Then you have powdercoating, consumables for the plasma or laser cutter, the power to run the machines, the salary of the guy running the machine. The list goes on.
Like I said, once you build a set yourself, you aren't really going to save much money if you value your time.
Yabbut, you don't need to cut them out on a laser table or get them powdercoated. Those are things that make sense when scaled up to commercial quantities, but the OP just needs one set. He doesn't need a press brake, he doesn't need a welder, he doesn't need a plasma table or band saw or even a grinder. He can do this with basic hand tools and a power drill. If he has to he can whip up a pattern with cardboard, cut it out with a hacksaw, file the burrs off and bend the metal using a clamp and the edge of a chunk of plywood, rattlecan it and be done.
If he's a raw noob to basic fab, that might take him most of a Saturday to get oriented and figure out what he's doing. I do value my time, and I'd consider that time well spent. Not only does he get a set of ditch light brackets for 5-6 hours of work, but he gets a set of ditch light brackets
that he made, and that's worth way more than $50.
I'm not saying CBI has a bad price - they developed a good product and brought it to market and they're charging what the market will bear. The OP was looking for less expensive options, and I think making his own version of the ditch light bracket is a dang good option.
Make them, sell for @100% mark-up. We all thank you in advance.
I'm thinking about it, actually. I
do have access to a plasma table.
