FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
CUSTOM WORK
SHIPPING
Please understand that I do not ship the majority of what you see me make. Anything that I offer shipping on can be found in the “store” here on the website. We are slowly trying to add larger products like bumpers to our shipping list, but it is a slow process.
WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED?
We are located in Tamassee, SC
HOW LONG WILL IT TAKE TO BUILD?
Bumpers and sliders take approx. 2 weeks build time with swing-out bumpers taking approx. 3 weeks. These numbers are exaggerated on purpose. Lead times are typically slightly shorter but plan for worse case scenario.
BOOKING AN APPOINTMENT
If you are wanting to get custom work done, you will need to leave your vehicle with me for the entire build. My availability can be found here on the site under the “build and price” tab. There will be a calendar you can reference there. Please keep in mind this calendar may not be 100% accurate. We like to mark time blocks of time off with no jobs in case anything goes wrong with other jobs, we do not get behind. So as long as we stay on track those spots become available. We also can work a lot of jobs in. So if serious, please reach out if you have any questions about the calendar. Booking an appointment will require a NON-REFUNDABLE $100 deposit, that does not go towards the total price. The rest will be paid once your build is complete.
PRICING
Pricing for custom jobs can be found here on the site under the “build & price” tab. Please understand that once you complete the form and it prompts you to send an email, that it does not send any of the info you filled out. This form is more for you, so that you can have a ballpark figure on price. If you would like to move forward you can email me and we can go over the details, or message on Facebook or Instagram. (Facebook is my preferred method of contact).
WHAT VEHICLES DO YOU BUILD FOR?
If you are wondering, “ have I built anything for _______ vehicle” or “what have I made, or what can I do for ______ vehicle”... I can build for anything you can imagine! While we are starting to dabble with plate designs, at this time I am only offering full tube or hybrid bumpers, no full plate designs yet. Hybrid designs are typically going to yield around $150 upcharge but not always. Everything I have ever built is on Facebook and Instagram. That is my portfolio, where you can go to see photos of my work and everything I have ever done.
DO YOU ONLY WORK ON VEHCILES?
I offer more than just bumpers and sliders. I do custom furniture, general repairs, handrails, industrial, roll cages, SAS etc. If its steel, more than likely I can handle it. However this stuff does not have flat rate prices, so we will need to discuss the build together to work up a price.
WILL YOU BUILD THE SAME BUMPER TWICE?
Traditionally when I first started this I was only doing one-off custom bumpers, so for example every 4Runner I did would get a different design. I have started to drift from that, and on the more popular models I am starting to make my own “JC Customs” designs.
ONLINE SALES AND SHIPPING
REFUNDS & RETURNS
Returns are accepted up to 30 days after date of delivery. Items must show no signs of use or installation and must be packaged just as they were shipped (ex. powder coated parts wrapped in brown paper or bubble wrap)
Refunds do not include the original cost of shipping, and buyer is responsible for return label (unless there was a mistake on our end) Please include your name, and order number somewhere inside the box when returning.
WHEN WILL MY PRODUCT SHIP?
Most lead times are listed in the product description. Many of our products are stock items which means they ship the same week. But please allow at least 5 business days before contacting about order status.
INSTALLATION QUESTONS
We are severely lacking installation videos and procedures at this moment. But we are here to help with any questions you may have. Be sure to check the item descriptions. If we have any form of guide or video that is where you will find it!
DO YOU OFFER MILITARY DISCOUNT?
Yes we do. 5%. Please reach out with proof of service and we will provide you with a discount. God bless you and thank you for your service.
DO YOU HAVE SALES?
Yes. But not often, and not like most companies. There is no rhyme or reason to when we do sales. They are usually done at strategic times to drive sales or promote new products. Holiday sales are very rare.
AFFILIATE AND INFLUENCER DEALS?
We do not have any system in place for affiliate type programs. And while we do not have any set standards, we will work with influencers. If you have a large following, or can offer professional level photographs, and think you can promote sales, reach out to us and we will discuss it to see if we will be a good match.
HIGH RISK ORDERS
This is a new policy. One person ruined it for the rest. All orders flagged "high risk" by Shopify will be cancelled. We will reach out via text and email to see how you would like to proceed. If no response, we will cancel the order and keep your money. High risk orders can be caused by numerous things. We will be able to see the issue and point you in the right direction. Normally it is issues with card address not matching the shipping address. Sorry for any inconvenience but it is no longer a risk we are willing to take.
