Tooling repair and fixture toolroom
Repair, sharpen and modify moulds and dies, and make jigs, from a small shared unit with second-hand machines.
- A$25k-90k
- Part-time
- Own premises
Estimates for a small start in Australia, not guarantees.
What it is
A lean one-person toolroom with a manual mill, lathe, surface grinder and bench tools. You fix worn or damaged tooling and make simple jigs, fixtures and replacement parts.
Your first three steps
- Visit local manufacturers and ask what repair or fixture jobs they struggle to get done quickly
- Look at second-hand machines and a small or shared industrial unit to keep costs down
- Offer a trial repair at a fair price to one or two businesses and ask for repeat work
Who pays
Small manufacturers, fabrication shops and food or plastics producers that need quick repairs without sending work to a large tool shop.
How it makes money
Hourly rate or fixed price per repair or fixture, with regular maintenance work from repeat customers.
Skills that help
- Toolmaking or fitting and machining trade skills
- Precision measuring and grinding
- Fast, reliable turnaround
- Basic quoting and invoicing
Watch out for
- Public liability insurance and cover for customers' tooling while it is in your care
- Machine guarding and safe working, check with your state's WHS regulator
- Check council zoning, as running this from a home garage is unlikely to be approved
- Repair work can be unpredictable, so build a buffer for quiet months
Deep research report · Australia
Everything you need to start: tooling repair and fixture toolroom
Researched with live web search for Australia: real startup prices, the licences and rules, what others charge, a break-even example, how to find your first customers and a 30-day launch plan. With sources.
- Startup costs with real prices
- Licences, registration and rules
- Pricing: what others charge
- Break-even example
- Finding your first customers
- 30-day launch plan
- Risks and how to reduce them
Questions people ask
How much does it cost to set up a tooling repair toolroom?
Startup costs are typically estimated at around $25,000 to $90,000, depending on the second-hand mill, lathe and surface grinder you buy, and the shared unit you rent. Buying used machines is one way costs can vary.
How much can a tooling repair toolroom earn?
Monthly revenue is typically estimated at around $6,000 to $25,000, depending on how much repair and fixture work you win and how fast you turn jobs around. The estimate starts from about 25 hours a week.
What should I check before starting a toolroom business?
Things to check include public liability insurance and cover for customers' tooling while in your care, machine guarding and safe working with your state WHS regulator, and council zoning, as running this from a home garage is unlikely to be approved.
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