The journey into the abyss of no return

[Margali]

I totally get you on paying premium for lightweight equipment. It's the reason. I'm looking at paying to to ship in equipment panels from Maryland. I will take lightweight box material hot dip galvanized over heavy drill stem and paint anyday!

 

[SageHill]

Well while we are on things being changed or have changed, I've decided to shut down one of my businesses and going to restructure. In eight months of it being made I have only gotten one inquiry of possible work needed done. So I'm just going to focus on welding/fabrication.
Any one can put a hole in the ground and rent the equipment to do so, the town isn't growing which is good in one sense and there is already well established dynasty's here that have their hands in about every cookie jar. My forte is custom welding/fabrication and same with building anything. You want a carport built, great go buy a DIY online kit and don't waste my time, want one to withstand a twister, has multiple functions like Swiss Army knife and can blend in with current structures, then call me.
Looking at corral panels, yes anyone can bubblegum weld ones together from drill stem and other scrap metal, but ask yourself how many of you in here can move them or move the ones you buy at Tractor Supply on here by hand? Sure most can on here, but how long can you do that for as you get older or want to move that weight around,?
My solution, I can weld/fabricate with aluminum and have experience with it from repairing boat hulls from electrolysis and salt water damage, to building crab davits.

Damn - you're too far away for my little project. We're looking at doing a frame of sorts for shade sails.

 

[Ridgetop]

My solution, I can weld/fabricate with aluminum and have experience with it from repairing boat hulls from electrolysis and salt water damage, to building crab davits.

There is a sheep and hay rancher in Utah who was selling portable aluminum panels for sheep and goat people. They were strong and lightweight which is what is need for portable panels. I was not in the market for any at the time so I did not buy any but have had it in the back of my mind. Sheep and goat people like portable panels to use as jugs during lambing and kidding season. We use ours to make chutes, holding pens, etc. when working the sheep. We have panels from 2 manufacturers. They are only 42" H x 5" and 7" long but they are heavy.

Horse people also like those lighter weight corral panels that they can transport on the outside of their trailers when they go to shows, group camps, back country camps, and gatherings. Not everyone wants to tie up or hobble, particularly if they are there for several days feeding hay.

If you can manufacture aluminum panels and find a way to ship cheaply you will be in business fast! To get your name and product out there, make a bunch of panels and book a vendors' spot at a show or Fair. Set up some as samples and take orders, sell the sample set to an exhibitor for pick up on the last day of the Fair or show. Shipping to customers might be pricey but since it is charged on weight you (the customer) will have lower shipping charges than buying from Sydell, Premier, or other dealers. Once customers have experienced your lightweight panels they will be repeat customers.

 

[SageHill]

If you can manufacture aluminum panels and find a way to ship cheaply you will be in business fast!

Premiere 1 has figured out a way to be able to send panels through the US mail -- check out their PrimaGate 2. They come in 2 ft sections. They are strong and sturdy -- I have them - they are 36" high which is perfect for me to be able to climb over when needed. I use wish the attachment "loops" on the ends worked with other equipment like the stop gate, guillotine gate, etc. I can make it work, but if it lined up and I could use standard drop rods they would be perfect. And lightweight enough that lil' ol' me can carry a few around at once.

PrimaGate™ 2

Sturdy, heavy duty panels for containing and controlling small livestock such as sheep and goats. Modular design for customized lengths.

www.premier1supplies.com

 

[Ridgetop]

I am checking on the mileage from SE Montana to Yantis TX as we speak! LOL

Actually, if you got orders from us TX people, you could drop it here- Yantis (or any central location) and we could all pick it up there. A central livestock show where you could attend as a vendor and pick up more orders? Sydell sends emails to their customer/inquiry list of the shows they will be attending as vendors during the show season. They will deliver to those locations for free for the first amount of people that order. That is where i picked up my first large order of Sydell equipment - several fence line feeders, a number of portable panels, and other stuff. picking it up at the show we were at made it affordable.

Having a CDL and being able to take a load to a central large show location would be profitable for you, even if you figured a minimal delivery charge to cover your gas.

 

[Ridgetop]

And also advertise in stock magazines.

 

[Baymule]

I vote for Custom Welding and Fabrication

You dream it, I’ll create it for you.

 

[SageHill]

Okay I'm enjoying this marketing BS I keep finding,
That type of steel that they claim this is, is the steel one uses in anchor bolts for structures. Now "IF"this was true and that's a big "IF", you better be setting these in concrete to hold up. Also galvanized tubing is tubing that has been dipped in galvalume and sometimes just painted on in which this type of steel could be done the same. Then again high Ksi steel looks like low Ksi steel so who can tell the difference. Maybe we should offer a few pounds of pyrite for these.
View attachment 106958

pyrite

 

[Margali]

What I am getting is the square tube gates and panels from dslivestock.biz . They are the best price for items I need so far.

 

[Ridgetop]

a few pounds of pyrite for these.

Don't knock the value of pyrite - just read that they are going to be mining it since they discovered lithium in it. Before the only source of lithium was China. LOL

Hot dipped galvanizing sounds good, but eventually the galvanizing wears off and those rust too. Probably the best thing to do with rusty panels is to spray paint them with Rustoleum paint where they are starting to rust.

I think your panels will sell. Use a way to link them together where you can supply extra linking hardware if people need it. All my panels, from the old Red River rodeo arena I bought used, to the newer panels use a pin arrangement. Also the old Red River panels used to sell a 3-way loop arrangement that you could attach to the pin before running it through the holders. The loop allowed you to connect a panel at right angles to the existing panels at the joint. I have pix if yu want them. Red River is no longer making their panels with this type pin attachment.