Free Part Day is Upon Us!
Written by Simon Arthur   
Wednesday, 06 August 2008

Free Part Day Extended to August 7, 2008.

To recap the details:

  • We will have two stock materials/thicknesses available for making your part on Free Part Day: waterjet cut aluminum 6061 1/8 (0.125) inches thick and laser cut clear acrylic plastic, 0.118 inches thick.
  • There is a limit of one design (DXF/PNG/GIF or Big Blue Saw Designer file) per customer.
  • Designs are limited in size to 9" x 9". Designs must be LESS THAN 9 inches in both dimensions.
  • We reserve the right to reject designs that are too complex or can't be made on the waterjet or the laser. (See Ordering Your Free Part, below.)
  • You must pay the packaging and shipping costs.
  • All orders must be completed through the online ordering process.
  • Orders must be completed, including payment, on August 6, 2008.
  • We reserve the right to refuse any free part day order.
  • Keep in mind that the purpose of Free Part Day is to provide people with an introduction to Big Blue Saw's service. Please don't abuse this by attempting to go against the spirit in which this offer is made.
  • You should review the original Free Part Day posting and comments for more information.

Ordering Your Free Part

  1. You can use the Big Blue Saw Designer to design your part or upload an existing DXF, PNG or GIF file.
  2. Choose 0.118 inch thick clear acrylic or 0.125 inch thick aluminum 6061 as your material.
  3. If you've done everything correctly, the price will show up as $0 for quantity 1. If you see another price, your design is too large, or is too complex.
  4. Order exactly quantity 1 of your part. If you want more than one copy of an item, you need to put it in your original design file and comply with the complexity and size requirements for Free Part Day. Or pay for it. If you order more than one free part, we will ship one. If you attempt to add more than one line item with free parts, we will ship you the first line item.

Comments
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joe bunik   |2008-08-06 15:22:30
First - thanks so much for this day! However, my part estimate is coming in at
$7.91 @ 1000, but still gets billed at $81 for the single piece.

Maybe
it's too durn complex? :-)
file: J8U5-Q6K1-eFinal.png.dxf

Or am I too early?
Thanks again.
Jared Harley   |2008-08-06 09:14:21
I'm seeing the same thing here
Warren  - No worky   |2008-08-06 11:42:54
Ditto, the part gets billed as $81 for a single piece. I'm using aluminum 6061
@ 0.125. I uploaded a PNG of the piece.

Is there a way to find out if the
part is indeed too complex?
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 13:01:16
We just gave the complexity threshold a little bump up. Try again.
joe bunik   |2008-08-06 13:46:25
Hmmm. Just tried it again but the same issue still seems to occur -- my part is
billing @ $7.91 estimate and then ringing at regular price ($81).
joe bunik   |2008-08-06 14:14:36
p.s.

Am using this order:

S5N5-B5D6-eFinal.png.dxf

and had chosen the
"Free part day eligible" link during the materials selection
step.

Still not ringing "free".
Todd   |2008-08-06 10:54:59
Awesome free day!
I just ordered my part.
Thanks again.
Mike Couey  - No Luck   |2008-08-06 12:14:47
Having the same problem. I emailed you guys my part file and got it
preapproved, but it is coming it at $81...
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 13:00:31
We just gave the complexity threshold a little bump up. Try again.
Ellie Tam  - Ditto   |2008-08-06 13:00:03
I tested a file last week which complied with all of the requirements they
listed, but it didn't ring up free today. I had to take a lot off of my design
and choose a sample less than 7" to get it for free.
Dan  - Argh, Too Complex   |2008-08-06 13:28:38
I've tried several combinations to make it less complex, but to no avail. If I
made it any simpler, I could just do it by hand.

If I made the design use less
material (Less than 9"x8.5") would that help? Or do I need to get rid of
more angles? A little info on your filter would help me out a lot.
Dan  - Re: Argh, Too Complex   |2008-08-06 13:32:39
Wow, I just answered my own question. I decreased the size to 8" by
7.65" and it went through. That would have been nice to know an hour ago.
Odin  - Plastic?   |2008-08-06 14:02:56
My design works with the aluminum (cost was $0), but when I choose plastic, it
registers as $81. Can you do more complicated designs on aluminum vs plastic?
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 14:41:35
Sometimes the aluminum parts will qualify for free part day where the plastic
parts will not. It depends upon the design.
Gavin Groce  - Problem....   |2008-08-06 14:33:46
Estimated prices for file U3K6-U4E2-panobrkt.dxf
made of material Aluminum 6061,
0.125 inches thick. File consists of 3 parts. As displayed, parts are 3.25
inches wide by 9 inches tall. It est. price at 1000pcs is $7.99....

it still
wont go ...
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 14:40:06
The size must be less than 9 inches, not 9 inches.
joe bunik   |2008-08-06 14:44:13
Aha! I think that was my problem as well. I was going setting my fixed-width
piece to the 9" by X setting.

I reduced the "user handle" length of
my part by an inch, and now using the 8" it rings up free.

