# Pricing Planer/Jointer/TS work



## Rushman (Jun 1, 2009)

I do some woodworking as a hobby as well as help some friends out.I have been asked to plane some lumber and was wondering what would be a price per BF to do this. I don't want to start a debate between someone doing doing this for a living and someone as a hobby. I asked about pricing cabinet doors on another site and almost started WWIII. The task would be face joint one side and joint the edges. Then plane down from 4/4 to 13/16" At that point boards would be ready for glue up or what ever. What would be a fair price considering ware and tare on blades and equipment as well as my time?
What would you charge to plane hardwood?

Thanks
Johnny


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## TheDane (May 15, 2008)

Before I got a planer of my own, I would give my neighbor a 6-pack. I have always been amazed how much work he'll do for a cold Bud!


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## pknight (Oct 4, 2009)

In my neck of the woods, there are a couple dealers who will surface both sides and bring it down close to nominal demisions (i.e. 4/4 down to 3/4") for $0.25 a BF.

Call around and see what the charges are at the lumber yards. You don't want to stick it to your friend, but you also don't want to become a "critical" supplier for him without him understanding that critical dependability isn't free. Also try to figure out why he wants you to do it rather than another shop…. you may find out he knows the job will cost $$$ and he only wants to pay $.

as for materials depends on how long you expect a set to last (in BF terms), and how expensive a set of new one are…. If you think it might be a ongoing thing, rather than a one off, you might think about rolling in buying a new set right up front.

as for time…. only you can decide that. We each have different shop rates, and we each have different tolerances for certain types of work…. me I charge a heck of a lot more for things that I don't really like doing.  I call it my "damn it, I have to go to work" rate. remember $10.00 an hour annulizes out to less than $21,000/yr. And then technically, you have to pay taxes on that… you are really working for around $8.00. (And if you don't plan on reporting that income, don't let them know!)


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## BreakingBoardom (Dec 18, 2009)

One lumberyard near me marks up lumber 10% to plane 2 sides and give one straight edge. So this way it depends on what type of wood it is. The more the BF price, the more for the work.


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