posted
For those that are into CNC routing, how do you price out time on your machine?
Example: sign shop down road brings you their sheet of acrylic, a file and wants you to cut letters out of this material.
Factoring out the time to get his file ready to go, how would you charge for the use of the router? By Time? Is there any way to tell in advance how long a give job may take to cut?
We are lucky to break even on individual router jobs. With the high cost of materials it only takes one mistake and the job winds up costing us money.
We do better on larger jobs where all the setup time is spread over 10 or 20 items. It's a lot like screen printing expensive shirts. Too much work for just one shirt unless you can charge top dollar.
ernie
-------------------- Ernie Balch Balch Signs 1045 Raymond Rd Malta, NY 518-885-9899 Posts: 405 | From: Malta, NY | Registered: Jan 2003
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posted
I have an arrangement with a local CNC routing service.
If I supply the material, the cost is $75 per sheet. Occasionally (not often) they'll let me know there is too much detail to do at the standard price.
We do some work with them every week. Our files are submitted ready to run, often already being laid out on the sheet.
-------------------- Paul Luszcz Zebra Visuals 27 Water Street Plymouth, MA 02360 508 746-9200 paul@zebravisuals.com Posts: 483 | From: 27 Water Street, Plymouth, MA 02360 | Registered: Jul 2003
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posted
$75 an Hour plus materials plus setup $125 Min. This is a little low compared to Denver and CO Springs But my market will not bare the $125 an Hour they get up there. Now if they want 3D Scans and custom 3D Routing Just Leave your Credit card# or Open Check made out to me. Usally around $100 an Hour.. As for scans I just do it by the job as my scanner is VERY VERY slow and they would freak if I charged by the hour on that.(usally between 10 to 20 Hours to scan an Item 4inches by 6inches depending on resolution. .002 Res Normaly scan around.03)
posted
Dave, a shop near me has said they will match Gemini or "Letters & Logos" since he knows I've bought stuff their before. Out here freight is a considerable expense, so by matching the other price, he knows I save on freight, & he "says" he will give a better turnaround time as well.
Maybe something similar would work for you on jobs where the material & the job or comparable with products & services available to your neighboring signshops from major wholesalers. This could be a quick easy to set a price near "market value" without the knowledge of what you will really spend on it. It may cause some lower profit jobs as you deal with the learning curve, but it may also help you get a handle on what the product "should" cost, or at least what the client "could" get it for elsewhere.
I've been thinking of a Gerber router as a possible investment for much later in the year. Too bad I mentioned it to my supplier... Now I find out Gerber has an enticing deal to get in on the end of their 2003 models for some heavilly reduced rates, & 4.9% financing.
March 31st is way sooner then I ever thought I would consider a purchase like this... but now I'm "considering" more then I want to (like in my sleep )
posted
$75 - $100 an hour if they supply material. Mostly customers we already do business with, Walk in would be a little more. We are mainly an "industry only" jobber. Outside Atlanta,GA.
kevin
-------------------- Kevin Sparling Georgia Airbrush & Signs 2323 Shallowford Rd. Marietta, GA Posts: 24 | From: Marietta, GA | Registered: Feb 2003
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![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Now I find out Gerber has an enticing deal to get in on the end of their 2003 models for some heavilly reduced rates, & 4.9% financing. 
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