pricing color fill

[James Rambo]

Hello everyone. I hope you'll are haveing a good holiday weekend.
I have a project I am working on for a new department within the hospital I work for. The design I have thought up has it being made of reverse engravable clear acrylic and 3 different fill colors, and 2 bends. (It is to be temporary hangers on the handrail in different locations for a few different pre-sergery classes). My question is what do you charge per engraving and color fill, and each bend. I'm working on the first prototype now and will try to get a picture of the outcome today and post it here.(time restaints with the grandkids coming over for playtime today).Thanks for all comments Jaime

[Mike Null]

This won't answer your question but why not print the sign on paper then mount it in acrylic? This would be rather inexpensive but since it's temporary it might serve your customer better.

A three color fill is tedious at best and by itself would double the price then putting two bends in it ----well that's a pretty pricey sign.

[John Noell]

(I think maybe he meant the hanger temporarily hangs on the bed rail, not that the hangers are temporary themselves.)

[James Rambo]

Yes, the signs will be used over and over whenever they schedule the class. The signs will be reinstalled in the hall on the hand/guard rail. here is a prototype

[Scott Shepherd]

James, how are you colorfilling this? Are you engraving it all at once and then filling? If so, check out the sign I posted in the sign forum about fire evac sign, and see if what I'm doing there might help you in any way.

You might be doing it the same was I did that one, but I thought I would ask. It's very simple and not very time consuming at all.

[James Rambo]

Scott, Yes, I did it in stages as you did. But I did put some strips of masking tape on the back where the next rastering would be. I used rattle cans to fill each layer. It can't be seen in the photo that it has 2 90 degree bend on the top back for it to be hung on the handrails.

[James Rambo]

What are the thoughts about price range? This starts with a 8 inch wide 11 inch tall piece of reverse engravable from romark. And has two bends to create a 1 1/2 inch hook on the rear (to hang on a handrail in the hospital) after 3 rastering steps with different color paint fill at each. I also worked up one that has only one rastering for all the words and logo, with ADA alternative material in gray and blue for the arrow and the 'waves'. Thanks

[Bob Cole]

Pricing is no means my expertise. I would rely on one of the greats of the forum for that, but if I were to price, I would:

$60 shop rate per hour (include time to bend, apply paint, art time)
$2 per minute laser time
double cost of materials.

I've found in my area some of the "sign" shops have no problem charging for services. I've seen some quotes where I was considerably less. Does this mean I should have charged more or the sign shop was charging too much. If they stay in business longer than I do, guess we know the answer :)

[Frank Corker]

James, I applaud you on your colour filling. It is a very neat job which has been well executed.

[Mark Winlund]

It is not clear whether the acrylic is completely clear or has a background color. With a background color, it is trivial to do the filling... just raster and rattle can. If completely clear, it is a lot harder, and you probably wont make any money on it. The suggestion of a folded acrylic holder with a paper insert is a good one. You can sell it by telling them that the message is easy to change.

In any event, the price should not be less than $50 if filled.

Mark

[James Rambo]

A big THANK YOU goes to you all for your answers and comments. I greatly appreciate your comment FRANK. I have read alot of your constructive criticism and expected some (criticism, that is). I and my partner (wifey) examined the price we needed and finalized it to $58.25 and they accepted. now I need to make 9 of them. Some I will need to reverse the arrow to the left.