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Tim Baude
04-28-2010, 9:16 PM
I have had a request to cut letters and shapes out of leather for someone. They will provide the leather and send it to me. Most of the letters are around 3" tall by 2" wide. He has said he never knows how many he will do and needs them on a per job basis. I have never dealt with leather. Wondering what a reasonable price would be to charge per piece. He is in Canada, I am in the states. I tried to get him to give me a number he needs, but he has no idea what the volume will be. He was requesting this service on another forum that I frequent, and we have messaged back and forth, but would like to give him a good quote.

Any thoughts or ideas on quoting this job would be great.
Thank you
Tim

Gary Hair
04-28-2010, 9:29 PM
Tim,
In order to provide him with a quote he has to give you some basic information, without that you have nothing. If he's not willing to give you what you need to just give him a quote then you might want to reconsider working with him.

You need to know the same things for every job and I have said it time and time again whenever someone asks for pricing help.

Search for any thread about pricing and you'll see the same answers.

Gary

Joe Pelonio
04-28-2010, 9:52 PM
This one is especially tricky, because the time and difficulty incutting leather depends a lot on the leather, and no two pieces are the same. Holding it flat can also be a problem if it's thin, and you will have to live with a rather unpleasant aroma while running them.

I would ask for a sample of the leather to try it on and see how it cuts before giving a quote, then give prices for various quantities based on the test. Based on my experience, the price for cutting leather would be higher than many other materials.

Mike Null
04-28-2010, 10:06 PM
Do not assume that you can just put a piece of leather into the machine and cut.

Depending on the finish you may have to coat it or at least mask it to protect it from engraving residue and burning. Thickness affects time and how much residue there will be.

On the bright side, leather is fairly easy to cut.

I always cut from the top and use air assist.

Michael Hunter
04-29-2010, 9:23 AM
Yes! - get a sample from him and try it. If there is more than one type of leather involved, get samples of them all.


I found a solution for customers who cannot predict their requirements - monthly invoicing.
I give a discount if the number exceeds so many in a given calendar month.

It is not perfect by any means, but it does mean that I can charge far more per item/order in a low-quantity month, whilst the customers still feel that they are getting a reasonable deal (and they DO come back for more).

Mark Winlund
04-29-2010, 11:04 AM
All of the previous posters are correct. It is slower and more difficult to do. Your major problem will not be the speed, it will be the smell.

Mark