comfortable with the
installation. |
| Question: |
"What if I want a part that is not on your
site?" |
| Answer: |
I do LOTS of things that aren't on my site.
Besides making proprietary parts for other shops, I do many "one-off'
parts for the home builder. Send me your idea, and I will work with you to
get it made. I do not duplicate special parts from my customers, unless I
have their approval to do so. |
| Question: |
"I want a high quality part, and I want it
cheap" |
| Answer: |
I try to price my stuff fair, and give the
highest quality I can. "Good" and "Cheap" should never
be spoken in the same sentence. |
| Question: |
"What is your guarantee?" |
| Answer: |
30 feet, or 30 seconds - whichever comes first.
Actually, I stand behind everything I sell, and offer full replacement or
refund on any item that doesn't live up to its claim, or to your
expectations. I work hard to make sure the parts you get from me will do
the job they are intended to do, without fail. |
| Question: |
"I sent Kevin an email, and he didn't
reply" |
| Answer: |
This is a question that I hope is never asked.
I try to keep up with all of my communications. Sometimes I get a lot of
inquiries, and my replies are short. Sometimes, I don't have the time to
answer a tech question as complete as I'd like to. I try my best, and if
my answer is not complete enough, please let me know, and I'll try to
clear my answers up. |
