>On a serious note what do you think I should roughly expect
>to pay for this part? What I am trying to gauge is the costs
>involved, I have other parts I need which are a bit more
>complicated but nothing overly complicated and I need to see
>if getting them made is feasible as a hobby.

What you need to do is get a decent engineering style drawing done, and take
it to an engineering guy to see what he says. My experience is that having a
drawing which is clear in dimensions and requirements makes you a big friend
of the engineering guys. If your drawing is scrappy, and they need to infer
dimensions from or other features from it, then they will sock you all they
can.

It doesn't need to be done in a CAD package. A decent sketch will be all you
need, so long as it is clear and concise. Make it clear that you are
prepared to change it if need be to get around difficult to do portions -
although this initial one doesn't sound like that is likely, but it is all
to possible to design something that isn't machinable, if you don't think
about it carefully.

Also it is worth checking to see if they have standard punches for
ventilating holes, D series connectors etc if you get involved on doing
panelling. If they have some form of catalogue for these, then get a copy
and refer to it.

Essentially build up a rapport with a friendly machine shop. Be prepared to
change your materials to suit what scrap they may have, where that suits,
and you might get the material for free.

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