Good info. I am curious for myself, as this is what I do. I do have a company vehicle w/gas card. I am on call, and if something 'special' comes in, I get it (which is actually fun, most times). It is like a job shop. We build our own tools, and the needed parts can change on a dime. Plus repair of other tools. I don't sell, but do keep in contact with a few folks we have done work for. When we decided to sell some of the tools we normally rent, I was the one who came up with the price structure. Had a laugh when I was asked what we charge an hour. 'You have been in business 30 years, and now you wonder what we charge an hour?' For the most part I love what I do, just can't get on a roll doing any one thing with out being stopped for something or having to change directions. Trying to keep work going through the shop. Have one manual guy, and one trainee cnc guy, so I get a lot of the load. Other factors make the stress level up there (we call it the friend and family plan, I think you can follow that!). I also do all the drawings and design work when needed. We had an engineer who would say 'This needs changed', but I redid the drawings, and all the exponintial(sp) changes that the one change created. Don't have him any more.
Like I said, I like getting to do all the things, but man.
With out overtime (I am hourly) I am a bit below $60K. I do get some OT, so....
Some times I think "I should have stayed as a machinist".
Thanks.