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Metz from the Philippines
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    MetzMetz
     
    September 2011
    Hi there,

    I am a libertarian by nature.  Dedicated to the self empowerment movement

    36 years old, Former US Marine.  I have lived and worked in Djibouti Africa, US, Kuwait, Iraq, Mexico, and the Philippines.

    I am in the process of opening a CNC machine shop in the Metro Manila area with a target opening of March 2012.

    My business plan is to provide CNC plasma cutting services to the local market.  I will offer fabrication services for items from this and several other open source projects that are related to this one. 

    For example I will advertise a CEB machine locally, The customer can either buy the material themselves or I can source it.  I cut the parts out and they assemble it using the plans from the Open Source Ecology project. 

    When I am up and running I will contribute back Gcode files and DXF files of parts so that others can replicate the projects elsewhere and save on the engineering costs.

    I currently have a Torchmate 2x4 foot CNC plasma table with a Hypertherm Powermax plasma cutter to be ordered next month.  I am equipped with a Harbor Freight MIG welder, Local purchased stick welder, full hand tool set, spot welder, full set of air and electric power tools. 

    In January I will commence the search for local shop space.  The shop will be staffed by my wife and myself initially. In keeping with our self sufficiency philosophy, we will open up shop debt free.

    Currently I am networking with a group of "Lost Boys" refugees from the Sudan Genocide who are returning back to their homeland from many years in the US. They are currently gathering tools, and knowledge to rebuild their communities in many ways similar to  the open source ecology project.

    Planning on opening up shop March 2012 in Antipolo City , Philippines (Metro Manila) 
     
  • 4 Comments sorted by
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    hiatushiatus
     
    October 2011
    Kudos sir, not many people have the self control to avoid debt. 
     
  • Vote Up0Vote Down
    MetzMetz
     
    October 2011
    Thanks. Update got shop space already.

    I live in a gated community that frowns on businesses, but several of my neighbors have shops and studios already without problems. Just will not be able to put a sign out front or have a lot of big trucks coming in and out.

    So that's the disadvantage. The upside is no extra deposits, and no monthly rent payment. Bootstrapping the enterprise by pouring a pad of cement in the back yard and adding on a roof. Found a source of recycled I beams that sells by the kilo.

    The plasma torch order was pushed back till next month. The wife wants a car.

    Just picked up locally a used welder, used craftsman air compressor, and used craftsman toolbox. The last of the safety gear arrived last week from Amazon.com.

    Looking forward to doing things with my hands again instead of my present job, while high paying, is very dangerous, boring, and soon to end.

    Making real things of value with real values using open source designs is the goal.



     
  • Vote Up0Vote Down
    danielo
     
    December 2011
    That's a great plasma cutting machine, good luck with everything.
     
  • Vote Up0Vote Down
    MetzMetz
     
    December 2011
    Hmmm only one comment and what looks like link bait back to some euro plasma cutter site...
     

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