"John Grossbohlin" wrote:
"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.
No, you are missing the point.
Once again ... I do custom work, I have the capability to dimension the
tenon for maximum strength, I cut "custom sized" tenons, I have used that
term repeatedly since my original post in this thread, I can't buy "custom
sized" tenons at Rockler and refuse to use "standard, one size fits all to
the possible detriment of the integrity of the project joinery.
You took it upon yourself to reply to my post flatly stating that this
practice was a waste of time, and a "burning distraction", obviously
without any experience to back it up.
You are totally wrong in that statement, and in your assumption, for that
is what it is, an assumption, based on nothing but conjecture.
I'll ask you the same question asked of Dave ... Where does one buy "custom
sized" tenons in order to forego this imagined waste of time and money of
yours?
Let me hear a reply based on experience ... enough assumption and
conjecture.
--
www.ewoodshop.com (Mobile)