Please Help Pricing and Feed ?

[RSP]

I have a customer that would like me to price out PVC letter to cut out. He will be supplying PVC material I'm just cutting it. He needs me to cut out 6 letters on PVC. 2 at 18"x27", 2 at 11" x 24", and 2 at 11" x 18". How do i price this and future jobs?

Also What type of bit should i use, speed rates, depth rate, and rpm? I have a standard with spindle shop bot if that make any difference. Thank you in advance for your assistance.

[David Iannone]

I cut letters at wholesale prices for other sign shops. They supply material. I price it at $6 sq/ft
I try to get $75 per hr from my machine

For the sizes you listed I would be at $18, $12, $9 for a total of $39.
It would take me 10 minutes to toolpath in Aspire and probably 10 minutes to cut it out. Round it off to 30 minutes (more than enough time) = $78 per hr

I use a Onsrud 1/4" upspiral bit #63-727
I would start with move speed at 2ips x,y and 1ips z and tune it from there. I run the PC router at 13,000rpm
PVC is easy to cut, but can cause a lot of static. Just make sure everything is ground properly. Dust Collection too.

Welcome to the forum.

Dave

[RSP]

Thank you so very much.

[MogulTx]

Now RSP.... go back and read slowly and carefully. David very graciously laid everything out for you....

AND WATCH OUT FOR THE STATIC! Especially if you have an older controller!

[RSP]

Hello and thank you for your response last time, I now have a 1/8 just fro clean up because the 1/4 bit cannot fit into the "a" and some other areas. Wha t would be the feed, plunge, and rpm rates for the cutting pvc using an 1/8" bit. T Hank you once again for your help.

[bleeth]

A little basic logic here-1/8" is 1/2 the size of 1/4" and so the cutting edge is closer to the center of the bit. That means it is engaging the material faster, so you must slow down your feed or speed. 1/8" bits break easy, even in pvc. So you should slow down your move speed and plunge less deep. You also need to slow down your spin. For small bits in pvc I could be as low as 8k depending on exactly what I am doing. Exact numbers vary depending on quality of bit, tightness of machine, and how well your z axis is set perpendicular to the table.
When buying small bits like 1/8" NEVER buy just one. It will cost you in the long run. Since different pvc brands and thicknesses act different you need to understand the concept, and not look for precise advice.
Note how David said "and tune it from there" I have an employee who interprets everything I tell him as a "rule" and inevitably cannot remember all the rules. He is not capable of understand the concept well enough to apply it to situations, and so must be told the "rules" over and over. He is well meaning and a hard worker so he keeps his job. But, he gets minimal pay and will never advance.

"Give someone an answer and they have learned nothing. Teach them how to think it out and they will know it forever"

[jerry_stanek]

I cut pvc all the time for sign shops I use a .125 bit at 10000 rpm and 4.5 ips at .125 depth.

[RSP]

thank you all for your advice