I'm thinking about starting to do board repair work for other people, pretty much focusing on the system 3-7 Williams stuff that I know best. I figured I'd see if anybody has input regarding the customer service side of this work. Any fun stories of seriously hosed boards that showed up for repair?

Anything you guys would like to see offered? or think I should avoid?

-Hans

I'm definitely going to steal some ideas from repair shops I've seen. One of which is that I won't take in a board without seeing a photo of it first, god only knows what corrosion I'll be seeing, though Williams boards aren't quite as bad as the other brands with the ni-cad's. Nor would I take any board with holes burned in it.

Not too worried about the competition, as I'm not looking to do this as a full-time gig. More just as an excuse, and funding source, to build up my parts and tools pile.

I definitely will have to get used to re-laying traces though, that's for sure.

-Hans

Yep, that's my concern is dishonest customers. Probably just stick to forums that have a good set of people on them at first, to feel it out, before opening up to the general public.

I'm not far from you either, I'm out on Long Island.

Mike.... you and I are totally in agreement. Any money is just for spending on my own pinball habit, and as an excuse to buy tools. My main reason is to get more experience for future development of my own stuff (maybe, I've got some ideas).

I'm pretty comfortable in my career right now, so it's not like I'm hurting for cash.

Ok, went ahead and put the info up on my website..... going to need tweaks of course, both in presentation and content, as I develop it all. Anything you guys think is confusing, missing, or otherwise should change?

www.siegecraft.us

At this point the only things I'm really worried about is the tax paperwork and finding the best price on anti-static bubble bags for shipping.

That, and finding customers

that's the plan.... of course pending it having any financial success, is to get all the write-off's. I used to run a painball business and the fact I was able to write so much stuff off was great, and that was even being very cautious to make sure every writeoff was legit too. (don't feel like developing IRS problems). But it is a lot of paperwork and record keeping. Don't forget too that being a legit business also opens up a lot of doors for wholesale pricing and tax-exempt purchasing. I was really surprised at the advantages there were to running everything legit and going through the hassles of doing the tax paperwork.

-Hans

Yep.... I remember doing that too. Every little bit adds up when it comes to business deductions, particularly small personal businesses that see little income.

-Hans