Machine Shop Prices

Purely IMHO..... (as a business owner who prices unique projects all the time):
- Being a specialty block, a higher charge wouldn't be abnormal, regardless of the state of anyone's tooling or risks or experience.
- If there are very real risks involved that can't be realistically mitigated, then more is justified. But if the risk stems from your inexperience, then that cost is on you. OR the block owner is warned of the risks and told that you can't be held liable. That can drive away business, and if you want to get the experience, then it seems reasonable to take on the cost.
- You get to keep the fixture, so it is capital investment, assuming you can use it on other projects. (Or it is to make your existing equipment work with this unique block, which is your equipment's shortcoming.) If this is only for this block, then that is a cost on the job.
- The customer needs to be told ahead of time on the price, especially if it is higher than normal. If you have to put in extra labor that you did not anticipate, that is your cost.

We have made special tools from time to time for work, and we keep them and bear the materials and time expense.

BTW, how do you keep the hone from going off line into the AL? Just go slow?