I got another one of those “This is too expensive to buy, can you make it for me”..

Trboatworks · Oct 27, 2017

Good grief
Guy was standing there explaining how expensive the damn thing is and I finally ask and he says “almost one hundred dollars”..

I see I would have three hours in it and somehow don’t manage to tell him to buy it I can’t make it for that.

Sometimes I should lock the damn door.

Zahnrad Kopf · Oct 27, 2017

Trboatworks said:
Good grief
Guy was standing there explaining how expensive the damn thing is and I finally ask and he says “almost one hundred dollars”..
I see I would have three hours in it and somehow don’t manage to tell him to buy it I can’t make it for that.
Sometimes I should lock the damn door.

Keep working that cheaply and it will get locked for you. Not sayin'... just sayin'... :rolleyes5:

screensnot · Oct 27, 2017

"But, I only need one."

"I can buy a similar looking thing at the hardware store for $10. But it has the wrong hole pattern and is made from stamped steel. I need one with holes that match my application, and it needs to be a fair amount sturdier."

"You have a CNC right behind you that is doing nothing. Can't you just whip one out for me? I'll buy your lunch!"

Monarchist · Oct 27, 2017

screensnot said:
"But, I only need one."

"I can buy a similar looking thing at the hardware store for $10. But it has the wrong hole pattern and is made from stamped steel. I need one with holes that match my application, and it needs to be a fair amount sturdier."

"You have a CNC right behind you that is doing nothing. Can't you just whip one out for me? I'll buy your lunch!"

LOL! Will he now? Happens I could be interested.

"Lunch", fine wines included - where I want to enjoy it - should come in under $800 a head.

First-class return air, ground limo, overnight five-star accommodations, to GET us to and from IAD to Cafe de Paris, Luxembourg, "Aqui Esta Coco", or "Jacaranda", Santiago or Vinha del Mar/Valparaiso, Chile, the Ritz, Taipei or the Island Shangri-La, Hong Kong... a 300-plus year-old traditional Riyokan in Seoul, Korea, or a "slight;y" newer one in Atami, Japan?

That part might give Joe Average a touch of heartburn.

But the lunch will be f*****g superb!... "World Class". Legendary, even.

Ga-ron-tee it!

The only question is which turns to s**t first. The lunch, once eaten. Or the seeker-fool's financial status.

Spyderedge · Oct 27, 2017

Have you considered posting a sign that shows general shop rates per hour?

Sent from my XT1053 using Tapatalk

Monarchist · Oct 27, 2017

Spyderedge said:
Have you considered posting a sign that shows general shop rates per hour?

I always liked the ones with a sort of "menu" format, such as:

Hourly Shop Rate $150

If you watch, $300

If you 'help', $600

DDoug · Oct 27, 2017

Monarchist said:
I always liked the ones with a sort of "menu" format, such as:

Hourly Shop Rate $150

If you watch, $300

If you 'help', $600

And I always like the signs that include one last one:
"Dumb looks are still free"

Conrad Hoffman · Oct 27, 2017

Once you get it programmed, why it's no work at all to make him a few more for next to nothing, so he can sell them at a profit.

Monarchist · Oct 27, 2017

Conrad Hoffman said:
Once you get it programmed, why it's no work at all to make him a few more for next to nothing, so he can sell them at a profit.

LOL! Yazz.. "once you get it programmed..". Many years ago, now, I got a lead to a CNC fab shop that routinely did custom electronic rackups to a high standard.

Took my lovely India ink on vellum drawings over.. was charged 6 large for the first six prototypes.

Most of that was just to convert all that India ink to CAD/CAM so it could tell said CNC equipment WTF to DO!

I had expected that, of course. At what MY time billed back in that era, it was waaay cheaper than "becoming" a CAD/CAM capable guru meself, and follow-on production cost per-unit was then rather inexpensive, so no complaints.

SeaMoss · Oct 27, 2017

Monarchist said:
Took my lovely India ink on vellum drawings over..

Sister-in-law used to do circuit layouts on transparencies on a lightboard ... I guess that seems like a long time ago to a twenty-something :cool:

Tr - if you want to have fun ? Give the guy a twenty to go away. I've done that a couple times, the look on their face is worth twenty bucks.

