Can't Believe that people are willing to work for free........

[Steve Clarkson]

I just bid a job cutting out some basic shapes (about 4" x 3") out of baltic birch (takes about 1 minute each on my 45 watt)........no minimums were even discussed yet......so it could have been 2 or 200 or 2,000 (but I'm guessing closer to 50). I bid $2 each........and I find out he is paying $0.50 each. That barely covers the cost of the wood!

[Joe Hillmann]

How are they cutting them though? I have ordered wooden shapes for much cheaper than I could make them on the laser and it looks like they turn the shapes on a duplicating lathe then slice them on a band saw. Even like that I don't see how they can be so cheap, but they must be making money on them otherwise why sell them?

[Mike Null]

You were cheap, he is going to be out of business if he is a business.

[Scott Shepherd]

I get 24 in 4:30 or so at 75W, so it might not be as bad as you think. I could do 50 of them in 10 minutes. 50 x .50 cents each, $25 for 10 minutes work? Baltic Birch is cheap. That's like $2 worth of material.

[Howard Garner]

I get 24 in 4:30 or so at 75W, so it might not be as bad as you think. I could do 50 of them in 10 minutes. 50 x .50 cents each, $25 for 10 minutes work? Baltic Birch is cheap. That's like $2 worth of material.

Closer to $12 for the birch ply.
Not much margin at 50 cents.
Howard Garner

[Scott Shepherd]

Closer to $12 for the birch ply.
Not much margin at 50 cents.
Howard Garner

$12 for a 5' x 5' sheet. Many people have it in stock and use it all the time so you can charge by the sq. ft on it rather than having to charge for a whole sheet.

[Steve Clarkson]

It was 1/8" thick BB which I can't find in a 5' x 5' sheet.

[James Rambo]

kencraftcompany dot com
They have BB/BB 12.15 a sheet

[Joe Pelonio]

Woodcraft is $5.29 for 12"x30".

For a small quantity of 50 at .50 each it's $25.00, not worth turning on the machine for that.

Maybe he's looking for a local source because it takes too long to get them cut in China. Remember that people often fake a better price elsewhere to bring your price down. On the other hand, he may have found a new laser
owner desperate for work.

[Terry Swift]

Don't we hear this all the time. There is always somebody out there that can do it cheaper, maybe not making any money on that order or hoping to make more in the future with them. Sometimes lowballing one job leads to larger more lucrative ones; but I would consider that more the exception than the rule. While I don't have all of the overhead for a "storefront" operation; I can't sell for 50% off either and make a living / profit. While I don't sell for MSRP or retail pricing, I can't / won't cut my throat either. Eventually the Chinese way of life (CHEAP) will go away for a good portion; as even they can't continue to pay $.10 an hour either.

Most customers will get it as cheap as they can or say they can; but many engraving shops have gone out of business with that model and mostly only the MSRP people still have storefronts - at least here locally that I can see. My business is finally growing as people become aware that there aren't as many games in town. I don't soak them either. But like Laserbuzz talks - what happens in your city may or may not work in mine. If you're the only game going; then you can charge what you want or they can go on-line.

[Steve Clarkson]

Quick update......I asked the guy where he was buying them at that price and he just told me it was a local high school......but they are closed during the summer, so he was looking for a backup supplier............lol!

[Dan Hintz]

You could make a stink about that, Steve, if you really wanted to, and get that operation shut down. The taxpayers should not be put in the position of subsidizing a sweatshop.

[Dee Gallo]

I was under the impression that in NY State anyone who gets money from the State (like a school would) is not allowed to compete with local businesses. They can do work for free or low prices for non-profits only. We ran into this many times in the prison with local groups asking for the inmates to do free work for all kinds of things from Boys Scouts to cemeteries to local theater groups. In the event that work was approved, they had to provide all materials.

~ dee

[Mike Null]

I have always viewed laser engraving machines as teachers toys not teaching tools.

[Martin Boekers]

No doubt he is paying cash, probably some student or teacher making some "beer money"
Dee is correct that unless it's a private school, no gov funding they could be in trouble doing
projects like this.

Steve at least he told you it was a school, now you know not to waste time figuring out a price
next time.