Welding Tips and Tricks

A good friend who owns a Tree Service Co. approached me to fabricate 2 fuel cap locks. This was an interesting project. These are for a chipper and a stump grinder. I started with 4 1/2" pipe ...1/4" wall. The caps are 18 ga. tig welded on. I took precise measurements on the filler necks below the cap threads. This was done to give a good tight fit with minimal movement and to accommodate the rubber on the bottom of the lock.....the chipper has a plastic tank. I then cut the holes and machined the hole to size on my lathe. The hole unit was then cut in half. hinges were made from 1/2" bar stock with 1/4" pins and thick washers cut to size. The pieces for the padlock were 1/2" x 1" flat stock. These fit well and should work well too. Just don't know what to charge.

As long as the customer can support it, $X a hour x how many hours you have in project, add up to 40% on material and there you go.
-Jonathan

Since those are commercially available, you'd have to look at comparable pricing, and I'll wager you can't compete.

Steve S

Good friend = material cost + case of beer/bottle of your drink.

To me good friend>$.

Now acquaintance = comparable to what's out there

You did a nice job whether they're available or not. But every time I've caught myself in the situation of not knowing what to charge a buddy, I usually add 10 to 20 bucks on top of material and go on about my business. Like Wes917 says, a buddy is worth more than money. But, in the same hand, like Steve said that might already put you 15 dollars over a mass produced cap lock. Looks like you have two cap locks and one pickle lol.

Hindsight2020 wrote:Looks like you have two cap locks and one pickle lol.

I didn't realize it was you that posted this until I read it the second time lol. I was thinking "Man that sounds like something Cole would say." Lo and behold, it was you!

And if you guys think welding is hard to justify cost to a buddy, try working on cars. It's a hundred times worse!

Hindsight2020 wrote:Looks like you have two cap locks and one pickle lol.

I didn't realize it was you that posted this until I read it the second time lol. I was thinking "Man that sounds like something Cole would say." Lo and behold, it was you!

And if you guys think welding is hard to justify cost to a buddy, try working on cars. It's a hundred times worse!

Lol, my main reference was to wrenching as well but either way its a legitimate struggle.

Hi,
Long ago I was told "You have to charge your friends because your enemies don't come to you"
Have a great year

wish i could weld wrote:Hi,
Long ago I was told "You have to charge your friends because your enemies don't come to you"
Have a great year

Those may be the wisest words I've read on ANY forum!



Steve S

Steve
I second that. Still laughing.
And how true!
Trevor

Cost of materials (including gas and consumables) X 1.50 + $50 X hours worked. = $$$$$