helping the local awards shop

[Mark Plotkin]

the local award and engraving shop called today needing help. His laser died and he wants to use mine while his is being repaired. I thought about it and told him he can if he brings his laptop over with the driver loaded up and works in my shop. I quoted him $30.00 an hour for the use. Having just spent over $1000 fixing mine I thought that was a fair price. Anyone have any thoughts?

[Joe Pelonio]

I recently had a nearly identical request. I would not let someone else use my machine, but quoted them $35/hour to do the work, which is way below normal. They thought it too much and offered $20, and I passed.

[Mike Null]

I would have asked $60 and ran their jobs for them. Otherwise, too bad.

[Terry Swift]

Providing good will and service is one thing; but letting someone else use my equipment and tying up my time is going a step beyond. I agree with Joe and Mike - offer to do the work for them for a fee. Seems like Joe's situation made it like the person wasn't so "desperate" after all. Would they have obliged in the same fashion if the shoe on the other foot? I've tried to collaborate on a couple of occasions with some local shops on work and they were willing to help; but like Joe - wanted a real life charge for it. I didn't object so much to the charge; but the timeframe they quoted to complete it.

Collaboration can be a good thing if it works both ways.

[David Takes]

In our litigious society, there is no way I could allow him to operate our equipment on our property without some major hoops that would not be worth jumping through to cover ourselves. Even if I were to do that, finding and committing to the down time on my machine would be difficult. If I did commit time to him it would have to be at my shop rate.

If it were just a quick job or two I would help out personally if time allowed.

[AL Ursich]

I am in the boat of $35.00 per hour and I run the jobs.... He Watches...

Offering $20.00..... That was a insult....

AL

[Gary Hair]

I recently had a nearly identical request. I would not let someone else use my machine, but quoted them $35/hour to do the work, which is way below normal. They thought it too much and offered $20, and I passed.

You were extremely kind to offer $35 an hour and they had the nerve to counter offer???? Since my shop rate is $120/hour I would have (very unkindly) told him where to "spend" that $20...

[Terry Swift]

Gary,

I need to be where you are!

Getting half your rate in DFW would be great. Maybe I'm focused on the wrong market and my marketing needs to go upscale to get those $60-$120 an hour fees.

I don't see how you can garner a $120 an hour rate if you buy an item like some of those seen at JDS, did some engraving and coloring for a customer. Unless you can complete that project in under 20 minutes total time, you've just put the price of that completed item in a range where "most" can't / won't pay for it. Now if you're doing super custom work; then commanding that rate would / might be possible.

[Mark Plotkin]

thanks for the comments. I don't run my laser full time so I can afford to watch while he does his thing. I have quite a few other shop projects I am working on so being there 100% of the time is not a problem. The award shop has not responded to my email but I think he was using another laser today 50 miles away. I will keep you guys posted. I know how hard it is to be without and I have helped other businesses in the past and the goodwill is a good thing to have in a small community. I have my own customer base and have only lost one job that I know of to this shop in five years. I have more of his customers coming to me than he realizes. Hence the reason I want him to bring his laptop. My plan is to charge him the hourly rate from the time we turn the laser on until we turn it off, not just the run times so he will need to be set up and ready to go as the clock is ticking so to speak.

wishing everyone a great holiday season and thanks for all your help over the years!

[Gary Hair]

Terry,
It's not where I am physically located as much as it is where "I" am with my business. I don't do a lot of retail stuff, it's just not that profitable. Mostly I am marking items for businesses - switch plates for electricians, stainless parts for manufacturers, and a lot of pavers and such (sandcarving not laser). Even though I base my estimates on $120 per hour I average much more than that when I'm doing large runs of items. I marked some anodized aluminum pieces last week that netted me over $450/hour and that ran for almost 7 hours! Not a bad day! When I do the little bit of retail that I end up agreeing to, it's usually much less than $120/hour, it's probably closer to $80. I have a $35 minimum charge but I usually reduce that to $25 if it's truly a job that will take a few minutes to do. I have a job next week lasering 175, 1.5" stainless circles with 3 characters using Cermark. The entire job will take me about 1-1/2 hours and I'm charging them $3.25 per piece - that's $379 per hour. Even if it took me 4-3/4 hours I'd still make my $120/hour. It's not your location, it's your customers and, more importantly, your business model. My town has about 130,000 people and another 75k close by, just over 200,000 total - Arlington shows about 380,000 - surely you should have more opportunity there than I do here.

Gary

Gary,

I need to be where you are!

Getting half your rate in DFW would be great. Maybe I'm focused on the wrong market and my marketing needs to go upscale to get those $60-$120 an hour fees.

I don't see how you can garner a $120 an hour rate if you buy an item like some of those seen at JDS, did some engraving and coloring for a customer. Unless you can complete that project in under 20 minutes total time, you've just put the price of that completed item in a range where "most" can't / won't pay for it. Now if you're doing super custom work; then commanding that rate would / might be possible.

[David Fairfield]

I'd say $30/hr is a friend's price and a reall good deal. I charge machine time at $120 an hour. $60 an hour seems the fair price. But I don't think I'd much care for anyone here usin' my machine, outside of a good friend with an interest.

Dave

[Martin Boekers]

I have a job next week lasering 175, 1.5" stainless circles with 3 characters using Cermark.
Gary

Gary, if you don't mind my asking where are you getting the discs?

I have been looking for disc up to 2" with a slight raised edge on the perimeter, like a coin.

Coin manufactures will supply this, but at the same cost as a die struck finished coin.

Thanks

[Tony Lenkic]

Martin you can get stainless disks 1.5" dia. from "Engraving Specialties dot net". Very nicely finished. I would recommend CerMark 6038 product for these.

[Martin Boekers]

Tony, actually I'm looking to do vinyl inserts to simulate coins. I'm doing poker chips now, but want
to do some individual coins.

The closest I've found so far are brass dies (used for embossing) at a decent price.
Finish is not that great though.

I will call these guys on Mon though and get some samples.

Thanks!

Marty

[Mike Null]

Terrry

I know personally engravers in DFW making over $120 per hour.