Full Version: Set up charges
From: basehorawards [#35]
16 Apr 2007
To: PenMan [#32] 16 Apr 2007
It was a 4 x 6 plaque with a 3 x 5 black florentine plate. Wholesale cost was right around $4. Typical engraving time for a plaque that size is 3 minutes. I do not separate the laser time from the price for the plaque.
3
x $4
$12
+ 6 for laser time
$18
After reading the other two responses it seems my price is on the low side.
From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#36]
16 Apr 2007
To: basehorawards [#35] 16 Apr 2007
From: basehorawards [#37]
16 Apr 2007
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#36] 16 Apr 2007
A timely point. I have a customer looking for a brass or pewter tankard but his big concern is that the engraving not "fade" over time like the brass one he got when he graduated. He showed it to me. It is a TR tankard rotary engraved coated brass. The engraving had tarnished and on the bright brass was hard to read after 13 years. I told him that tarnishing is pretty normal. I had not considered that the non tarnish engraving from a laser could be considered a perceived value. Won't help me on the tankard (of course if I do not find a tankard he likes I won't have to worry about it anyway) but I will have to think about it in the future.
In regards to doing a plaque on the rotary I have, I'm sure, been leaving money on the table. Most people will choose to have the engraving done on the laser but the ones who choose the rotary are getting a good deal (for now) because I have not done enough of them to get a typical time
From: PenMan [#38]
16 Apr 2007
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#33] 16 Apr 2007
So if I interpret your response correctly you would charge:
3 x $4.00 = $12.00 for materials and $22.00 for the engraving based on 22 cents per letter with a 100 letter minimum and no additional setup charge. Total = $34. Is this about right?
From: ACJ (LADYCUTTER) [#39]
16 Apr 2007
To: logojohn [#31] 17 Apr 2007
That helps alot. The business I purchased includes a 14-year old laser where the table moves instead of the heads. Therefore there is time spent making sure the engraving will be properly lined up. That explains why the former owner charged both a set-up charge and a design charge at times. But going through the old invoices and work orders I can't find a real standard way of charging. This makes it really difficult when former customers come in with new jobs.
I really appreciate the pricing discussion here. Thanks, everyone.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#40]
16 Apr 2007
To: ACJ (LADYCUTTER) [#39] 17 Apr 2007
What brand is the laser. Sounds like one of the early LSI (can't remember the name?) models.
From: Pedaler (ROYBREWER) [#41]
17 Apr 2007
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#40] 17 Apr 2007
From: ACJ (LADYCUTTER) [#42]
17 Apr 2007
To: ALL
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#43]
18 Apr 2007
To: ACJ (LADYCUTTER) [#42] 18 Apr 2007
If memory serves (I think it does) before they began using a PC to run the system, it was strictly designed to scan B&W artwork, (with an electric eye) on one side of the machine, while the laser beam duplicated the artwork on the other.
Very similar to the way the mechanical photolathes worked, except much faster.
Are you sure the machine's 14 years old? I think it may be much older than that.
From: Pedaler (ROYBREWER) [#44]
18 Apr 2007
To: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#43] 18 Apr 2007
You are thinking of the original LMI. When Epilog and ULS "eliminated" the sales of that machine, LMI introduced a machine to attempt to compete but it was too little too late and they didn't do much with it.
Newing-Hall distributed it for a year or so and them M&R picked up distribution and sold it to their rubber stamp people. As ladycutter describes, it was a strange looking, roll top that was on the market for a total of about 5 years.
From: Stunt Engraver (DGL) [#45]
18 Apr 2007
To: Pedaler (ROYBREWER) [#44] 19 Apr 2007
Now that you mention it, I do remember that roll-top model.
I thought it looked kind of space-age. :-)
Show messages: 1-14 15-34 35-45