This all started a few years ago when I hacked out my Holmside frames one Christmas. We must have all done it using a hacksaw, chain drilling and finally the milling machine. A few months later I saw a laser cutter for the first time and realised there was a much easier way to cut metals, and it would be more accurate. So I started producing files for some of the popular locomotives for friends, and then friends of the friends and then fellow model engineers who didn't even know the friends of the friends!

On retiring I decided to expand the range, it would keep me busy and I enjoyed going to shows and meeting others of a like mind. I was also fortunate to meet a number of designers who had seen the benefits of laser cut parts especially where fabrications were required for things like stretchers etc. What I did not realise is the size of the market for these parts, especially the kits I now sell all over the World. I am also fortunate that the local laser company is owned by a friend of mine and one of my ex employees works for another company a few miles away.

I am a one man band, so everything is my own work except the cutting. These machines can cost up to half a million pounds and need skills I do not have to run them proficiently, so I leave that bit to the experts. What I can do is produce the files for the laser from drawings. Now you have to admit that the drawings model engineers use are not the best, they are certainly not works drawings and take, how should we say, some interpretation to say the least. There are also the odd errors. I have others trial the parts for me and if we find a fault then hopefully these will have been put right.

I try to keep my prices down, this means keeping my overheads low. For this reason I work from home using the smallest room in the house. I am also not in it to make a huge profit, if I can pay for my hobbies, I fly planes and have boats then that will suit me. I generally use the Royal Mail to send the parts to you. However if is heavier than 20 Kg then I cannot and have to use a carrier. For overseas the same applies but I would look to a carrier above 4 Kg or around 9 pounds. I send you an invoice and ask that you send me a cheque back. As things stand I cannot take credit cards, this would push up my prices as I would have to cover the monthly rental of the machine and the charges. For overseas I can accept a cheque in your currency but we would have to make some arrangements regarding exchange rates. Alternatively I can give you my bank details and you can wire it through.

I do not want the business to take my life over, this is extremely important to me. Therefore it may take some time for me to produce parts for a complicated tender, but if the parts are already drawn it may only take a couple of weeks. Re scaling is not a problem when the parts are drawn on CAD. To go from 5" to 3 1/2" only takes a few minutes. In fact you can easily scale from any gauge to any other. The 4,000 gallon tender I do is available in every scale from 2 1/2" up to 10 1/4", including 7 1/2" for our American friends.

So have a look at the parts or come to one of my talks. I have been to a number of societies already and there are more in the pipeline. I take a PowerPoint presentation and lots of samples. A new talk is being prepared on "What has gone wrong over the past 12 months". We generally have a good time, well I enjoy myself anyway. Hopefully I might see you there.

Many thanks.

Malcolm High