Or if you are feeling mean, send them down the street to a competitor ... "Well, I'm not really set up to do this but Johnny over at Ace Boatworks does it all the time ... here's his address ..."

Mud · Oct 27, 2017

My most memorable was after explaining in detail WHY I couldn't make it for his budget maximum of $100, in fact it would be at least $400, possibly twice that much, the questioner asked in all sincerity, "Well, would you at least TRY?"

Mechanola · Oct 28, 2017

A notoric “customer” called the other day to ask whether I have a lathe. No, sold it. Had to close my shop. Although he had known my situation perfectly well he started anew, that he could do everything on a lathe but didn’t have one. By the time it turned out that he wanted to separate discs from a two foot long bar whose diameter exceeds the spindle bore. No steady rest. Man, what a stubborn stub.

Limy Sami · Oct 28, 2017

I always liked my old boss and mentor - Big Jims approach to such folk, .....on being asked how much? he'd suck air through his teeth, shake his head with a troubled look and turning up his native Halifax (Yorkshire) say ''Eeeee lad? .......thee can't afford it.''

SteveBausch · Oct 28, 2017

On a topical note, you could invite them to a hotel room, meet them in a bathrobe, and suggest they give you a massage or watch you shower.

Monarchist · Oct 28, 2017

SteveBausch said:
On a topical note, you could invite them to a hotel room, meet them in a bathrobe, and suggest they give you a massage or watch you shower.

OY! I don't think the economics of that are going to prove advantageous to the now-several perps in the news.

And.. the family-formation and birthrate is probably due for yet-another drop. Even saying "Hello" to the current crop of "first world" females has gone riskier for ordinary folks. Especially if slights real or perceived are festered and fermented for long years, as the whole lot of "in the news" ones have done.

Time was, a "real woman" just put an annoying asshole DOWN with a choice word or three, and in "real time".

Now? Seems they wait 20 years until he is worth the cost of a lucrative lawsuit.

Backlash can be just as much a M***** F***** as "payback".

Chip Chester · Oct 28, 2017

If you don't do rates, a posted shop minimum might be in order.
I do like the "I'll pay you $20 to go away" approach. Very much.

Sometimes, and only sometimes, bartering works OK in situations like that. That is, if the guy does something well that you'd like done.

Chip

david n · Oct 28, 2017

And this is why I don't have a sign out at the end of the road. Heck, I'm not even in the phone book or on the interweb..............................

guest · Oct 28, 2017

In the category of "they just don't get it" I've had 2 recently.

My former neighbor does my yardwork for me. The other day he's sitting in my office while I'm eating lunch. I ask him if he has one of those garbage disposal wrenches I can borrow. He says "You have a machine shop, you can just make one". It's a $10 item at home depot.

Other one- guy does metal roofs. He wants me to make a tool for him- he doesn't like the one he has. I say "show it to me". It's a pair of tin snips. :nutter:

adama · Oct 28, 2017

Personally i see nothing wrong with doing the odd job for food, think double digit kG's of smoked bacon for a repair at the butchers and at a previous job were i was living in a 4 star hotel paid for by the company for a period of training i fixed a dumb waiter food lift, they were desperate as they had a big function that weekend, i did not go hungry or thirsty the 4 weeks i remained there :-) Have also had a very "sweet" payment package for doing some work for a French patisserie chief too.

Yeah none of the above helped pay the morgage, but for a little while they all sure as hell made life better and collectively probably a few pounds fatter!

In fact i much rather work for the above sort of people than the ass hole customer i have got trying to place a circa £3K order for parts that i can easily + profitably but just don't want to make! But thats me and im odd, a little cranky and by no means anorexic!

DDoug · Oct 28, 2017

The problems with trades is still the same as the OP's problem.

The customer still thinks your shop rate should be $20 an hour, and his
"trade" value should be at least $120 an hour.

I used to take my truck to a local garage for inspection, he also
towed me one day (It broke down) and charged me $100 for the tow.
He always said AAA only pays him $40 for the same tow job (which
he accepts as as payment in full).

So a long time customer you gouge at $100, that everyone else you only
charge $40 ?

So now I have AAA, and use someone else.

I got another one of those “This is too expensive to buy, can you make it for me”..

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