Carving pricing

[r_jones]

So I have a potential carving project coming in but have no idea how to figure how long it will take. I don't have a model to run as I need to have that designed. Any ideas? Thoughts? The piece is only 3"x17" there or abouts... essentially it will be pocketed with about a 1/4" relief. Based on my limited carving time on the bot i might figure about 30 mins?

Here's a link to the pdf
http://www.rjoneswoodworks.com/Desert%20Rat%20Cornhole%20outline.pdf


http://www.rjoneswoodworks.com/Desert%20Rat%20Cornhole%20outline.pdf

[fozzyber]

I,m would be at about 350

[gc3]

depends on material.....

If it actually took 30 mins my carve time only $30dlls

materials and file additional cost

[mikeacg]

Looks like a pretty simple v-carved project. I do a lot of plaques like that and can't see it taking even 10 minutes. You said 'pocketed'. Are you looking to do it in reverse (raised letters)?

[r_jones]

yes, all the graphics are to be raised so it would need to be carved

[michael_schwartz]

30 minutes for design time and programming. You can probably do this in about 5 minutes but this includes time spent planning, and working with the client.

30 minute minimum charge on machine time. Once again this project might only take 10-15 minutes to cut but you still need to fire up the bot, zero the machine, get everything setup, and then clean up when your done. You also have to prep the materials as well.

I consider the tooling that I stock to be overhead and that is accounted for in my shop rate. However don't forget to charge for tooling you wouldn't normally stock if you have to purchase it specifically for a job.

Sanding and finishing could be as little as a half hour, or as much as an afternoon or more depending on what you plan to do.

You could crank these out if this is a wholesale project and charge much less but if its a one off make sure to charge for all the little things that would become insignifigant if you were making 500.


Finally I quote a fixed price for jobs like this. I don't share my shop rate, or a break down of the labor. I tell the customer what the project will cost, and I give them an estimated lead time. If they feel the price is reasonable they won't ask for more detail.

[r_jones]

Thanks guys!

Supposedly, this would be an on going deal so I would probably price per unit with a minimum.

[bob_reda]

Ron,
Listen to what the others are saying to mark this item at. I've had so many tell me " This may turn into several hundred or thousand" Tell them this one costs this much, if you order 100 it will cost this much,etc.

Bob

[tgm]

Bob is spot on! I can't tell you how many times in the last 26yrs that I have heard the statement............'give me a good price on the first one and we have many more after that'..........they must read this ploy in some book that I haven't read yet.
Why people think that any qty more than one they should get a price break on is beyond me. Try going to Lowes and see if you get a discount buy buying two or threee of something.
Price it where you need to be to make money. It's a whole different scenario when you start taping dollar bills to the items you ship out the door.

Good Luck,

Tom in PA

[r_jones]

I agree with you guys on the whole qty... Unless you are putting down a deposit on 100 or so I am not giving you a price on a 100 or so even then cut time isn't going down because I am doing 100....

This deal is done, I asked the guy a couple questions so I could put together some pricing and he comes back with stupid answers and an attitude. Time to walk away from this!

Thanks again for all your help!
RJ

[tgm]

There you go...........flushed out another one!
Good way to prove all points as listed above.
These scenarios are all so predictable.

Glad you didn't get suckered in.

Good Luck,

Tom in PA

[bruce_taylor]

This sounds like a call I got the other day from a lady looking for a home office built in, After telling me that she was going to get a quote from every one in town and the big box stores and go with the absolute cheapest price and they owned several properties all in need of new kitchens that were contingent on a good price on her home office . Could I drop everything to meet her that evening after 6 pm because she wanted to get the ball rolling right away. When I told her I was not available right away she commented that I must not understand and she needed to speak to my boss. I don't think she got it when I said i'd say a prayer for her! Where do these people come from!! LOL

[gc3]

Where do these people come from!!

...outta the woodwork :eek:

[MogulTx]

That is funny Bruce. And very generous of you.

I have found that folks that want to yank me through a bunch of hoops are generally not folks that I want to do business with. They usually turn out to be way too demanding and want to get something for less than a mass-produced, junky product.... I don't want to work for no $. I am willing to give someone a good deal, but I don't often work for free (unless I have made a bad mistake)!

[feinddj]

Instead fo saying that you get a quantity discount, just tell them the 100th one is free.

[Greybarn]

Or tell them the first one costs a million dollars, the rest are free.......

[butch]

I get a lot of price seekers. Always want a price on multiples but only want one now. I always reply that the first is this, the next one, "IF it is exactly the same" is this price. I break down my charges on computer time, cutting time, material and finishing time. Thus if I do one they see the price and the second one (if the same) is the price of cutting, material and finishing. I usually find out if they are serious about multiples or not. Usually they just want one.
I charge $40 for computer time and cutting time but that is because of where I'm at - most people outside of Montana can charge $65 and up. That seems to work for me. I also get 1/2 down before I start, as I have a few items that just never seemed to get paid for after the order. I have had very few people complain about this unless they were just looking for a deal.