I guess I am pretty good at quoting compared to the guys that cut my wood.

[knight_toolworks]

I cut these boxes out of maple blocks the maple is cut from rough stock into 2.58x20" long and whatever thinks the wood ends up. around 1.75" so I get a maple board around 8 to 10' long chi=op it into the right lengths that takes one cut to cut the board then a second to clean up the other end. I used to then joint one edge then run them through my unisaw You get two and waste and sometimes three out of each board. then joint two edges to square them on my 6" jointer then run them through the small planer for thickness. it takes me about 1.5 hours at most to cut 45 total sticks in my little shop.
I had one guy do them that shares the basement with me and he sanded them to final thickness and it cost me 125 for 50 sticks. so it took him a bit longer then me. So I get work from this company that processes wood for others mills sans glues up and such. so I gave them a sample and showed what I want and I knew the guy was low on time when he said around 30 minutes but their minimum is a hour 65.00 but I figured maybe 1.5 hours for one batch and I gave them two batches.
well I get called they are done and instead of the 180 to 200 I was expecting it was 365.00 5.5 hours. I mean it would have taken me maybe 3 hours and their sander can take of 1/8" my planer does a few hundred.
so now I have to come up with that much money but I won't get paid till I get them.
that is a huge time difference when they have industrial tools compared to me even the guy I had do them last time does not have as big of tools.
'I don't think there is much I can do and they do send me customers but it really is going to hit my wallet but the customer does not pay extra for it.

[bleeth]

There is really no excuse for an estimate of an hour minimum (or so) to turn into 5 times that amount. I would have a friendly heart to heart with their management, particularly since you have a relationship already.

[MogulTx]

Yeah. When the quote is NO WHERE NEAR the final bill- I can't feel real good about paying it without at LEAST making them aware of the difference. And they didn't call and say:" Hey. We may have messed up our quote. We will honor it this time, but next time it is going to be more..."??? I would do that for any customer ( and for my relationship with that customer!)

[knight_toolworks]

I did goof and was thinking they were 60 a hour that was my bad. I just heard everyone quoting they paid 60.00 that's their min and i was thinking 1 hour but it was 1/2 a hour. But even over 3 hours is too much. I have to run them as single sticks to joint and plane them to thickness. they can joint and flatten the thickness in one fell swoop in one pass each side with their machines. so they should be able to do it faster as the have a 50" sander/planer
I need to scrounge up the extra and go in with my calipers to check the width it is critical it is right on and I gave them a sample and written instructions.

[Brian Harnett]

Almost every time I farm something out it is not done correctly and I have to spend time fixing it, so now I do it all and if there is an issue I know who screwed up. Some say I am too picky but that is what my repeat customers like about me.

[knight_toolworks]

I went and talked to them and I found out they were think I was going to bring in full boards and they would gang rip them and run them through the sander. that would be fast. But I did bring them a board as a sample. they gave me a discount. but I goofed and I thought they were 60.00 a hour not 120 a hour. but even short they could run the boards through a planer in one piece where I have to do it in strips. the thing is sometimes I can't get the boards tarot free before they are to the final size. I was hoping the small planer with individual cutter heads would do as good as my helical head on my jointer but it dos not.
son i am I am debating on having them do it all or just run the pieces through after I rip them and joint two sides. any sander in my price range would be way too slow. I tired getting them to pay .10 to have me sand them but they won't do it. so this is something out of my pocket.