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Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

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Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#181

Post by busterarm »

12ian34 wrote: post #138
Panther34543 wrote: post #63

I've given this advice elsewhere, and I'll give it here. Go look at the small business initiatives by each branch of the U.S. military; many are now posting lists of open contracts that you can bid on for an incredible array of things. Browse through those lists and find something you can build. I really believe the U.S. military is in the midst of a large scale transfer of military spending from traditional large de…

hmm facilitating war, even if it means defence just doesn't sit quite right with me. shame we live in a world where this is even a thing

War happens when one of two nations assumes that they are more capable of winning than another.

If you stop spending in the US and assume that Russia and China will sit idly by without invading our allies, you are living in a land of fantasy.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#182

Post by 12ian34 »

busterarm wrote: post #181
12ian34 wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

hmm facilitating war, even if it means defence just doesn't sit quite right with me. shame we live in a world where this is even a thing

War happens when one of two nations assumes that they are more capable of winning than another. If you stop spending in the US and assume that Russia and China will sit idly by without invading our allies, you are living in a land of fantasy.

It's definitely a land of fantasy today, I agree but one can always hope that maybe one day instead of killing each other we'd learn to live together and work together. Imagine how much more productive we'd be. To be honest I nearly didn't post this message because it's a bit off topic and definitely divisive. I definitely support all the brave people fighting for me to be safe because I sure as hell wouldn't feel comfortable killing someone else myself to protect my "country".

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#183

Post by sixQuarks »

busterarm wrote: post #181
12ian34 wrote: post #138

Earlier quoted context omitted.

hmm facilitating war, even if it means defence just doesn't sit quite right with me. shame we live in a world where this is even a thing

War happens when one of two nations assumes that they are more capable of winning than another. If you stop spending in the US and assume that Russia and China will sit idly by without invading our allies, you are living in a land of fantasy.

This makes no sense. Using this logic, why don’t more countries attack, say Costa Rica, which doesn’t even have a military?

I think the OP probably doesn’t have a problem with actual defense projects, but if you’ve been paying any attention over the last 70 years, you will know that the US has attacked many countries under the guise of “defense”.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#184

Post by cercatrova »

12ian34 wrote: post #182
busterarm wrote: post #181

Earlier quoted context omitted.

War happens when one of two nations assumes that they are more capable of winning than another. If you stop spending in the US and assume that Russia and China will sit idly by without invading our allies, you are living in a land of fantasy.

It's definitely a land of fantasy today, I agree but one can always hope that maybe one day instead of killing each other we'd learn to live together and work together. Imagine how much more productive we'd be. To be honest I nearly didn't post this message because it's a bit off topic and definitely divisive. I definitely support all the brave people fighting for me to be safe because I sure as hell wouldn't feel co…

Looking at human history, that will never happen. As long as there is scarcity in the world, and as long as sovereign states exist, geopolitics and thus the looming threat of war will always exist.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#185

Post by ffhhj »

HeyLaughingBoy wrote: post #93

You're thinking of this in reverse. First find something you want to manufacture, then figure out how to build it in your garage. Don't be the solution searching for a problem!

》First find something you want to manufacture

I'd add that it's something that you want to manufacture for which there are buyers, otherwise the inventory won't go anywhere and they'll waste their investment.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#186

Post by linsomniac »

h4waii wrote: post #5

I currently manufacturer a fairly niche product with nothing but a 7 year old $250 3d printer, some off the shelf parts, and a bit of custom electronics. Very high profit margin, as I am the only producer of this item (!). I'd love to move to a more "robust" process, but options for materials and widespread access to 3d printing provides a lot of versatility for a single-person business where I want to control the en…

This is basically how Lulzbot started: 3d printing parts for 3d printers. I know at one point they were experimenting with making molds and pouring parts, I think out of resin. But when I toured their new facility a few years later, they had a giant farm of 3D printers, so I gather that didn't work out.

I have since gotten into 3d printing and have printed molds and poured silicone with good luck. Some of that silicone has been the final part, some were then used as molds for pouring resin in. I've even added glass fiber to some of that resin before pouring to make some pretty sturdy parts.

Maybe some of the parts you are 3d printing now could be done with resin? Bondo makes a product with glass fiber in it, but most of the parts I'm doing are fairly small, and the bondo has long fibers in it, when I make my own fibers, I just cut fiberglass and can make it whatever length fiber I want.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#187

Post by 12ian34 »

cercatrova wrote: post #184
12ian34 wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's definitely a land of fantasy today, I agree but one can always hope that maybe one day instead of killing each other we'd learn to live together and work together. Imagine how much more productive we'd be. To be honest I nearly didn't post this message because it's a bit off topic and definitely divisive. I definitely support all the brave people fighting for me to be safe because I sure as hell wouldn't feel co…

Looking at human history, that will never happen. As long as there is scarcity in the world, and as long as sovereign states exist, geopolitics and thus the looming threat of war will always exist.

Perhaps with that attitude. There's a lot of amazing things humans have accomplished that were once thought impossible. We are likely very, very early on in the anthropocene. Thousands of years from now I'm optimistic that the world will be a better place and that they'll look back on us as barbaric environment destroyers.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#188

Post by cercatrova »

blinkingled wrote: post #72
Panther34543 wrote: post #63

I've given this advice elsewhere, and I'll give it here. Go look at the small business initiatives by each branch of the U.S. military; many are now posting lists of open contracts that you can bid on for an incredible array of things. Browse through those lists and find something you can build. I really believe the U.S. military is in the midst of a large scale transfer of military spending from traditional large de…

Hi, if it's not too much to ask, could you please post some direct links for the open contracts for small businesses? I am merely curious but others might find those more useful.

https://sam.gov/content/opportunities

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#189

Post by beckingz »

wnolens wrote: post #131
1-6 wrote: post #119

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Came here to say something similar. First, the ask is to help find things that can make money in the garage. I think that would be like finding ‘problems’ then applying a ‘location:garage’ filter to narrow the choices down. Then, after choosing the product, it’s to tool the garage to manufacture the ‘solution’

New framing: the problem is "convince partner that I need a sweet shop in the garage", solution is "become entrepreneur requiring sweet shop in garage" ;)

I'm going to use this in the future.

Re: Ask HN: What can you realistically manufacture in your garage?

#190

Post by bladegash »

bombcar wrote: post #150
jimmygrapes wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Former DoD contract specialist here, Sam.gov is the correct jumping off point for both information on how the process works and for where to find opportunities. The small business set aside is very important, since the regulations require that small businesses be considered to the maximum amount practicable, before larger companies can even be considered (Federal Prison Industries gets first dibs though). Veteran, wo…

Note that the "minority veteran woman" thing can be gamed a bit (and is) - I know of a few small businesses that are officially owned by the spouse of the actual leader so that they can qualify higher. So even if your spouse doesn't check all three boxes, having the company officially be owned by your wife can help.

There is a bit more to the requirement than the company being owned by a woman, namely the requirements for women to be in control of the day to day operations of the business.

It is a similar requirement for veteran owned small businesses and I imagine “gaming” this would be tantamount to fraud.

About as far as I’ve seen be acceptable for “gaming” things is to use a joint venture that is 51% owned/controlled by whatever interest group (e.g., veteran, women, disadvantaged, all of the above, etc.).

Not saying it doesn’t happen, but it’s not a common occurrence from my experience (15+ years active duty, as government employee, and working for a contractor on the actual contract/BD side).

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