The Woodturning Forum - Woodturner's Resource

David Schuelke Full Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 60 Beaumont, California USA Gender: Laguna Revo 18 x 36 2hp	pricing Mar 26^th, 2019 at 1:57pm I have been asked to do 5 , 18 in .by 2 in. wall hangers for a retreat center to attach donor names, what would you charge for a piece of mesquite with turquoise inlay in that size ?
Back to top	« Last Edit: Mar 26^th, 2019 at 2:00pm by David Schuelke » When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer the problem went away. IP Logged

Register To Remove Ads

Marc Walker

WR Noob
Offline

Posts: 22

chandler
Arizona
USA
Gender: male

Re: pricing
Reply #1 - Mar 26^th, 2019 at 2:08pm

If it were me, I would ask myself a couple of questions. Is this an organization, non-profit, or charity that I belong to or believe in? If so, I might make the wall hangers as a donation, or simply ask for the cost of materials. If not, then it would depend on how much the materials would cost, and how much time it would take me to do the work. Either way, it is hard for me to provide you with an answer without additional information.

Back to top

IP Logged

Ed Weber

WR Administrator
WR Patron

Offline

Posts: 8,939

Wilton
California
USA
Gender: male

JET 1642
Grizzly G0584

Re: pricing
Reply #2 - Mar 26^th, 2019 at 4:08pm

Marc Walker wrote on Mar 26^th, 2019 at 2:08pm:

Either way, it is hard for me to provide you with an answer without additional information.

+1

David Schuelke wrote on Mar 26^th, 2019 at 1:57pm:

I have been asked to do 5 , 18 in .by 2 in. wall hangers for a retreat center to attach donor names, what would you charge for a piece of mesquite with turquoise inlay in that size ?

Are you talking about a plaque, a platter or what, I'm not sure what a wall hanger is.
A piece of mesquite at the size you're looking might be all but impossible to find, if you did it would most likely be extremely expensive. You might need to do some sort or glue up or use a different species that's commonly found at that size.

Back to top

IP Logged

David Schuelke Full Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 60 Beaumont, California USA Gender: Laguna Revo 18 x 36 2hp	Re: pricing Reply #3 - Mar 26^th, 2019 at 6:52pm I have the wood and the turquoise, I have one done but am having difficulty loading the picture. It is 1.5 inches thick 17 inches wide and a natural edge, I inlaid turquoise in the natural cracks and finished it in a gloss finish
Back to top	When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer the problem went away. IP Logged

Don Stephan WR Addict Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 2,659 Cincinnati, Ohio Ohio USA Gender:	Re: pricing Reply #4 - Mar 26^th, 2019 at 7:51pm Price of materials plus (your time times what an hour of your time is worth)
Back to top	IP Logged

David Schuelke Full Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 60 Beaumont, California USA Gender: Laguna Revo 18 x 36 2hp	Re: pricing Reply #5 - Mar 27^th, 2019 at 8:24am Don, how do you estimate your labor, time on a project?
Back to top	When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer the problem went away. IP Logged

Ralph Fahringer

WR Addict

Offline

I'm the "Burly" Man!!

Posts: 1,629

Ellsworth
Maine
USA
Gender: male

PM3520b

Re: pricing
Reply #6 - Mar 27^th, 2019 at 9:34am

How much do you want to make?
That is how you figure your labor.

In your mind, do you think your time is worth $10/hr, $20/hr, or ???
Now, in my store, my current hourly labor rate is $70/hr. which also has to cover things like fixed overhead and such.

Consider that as well in your calculation.

If you are only doing this as a hobby, then give your self however much it takes to buy a case of beer or a bottle of Scotch, or whatever makes you happy.

If you are trying to supplement your meager retirement income then consider a minimum of $20 - $25/hr. again, because the money for the electric & heat needs to come from somewhere.

Also decide if you are going to declare that as income on your taxes or just going to pocket it.

