I've experienced success by diving in (falling in more or less). However, in completely different fields. That's what is so wonderful about this forum. I’m able to pick the brains of the machine shop affluent.
The customers have shown me all their most recent invoices. They want me to be able "come close."
Experience is little, true, I do have drive though! I own an automotive repair business with 3,000 sq/ft of empty space and three phase power calling to me.
I know 3d modeling quite well.
Fairly good at CAM
Ok at manual code
Ok at fixture design
On machine cost: I've negotiated with the manufacturers / dealers. You would be slapped sideways if you knew the markups. They are expensive though. Very.
Where would be a good place to start then? Making the one off proto-types seems like more difficult work then mass production? Designing a fixture for 200 isn't much more than 1?
My biggest problem is that I have 5 children, a business, and a farm. That in itself isn’t an issue. There exists no CNC equipped shops within 120 miles. The option of working for one of these shops is almost impossible with my current responsibilities. My solution for pursuing my hopes of owning a production shop seemed simple by jumping in with both feet? It just appeared wasteful to invest in 10k of machinery just to outgrow it a short period of time. I don't want to fill the shop with non-professional tools; I’ve experienced pure frustration with this route. What normally happens is the shop fills up with tools. Most of which don’t get used.
This is good though. Hit me. Tell me where some of the bumps could be? There is a need. I’d like to be able to fill the need, but not stumble down the stairs, breaking my neck in the process.
One thing in my corner. I have a business and farm that pay my overhead. The CNC machines are just a love.