GENERAL FAB FAQ
TUBING BENDER
The tubing bender I use is a JD2 model 3. Originally it had been converted to air over hydraulic using an 8 ton ram from Harbor freight, and a mount made by Swag Off-Road. It is now converted to electric over hydraulic with parts sourced from Amazon. You can find all that info in a video on my YouTube channel. As well as putting all the links in my amazon store for parts used. There is also a video up of the current air/hydro version on my YouTube channel if you would like to check that out. I also sell the cylinder mount here on my website. Please note this mount is specific to the JD2 Model 3 and WILL NOT fit a Model 32
PRESS BRAKE
If you are looking for info on the black and yellow press you see me use in my videos this is a homemade press built by me. The upper die punch section is the 40” finger press kit from swag off-road. The lower die is 4 way die sold by Cyclopes Designs on Instagram (Europe) . The frame was built and designed by me. All of the parts used can be found in the bio of all my socials in my Amazon store under “press brake build” The .dxf files for all the plates parts can be purchased from my website as well. No, there is no splitter valve, just a simple T fitting. The cylinders will get out of sync on uneven parts (thicker material) or trying to bend thicker material in to small of a die, otherwise it bends good. I would recommend trussing the top to eliminate deflection on longer, thicker parts. I did not do this, but will be going back and adding it. Why air over electric? I am huge an of electric on the bender but when it comes to a DIY press brake I believe the air is superior. Most people will assume electric is faster, and it is on the down stroke, but all of the speed you gained, you will lose on the way back up, as the electrics are much slower and rely solely on the springs to return the cylinders. So the speed difference overall between the 2 is minimal. And personally, I’d rather be slow on the way down, while I am trying to track and angle.
If you are looking for info on the black and red one. This is Langmuir Systems new Titan 25T CNC press brake. 33" bed.
MATERIAL
90% of what I do is predominantly built with 1.75x.120 ERW or DOM tubing. But you will find 1.5”, 1.25” and 1” tube incorporated into my designs. As far as plate, I only use HRPO (no millscale) its worth the extra cost in my opinion.
WELD SETTINGS
I use a Millermatic 252. I use a lower case e pattern on all materials. I don’t always weld the same material on the same settings. It just depends on the day and how the metal is welding. Here are some baseline settings I use that will get you in the ball park and you can tweak as needed.
17/200- 3/16 to 1/8 tube
16.9/170- tube to tube
17.3/220- 3/16 to 3/16
3/16 open corner- 16.9/150
SWING OUT PARTS
4xinnovations has a very nice double shear spindle kit. This is traditionally what I used for my spindles. But now I only use these occasionialy. I now use the Ratha heavy duty hinge which is sold right here on my site! Everything else I use can also be found on my website. The spare tire triangles, HDPE landing pads and rubber grip latches, etc. Also in the works are what will be the first ever to hit the market, billet toggle latches.
SOFTWARE & DESIGN
I often get asked, “what software am I using for my designs?” The answer is, I am not. I personally believe a lot of software’s really limit your creativity when you’re first starting out if you rely on it soley. I really never even have a design thought out, I just start putting tubes where they look good. There is a lot of artistry involved in this stuff and a software is not going to be the fix-all. Use your imagination, draw inspirations from others, but DONT COPY IT! Put your own spin on things. Make it unique! There is nothing worse than someone ripping off others hard work and designs and claiming as their own. That being said, I am all about learning and adding new skills to your arsenal that will make the work you do better, easier, or both. After years of building everything from scratch with an idea I pulled out the back of my head. I am now dabbling with 3D design through Solidworks. There is a lot of advantages to this, but relying on it solely can get you in trouble in my opinion. I believe the guys who will shine the most are the ones with true artistic talent, not just computer skills.
Now down to your question: "What software do you use?" Well, when I first started my CAD journey in 2D for my plasma table, I used ProdgeCAD, which is a Wal-Mart version of Auto-CAD. It does everything I need with a price tag of $400 for a lifetime. Great software in my opinion. And I still use it regularly, having a 2D based CAD program in addition to Solidworks is beneficial in alot of ways. As my skills progressed and I wanted to move into 3D sheet metal CAD work, I had to make the switch to Solidworks. So, for CAD I use a combination of ProdgeCAD and Solidworks.
I also will use Inkscape sometimes when needing to convert a jpeg or something to .dxf.
SheetCAM for post processing. (highly recommend)
BUSINESS ADVICE
I get asked often about business advice from individuals looking to go into the same field. Or just starting your own business in general. Click here for a small write up. This was my attempt at putting as much info out there as I can to save some time from answering the same questions so much.