If you talk to him, maybe ask if he has considered either contracting out the harness or setting himself up with the equipment. Making harnesses isn't rocket science but it is time consuming and surely beneath his expertise. (Read: his work is best put to things any random assembler can not do) There is a good chance in the short run he can save on a batch order as opposed to one-offing it every once and a while. Bring down his cost is key to building his market so he needs those 1000 harnesses.

As for us doing it ourselves, there is a good, almost certain chance that we would require special crimp tools. You certainly can purchase them but they range from 50-300 bucks and you wouldn't likely use them again.

Frank.