CudBucket Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Someone has asked me to charge them to cut and glue some Mahogany and top wood into a body blank for them. They want to pay for shipping both ways as well. They'll be sending me one piece of Mahogany and some burl top wood. I have no idea what to charge them. Any ideas? I've never charged anyone for this before. Thanks. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mledbetter Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Someone has asked me to charge them to cut and glue some Mahogany and top wood into a body blank for them. They want to pay for shipping both ways as well. They'll be sending me one piece of Mahogany and some burl top wood. I have no idea what to charge them. Any ideas? I've never charged anyone for this before. Thanks. Dave ← how much would that body cost to purchase from say warmoth.. or usacg? Use that as a base.. subtracting what the wood is worth and see if that's worth the trouble. I worked as a consultant for a long time so I had to price out a lot of work that I did and usually i would just try to figure the hours and take my desired rate and see if it jived with the client. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Devon Headen Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 After shipping both ways, and buying the wood that guy's going way overboard. Ask him if he's got any cabinet shops that he can get it joined at near him. If he insists on getting you to do it and you want to, I'd just do what mledbetter said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Yeah, not to say your guy is doing this, but you find out when you start doing real business that a lot of people have completely ridiculous ideas, and it's your job to take charge of the situation (since you are the expert) and set them straight and inform them what the real deal is, it's sort of your responsibility if you're accepting money to be more aware of the situation than the consumer and give them guidance. Not to mention that you want to be in charge of your vessel (business), and not letting every customer run you every which way. Part of what they're paying you for is your knowledge and honesty and information, not simply just your talents with wood. If you decide to do business, then you should take the time to understand what is involved in doing business properly and honestly (not to say your not, just stating a simple fact of business). Put another way, if you don't understand business, you shouldn't be doing business. But everyone has to start somewhere! How much deposit are you going to collect? What kind of warranty or guarantee are you offering for your services? Are you a good boxer/shipper? You could do a great job, but box it terribly, he gets it beat up, doesn't want to pay the remainder. Argument ensues, he blasts your name all over the internet. Or you do a great job, but he BS's you and still doesn't pay you the remainder. You do a great job, but he spends his remainder money and you can't collect the remainder, he puts you off for months and months with delay tactics. He pays 100% up front, but is unhappy with the work, but you spent the money as soon as it came in. UPS loses the box but you were too much of a tightwad to have the box insured. That's doing business, and the -moment- you accept money from anyone you don't personally know (a friend or a bud), the rules of business apply, because anything can happen out there. Just ask the guy who paid Litchfield to make him a neck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mledbetter Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 are you making a body? or just making a laminated bodyblank? He should be able to get the wood planed and jointed from wherever he bought it.. He would be better off going to home depot and buying some titebond and some clamps.. Not to talk you out of a job but it might more trouble for youthan it's worth.. Tell him that for 50 bucks you'll teach him how to do it himself.. lol.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassman Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 when charging, consider your responsibility of the wood that you take into your hands, and the money you spent on your tools. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CudBucket Posted April 1, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 Thanks guys. It really doesn't seem worth the trouble to be honest. I don't know what he paid for the wood or why he'd want to pay for shipping and my time in addition to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drak Posted April 1, 2005 Report Share Posted April 1, 2005 There's no reason you can't make some money at it if you approach it properly. The guy might have seen some of your work and really liked it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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