John,
I am just starting a part itme machine shop for when I'm not at my full time job. I have a mill, lathe surface grinder, rod hone, valve and seat grinders, seat and guide machine, portable vlave seat cutter and a Tobin Arp bearing shell boring machie. I hope to add a Kwik Way boring bar in the next couple days. Mainly I do lathe and mill type work. I really don't have any connections with distributors. There is only one machine shop within about 40 miles of here and he is either going to sell the business or close it within a year or two. He told me the other day that he's too damn old to be working full time anymore. I think he's 72 by now. It's too bad, he's the only person I know of around here that grinds cranks unless someone else has added a crank grinder recently. I really don't know about the volume of work and sales. I had it in my mind that most engine work I would do would be for farmers. There aren't any parts stores within about 30 miles that have a machine shop and I will be able to get free advertising from them since most of them know me. Most of my work will be done on a lathe and mill making some reproduction parts for Cub Cadets (my next favorite toys after Olivers and Cletracs), but I want to have the ability to do engine work too.
Geoffrey