It might help to
clarify that the limits today are (< 9"), and not(
Odin  - I agree   |2008-08-06 14:47:39
I would have thought that a 9" wide piece would be easier than a 8.90"
piece because it would require less cutting time. Now I know.
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 14:51:48
This is now clarified above.
Gavin Groce  - Still no go....   |2008-08-06 14:59:47
Estimated prices for file B4G0-G4H0-panobrkt2.dxf
made of material Aluminum
6061, 0.125 inches thick. File consists of 3 parts. As displayed, parts are 2.75
inches wide by 8.5 inches tall.

Still Smaller and Cheaper Per 1000 but still no
go...

The design is not that complicated...
Gavin Groce  - Link to dxf and images....   |2008-08-06 15:05:47
http://unmanaged.exofire.net/index.php?p=53&more=1 &c=1&tb=1&pb=1
joe bunik   |2008-08-06 15:15:36
Gavin - you probably need to attach your 3 discrete bits together into one
overall piece. Little splines / sprues. Cut 'em apart when you receive it.
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 15:20:24
You're almost there. Try removing one of the parts or holes, or reducing the
size.
Gavin Groce  - Question...   |2008-08-06 15:15:14
I have to go to work and get some projects done, how late can I sub. an order?
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 15:20:34
Any time today.
skyler  - question   |2008-08-06 15:57:20
trying to get my design in, it's for a local car club, and if the design turns
out well i'd like to purchase multiples.

i get to the point where it says free
part day eligible, but i'm not seeing the .118 acrylic, and when i choose .125
alum it's coming up as $81.10.

my first and preferred design is E1X1-D8V3-my
design2.png.dxf

i tried to simplify it a little here (but less likely to order
larger amounts later w/ the car club)T0Z0-Q4B8-my design.png.dxf

any way you
can help out?
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 18:28:54
Your part is pretty complicated. Try a simpler design.
skyler   |2008-08-06 18:55:30
well i dont want to waste your time with something i dont need or will use,
especially when it wont be used to bring you more business.

so thanks for the
offer, but i dont think i'll need your services at this time
Marty  - Old Price v. New Price Problem   |2008-08-06 19:23:09
I e-mailed you about this design earlier last week, and now I'm having a problem
with the new qualifications for producing it. At the old quote of $8/1000
pieces, it costs $7.68 (Al). However, it's showing as $81/1 piece. Am I not
going to be able to have it made?

P4V9-Y1L8-sw_logo_3in x2.dxf
skyler   |2008-08-06 20:21:54
....

{Admin: everyone please be civil in your comments.]
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 21:00:57
I've replied to Marty via e-mail.

Everyone: if you have a specific question
about your design, please e-mail info@bigbluesaw.com instead of posting
here. Try to keep the messages posted here to those which might be of interest
to everyone.
Jason Bardis   |2008-08-06 20:26:34
Worked like a champ, thanks! At first, only free Al showed up, then I shrunk
the layout a bit more & free plastic showed up too (seems to have some sort of
border requirement that's actually less than 9"x9"?).

Thanks!
-Jason
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 21:02:01
Hello Dr. Bardis,

The laser can't handle parts larger than about 8.5 inches
square.
sim  - Cant seem to upload   |2008-08-06 20:37:46
I have been trying to upload all afternoon but the website is extremely slow and
now is not loading at all. When I do get to the upload page and click upload, it
loads for a while and then all I get is a blank page. any suggestions? I really
was looking forward to this.
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 21:04:12
Keep trying! Free Part Day has been a success, with many people coming to get
their free parts. This places a huge strain on our infrastructure.

Sorry about
the inconvenience. We're thinking of extending the Free Part offer to make sure
that nobody misses out.
Heather Wheaton  - "select shipping method"   |2008-08-06 21:10:41
get all the way to this point and it won't let me go any further. it tells me I
have to select a shipping method but there are no buttons. Just a greyed out
set of estimates for the US UK and canada...
Big Blue Saw Administrator   |2008-08-06 21:13:57
Make sure your address is entered correctly, including the postal code.
Andrew Rames   |2008-08-06 21:25:37
Just got my part submitted. Thanks a lot!
Daniel Archibald  - Just ordered my free part...   |2008-08-06 22:21:32
Thanks for this special occasion to try your services. The part went through
fine in .gif format and I am excited to see the results.
Scott Gayler   |2008-08-08 01:05:57
My part ('Z2L1-C5L3-current-quote.jpx') shows as being 7.837
John Zitterkopf  - bummer; musta missed the deadl   |2008-08-08 04:36:10
It was awesome of you guys to extend... I just attempted
upload:

M4Z8-B5Q5-5VregNLite_tray.cln.dxf

ma de of material Aluminum 6061,
0.125 inches thick. File consists of 1 part. As displayed, parts are 2.587
inches wide by 6.499 inches tall.
1000 $3.50

However, I must have missed
the cutoff date. :(

Thanks for the great offer tho.
John Zitterkopf   |2008-08-08 04:38:44
yeap... 36minutes according to your blog time. I guess you were clear which time
zone you were basing you cutoff time on.
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