"Swingman" wrote in message
...

On 2/2/2013 7:35 AM, John Grossbohlin wrote:

And, indeed, on this last four barstool project, my detailed record of shop
hours (which I strive to keep accurately to facilitate bidding on future
jobs), indicates that I spent 30 minutes cutting the 80 loose tenons for
four complete chairs.

That's 30 minutes for ALL the project tenons ... Now tell me how long would
it take you to cut 80 tenons in the ends of 40 chair components?

Cutting custom loose tenons a "burning distraction", not quite ...

... but what it is, is the difference between actual experience with an
operation, and just talking about it.

I think you miss my point... which in a commercial environment becomes even
more critical. That being that time is money. I'd think that on the very
low end shop time is worth at least $50/hour and more realistically probably
more like $100+/hour in many markets (to cover labor, profit, and the fixed
and variable costs of having the shop and equipment [taxes, heat/cooling,
electric, interest, maintenance, insurance, holding costs of inventory,
depreciation, etc., etc.]). I have one associate whose commercial shop
costs him about $35K/year whether he makes anything or not... at 40 hours
per week for 50 weeks per year he needs to charge $17.50/hour just to cover
the fixed costs!

That said, excluding the cost of the wood, in round numbers, that puts the
cost of your 80 tenons between $.31 (($50/2)/80) and $.63 each (($100/2)/80)
plus the cost of the wood. As a rough cost comparison, the Rockler site
lists 600-Packs of Festool Domino Beech Tenons, 8x22x50mm at $82 with $12
shipping. That works out to $.16 each. Even if you used two per joint and
charge $50/hour they are cheaper to buy than make when you take the cost of
the wood into account. Value engineering would ask if it makes sense to use
a "custom" size when functionally a "standard" size would do the job for
lower cost. In a commercial environment maintaining some inventory of
fasteners and adhesives is requisite when you take the opportunity costs of
"running to the store" or "making upon need" into account so buying 600 for
inventory would not be unreasonable. In a hobby shop environment, the
discretionary time available to many, if not most of us would be more
pleasantly spent on the primary project not on creating "standard"
fasteners... even at about $.28 each for quantities of 100 delivered.

Not saying it cannot be done and not telling you how to spend your time
(money)... If you can charge full shop rate and cover the material cost for
making tenons it doesn't matter much. If you are discounting that time in
any way (from under pricing, or charging what it would cost to buy them
rather than make them, or forgetting to charge period) then you are taking
money out of your pocket... I'm simply looking at the situation through a
different lens here. I'm also not saying I haven't spent time making things
that could be bought cheaper when all the opportunity costs are taken into
account. ;~)

John