To Die For

I got the third quote on the die today.  

I sent the requests to: 

• Tippmann Industrial, who also makes clicker presses, sewing machines, and other stuff, much of which is for leatherworking.  I don't own anything from them, but their reputation is good.
• Weaver Leather, which is where I buy most of my leather, and where I bought the set of three dies for satchel parts and the armor scale die; and 
• Ontario Die, a Canadian company with an office in Port Huron, MI.  I don't remember how I found them originally.  IIRC somebody there was helpful in a general-knowledge kind of way, so I've remembered them.

 Tippmann's quote was X.  Weaver's quote was X+20 for a die with bracing in the middle, or X+40 for fully-braced plus ejection foam.  Ontario Die's quote was for just shy of 2X.  

I got Tippmann's quote first, then Weaver's.  I called and asked about bracing, and the guy at Tippmann said that once a die gets over a certain size they brace it, they don't want to get it back for straightening.  Ejection foam is nice, but not a big deal.  If I feel I really must have it, I'll get some closed-cell foam and DIY.  

I ordered the die from Tippmann.  The e-mail quote I got said that they have about a week lead time before starting production.  I didn't think to ask how long it would take to make the die, but I don't think it's a terribly long process.  So I'm guesstimating that I'll have it in a couple weeks.  

Now I must be patient . . .

. . . and think of what other creative uses there are for the piece it will cut.  Jumbo key fob, anyone?