eMachineshop--an experience

[Serafino]

Every once in a while someone asks whether eMachineshop is any good to deal with. From what I've read people's experiences vary, some have apparently experienced delays and quality issues. And of course you really need to know what you're doing to deal with them. Someone unfamiliar with the issues can easily miss something important and end up with a problem on their hands.

I decided to give them a shot for a recent project related to violin making and repair. I drew this up in their proprietary software, refined the design through consultation with a violinmaker friend of mine who already has several in his shop, and placed the order to have these plasma-cut in aluminum.

That was about a month ago, and the great news is that the items have arrived a day early and they look good. The only problems I had were that initially eMachineshop emailed me to say the price had to be bumped up due to complexity of the interior cut, and the machinist shipped the minimum quantity (how lame.). Total cost $28 a piece for 18 pieces. Not spectacular pricing, but not bad either. Quality-wise their deburring roughed up the surface enough that I'm not sure they've really lived up to their declared finish standards (I'm going to double-check that), but for my purposes these will work. I'll post a pic of one later tonight.

And here it is:

 

[Serafino]

A bump, and then I'll allow this to drift off the edge of the earth...

 

[Betamin]

That's pretty cool. I've always thought it to be impressive the way violins were carved and built. What exactly is this piece used for? The building or the repairing?

 

[Serafino]

It's used to stiffen the top plate when the 'bassbar' is fitted and installed, which can be either a repair or a new-making thing. The bassbar is the long piece you see glued inside the top in the picture.

The plate is clamped with many clamps to the frame, and that stops the plate from moving while you repeatedly press the bassbar into place during fitting. Fitting is accomplished by rubbing soft chalk in the area the bar will be glued. When you press the bar in very specific ways in its place chalk is transferred to the high spots, so ultimately you can get a perfect joint.

 

[Darth Brass]

Very cool.

 

[nick daring]

Anybody else ever work with this company? I'd love to hear any other stories good or bad.

Nick