One-off replacement parts from a home shed

Farmers, small workshops, equipment hire shops, engineers and restoration owners who need a single part that is obsolete, costly or slow to order.

Fixed price or hourly rate per part, plus materials. Quick turnaround on awkward jobs lets you charge more than a catalogue price.

• Basic lathe and mill operation
• Accurate measuring and problem solving
• Clear quoting and communication

• Council approval may be needed for a home-based business, and noise limits and neighbours matter
• Check that your home insurance does not exclude business use, and get public and products liability cover
• Use proper machine guarding, eye and hearing protection, and check WHS rules for your state
• Be honest about what tolerances and materials you can handle, and turn down jobs that are safety critical
• Limited machine size caps the work you can take

Startup costs are estimated at typically around $8,000 to $35,000, depending on the machines, tooling, measuring equipment and safety gear you choose. Your shed set-up and the range of work you want to take on will also affect the total.

Check whether council approval is needed for a home-based business, and consider noise limits and neighbours. Confirm your home insurance doesn't exclude business use, arrange public and products liability cover, and check WHS rules for your state, including machine guarding.

Monthly revenue is estimated at typically around $1,500 to $7,500, depending on the jobs you take, the size of your machines and how many hours you work. The estimates assume at least about 10 hours a week.