Pricing help please ...

[Tim Boger]

Let me start with a Happy New Year greeting to all my fellow Creekers !!

Seldom do I venture far from my Lathe, however, I have been asked to make a simple Tie Box by a friend from my work, he intends to give it as a birthday gift to his son in law .... he wasn't willing to suggest how much he expected to pay for this so the ball is in my court.

I would use some off colored Maple that I paid $1.00 bf for so the material cost is next to nothing ... it's the labor charge I'd like some feedback on.

Thanks folks,
Tim278365

[Larry Browning]

Here is one I found on Amazon that may be comparable to what he had in mind. This might help to give you something to compare against.
http://www.amazon.com/Tie-Box-Storage-Handcrafted-Compartment/dp/B000BMVHV8/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1388418950&sr=8-7&keywords=tie+box

[Jamie Buxton]

$100. That's a premium over the price he'd find for a production-line box, but yours is a handbuilt one-of-a-kind example. $100 might make you minimum wage, but probably will not even do that well. So that's a balance -- he pays more for the product than maybe he should, and you get less than you probably should.

[Dan Hintz]

$100. That's a premium over the price he'd find for a production-line box, but yours is a handbuilt one-of-a-kind example. $100 might make you minimum wage, but probably will not even do that well. So that's a balance -- he pays more for the product than maybe he should, and you get less than you probably should.

Agreed. You're only doing one, it's a good friend (I hope), so do it if you think you'll enjoy the work. You won't but much bacon on the table with it, but it'll give you a chance to work outside your comfort zone.

[Larry Browning]

I can't speak for anyone else but myself. I have been asked to make stuff like this in the past and I usually charge very little, like maybe $10 or $20. My thinking is that it gets me out into the shop and allows me to do something I really enjoy, heck, I would do it for free. This person is a friend and just seeing the pleasure on their face and the appreciation they show me is plenty payment. But that's just me.

[Mark Bolton]

Larry is spot on in that is this a job for profit (or at least somewhat) or is it a labor of love.

My gut feeling looking at the amazon box is its a bit over priced based on being a production item. 100.00 for the box Tim pictured is way over priced. Of course its a one off but if that picture is the desired end result, its a one off of a very inexpensive box. Hard to say but it looks like glue/pinned but joints, egg crate on the dividers, 2-3 hours including 2 coats of rattle can lacquer. Maybe a touch more.

[Tim Boger]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the feedback, I thought @ $125 it's covering my time and materials .... he is a friend and I think he would want to be fair.

If he grumbles I'll offer it @ $100.00

Appreciate it!

Tim

[Michael Mahan]

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the feedback, I thought @ $125 it's covering my time and materials .... he is a friend and I think he would want to be fair.

If he grumbles I'll offer it @ $100.00

Appreciate it!

Tim Offer a price with 1/2 paid in advance . don't come down a penny , if you come down in price they always will wonder that you over charged them anyway .
I made an item for work friend , we agreed to the price , I made the item , be backed out , he's no longer a friend of mine as he came up with these off the wall excuses that it wasn't what he wanted when it was exactly what he asked for , in reality he got buyers remorse but wouldn't admit it & because I didn't get a up front deposit he left me holding the box .
Myself I'm glad I found out sooner than later what kind of friend he really was . That's when one finds out how good a friend they are when money comes into play .

That's the one thing about making friends at work you never know the true intentions of a person at work . Your both there to work , that is the only reason you met , so it's not like there is a real friend connection due to being throw in with someone you don't really know .
Fair , firm & upfront Remember when you take on a job like this the relationship is now NOT a friendship but business transaction .