Compact water jet service for makers and designers

Product designers, architects, artists, signmakers, furniture makers, hobby engineers and small trade businesses.

Charge per cutting hour or per piece, with a minimum job fee and extra for design file clean-up. Selling offcuts or supplying material can add margin.

• Basic CAD or vector file handling
• Patience with detailed, one-off jobs
• Marketing to creative and maker communities
• Machine upkeep

• Smaller machines have limited table size and cutting speed, so check they suit the jobs you want
• Buying second-hand can hide repair costs, so get an inspection before paying
• Council approval for operating from a unit and wastewater and abrasive disposal rules, check with your council
• Public liability and equipment insurance, plus workplace health and safety for high-pressure equipment, check with your state regulator
• Jobs can be irregular, so keep a cash buffer for slow months

Startup costs are typically around $40,000 to $120,000, depending on whether the machine is compact or refurbished, and on your workshop space. If buying second-hand, get an inspection first, as repair costs can be hidden.

Monthly revenue is typically around $3,000 to $15,000, depending on your customers and the jobs you take on. The estimate starts from about 15 hours a week. Jobs can be irregular, so keep a cash buffer for slow months.

Check that a smaller machine's table size and cutting speed suit your jobs. Check council approval for your unit, wastewater and abrasive disposal rules, public liability and equipment insurance, and workplace health and safety for high-pressure equipment with your state regulator.