Shop moving towards closing !!!!!!

[Mrcrouse]

Hi everyone,
I am Ed "eac67gt" and Mike's "mrcrouse" father. I have been running shop for him while he finished college. Most of the machining that ever came out of here I performed.
Mike has decided he wants to pursue other interests when he graduates in a month. This leaves me totally holding the bag or shop as it were.
Some of you may know that I am disabled due to brain surgery. To completely run this shop is more than I am capable of doing. My attempts at it have run me into the red.
I feel I have no choice but to close shop or become retired as they say.
I will be willing to discuss the possibility of a project but no promises.

I will be posting soon all the hosts, some with heat sinks and some without, and focus knows and lab heatsinks for sale at discounted clearance prices. Watch for these because I will mark them extremely low just to move them out.
I add am going to try to sell certain hosts as a lot. I have several maglites, C11s and 501Bs.
It has been lots of fun and great satisfaction building for you.

Have a great day!
Ed

 

[vortish]

Ed. As a member of LPF the loss of you and your son's hosts and products is going to be a big loss for us. I do not have any of your products but from what I have seen the stuff that came out of your shop was world class. I understand having limitations. If i had access to the machinery I would be glad to help you keep the shop open but alas I do not. I hope that you will continue to be a member of LPF and Might be willing to take a small project here and there. Any way I will miss your product posting and your contributions to this great site for laser hobbyist

 

[Down with Umbrella]

Oh no! My favorite host builder is going out of stock. I'll keep an eye out for that clearance sale. Best of luck to you folks

 

[DTR]

Sorry to see things are not working out. Your shop has been a great one to refer people to it will be sad to see it go. Hope you both the best in your future endeavors.:beer:

 

[ru124t]

Dang Ed, I was hoping to someday have the funds to get you to build my dream Dr. Who sonic screwdriver host. With my Mom's passing and me having to take over the house and all, I just cant see me having the funds for some time. I wish you guys all the best, you have been more than fair to me and the mace of doom rules baby!!!!!

 

[gozert]

That's too bad to hear. I've always admired your hosts, though I haven't been needing any hosts lately. Who knows I'll buy one of your last hosts.

 

[Mohrenberg]

I'll keep an eye out for your sale.

 

[crazyspaz]

Shame to see you go But hey, if you can't do it, you can't do it- there's no point in stressing yourself out and losing money!

I always wanted one of your Zasers, but I've never had the money to get one. Again, sad to see you go- you guys will be missed!

 

[Lifetime17]

Hi Ed,
Sorry my brother you made hosts for me for how long now?? All works of a talented machinists and a great mind.
Miss you my Brother !!!

 

[BowtieGuy]

Ed & Mike, sorry to hear that you are closing your shop; your absence will definitely Leave a large void in the LPF custom host market.
You guys will be missed!

Good luck and Best wishes! :beer:

 

[APEX1]

I will be looking for those sales. sorry to see you guys go, I've heard nothing but great things about the work you guys do..

 

[Lasix12]

I hope you are able to continue forward and be happy with your current life. Hope it all works out

 

[Mrcrouse]

Hi everyone,
Thanks for all the great compliments and wishes.
As I said I will be making a posting then of stuff we are clearing out.
I have so many second thoughts on this whole thing but I can't keep working liked I have been. I had said I would consider discussing special custom projects but I just can't promise I'll say yes. In some ways that was one of my problems. I said yes to everything and tried to keep prices acceptable to my customers.
Mike taught me a lot but as good as I am at working with my hands I am extremely poor at business. My wife has constantly hounded me on the cost of running the shop. I don't know how Mike did it but he is keeping it a secret.
I am not going to disappear it is more like semi-retired.

Back to clearing things out, there isn't a lot of custom hosts laying around as I tried to move them out as I needed money. Again there is 501Bs, C11s and a few maglite. I never bought these on deals but again kept them around for a quick turn around for our customers.

Again thanks for the compliments and best wishes.

Ed

 

[10fenny]

So sorry to hear!

Well i need a custom host for my gfs build! So whatever you have ide like to check out!

 

[Pman]

Thanks Ed for giving so much to the members here. Seems like there's more and more of us older members having major medical issues. I have been a lot less active also as I started the process of having to put in for SSDI (social security disability) a couple months ago due mostly to an extremely painful kidney issue. Understand how life intervenes and you can't do the things you enjoyed so much anymore or on a limited basis.
More than anything else I say thanks for having a kind heart. My wife has also had to urge me to remember that we do need to take care of ourselves also and I can't just give give give like I used to. Like you, I'll still be here but just not the way it used to be. Seems like we have quite a bit in common.
Don't know if I'll be able to purchase anything but I can at least offer a sincere Thank you and some heart felt understanding on the medical side of things. Never thought I would have to put in for SSDI at 50 but it's just the way things are now and that's OK.

Pete

 

[Mrcrouse]

Hi Pete,
Sorry to here about you situation.
Putting in for social security when needed is what it is there for. You paid in you should be able to drawl. Most of us have done it honorably then feel bad we have to drawl on it. Sounds like your a stand up kind of guy.
It took us two years with no income to finally be approved. Guess I should have walked acrossed border. Oops started going political.
If you have trouble do what a vet suggested to me and it works go to your congressman. They will help you....... it's what they are there for.
I was 44 when I lost my job due to medical and had to apply. That was 11 years ago and living on that income is not easy. At least the shop is in basement and I could go work as my head allowed. The biggest problem is I can't manage the shop with the way my head works due to the brain surgery. My math skills basically were flushed down toilet and with he grace of God and little tricks I managed to run machines OK.
Well I said enough.
Best to you and to all you others out there struggling with medical issues.
Better days are ahead.
Have great day!
Ed