You need to quote a firm price per job, but of
course your shop rate is your starting reference
point per bidding. Most shops will charge per
machine 2-3 times labor rate for the machine
operated, so if the typical plasma set-up\operator makes $20 an hour in your parts
the rate charged out will be $40-$60 an hour,
items with expensive machinery involved will
be more toward the 3x side. Also you have to
consider your personal "efficiency", if you
are on a learning curve, you have to charge
toward the low side because it will take you
longer than the top notch guy that has been
doing it for years. Here is an example:
I charge $75.00 an hour for CNC Lathe machine
time, that is my forte, where I am top dog.
I still maintain contact with a friend who
works at my last employer, from time to time
I will show him parts I run for others and ask
him to quote cycle times, he does the shops
quoting and their rate is $50 for CNC Lathe
work. He will typically tell me 3 minutes on
what I call 90 second parts, etc,etc. Even though
there shop rate is 33.3% lower, they get things
done 1/2 as fast due to a lower skilled labor
force, so at $75 an hour I am cheaper than the $50 hour shop.
On the other hand I have a surface grinder, of
which I last used one about 3 years ago, it
collects dust. I would not dare charge $75 an
hour for surface grinder work, that probably
would be charged out at $35 if I bid something,
because I know I am not the best on a surface
grinder.
Hope this at least helps to confuse you more.