I’m starting a small custom CNC plasma business focused on serving artisans, blacksmiths, and art welders who are looking for custom blanks and repeat decorative components.
I’m trying to develop a realistic pricing structure and would love insight from folks already doing this professionally.
A few things I’m especially curious about:
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What CAM/software metrics do you actually find most useful for estimating?
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Do you factor complexity (pierce count, cut length, etc.) into pricing, or mainly rely on cut time/material?
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How do you typically approach pricing for one-off custom work vs repeat production runs?
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Do you generally charge separately for file prep/CAD cleanup?
I’m less interested in exact dollar amounts and more interested in how experienced shops structure their thinking and workflows.
Appreciate any advice or lessons learned.