shop charges for mechmate

[ekdenton]

Hey Guys,
I had a person call me today about cutting some plywood sheets out for him and he asked what the hourly charge would be. He owned a shopbot before but sold it. I have just been doing small jobs but this sounds like lots of hours on the Mechmate. I have no clue what a fair hourly charge here in the US for a cnc mill would be. I remember seeing a thread on this long ago but do not remember what all was said. Does anyone else here in the US do simmilar work that can give me a balpark number to go from? I was guessing $50 per hour but I did not want to commit until I found out what everyone else is doing.:)

Ed

[smreish]

Ed,
Typically I charge 125 to 150 per run hour of machine time with a 1 hour min. Of course, that's just an estimate. This is for a "one off" cut out. Multiples can get as cheap as 50$/hr if the qty is high enough.
Plus - file prep charge if cut out CAD/DXF, etc. file isn't almost tool ready.

This includes bit charge if it uses a standard carbide straight tool bit for the cutout. Special profiles and tool changes are extra.

Sean

[bradm]

http://mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2251
(http://http://mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2251)
(http://%20http://mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=666)http://mechmate.com/forums/showthread.php?t=666 (see spreadsheet at post #7, numbers in post #10, more good stuff later on)

[ekdenton]

Thanks Sean, he said he has vcarve that he was using for toolpaths on his shopbot. Hopefully i will just be able to check his toolpath for any mistakes, so i won't have to start from scratch. I think i will tell him $100hr for the first one, and since he is talking 4 x 8 sheets of 3/4 ply I don't think I would need to mention the one hour minimum because I know it will take longer than an hour. $50hr if he has multiple cuts. I think this will be a prototype for more.

[PEU]

In my (non mechmate related) experience, using gcode from a customer you don't have experience working with is not a good idea.
You know the capabilities of your machine, feeds, depth of cut, etc, the customer don't.
If you also have vcarve ask him to give you the file and you do the postprocesing

[KenC]

I don't take G-code. I don't charge if they provide me with any vector file which my VCP can read.
but charges will start when I spend more the 10 minutes of correction...

[lumberjack_jeff]

I charge per sheet based on the type of project. The customer knows what he's paying up front.

... and I get the benefit of efficiency.

I also agree. I write my g code.