Toy Box On The Cheap

[sugarbeatco]

I got an order for a toy box. I asked the guy what he had in mind, he was like "uhh.. I dont know... cheap.." I finally got a color choice and a name for the little girl.. Not much to go on, so heres what I came up with. Final price was 130, made from mdf..

[johnh]

Great job!

Sold that too cheap though.. I would have estimated twice that much easily.

[bleeth]

"Cheap" is not only a stock answer, it doesn't tell you a thing. What is cheap to the client could be plenty for you. If that box were designed, cut, finished, and assembled in record time you would still be getting about 20 bucks an hour max. The folks out there who gauge the value of custom work by what they could buy in a similar, but not what they want, size and style at Rooms-To-Go or whatever, are not our clients.
Yes, I know you used vector art and a thermofoil door for the lid, but it all has value. Also, I hope you put soft-down hinges on it. Good ones are not 5 bucks!

It is very cute and I'm sure Lilly will enjoy it for many years. That is a great reward but doesn't put food on the table, or repay your tooling and software investment.

[MogulTx]

That is a great toy chest- especially considering the input you got from your customer. I would have charged more (unless I was doing it for a friend or as a sample to get someone to do a much bigger project with me)...

I understand that it is not possible to get the full value every time. But you do good work.... you should get good pay! That machine is not working 8 full hours every day, and so you need to get paid a higher rate per operating hour so that you make a decently good living and pay to put back your "nest egg", etc.

But again: nice work. Lilly will love it!

Monty

[kevin]

That is a nice box and its personalized Dave is right that its supper cheap .I tried to do small signs a while a go the price was 175 each but i need 4 people to make it worth while saved there phone number .WHEN i was ready I called they said I was to expensive the point Its hard to do small job and price them right

Look online and see what it would cost know next time

[nathanporter]

Just a thought . . . what if you just sold the pieces for that price and let the customer experience what it's like to be creative?

[Designer]

Really nice. Especially from MDF. I have the same problem with selling items. I have had a lot of people walk away due to the price. I am sure that the young lady will love it.

[genek]

My Take on this is way too cheap... If you can not make a living off of your products then you need to come up with a product that you can make a living off of. I am making more cutting circles for this lady in Louisville than what you made with that beautiful toy box. My client ordered 50 (19) inch circles.. I quoted her 8.00 each plus material. it took 3 hours to cut the 50 circles. Your equipement will not last your life time, Your bits will not last your life time, You have to make enough money to do repairs and to replace equipment. I charge minimum 60.00 per hour minimum. I take the time aspire tells me that it will take to cut then I add 40% more time. That is the price I quote. You have to handle your wood on and off, that is time,,, you have finish time etc. Make sure when pricing you price to allow employee's to do the job and that you still are making enough money to pay bills, labor, yourself, and set money aside for repairs and replacements.

[sugarbeatco]

I suppose I should clarify a few things:
This project was made for a young man whom happened to be beginning a life with his new girlfriend and her daughter. The guy is not rich, likely never will be. I saw the opportunity for him to show that he cares enough to have something nice made for his potential step daughter, and not just "here's a box, now there is no excuse for me to trip over your toys." Most single young men without children of there own wouldn't appreciate this, and I'm sure he didn't fully appreciate what I did for him by making this box. Secondly I didn't lose a dime. I have one sheet of 3/4 mdf (roughly $30) 1 hr of machine time and about 5 minutes in the spray booth. Assembly took roughly 20 minutes, the hinges are salvaged from an old cabinet. The longest thing was painting the flowers. If I lost anything it was on that. Maybe 45 minutes of my skilled wife's time. The white paint was leftover from this years bee hives, and a few squirts of craft paint that I already had. I would have done it for free. I think I showed a little girl that her (potential) step father cares about her. I think I showed a young mother that her new boyfriend cares about her daughter. I think I kinda shot myself in the foot by giving him false expectations though. Last week he called back to have some custom bean bag toss boards made with a logo on them, and he looked shocked when I told him he was looking at roughly 200 for a far less superior product than his toy chest.. lol I feel good about it. If I think I can make a small difference in someones life, and they dont even need to know about it, I've done a small part in the greater good. I do appreciate everyone looking out for me, financially. I understand business, I run a store on main street in our small town, I work for some 7 figure companies doing projects I cant show off here. I'm alright.. this project isnt breaking the bank :P It was just one that I could finally show off here. Thanks again everyone for the comments, I do appreciate it.
P.S. There is no greater feeling of success than to help someone who cannot ever repay you. We, as makers, engineers and people of success are in a prime position to do such acts..

[scottp55]

Bravo!!