Also, even if the wood was FOG wood, take into consideration how much it would have cost someone to actually buy that wood on the open market and charge THAT amount for materials.

If someone gave you a piece of Macassar Ebony, would you only charge 5 or 10 bucks to your customer?

Back to top

Originality is the art of concealing your source.

IP Logged

Ralph Fahringer

WR Addict

Offline

I'm the "Burly" Man!!

Posts: 1,629

Ellsworth
Maine
USA
Gender: male

PM3520b

Re: pricing
Reply #7 - Mar 27^th, 2019 at 9:41am

As for estimating how many hours you might take to do a project....

If you think about it and decide that it would take you 3 hours to do it, double it.

Odds are that even then you will be off but alot closer to the actual time spent.

Unless you use a stop watch to track your time, you won't remember everything it takes to make something.

Going to the bathroom or getting something to drink is still on the clock. Grin

Experience gets you closer, but always bump your estimates. Smiley

Back to top

Originality is the art of concealing your source.

IP Logged

Register To Remove Ads

Jennifer Hasan Active Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 232 Beacon, ny New York USA	Re: pricing Reply #8 - Mar 27^th, 2019 at 10:55am I have a simple formula: Diameter x Height x 6 = Price 18 x 2 x 6 = $216
Back to top	IP Logged

Ralph Fahringer

WR Addict

Offline

I'm the "Burly" Man!!

Posts: 1,629

Ellsworth
Maine
USA
Gender: male

PM3520b

Re: pricing
Reply #9 - Mar 27^th, 2019 at 11:02am

Jennifer,

Regardless of type of wood?

Seems very arbitrary.

A plain Beech bowl versus a highly figured, spalted or burly bowl?

What about inlays?

This is why "simple formulas" actually aren't all that good of an idea.

Maybe as a starting point, but for a one size fits all.. no thanks.

Of course, if it works for and you are happy with those prices, then good for you.

Back to top

Originality is the art of concealing your source.

IP Logged

robo_hippy WR Addict Offline Posts: 3,638 Eugene, OR USA	Re: pricing Reply #10 - Mar 27^th, 2019 at 11:28am Hard to figure time, mostly because a bowl that used to take me 45 minutes or so, is now down to 5 minutes or so... More than anything it is being able to figure out what the market will bear. If nothing else, always price high because you can drop the price a bit on the sale so they get a bargain.... robo hippy
Back to top	IP Logged

David Schuelke Full Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 60 Beaumont, California USA Gender: Laguna Revo 18 x 36 2hp	Re: pricing Reply #11 - Mar 27^th, 2019 at 1:12pm Thank you all so much, you gave me awesome suggestions, I really appreciate it.
Back to top	When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer the problem went away. IP Logged

Ralph Fahringer WR Addict Offline I'm the "Burly" Man!! Posts: 1,629 Ellsworth Maine USA Gender: PM3520b	Re: pricing Reply #12 - Mar 27^th, 2019 at 1:50pm I think the most important suggestion is: Don't quit your day job!!!
Back to top	Originality is the art of concealing your source. IP Logged

David Schuelke Full Member Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 60 Beaumont, California USA Gender: Laguna Revo 18 x 36 2hp	Re: pricing Reply #13 - Mar 27^th, 2019 at 8:14pm I quoted them $250.00 each and just received approval to start Dont worry Ralph, I quit my day job long ago, turning is an amazing hobbie I have discovered and once in a while someone with no sense of wood turning actually pays me for a bowl, cant get any better than that
Back to top	When I stopped living in the problem and began living in the answer the problem went away. IP Logged

Don Stephan WR Addict Offline WR Rocks! Posts: 2,659 Cincinnati, Ohio Ohio USA Gender:	Re: pricing Reply #14 - Mar 28^th, 2019 at 7:49am Keep the estimates for materials and labor in a safe place, and track the actuals for the project. And let us know how your labor estimates compared with actual.
Back to top	IP Logged